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03-19-2018, 06:33 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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stude can you weld that advice on my forehead at 76 I still cant remember anything!!
bob
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03-19-2018, 07:06 AM
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#22
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Moderator
Trailer: 2009 19 ft Escape / 2009 Honda Pilot
Posts: 6,282
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Very cute trailer.  While a rear door is not always the most convenient with the way campsites are set up, it certainly allows for a much better layout in a trailer, especially on of this size. You will now be able to create some great memories.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stude
Remember when backing up right is left and left is right,
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Right is always right, and left is always left. I know what you are referring too, but trying to think backwards will always have you confused when reversing.
I agree fully with the others, a parking lot is a great place to practice, they even have lines for you to use to reverse into. If you know a well experienced driver who is adept at reversing, it is a good thing to get some guidance from them. Others have taken a short driving course on trailering which has given them a great starting point in towing.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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03-19-2018, 07:50 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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opinion
my opinion get out there you will figure things out. all the stuff from us wont help much until you just do it yourself we all had to learn.
unfortunately I am not a great backer but I don't care I finally get stevie backed in and she is happy!
it helps to have a helper though!
good luck you will figure it out!
bob
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03-19-2018, 06:59 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
Posts: 1,510
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Quote:
Originally Posted by k0wtz
stude can you weld that advice on my forehead at 76 I still cant remember anything!!
bob
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:Bob your not much older than I am and I have taught myself how to do it, tack a piece of paper with those directions onto your dash where you can see it. I used to do it all the time in heavy traffic and Occasionally I would screw up then you oughta see them boil when I just don't get into the driveway and have to do it again. I mean these guys would always try and stop me from backing in even the MH let alone the trailer.
Stude
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03-19-2018, 07:41 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,472
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Watch the movie "The Long Long Trailer", the part where Nicky (Ricky Ricardo) backs it into a driveway. He pulls out the instruction manual and reads outloud how to back up.
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03-19-2018, 09:30 PM
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#26
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Junior Member
Name: Ken
Trailer: Leocraft 26 M/Home
Alberta
Posts: 15
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As others have said, the key is to practice somewhere "open" and go VERY SLOWLY at first. All trailers have different (usually short for camping trailers) tongue lengths, and while they start to turn slowly when backing, the trailer turns more quickly as you continue. Watch out not to "jackknife" and bang the trailer and tow vehicles rear corners. Hence go slowly. I tow 4l different types of trailers (camper, boat, utility and foldup motorcycle trailers, and with two different two vehicles with different turning radius, hence the combinations of how they backup are all different, even with the two different tow vehicles. Even after 40 years towing stuff, I still go slowly for the first time or so each season. Don't panic, you'll get there with enough practice and it's well worth practicing in an open lot with cones or something else to mark you're intended "spot", because they you get to know what kinds of distances to start with to back in perfectly.
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03-20-2018, 07:02 AM
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#27
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: Escape 15A
Minnesota
Posts: 452
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Cool, yet another camper I have never heard of. Looks very interesting, though not so aerodynamic as some (but that also means it will be nice and roomy inside).
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03-20-2018, 09:04 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trails West Campster 1970
Posts: 3,367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dancer
He’s fixing the door- what kind of adapter?
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Replacing the door lock may not fix it- it will lock it when stationary but it could still pop open while traveling. It needs something to prevent that. A deadbolt might if there is a good way to install one.
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03-21-2018, 03:57 AM
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#29
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Senior Member
Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
Posts: 1,510
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Quote:
Originally Posted by k0wtz
my opinion get out there you will figure things out. all the stuff from us wont help much until you just do it yourself we all had to learn.
unfortunately I am not a great backer but I don't care I finally get stevie backed in and she is happy!
it helps to have a helper though!
good luck you will figure it out!
bob
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:Bob where I really learned to back up was with tandem trailers which is not a easy feat at any time or even back 53' trailers in and knowing when to stop so one can open the doors. I have seen some tractor drivers who work for Fed Ex and another company who can do 3 trailers at once how they do it is beyond me.
Stude
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03-21-2018, 04:16 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stude
: I have seen some tractor drivers who work for Fed Ex and another company who can do 3 trailers at once how they do it is beyond me. Stude
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Had a good friend that pulled triples, never really said anything about backing but did say that looking in the mirrors the third trailer was scary to see as it was moving around so much. Would be interesting to try backing it though.
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03-21-2018, 07:37 AM
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#31
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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backing
my business loading was in a narrow allay I had a couple of semi rodeo drivers who would take the alley ahead of me back in there power poles all sorts of obstackles to get to my shipping door.
they loved showing off their backing abilities then we would have a good laugh! not only things in their way low but high as well!
bob
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03-21-2018, 08:52 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Name: Mon
Trailer: 13' 2008 Scamp...YAY!
Missouri
Posts: 244
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Two important things I found out on the 22 hour drive home with my trailer:
1, You WILL at some point, nose up to a curb with your trailer behind, and have to back out. Think "small moves" and "I have time" and you'll figure it out sooner than you expect.
2. You will forget the trailer is back there. Don't.
Mon
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03-21-2018, 09:15 AM
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#33
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 12,293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by monB
Two important things I found out on the 22 hour drive home with my trailer:
1, You WILL at some point, nose up to a curb with your trailer behind, and have to back out. Think "small moves" and "I have time" and you'll figure it out sooner than you expect.
2. You will forget the trailer is back there. Don't.
Mon
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Good advice! Never get in a hurry or succumb to the pressure of watching eyes.
We were just determined to have lunch at In 'n Out. No RV parking, no double spaces, no on-street parking, no nearby parking lots... Finally settled on a single head-in spot on the end, curb in front and all along the passenger side, just enough room for cars to get around the trailer, which extended well into the driving zone. Risky, but it worked because the trailer is so small. And yup, backing out perfectly straight was challenging...
If you have trained yourself to scan your mirrors regularly, each glance in the rearview mirror will remind you you're pulling a trailer.
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03-21-2018, 11:00 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Name: Tom
Trailer: Sprinter 'til I buy
Denver, CO
Posts: 944
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I always figured that triples, and doubles get backed very little if at all. I could be wrong, but I doubt anyone backs triples into a dock. I'm bet some have tried. I expect they get dropped in yards.
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03-21-2018, 02:33 PM
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#35
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Member
Name: Phyllis
Trailer: shopping
New Jersey
Posts: 35
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I’m doomed lol
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03-21-2018, 03:08 PM
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#36
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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tom I think you are right ever seen those funny looking tugs at ups terminal?
bob
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03-21-2018, 03:15 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
Posts: 1,510
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom 72
I always figured that triples, and doubles get backed very little if at all. I could be wrong, but I doubt anyone backs triples into a dock. I'm bet some have tried. I expect they get dropped in yards.
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: Tom the easiest items to back up is tandem trailer with car or truck on back, hauled a lot of old cars and trucks around N. America when younger, so easy.
But single Axle to this day not so easy and like they all say slow and easy and you will get there faster than you know. I used to love backing into our driveway as the City changed our access by raising the drive way slope both ways uphill to get part way in the drop off to the point you cannot see it anymore once in your safe, sometimes just out of spite I would make several tries getting in to piss them off a little bit more.
But 97% of the time in there real quick.
Stude
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03-21-2018, 11:02 PM
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#38
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Senior Member
Name: Tom
Trailer: Sprinter 'til I buy
Denver, CO
Posts: 944
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Stude, I may have misunderstood. I was referring to a semi truck pulling two trailers, or three trailers behind one semi tractor. In Colorado I frequently see FedEx and UPS pulling triples (3 trailers), always at night. I don't think they are legal during the day.
Getting back to backing up, it is hard for me to imagine a semi backing up 3 connected trailers.
No expert here, but I think I heard about drop yards in each city enroute, very close to the interstates where they drop one trailer at a time, and then reverse the process. 3-2-1, then 1-2-3 roundtrip, returning with empties? overnight. My guess is that semis with 3 trailers are restricted to interstates and within a mile or so of them.
PS, I don't think the second and third trailers connect with the usual pin and 5th wheel. I think they have a metal loop that locks into a jaw. This would seem to provide less control.
I have never seen 5 trailers pulled. I would not want to run into him on a one-lane mountain road. "You back up! ...No, you back up!" Imagine a traffic circle.
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03-22-2018, 07:17 AM
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#39
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 12,293
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Tandem semi-trailers can be backed, but it's more of a truck rodeo activity, not an everyday practice. If a tandem can be backed, then in theory a triple could be backed, too, but it would take lots of practice and acres of space to hit a target. I didn't know they were legal anywhere. I've never seen one on the roads I travel, and I'd just as soon keep it that way.
None of this has much to do with helping the OP get started going backward or forward with her new single axle/single trailer Havasu. But I suspect she's getting along fine in spite of our "help."
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03-22-2018, 07:22 AM
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#40
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Senior Member
Name: Alexander
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1300
New Hampshire
Posts: 1,143
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ
Tandems can be backed, but it's more of a truck rodeo activity, not an everyday practice. If a tandem can be backed, then in theory a triple could be backed, too. I didn't know they were legal anywhere. I've never seen one on the roads I travel, and I'd just as soon keep it that way.
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Jon, be glad you've not had the pleasure. It's really scary to see a triple going at highway speed with crosswinds! That last trailer swings back and forth from line to line taking the whole lane.  Whenever I saw them I would either speed up to get ahead of them or slow down and let them pull far far away from me.
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