Any Tips on Backing Into Campsites?

[eaglesdare]

that sounds like something i would do! but the first time i asked someone to do it for me, they told me no and i had to.

i get to try again this weekend. i only hope that someone will be around to help if needed.

 

[TheresaD-TNT]

You'll get it ladies don't you worry. I'm still not great at backing the trailer but I'm much better than I was when I tried getting it in my driveway last year. Got home. Moved the car out of the driveway to in front of the neighbors house. Made numerous attempts to get it to begin my approach into the driveway. Kept missing and couldn't get myself lined up right. Drove around the block to start my approach again. Still not getting it right. Across the road now with a 1/2 turned trailer that's nowhere near my driveway. Now there's a car coming trying to get by. Drove around the block again. This time I got smart. My neighbor across the street wasn't home so I pulled into their driveway and had the trailer somewhat straight and began backing across into my driveway from there. I still had to go forward and straighten up several times but I finally got it to the side of the driveway and relatively straight. For some reason I'm better at backing in at a campground. I'm getting better at the driveway thing but I still like it when they're not home when I have to back in!

 

[eaglesdare]

is there a name for this syndrome, where we can back up at campgrounds, but not our own back yards?

 

[CAJUN LADY-TNT]

Just remember,

 

[mcspin50]

 

[asianflava]

I wouldn't worry about it, it takes practice. I forget the quirks every time I hook up the trailer, almost have to relearn the first time I back it up; especially if it has been a while.

The worst is backing my car hauler when empty. You can't see it until it is really crossed up. It takes me a long time to back that one. I have no shame, I'll keep trying until I finally get it in the spot.

 

[T@Baker]

After somewhat learning at an empty Walmart, I took my trailer to a state park that's open all year. Hardly anyone there so you can find an empty loop. That was much better practice because you can deal with trees, the angle of the pad, site number posts, etc.

I sometimes wonder why in the world when there's a tree hugging one side, they place the marker post directly on other, leaving you a narrow margin to back into.

I was asked earlier this year by a gentlemen if he wanted me to have him back my trailer in. It was a very weird angle involving a pad off of a "Y". I told it that would be great, but I really need the practice. What I would really appreciate is him giving me direction. He was glad to do that, and I was glad to receive it.

 

[eaglesdare]

oh yes, the last trip we took even hubby wasn't man enough to back inbetween those trees. he unhooked it and pushed it up into the spot.

 

[canned o minimum]

There's no shame in disconnecting the teardrop to push it into the spot.. it's called "common sense" or "prudence"

Not to mention how much time it saves and wear and tear on the clutch,etc..

 

[mcspin50]

Well, it's three years later, and I think I finally got the hang of it.
One thing I've learned to do that really helps is if the trailer starts going the wrong way I STOP. I point a finger in the direction I want the trailer to go, and then I turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction. I just couldn't get the "hand on the bottom of the wheel" method to work for me.
PLUS I go r-e-a-l-l-y r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w.

 

[deleted]

PLUS I go r-e-a-l-l-y r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w.

YAY!

That is the trick (imo). Speed is the key. Or the lack of speed.

 

[bobhenry-TNT]

Turn the bottom of the wheel in the direction you want to go.

I try and keep the site to my left so I can see the trailer in the mirror as it backs into the spot.

 

[dguff]

It really helps if you are able to tilt your mirrors down so you can see exactly where the lowest corner of the trailer is at all times. I learned this many, many years ago driving a truck where I had to back into tight spaces.

Jerome

 

[GerryS-TNT]

This is all good advise. Hand on bottom of wheel, point the tiller where you want to trailer to go. It helps having eyes on the front fenders....sometimes it's easy to get target fixation on the slot you're trying to put the tab (ooh! Bad pun) and those trees bite.

With a little practice you be an expert in no time. It amazes my family and friends when I will back the trailer up as long as I want to, and slip it between two parked cars. It just takes practice and confidence.

Go slow, if you get wonky pull forward and straighten it out....you've got this

 

[gudmund-TNT]

when you buy chocks/wheel blocks buy the "yellow" ones to use as pylon markers and another thing that I did years ago when I got my trailer was to go to a big parking lot and made some tight circles at the max turning stops of my vehicle to check to see how close my trailer came to jack-knifing when driving forward (there was about a 8 inch gape between the bumper and tongue in it's tightest turn). From this I got a visual on my tongue box where the max tight point was and put a 2 inch wide vertical piece of red reflective tape marking the spot on the right and left so I can see the jack-knife point when backing up in my mirror. Even at this point, there is that 8 inch gape between my bumper and trailer frame left before contact - just a bit of extra safety gape before contact/jack-knifing when backing up. And yes, a automatic is so much better than a stick when backing up!!!! No slipping of a clutch - just a nice easy throttle controlled back-up!

 

[kudzu-TNT]

Here's a little tip, even if you are paying attention to a dozen or more different obstacles, try to remember the basics. Like, watch the angle between trailer & tow vehicle. After 3 weeks of towing across almost 5000 miles, on the second to last day of the trip, I jackknifed. It didn't damage the trailer but wrinkled the corner of my bumper & knocked out the turn signal. Duct tape was the temporary cure. I'd been doing so well with backing. Guess I just got distracted. Plus I was very, very tired... exceedingly tired. Funny thing is that rather than be upset about the damage to my van, I was just really pissed at myself for slipping up & missing the obvious. My pride was more damaged than my van.

Shall we call this a character building experience?

 

[S. Heisley]

Don't feel alone, Kudzu. Almost 3 years ago, I jackknifed mine, when the trailer's wheel caught on a road berm at night, while backing it in alone. Even though I got much of the damage out of the side of the TV, the poor thing still has a dent that unknowing people think is a nasty car door slam from another vehicle. Ahhh....Let them think that. It's less embarrassing. The trailer had NO damage. We build 'em tough! However, now, when I back into a spot, especially at night, I get out and check several times and I don't care what people think. It's what I do!

I recently bought a couple of these (I bought them when they were on sale...sometimes you can get them for free, when making another purchase...watch the ads for them.):

http://www.harborfreight.com/27-led-por ... 67227.html

They have hooks and magnets on the back and I'm going to put them on my metal frame whenever I need to back up in the dark. If your frame is covered, you might be able to put them on your fenders and/or hang them by their hook. There is also a red-trimmed triangle shaped one that works either as an extra white light, a red light, or a red flashing light. These really give off a lot of light!

 

[1950 tear]

well last camp trip i heard a little crack whoah! Gotta go slower cause got a dent :-(

 

[Miriam C.]

Don't feel alone, Kudzu. Almost 3 years ago, I jackknifed mine, when the trailer's wheel caught on a road berm at night, while backing it in alone. Even though I got much of the damage out of the side of the TV, the poor thing still has a dent that unknowing people think is a nasty car door slam from another vehicle. Ahhh....Let them think that. It's less embarrassing. The trailer had NO damage. We build 'em tough! However, now, when I back into a spot, especially at night, I get out and check several times and I don't care what people think. It's what I do!

I recently bought a couple of these (I bought them when they were on sale...sometimes you can get them for free, when making another purchase...watch the ads for them.):

http://www.harborfreight.com/27-led-por ... 67227.html

They have hooks and magnets on the back and I'm going to put them on my metal frame whenever I need to back up in the dark. If your frame is covered, you might be able to put them on your fenders and/or hang them by their hook. There is also a red-trimmed triangle shaped one that works either as an extra white light, a red light, or a red flashing light. These really give off a lot of light!

Good idea Sharon. btw Harbor Freight has a free square light this weekend. I really feel for you hitting like that. I did it to the hatch lid many years ago. Just patched it with sawdust and epoxy.

 

[S. Heisley]

Thanks, Miriam! It's good to see you around on the forum more.