Coaching the Fifth-wheel Backing Process

[ewbldavis]

Originally Posted by Ragermack

One other trick I use I learned from you Tube.(Sorry having problem finding the link) In any case, With the pivot point of a 5th wheel under the trailer you can make short 3 or 4 foot back and forth corrections and line your truck up with the trailer and never really change the trailer angle or position. You can transition from almost Jackknifed to the truck lined up with the trailer in a short distance.

Ha - this always makes me think of Austin Powers on the Cushman

[xrated]

Originally Posted by Ragermack

One other trick I use I learned from you Tube.(Sorry having problem finding the link) In any case, With the pivot point of a 5th wheel under the trailer you can make short 3 or 4 foot back and forth corrections and line your truck up with the trailer and never really change the trailer angle or position. You can transition from almost Jackknifed to the truck lined up with the trailer in a short distance.

You might be referencing this video from Changing Lanes...Here is a link to it and the maneuver you are talking about starts at the ~ 35 minute mark....

https://changinglanesrv.com/towing/

If you care to watch the entire video, it's a pretty informative watch....

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by K_N_L

I watched the UPS driver at our loading dock for a year back a 53' foot trailer to the loading dock every day, always aligned and gently touch the ramp, and finally asked him for advise. He said, go slow, trust your mirrors and watch your marks by which he meant any markings on the ground for reference. Lastly is GOAL, get out and look. At least at home I have stepping stones that let me gauge my progress. At campgrounds , I have placed my chocks where I could gauge where I was vs. where I wanted to be.

I pay attention to the tires along with everything else mentioned. I always get out and look where the hook ups are where my slides need to be depending on the site. I like my slides to be on the line of my space and takes pulling up to be parallel with the space.

[johnnybadger]

All, just wanted to give you an update. Took Geraldine out of heated storage facility to RV dealer to replace bearings, check brakes, and rest of suspension, plus a couple other items. When it came time to unhitch, they needed t to be parked between two rigs, with a 12’ or so gap. They asked if I wanted to park it, or them.

With all of your advice running through my brain, I said I would do it. This time I focused on these things: go VERY slow, don’t oversteer, and GOAL. I am here to report that I nailed it. Will include a couple pix if I can figure out how to.

But just wanted to thank each of you again. Your advice was invaluable. I could not have done this without all of you.

[ewbldavis]

While I applaud your parking job - I think I would have had dealer do it just in case.

If they hit one of the other units, it's on them, not me. Maybe I'm not as confident

[Camp CA]

Normally I camp in a pull through site. But this time it was a back-in site (2nd time in 13 months). As I was leaving the RV Park office I told the manager that backing my 41 ft fifth wheel trailer towed by a long bed crew cab dually into the designed camping spot would be impossible AND I WOULD BE BACK FOR ANOTHER SITE. i used the same technique as Camping family while backing over my left shoulder and surprised myself and the camping neighbors that I backed it in perfectly with a minor pull-up correction. Needless to say I never returned to the office for another site.

That said, my storage trailer location requires I back up over my right shoulder where I have NO VISIBILITY and that requires I apply the GOAL technique several time during the backing process. I use the backing technique shown by Changing Lanes.

[a7az]

If you have a computer with a decent graphics card you can get loads of practice driving and backing massive fifth wheels into really tight spots with Euro Truck Simulator 2. The same company makes American Truck Simulator which is the same game but with a North American map.

You only need a mouse to have fine grained control over the steering. The roads are extremely tight and it's difficult to avoid crashing or getting a ticket. Play on the highest difficulty setting.

Highly recommend for getting a feel for backing, changing lanes, and STOPPING giant trailers. Things you don't realize you needed to practice until you realize you're about to crash. I never drove a large trailer before I bought my 35ft fifth wheel and I felt comfortable backing this behemoth because I developed a feel for the steering already beforehand using that simulator. I find that it translates well to the real world.

[Uncoolron]

I’m glad I found this thread because I’m a newbie myself . When I bought my 5er a month ago, I never ever back up with any kind of trailer ever in my life. Had a 10 minutes practice from the dealership parking before taking home my RV and that’s it.

So, on the shakedown trip after a week no available pull in site of course. It took me 20 minutes to get in the spot and and sweating like being in a sauna. Had 5 backing experience so far and my confidence goes up 5 to 10 percent all the time.

With the knowledge I learned from this thread, I think my confidence went up another 10 percent. Cheers!

[Javi]

This is the video I recommend to newbies, it explains the issue about the best I've seen.
https://youtu.be/p1B5d_K2__4

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by xrated

One thing that I learn about 45 years ago while backing a trailer, and this applies to any trailer....tow behind or 5th wheel trailer....is to use the bottom of the steering wheel of the tow vehicle (truck in this case) as your "indicator". What I mean by that is imagine the bottom part of your steering wheel with an arrow pointing both left and right <------> Move the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction that you want the back of the trailer to go. Using this method, you don't have to stop and think.....OK if I move the steering wheel this way, the trailer will go the opposite way...or vice versa. This method is such that the back of the trailer will go the direction that the arrow is moving...but always use the bottom of the steering wheel as your reference for direction.

Because of the location of the truck/trailer pivot point being in the bed of the truck vs. at the back of the truck on a tow behind, the actual turning motion of the trailer is a bit delayed when compared to a tow behind, so you have to start the turn a little sooner than you would with a tow behind.

I'm going to link a video for you that a couple named Chad and Tara have made that to me, was very helpful. The name of their site is called Changing Lanes and it's definitely worth a watch.....or three or four.

https://changinglanesrv.com/towing/

XRated this is the method I use also, the other is once the 5er is going the direction you want bting the wheel back at least to center, it is way too easy for you to get the 5er turned too far.

[Jim2366]

I pull up past where I am going to back, back up slow and I watch the tires on the RV. If I need help on the blind side to make sure I clear a tree or post then my wife watches and talks to me on the cell phone. I find that the closer she is to the truck the better the communication, when she says to stop I do and get out and look. Once you get a clear view on the driver side you have it made, you can always pull forward and back to make adjustments. One last thing is to keep checking on the truck too not to hit a post or tree.

At home I have to back into a 90 degree turn with a fence on both sides, and watch the mail box across the street. Its is the best practice ever. When my wife is home she makes sure I clear the fence. So far so good.