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Old 08-17-2010, 01:26 AM   #21
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When backing your tow rig and trailer, place your hand on the LOWER part of the steering wheel AND PUSH IN THE DIRECTION YOU WANT THE TRAILER TO GO !!!

Try it; you'll like it! Nice and easy.

(The Lower part of the steering wheel in the direction you want the TRAILER to go)
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Old 08-17-2010, 04:03 AM   #22
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If you are having someone help guide you into your site, please step out and tell them
" NO YELLING!!! "
They must stand about 2'-3' out from the DRIVERS side of the TRAILER so they can look forward see the driver in the outside rear view mirror. MOST Important, the driver can also see them! (if the driver backs over the guide, it is considered poor form. STAY PUT! so you can be seen. Thank You!!!!! )

HAND Signals: Arms down by your sides. If the driver needs to adjust the trailers direction,lift the appropriate arm slowly, extend and close the arm at the elbow in the direction you want them to go. If you want them to stop, agree ahead of time that you will show a CLENCHED FIST to signal STOP !!!!!!!!
ALWAYS be where you can see the rear view mirror. GOOD JOB !!!!!!!!!

PS: If the driver or the guide lose their cool, start waving their arms, jumping around and making odd sounds; everyone in the campground will grab their cameras and record what appears to be your impression of two flamingos mating. We've seen it before. Good Luck!!
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Old 08-17-2010, 06:06 AM   #23
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When I was first learning to back up I found it better not to have a guide, (if I had plenty of time, that is). I feel that I learned more by getting out of the tow vehicle several times and walking around the camper to actually see what was going on. Make a slight adjustment, get out and walk around, make another adjustment and again take a look. I told my wife only to warn me if I was in danger of something bad happening. I came upon this technique only after several attempts relying solely on her directions - which was a total disaster. Now that I have a little experience and understanding of how things operate, I am starting to rely on her directions a little more.
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Old 08-18-2010, 01:51 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray N View Post
When I was first learning to back up I found it better not to have a guide, (if I had plenty of time, that is). I feel that I learned more by getting out of the tow vehicle several times and walking around the camper to actually see what was going on. Make a slight adjustment, get out and walk around, make another adjustment and again take a look. I told my wife only to warn me if I was in danger of something bad happening. I came upon this technique only after several attempts relying solely on her directions - which was a total disaster. Now that I have a little experience and understanding of how things operate, I am starting to rely on her directions a little more.
LOL could not agree more! My worst back up jobs are usually when someone is directing me! Never understand some of the funny hand waving etc. Funny enough if on my own I usually get it bang on or pretty close the first try.
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Old 08-18-2010, 03:18 PM   #25
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My sister said I could watch her back into our spot at the Oregon Gathering, as long as I didn't give her any advice.



...not giving advice is harder than it sounds.
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Old 08-18-2010, 09:01 PM   #26
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Cool Standardized OSHA approved Hand Signals

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill and Jacquie G. View Post
They must stand about 2'-3' out from the DRIVERS side of the TRAILER so they can look forward see the driver in the outside rear view mirror. MOST Important, the driver can also see them! (if the driver backs over the guide, it is considered poor form. STAY PUT! so you can be seen. Thank You!!!!! )

HAND Signals: Arms down by your sides. If the driver needs to adjust the trailers direction,lift the appropriate arm slowly, extend and close the arm at the elbow in the direction you want them to go. If you want them to stop, agree ahead of time that you will show a CLENCHED FIST to signal STOP !!!!!!!!
ALWAYS be where you can see the rear view mirror. GOOD JOB !!!!!!!!!
These are the Hand Signals that I use regularly and understand:
Keep in mind that Signaler and Driver must keep eye contact during the whole maneuver.
1. All Clear and Ready! 
Name:   CRANE-400_150.gif
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2. Back-up straight 
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("forward" from the signaler's point of view)

3. Go Left 
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4. Go Right 
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5. Stop! 
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Size:  2.4 KB

6. Pull Forward 
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("rearward" from the signaler's point of view)

7. Slow Down 
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8. This Far to the End 
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9. We're Done! 
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Size:  2.7 KB
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Old 08-18-2010, 09:06 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson View Post
These are the Hand Signals that I use regularly and understand:

1. All Clear and Ready! Attachment 30600

2. Back-up straight Attachment 30601("forward" from the signaler's point of view)

3. Go Left Attachment 30602

4. Go Right Attachment 30603

5. Stop! Attachment 30604

6. Pull Forward Attachment 30605("rearward" from the signaler's point of view)

7. Slow Down Attachment 30606

8. This Far to the End Attachment 30607

9. We're Done! Attachment 30608

My luck if I used these signals I would have planes landing!
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Old 08-19-2010, 09:04 PM   #28
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Only problem with hand signals is when attempting to park at night they are not necessarly easy to see. What works well for us (did this with a 25 ft 5th wheel stickie) is a pair of walkie talkies. The person directing is well behind the trailer. That person is only giving directions for the trailer. If you wish the back of the trailer to go left say "back left" if you want the front of the trailer to go left its "front left" etc. If you need the driver to stop calmly say stop. Yelling doesn't make them stop any faster. The driver can see all four corners of the tow vehicle so they do not need directions for it, just the trailer. This has worked well for us and usually other campers who watch us have come over to comment how well our process works. We learned this was the best route for us as we practiced backing our large trailer up our narrow driveway to park about 4 inches from the side of the house. Never had a close call or problem when using this method.
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Old 08-20-2010, 05:21 AM   #29
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As a person who tows and travels alone most of the time, I believe it's important to be able to park without help. You may find yourself in a position where you absolutely must backup and park the trailer and there's no one around to help. Being self-sufficient can be paramount. If I'm needing to back into a place I'm not familiar with, I just get out and check out the site. Looking for obstacles, etc. Slow movements on the steering wheel and slow speed in reverse, plus practice and you'll find backing and parking not problematic.
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Old 08-20-2010, 12:37 PM   #30
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When backing and the trailer is beginning to "jack-knife", stop. Then slowly pull foreword just a few feet. The tug and the trailer will be straight-as-an-arrow and you can try again --------- " Slow movements on the steering wheel and slow speed in reverse, plus practice and you'll find backing and parking not problematic". One more time, Nice - n - Easy.
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Old 08-20-2010, 03:54 PM   #31
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Roger, If that was a WA campground sure wish you'd name it...........
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Enjoy our travel photos at: Turtle Travels
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Old 08-20-2010, 08:36 PM   #32
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I also find that if I get confused about where I am steering the trailer, then I stop, and straighten out my steering wheel so the tires are straight. Don't know why it helps, but it does. I also do the 'hand on the bottom of the steering wheel' technique that was mentioned earlier.
I'm not a good backerupper, but I can keep it out of the firepit!! And sometimes those 'surprise' parking spots that you settle for when you give up jockying around the trailer turn out to be just as good as the one you were aiming for!
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Old 08-20-2010, 09:28 PM   #33
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I pull forward to straighten out the wheels a LOT! Also get out and look where I want to go for myself often because DH's signals confuse me!
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Old 08-20-2010, 10:03 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill and Jacquie G. View Post
I
PS: If the driver or the guide lose their cool, start waving their arms, jumping around and making odd sounds; everyone in the campground will grab their cameras and record what appears to be your impression of two flamingos mating. We've seen it before. Good Luck!!
Shhhhhh, don't blow the nightly free entertainment! LOL........... That was the best part of check in time, unfortunately for us we didn't have a lot of back in's, but the ones we did have provided a lot of entertainment over the years.................... Actually about 50 percent of the people would ask my Dh to back them in. Or ask me to guide them, they would attempt to avoid a fight with their spouse. But then they would get out of the truck and look at their spouses and say, why can't you guide me in like she did. LOL........ The fight would be on!

Ok, now for my newbie suggestion/suggestions.

Backing into a campsite at night in the pitch dark forested campground, for the first time, I knew I would be all over the place if I just went for it so like the others I got out and with a flash light I checked out the site. Then I took a little yellow lantern we have and I put it down on the ground where I wanted the drivers side trailer tire to be, or as close as I could get it Then I backed in to the lantern! Success! First try! And in the morning when I could actually see what the site was really all about, I was surprised that I had stuck the trailer in the perfect spot and no adjustment was needed for a week stay.
I have now purchased a little foldable emergency light up triangle that can be used for two purposes. Emergency roadside marker as well as a backup marker for those late night pull in's.

I second Greg's suggestion! Get out and camp and enjoy!

Newbie suggestion #2, Before plugging into the electrical, turn off breakers! It takes 1 second to turn off the breaker and turn it back on after you have securely placed your plug into the box.
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