Any Tips on Backing Into Campsites?

[mcspin50]

Hello ladies and gents,
The bad news....I'm not done building my teardrop.
The good news...I bought an '84 Scamp to use until I get my teardrop built. And, gosh, it's cute! (see pic below in sig line)

The good news...I'm going to take it camping for the second time this weekend at Crow Wing State Park.
The bad news...This state park doesn't have any pull-through sites. I'm going to have to back it into a campsite.

Do you have any tips on how I can become an competent backer-upper in 3 days? I have some blaze orange construction pylon thingies that I can use to mimic a campsite. Just have to find a secluded spot to set them up so I don't embarrass myself with an audience.

All hints and advice greatfully appreciated!

 

[eaglesdare]

start backing slowly, grab the wheel at the bottom and turn the wheel the direction you want to turn the trailer.
if you grab the wheel from the top, you have to turn the wheel the opposite direction you want to turn.

go slow and you will get the hang of it, you also might have to pull forward and straighten out and try again. just be patient and you will get it.

 

[Alfred-TNT]

As Louella said above, best advice I was given was to hold the wheel at the bottom and turn in the direction you want the camper to go.

Enjoy the camping!

AL

 

[TheBizMan-TNT]

As stated....go slow. If the trailer isn't going the way you want or is going too far, then pull forward and try again. Just takes practice and even the best ones mess up sometimes. DON'T give up. You CAN do it.

 

[GuitarPhotog]

I spent a Sunday afternoon in a deserted office complex parking lot practicing both backing into a parking spot, but also just backing in a straight line.

As everyone advises, go slow and if it's not going where you want, pull up and try again, slowly.

It takes practice, but after a few trips you'll be putting it in the narrowest slots you can find, just because you can

<Chas>

 

[Gaelen]

Agree with GuitarPhotog - find a well-lit deserted parking lot and bring along your orange pylons and just practice, practice, practice.

 

[mcspin50]

Thanks all! I knew I'd read something about hand at the bottom of the wheel, but couldn't remember the rest.

So, just to help me and my dyslexic brain, if I have my right hand on the bottom and want the trailer to go right, I move my hand towards the right, right?

 

[mcspin50]

heres another suggestion. the teardrop is so light its easy to move by hand.

get a rubber tired castor wheel on the end of the trailer jack and unhitch the teardrop it wieghs about nothing.

let the trailer tongue sit or rest on the rubber tired castor wheel.

then get your hubby to help you push the trailer into your camp site.
slow.

Wouldn't that be like cheating??

Thanks for all your good suggestions, slow.

 

[CliffinGA]

Lil + what they all said, but I have 2 things I used to teach my wife when learning to back up. First like they said instead of finding a secluded area just go to nearest Wal-mart or mall and do it at night! Reason is if you learn at night to back into a parking space then day time in a campsite is easy plus less people out to bug you at night. 2 like slow said get iy close and you can push it in place, with some tears and tt the tongue is short so it makes it a pain to back in, it jack knifes like crazy when you try to back in. My wife learned in 1 night and has done it twice since then so she could make sure she had it she said . Good luck

Cliff (& Sheri)

 

[madjack]

...as the others said, hand on bottom of wheel...move hand in direction you want trailer to go...go slow...make all adjustments in SMALL increments...move hand a little, as soon as trailer starts moving in wanted direction, move hand back to center...go slow...short trailers move fast so, make small movements of hand and return...go slow...slow movements of hand...go slow...as trailer starts going in wanted direction, correct the other way soon...go slow, small corrections and adjustments, don't wait too long to get vehicle back in line with trailer...go slow...small adjustments and did I say to go slowly...an empty WalMart parking lot is an excellent spot to start your training...and make small adjustments and GO SLOW!!!!!!!!!
madjack

 

[Miriam C.]

What they said but a small trick:
Turn your mirror, the one on the inside curve, so you can see the end of the trailer and the drive. Pick a line and have the camper corner follow it! Crank the steering wheel hard and let off as the camper comes around. Slow!!!!!!!! If you want the corner to go right, with your hand on the bottom, take it to the right......

Look for obstacles first!

 

[canned o minimum]

Well.. "I" have a couple a ideas fer ya...the first has already been stated.. Put a wheel on the tongue jack !! Cheating ?? NO WAY ! It'll keep the corners of yer trailer AND yer TV straight( no dents)

"I" have one a them "suicide" knobs on ALL of my vehicles JUS FER backin up trailers !!! Jus hand on the KNOB to turn the steering wheel...


"I" have been drivin trucks and trailers fer 34 years so it's second nature fer me !

That Scamp is very lite.. jus put a wheel on that tongue jack and push that thang if ya hafta...Whatever is SAFEST fer YOU !

That doesn't mean ya can't practice the backing up in a parkin lot tho...

Jus remember, the KEY word is SLOW !!!

 

[canned o minimum]

Well.. "I" have a couple a ideas fer ya...the first has already been stated.. Put a wheel on the tongue jack !! Cheating ?? NO WAY ! It'll keep the corners of yer trailer AND yer TV straight( no dents)

"I" have one a them "suicide" knobs on ALL of my vehicles JUS FER backin up trailers !!! Jus hand on the KNOB to turn the steering wheel...


"I" have been drivin trucks and trailers fer 34 years so it's second nature fer me !

That Scamp is very lite.. jus put a wheel on that tongue jack and push that thang if ya hafta...Whatever is SAFEST fer YOU !

That doesn't mean ya can't practice the backing up in a parkin lot tho...

Jus remember, the KEY word is SLOW !!!

 

[bdosborn-SMB]

I was really struggling till I realized I wasn't going far enough past where I wanted to back into. I had to really jackknife the trailer to get even close to where I wanted to be. I started pulling a a couple of trailer lengths past the drive and then it was a much gentler turn to back in.

Bruce

 

[S. Heisley]

I'm still learning; but, one tip that my neighbor gave me was, if you tend to over-steer(I do), put just one hand on the steering wheel when you turn it and rest the other hand/arm on the TV door/open window. That does seem to help.

 

[Fiona2011]

I learned with the trial by fire method. On the way to a recent gathering, I missed the turn into the camping area. We were out in the country and I looked for a large spot to turn around and about 2 miles past my missed turn I spotted what I thought was a parking lot that wrapped around the little post office, so I pulled in. It didn't go through, so I had to figure it out then and there. What seemed like a 27 point turn later, I was back on the road. The upside was that I now had enough confidence to try backing into my driveway when I got home. Had a little trouble hitting the sweet spot between the wall of bamboo and a giant rock, but I made it. It's kinda like a bike, once you get the feel of it.....So, keep trying!

 

[Stealth TDI]

If you have a choice and can control where you park, choose a side that'll let you back the trailer in the direction of the driver's side. In other words, pass the site along your left, then back it in. It's easier to watch the back of the trailer that way. But practice both ways so you're not caught off guard at the site. I learned to back my trailer in a high school parking lot after hours. No cones needed. I used the painted stripes.

Even after 13 years of experience with the same TV/trailer combo, I still find myself needing to pull forward and try again from time to time. Short trailers do cross-up quickly and sometimes just need a couple of adjustments, especially when doing some real "stunt parking" (see here and here). So, as stated, go slow.

Good Luck!

 

[Fiona2011]

Very impressive!

 

[Gary and Cheri]

Lil,

Congrats on the new to you trailer. Cheri and I love those Scamps and always point them out to each other. Really looking forward to seeing your new toy.

When we get to our camp site we always get out and walk it. Not every site is flat and some have dips and other areas that can make placement of the trailer difficult. After we decide where the trailer should be Cheri usually stands where we want the driver side wheel of the trailer. I find having a target to referance is very helpful. It also helps when she yells "Stop".

Without a helper I often place an object on the ground, usually a stone or branch, etc.

See you in the spring, Lil.

Gary

 

[b.bodemer]

Learn the Scoop!

http://longlonghoneymoon.com/2010/03/vi ... -up-an-rv/

Fun video to watch.
Barb