Backing up cameras

[maintechfotog]

I have not yet hooked up the TV to the trailer and am somewhat uneasy about backing the hitch into the pin because I cannot see the hitch from the driving seat. The dual cab and a tool box get in the way. I have purchased a back-up camera, and had thought of attaching it with magnets to the pin support and placing day-glow tape on the hitch. My Reese instructions state that the hitch needs to be a touch higher than the guide plate on the trailer pin, is this so that the TV is pushed a bit down during engagement? How do you steer the vehicle when the hitch is hidden from view? Has anyone used vertical extension to indicate where the hitch entrance Vee is?

thanks for any help,

[HughM]

OK let me take a shot at this one. I have the tool box behind the cab. Reese 16K slider hitch. All I did was get some white paint and paint a thin line in the MIDDLE of the pin box next to the lip. Then I painted a thin line on middle of the leading edge (front next to cab) of the hitch. When I back up all I have to do is line up the white lines. I haven't missed yet.
Hugh

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by maintechfotog

-snip- My Reese instructions state that the hitch needs to be a touch higher than the guide plate on the trailer pin, is this so that the TV is pushed a bit down during engagement? -snip-

thanks for any help,

Putting a little down pressure keeps the pin from riding high and sitting on top of the jaws instead of the jaw wrapping around the pin. That is my belief.

[Art-n-Marge]

The truck hitch being a little higher ensures that the trailer's plate rides on the truck's hitch plate, to prevent the problem H. John Koll describes. You do NOT want the 5er pin to ride too high and contact the locking jaws of the truck hitch. I did this once when someone tried to help me. It was not pretty.

What helps a lot and keeps things pretty clean is that I use a nylon plate on the 5er that helps guide the 5er on top of the truck hitch. They are available at RV stores for just a few bucks. Just make sure as the plate contacts the hitch that they are just about parallel horizontally and touching. Any gap and you could have trouble.

If she's available DW and I have this down pretty good now. She backs up the truck and I use hand signals and the retract/extend button to hook up perfectly. No more problems.

I do not have a tool box, but while I do have a long bed and flip back cover, the cover impedes so me of my vision. When I am by myself and when I back up to align I actually sit up out of my seat and try and look out over the cover and at the pin. Fortunately this works okay. I do like the earlier post about painting alignment lines.

[KathyandDave]

Given that you're Canadian...I put a strip of duct tape up the centre of the pin box (the part that sticks out of the trailer). Since you can't see over the tool box, you can put another marker up the centre of your tool box lid (even better if it is hinged in the middle, anyway). Then, line those markers up in the rear view mirror and back up slowly. The lip of the hitch should be about the same height as the lip of the pin box so that, as you back up, the trailer is lifted a bit (maybe an inch) and rides up over the hitch plate as the hitch plate tilts flat. Your hitch handle will snap into place if you've got it right, eh.

[Waynem]

If you are having a problem seeing your hitch and pin when they meet, try the device that can be purchased and are used on a TT ball hitch. It is a vertical stick with a magnet on one end. Place it on the hitch in the truck, centered on the "V." When the pin gets close enough it will knock it over the end.

[Rondo]

Dave(maintechfotog)-- I have the Reese slider hitch since I have a shortbed crewcab TV. I also have a rollback cover that has a box that it rolls back into at the front of the bed. I've taken a white piece of tape or a fine line of white paint will work also and put it on the rollback box in the middle where the hitch V is at and a piece of the same tape on the pinbox at the front so I can line up the two lines. I can hook up myself without anyone being there if need be this way. I always make sure my Monte is about the same height as the lower part of the V in the yoke on the hitch before backing in. I also make sure my locking pin for the jaws is in the open position before backing into the pinbox. Once the jaws go around the pin I can feel the resistance and I get out (if I'm alone)(of course putting the TV in park!) and visually check the pin and jaws to make sure the jaws are around the pin. I have the bedsaver also so I give the rig a little tug forward and if it holds I lock the jaws in place with the pin and put the lockbar into the groove and put a safety clip into it to secure it. I hook up my umbilical cord from the Monte then and all I have to do then is raise the landing gear higher and pull the chocks and off we go. Hope you understand what I just said! I think I explained it clear but knowing me I may not have. If not, PM me and I'll try to explain a little cleaner. Wayne has an idea also! I hve one of the vertical magnetic rods that have a tennis ball on ecah rod that you just set on the hitches of my commercial TT. Makes it a whole lot easier to hook up with that also. I bought mine at Harbor Freight.
P.S. Will the magnets interfere with the transmission of the camera also?
I do plan on putting the one that came with my GPS on to see if it will transmit all the way from the back of the Monte to the TV cab. I'll let you know in a future thread!

[KathyandDave]

So much for "Hitch Vision"...!

[Farmhawk]

I actually do use the hitch vision mirror that is mounted on the coach. I have a couple of pieces of painters vinal tape on the leading edge of the tailgate and on the leading edge of the box itself. I also have a center mark on my pin box that I can see in the mirror. I haven't missed yet!

[maintechfotog]

I have tried to get a visual of the hitch Vee with the hitch in the rear slider location, but the Vee is still lower than I can see, even stretching on tiptoe. I find that the assembly also tilts down with the opening lower, and toward the release handle, but I guess that will correct itself as the pin plate glides over the hitch surface. Do you measure the height of the pin to the ground when lowering, prior to backing, or adjust that as you get closer? Rondo, I will try the magnets and let you know if video is affected.
Thanks for the quick feedback, I'll let y'all know how I do.

[simonsrf]

Dave,

I have a short-bed truck with a toolbox and cannot see the jaws of the hitch at all either. I know this solution for hooking up doesn't help you the first time, but you should ask someone who is experienced to help you out the first time.

Here is how I fixed this dilemma for me. After the truck is attached to the trailer, while sitting in the driver's seat, adjust the rear-view mirror so that it is "centered" looking at the king pin hitch. Find a spot on the king pin that can be used to center on. I use the round spot on the trailer level. I then, while still sitting in the truck and looking through the rear-view mirror, I had my wife place a mark on the inside of the rear window inside the truck.

Now, I adjust the mirror, align the mark (in my case, used a RAM decal) and backup the marks together (the mark on the window and the mark on the hitch). Works every time without fail.

As far as the height goes. When the trailer landing gears are at the proper height to get the trailer off the truck, we mark that position. When hooking back up, we go back to that marked position and then just back the truck up......the trick is remembering to mark the position BEFORE re-leveling the rig. We use this little item from CW for marking the position......LINK. We just line the marker on the bubble of the level when disconnected....hope this makes sense.

Good luck, in no time and after a few attempts, you'll get over that anxiety...but, I do remember your pain.

[maintechfotog]

Hi Robbie and Alice, and all of you kind folks that make up the MOC fraternity, many thanks for your advice and encouragement. I will try out the suggestions that seem to fit our rig and let you know how we manage.
Our trailer has been sitting on our suburban home's driveway for over a month awaiting the truck, (we settled on an immaculate 1999 Ford 350 7.3 diesel four door dually, standard bed 4 x 4 with 155000 kms that is fitted with hitch, Reese electric brake module, Firestone air bags and compressor, plus air control in cab, Uniden CB, and other toys)
My first expedition, from Brampton to Orangeville, must be to Hughes RV's to get the complete system checked out.
While inspecting the trailer after delivery I noticed weld cracks at the rear lower joint edges of the pin box extension where it meets the trailer frame vertical. The metal is oxidized so I guess it happened sometime prior to the delivery, and there seems to be no other weld failures on the rest of the extension, so I intend (unless warned otherwise) to deliver the trailer to Hughes to have them re-weld the joint. I will try to paste a picture of the crack to the forum so that if anyone who is knowledgeable regarding this kind of problem could advise. Hughes seemed to know of this kind of problem and did not suggest leaving the trailer where it is and having a welder fix it in our driveway. They felt that we could deliver it providing we were careful regarding the roads we use to get to their location. I could PM a photo if pasting is not possible.
many thanks for your help and good wishes,
David & Aileen.

[maintechfotog]

Hi good folks,

Today I hitched and unhitched without a problem following your excellent advice, using aluminum tape to identify the middle of the tool box, the middle of the hitch box, and the camera. I attached the camera to the edge of the pin box with 2 rare earth magnets from Princess Auto and held them onto the camera wings with electricians tape, (no duct tape left) I was able to find the center with little difficulty. Cheers Guys and Gals!

[Rondo]

Congrats Dave! We knew you could do it! Good idea with the "silver wonder tape"! Did you have any problem with the magnets causing anything with the camera signal?

[Art-n-Marge]

Like my Grandpa used to say , "Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver". It should work with aluminum tape, silver wonder tape; whatever fits in the phrase.

[maintechfotog]

Rondo, the magnets did not affect the signal, I think they are far enough from the lens and cable. Distance between camera and screen does affect reception, with horizontal lines breaking up the image when about twenty feet away. This camera has a hard wired accessory cable that I might get to attach to the rear of the trailer.
Again many thanks to all!