When I learned to back a trailer, I was taught to place my hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and turn it in the direction you want the trailer to go. This prevents the driver from having to think about which way he wants the trailer to go and then turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction.
I've been towing for twenty years, and I've made my mistakes and learned the hard way. This is one of the best videos about backing that I've seen. Nice job! GOAL!
Thanks for the video. Drone footage awesome. We will be picking up our 2021 Jayco northpoint 387fbts in a few weeks. First 5th. Wheel. I pull a 30' enclosed trailer daily but this will be a new experience. Thanks for the tips.#GOAL
I just got a fifth wheel. I've been pulling a 17 foot trailer for years now and still find that a challenge. Your video is helpful, but I would eschew any reference to left or right or north or south and the stupidest thing anybody could ever say is straighten it up. All that shit makes no sense and is so confusing. All I wanting assistant to do is scream if I get too close to hitting something. Any tips on which way to turn should be relegated to driver side passenger side front back that's clear left and right for two people facing each other is just overly confusing. Maybe I'm dyslexic thanks bye
Nope, nope. Lock your arm in place very first thing when the jaws latch. If you start plugging in wiring, etc. you will forget about it with disastrous results.
Every rig has been different based on its own braking capabilities. This rv was set at 8 I think. The Montana I had (which had disc brakes) was set to 4.5 and now my airstream i have set to 7 I think
Love the drone footage. I hate coming in the direction that I have to backup using my passenger side mirror, but it is what it is. Once the rear of the trailer is in the right position and the passenger side rear is at the right distance from the other guy or patio, I pull slightly forward. I find a tree, rock, or whatever to spot in my ds mirror and the ds edge of the RV. I may even GOAL to see the angle is straight. As I'm doing the final back up, I keep that weld spot right on the back edge of the RV. If there becomes too much space, then I know I'm backing toward the passenger side, all the while making sure the backing angle is true. If the weld spot disappears, then the opposite.
Great advice! I was not so patient a few years ago and ended up running over a stupid cable box that was about 8" off the ground, thought I had enough room and ended up scratching my bumper up on a brand new truck (with about 500 miles on it). Our last TT was 36ft and we've since moved into a 44ft long 5th wheel and we're in a spot for 4th of July that the TT was kind of a pain to get into site and in all honesty Im a bit anxious and I tow a large enclosed trailer every day and could put that TT in just about anywhere.
Hey Gordon, thanks for watching. Yes I can do a 90 with the slider back. I actually now have a 2017 Silverado dually with an 8 ft bed so no more slider for me. I only used the slider 1-2 times in over a year of RVing and I moved around a lot. Lots of different spots. Rarely will you need to maneuver that tightly but definitely good to practice.
With that Patriot slider, does the slider lock in backwards (toward the rear of the truck) for backing up in tight maneuvers and wanting the rv nose not hit the truck's back window? I'm totally new to 5th whl towing and you said you couldn't get a 90° with a shortbed+slider, right? I thought the slider feature gave the equivalent to having a long bed truck...no?
Every single truck is different and Leah is different. As well as every hitch is different. I’m sure there are slider hitches specifically designed for short bed trucks that give you the maneuverability of a long bed. The slider locks in position where you have it forward or to the rear. It locks where you put it.
@@WhyNotRV what is the length of your truckbed? I have not bought my 5th whl trailer just yet...My truckbed is 6ft 9in and I have that Patriot slider. I was under the impression that using that slider, in that bedlength, would give the functionality of a longbed truck... I understand that were the bed supershort, that slider wouldn't make up for those very short bedlengths... But I think that the slider mounted in my truck will make up (almost) for it not being a true longbed... What is your bedlength then and does it still limit your maneuverability with slider used?? (I think you said that you couldn't get it to a 90° position while backing)
I would bet with a regular bed you are correct. The short bed would be a struggle. I don’t recall the bed length in that truck but I believe it was the same as yours.
Engage your trailer break and with your truck in drive, allow the truck to lightly (idle) pull the trailer. The trailer break being engaged should keep you in place. Release the trailer break and you should begin to roll.
@@WhyNotRV right but you're back up example is still not very real world. Harder to visualize as opposed to backing into that RV site. You actually could have done both with that pull through spot.
Understandable. I appreciate the feedback. Hopefully you were able to learn something from the video. I will be doing another version of this video soon but now with an Airstream.
when you did the walk around, I noticed you did not do a lights check. Brake lights, turn signals, running lights. Also inside tires. I once checked mine all good on outside, but huge bubble on inside.
Hey Ronald, thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. Definitely a good tip there. I do light checks once a week or so depending on how much driving we have going on. After I had my shackle break on one of my leaf springs I started checking inside of tires and suspension a lot more often lol
@@WhyNotRV i really like your videos and think they are very helpful to new rv folks. I check everything everything maybe because i used to drive truck and nervous about getting a ticket!! I do not mean or want to nitpick. Even I learned from it. Thank you for posting.
You NEVER do your pull test AFTER you have retracted your landing gear all the way. If the hitch fails, you drop the trailer on the truck. Leave the landing gear a few inches above the ground, test the brakes and hitch, then retract them fully.
A. Put some weight on the 5th wheel plate before ltching up. Insures no “high hitch”. B. Pull test the hitch with landing gear about an inch off the ground. C. If we need cameras etc, to hook up, maybe we need to re-think what we are doing. D. If we need to watch youtube videos to figure out how to pull trailers, maybe we should re-think the whole idea. E. Whenever one is backing a trailer………..G O A L……..but you covered that. F. If you are new at this, go find an empty parking lot, set some safety cones or other type markers and practice, practice, practice before getting on the road. G. Above all, keep your head out of any dark places when towing……big or small! Keep your mind on the task at hand! Don’t set time and mileage goals above your capability. Don’t worry about keeping up with traffic. You need to think “Crawl, walk, run”. And a host of other items that one needs to have in their head when starting out. If the kids are yelling and screaming, Mama is pissed, etc. delay or cancel the trip! Oops, forgot to mention; when doing the walk around check all lights and at least thump the tires with a hammer or thumper, or put a gauge on them.
I got a couple angled cameras off Amazon that I want to mount on the sides of my 5th wheel. I installed a Sony stereo deck with touch screen and Android Auto in my dually truck. This particular model Sony actually has 3 camera inputs I can select from. Haven't installed them yet, but this should be perfect for the passenger side blindspot. I need to make a connection box with video connectors in the truck bed. I will probably use a backup camera on the trailer then re-connect the trucks tailgate camera when I'm not towing. They have kits to where you can make it wireless video signal but I've never had good luck with picture quality using wireless. These cameras are small and just requires a hole about 3/4" to install. They're like a wedge shape piece kind of like the nozzle for your windshield washer, mounted on cowling or hood. They weren't very expensive, about $20-$25. each.
Pull Test sir. Don't care what hitch you have, should ALWAYS do a Pull Test. Raise the front jacks about an inch or two, set trailer break, and do a pull test to make sure you hitch IS in deed LOCKED. Also, not sure why you've got an battery charge cable as on a 7 way plug, there is a lead that "should" go from your TV to the trailers battery to charge it.
Yes I do recommend doing a pull test. Checks your brakes and checks your hitch. The separate charge cable feeds a 40 amp dc-dc charger. While the 7 pin does charge, it’s extremely slow and not going to charge a significant battery bank that was drained over night. I have a couple videos on the install and functions of it.
I already know how to back a trailer but I came here for extra guidance and to improve. I never learned the way you're speaking of but everybody is different. When I'm backing as I sit in the driver's seat the driver side is the left side the passengers side is the right side same thing with my trailer I keep it consistent the right side of the trailer is the same like the right side of my truck. I don't switch them around that would confuse the heck out of me.
Thank you for watching. Absolutely, everyone has there own techniques and ways of doing things. Definitely more than one way to skin a cat in this case. Hope you learned something.
I am a total beginner trying to learn how to back my new 41' fifth wheel and you just confused the heck out of me. When i look at your aerial view at around 6:40, i would draw a line down the truck and trailer when they are still parallel, before the back in (beautiful job on the aerial. i'm going to buy a drone so i can use this advantage). As you back into your spot, the rear end of the trailer deviates from this line toward the passenger side of the truck, the RIGHT. undeniable. Now, what direction is the passenger side of the truck on if you are sitting in it? It is on the RIGHT side. So the rear end of the trailer is turning towards your RIGHT. Now, what direction are you turning the truck? The front wheels must be turned to the LEFT to cause the movement of the truck in the video. If you went forward at this point, the truck would make a LEFT turn, and if you continue in reverse, the back of the truck is turning to the LEFT. So, to make the rear of the trailer go to the driver's RIGHT, you must turn the steering wheel/front wheels to the LEFT. Please forgive me if that is what you are saying already.
All good, it’s very confusing until you just get in and do it. But yes what you stated is exactly correct and what is happening in the video. Another trick there is if you are in the driver seat looking forward and you know that you want the trailer to go to the right, place your hand at the 6 o’clock position on your steering wheel and push it the direction do you want the trailer to go, to the right. In turn this is making a left turn force in the trailer to go to the right. Make sense?
Hello, just to let you know, that I have a short bed pickup, and I can do a 90 degrees turn. The trick is having a Reese Revolution fifth wheel hitch on my RV. My dealer makes all of the Reese Revolution equiped RVs do this maneuver before leave the lot for the first time. Just wanted to let you know and let your followers also know.
I’ve never seen the leg remote before. Very smart idea. Was than an aftermarket addition. I really like the way you’ve organized your truck and trailer.
Why do you need the large power cables? And a few things you did in this video are Absolutely Scary!! #1 you hooked your Breakaway cable to your hitch instead of the truck. #2 you did your brake/tug test After you raised the front landing gear. #3 looks like you are one of those people Traveling way to Fast down the highway in the left lane Passing People like your late for your own Funeral!!! ⚠️⚠️⚠️Just a couple of Safety observations that I think other people need to be aware of if they are going to be towing Especially on the road with other innocent people traveling as well. ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Hey James, thanks for watching. I will say and have said in previous comments I have since added a hook to the bed of my truck and connect my breakaway cable to that. I personally always do a tug test but did not want to highlight it in this video as some people find it controversial. I am a low and slow driver 65 is usually my comfort zone and cruise control is set. All that being said, definitely great observations and things to point out for other viewers. I agree with you 100%.
Great video. Do you have info or another video explaining your what look like battery cables in the bed of your truck that connect to the 5th wheel when towing? Assuming it's charging all the 5th wheel batteries while towing?
Hey JTR, thanks for watching. Yes, it’s in my DC to DC battery charger episode 7 I think. Also, currently upgrading battery bank and am doing some in depth videos on the electrical system right now.
That red plug that you installed on the side of your bed,what is that called? I assume that you ran battery wires from the battery under the hood, under the truck to the bed side. I thought being hooked up to my 7 way would be enough to operate my hydraulic leveling Jack's but, got errors of low voltage. I had to get my wife's car and jumper cables for power.
I’ve got a 2011 F350 SRW with a leveling kit also. I tow a similar size rig. Mine is a 2020 Bighorn 39MB (42.2 ft long) which has an empty weight of 13500 My truck GVWR is 11,500. My truck weighs 8960 lbs and my tongue weight is 2500. So I’m just under the max GVW for the truck. I would HIGHLY suggest getting an airbag setup and a rear sway bar if you do not already have one. It makes a world of difference in towing 14,000 lbs. The airbags return the steering and braking geometry to normal as you will not be riding nose high. Let me know if you have any questions.
Hey Secret Squirrel, thanks for watching. Ya on that truck I did have the airbags but didn’t have a sway bar. I’ve since upgraded to a 2017 Silverado 3500 dually and love the ride with it. Pushing the limit with the 2500 was fine but so much more stability with the dually now
@@WhyNotRV no worries. My response was an attempt to help out the original poster, Kay K. I love my truck. I’d love to have a dually but I also like not having a payment.
@@WhyNotRV how long did you pull it for ? I have a 44ft 5th wheeler that I just bought and pulling it with a 2019 Ford F250 XLT 6.7 power stroke Diesel and was looking around to see videos of What trucks are best besides dulley to pull 5th wheels 44ft .
My truck was rated for 16k lbs. the rig was 15,500… I pulled it for almost 2 years. Although it was perfectly fine pulling and stopping the rig. I was right at the trucks max capability and there were several days with bad crosswinds that I had wished I had a dually. My dually is rated for 36k lbs so definitely no concern anymore. Look up exactly what your truck is rated for and what your trailer weighs. Also, not a bad idea to get it weighed at a CAT scale. Almost every truck stop has them and it’s usually $10 to weigh everything
There is a lot of debate on doing a tug check. Personally I do one just to ensure the brakes engage on the trailer. The locking mechanism is different on different hitches, I know mine is locked and correct all visually. Definitely don’t need a tug check for it. But again, to check the brakes I do one. And again. This is just my procedure and my opinion. Everyone is different. Find out what works for you and what you’re comfortable with.
Absolutely. Primary reason for a pull check is to make sure you are hooked up. BUT it also verifies brake controller and trailer brake operations. It has not been that long ago where a couple broke camp, hooked up and did not do a pull check. At one point during their extended stay, some scoundrel rodent feasted on brake wiring under the trailer. It was quite the show when he could not stop truck and rig at the dump station, and major damage occurred to another rig, and front of the truck. When I pull check, my front jacks are down, raised just about an inch off the ground just in case something goes amiss. It may come out of the hitch, but it is not going to drop and wipe out the tailgate and bed.
That looks like Paso Robles? The RV ranch you drove up to 4:40 into the video? In fact, it’s the exact spot we stayed in this past June. It fit our 44 ft Keystone Fuzion perfectly. I remember there were 2 pedestals on the driver side of the rig. The rearward one was for my rig and the one up front was for the site next to us as class a or b’s occupied next door and we’re facing the other way.
Hey Christine. Great question. I can’t. Lol. I have my Partner go back there with either a 2 way radio or phone call and guide me to make sure I don’t hit anything
Hey, thanks for watching, once I’m hooked up and ready to go I squeeze the brake controller in the truck and give a little gas then let go of the brake controller. When I do that it rugs. Bit and squats the rest of the truck and when I let go it pulls away. There’s a lot of ways to do it. Watch something that’s specific to your make and model truck. I use RV Life 99% of the time for GPS. It links to my rvtripwizard account and I haven’t had any big issues. I still review the route on google earth to make sure nothing crazy.
