Backing Procedures - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Glenn and Lorraine · 10-26-2004, 02:38 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by fla native

Scott,

if you cannot see your spotter, and they think you can,

It's much like the sign on see on the back of the big rigs.."If you can't see my mirrors I can't see you".

Tell your spotter "If you cannot see ME in the mirrors THAN I CANNOT SEE YOU." and it is just that simple.

Montana_70 · 10-26-2004, 02:41 PM

Good one, Skyguy. I think I do that sometimes. In fact, I think I did it today, talking to my new boss!

Montana_2205 · 10-26-2004, 03:43 PM

WOW! Thanks for all the good advice. I am actually sort of...kind of....well...not really...looking forward to trying my first backing attempt. However, I will take some of the first advice and find an empty parking lot to practice on. I'll let ya'll know how many cones I kill.

Scott

Bob Pasternak · 10-26-2004, 05:50 PM

All you need to do is point the 5er where you want it then follow it!!

sreigle · 10-26-2004, 06:09 PM

And don't forget to put some cones where you can't see them after you're comfortable with backing around those you can see. That will give you practice as well as your guide, if you have one. It never hurts to stop, walk around and orient yourself to where the obstacles are. When backing in without Vicki's guidance I sometimes get out and check an obstacle every few feet of backing. I'm paranoid about hitting something.

jh1802 · 10-27-2004, 05:56 AM

The best advice I can offer that I havent seen yet is, don't "oversteer". The #1 thing I have noticed when people are having trouble backing into a sight is that they go from turning thier wheels all the way from one direction to all the way the other direction. If you see the camper going too much one way you can always stop and go forward a couple feet to straighten out.

mobilrvn · 11-15-2004, 05:38 AM

I prefer the hand on the bottom of the wheel; just push it in the direcction you want the rear of the 5W to go--no thinking involved. The radios will save your marriage, if you use them. If you can't see the spotter, get out and look--my wife still thinks if she see can see the mirrors regardless of her location, then I can see her! Always get out and check the site before parking, remembering to look overhead and for holes, poles, etc. Sometimes I get into very small spaces on one try and sometimes it takes me several tries to get into a big, easy spot. Some days you get to laugh at the other guy; some days they get to laugh at you--just don't sweat it. Our new 3575 takes more room to make a corner than our old rig did and we are still getting used to it,

DrivesBGM · 11-15-2004, 06:48 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mobilrvn

... Sometimes I get into very small spaces on one try and sometimes it takes me several tries to get into a big, easy spot. Some days you get to laugh at the other guy; some days they get to laugh at you--just don't sweat it. ...

So true! Few if any of us back up enough to perfect the process! So on amy given day you can look like THE EXPERT or THE NOVICE!

Craig

patodonn · 11-15-2004, 07:32 AM

Aside from the really good techniques contained in all those great links, three things have proven really critical for us.

First, when you make your reservation, make sure you tell them that you have a 5th wheel, slides on both sides (if appropriate) and it is XX feet long. We add a couple of feet to our published length for bikes on the back. When you check in, do it again. If you can, look it over before you even begin to drive over to it. If it is a "No
Way", tell them!

Second, we made a pact to NEVER back the rig without one of us as a spotter, and ALWAYS with radio contact. We almost always do the same thing for pull throughs, even if only for checking slide clearences and utilities positioning.

Third, both the driver and the spotter need to get out of the truck and walk the path into the spot, checking for obstacles..and don't forget to look UP, at the roof line. Since the Monty is higher than most rigs, lots of parks don't keep branches trimmed high enough or are sticking out too close to the a road or spot. Find and agree on what are the most likely obstacles before you start to maueuver into the spot. Really helps if there is a plan before starting to move, especially if backing.

We have had a couple of "experiences", especially with the roof line, one of which was a bit expensive.

Hope some of this is helpful.

Best Regards,

sreigle · 11-15-2004, 10:45 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by DrivesBGM
So true! Few if any of us back up enough to perfect the process! So on amy given day you can look like THE EXPERT or THE NOVICE!

Craig

Ever notice that when you do it particularly well there's nobody around to notice? But when you screw it up royally there's always a crowd.

Chester · 11-15-2004, 12:29 PM

Right on the money Steve. My single attempts are usually when the park is fairly empty.

I also agree with the comment that you can look like an expert or newbie on any given day. When my Monty is at home I have to back it in an almost horsehoe shape path. I have a couple of concrete sidewalk stones that I have placed on my ashpalt driveway for Montys wheels. sometimes I can back the unit in in one attempt. Sometimes I take 5 tries to get it right.

Broome101 · 11-15-2004, 01:13 PM

This is an event that no matter what I do we get into argument over her not looking for my mirrors. I keep telling her if she cannot see my mirrors I cannot see her she has to move out when I turn so I can see her. Most ever time it's a back in spot there's going to be a fight. No problems at home my neighbor's drive is directly across from our RV drive and port. Pull straight in back straight back, wish camp sites were that easy.

sreigle · 11-15-2004, 01:34 PM

Chester, I know exactly what you mean. When we had a stick home I parked it next to the garage, just inches from the eave. I had to start in the street, do the ninety degrees into the driveway (double car driveway) then back an "S" turn to get it over and back alongside the garage. When done it was about 8 inches from the eave and 18 inches from a fence on the other side with the nose out enough we could get the door open but still about flush with the front of the garage. Backing it in from the street I had to dodge a mailbox on one side and a light pole on the other corner of the driveway and neighbors cars in the street. I got to be an expert at putting that thing in there but that's because I did it enough at that location to know well the landmarks that told me when to start cutting it the other way, etc. When in an unfamiliar rv park I don't have the luxury of known landmarks and my skills are sorely tested.

Montana_2230 · 11-15-2004, 01:58 PM

Speaking of wives and backing problems, let me tell my story. We have only had our Montana for two weeks. Well one day last week I decided to hitch up and practice backing in my front yard. My front yard is about an acre, but loaded with big old mossy Oak trees.

My drive way is on side of my yard, so I pulled the rig up to the front gate and begin my backing. coming that way the the place I planed to back the rig into is about a 90 degree turn. After several tries I decided that I couldn't do it. Now I was trying to do it without my wife's help (bad mistake) as she works at home and was very busy that day with conference calls with her Office. She had a hot deadline on a computer program she was writing. Well on the last attempt coming this way from the street, I hit an Oak tree dead center smashing my tag holder and tag light. I was very lucky I was going real slow. Well it sounded bad and my wife came tearing out of the house. Took a minute or two to calm her down. For some reason I flat over looked using my side feature on my hitch. Next time I will use it.

My wife decided to forgo work and help me, before I tore up her Monty. I decided to go out in the street and come into the drive forward and try the backing into the spot from the other direction, the angle was slightly better that way. Well the results were the same, I just couldn't do it.

I am sure I will learn to back this monster, just going to take a few trips. At least during the practice session I learned where I needed to trim the limps back. I have a full hook up pad on the side of my house and I have to back several hundred feet to get the rig to the pad. I don't seem to have any problems with straight backing.

It is sure nice to read all these good postings on backing the rig. I should have read them before my attempt at backing mine. My thanks to all the contributors..

tundra rose · 11-15-2004, 06:50 PM

These replies contain much good advice; however, I have one thing to add concerning FRS radios - which are a godsend to anyone that is backing up a trailer.

After several years of use, my wife now merely presses the 'tone alert' button if I need to stop. This is fast and has proven to be very effective. I now ask anyone who is assiting me to do the same.

DrivesBGM · 11-16-2004, 12:08 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by tundra rose

These replies contain much good advice; however, I have one thing to add concerning FRS radios - which are a godsend to anyone that is backing up a trailer.

After several years of use, my wife now merely presses the 'tone alert' button if I need to stop. This is fast and has proven to be very effective. I now ask anyone who is assiting me to do the same.

That's a neat idea!

It takes less time and should provide a more positive STOP alert than a voice alert. My wife tends to start talking before she gets the talk button sufficently depressed to transmit a signal. And sometimes, she doesn't press hard enough to hear anything that she's saying. So, again, thanks for a great idea!

Craig

Jeff Heiser · 11-16-2004, 06:33 AM

We have a 32 foot TT with a crew cab daully as tow vehicle. It is sometimes a chore to get backed in and you cannot always get pull throughs. We ahve been to Disney' Fort Wilderness many times and if they have pull through sites I dont think they are in Florida. Some of the things I do when backing in are: 1. I get as far to the opposite side of the roadway as I can; 2. I disconnect the trailer brakes and remove the load balancers and sway control; 3. I have my wife directing and informing and if my son is along he helps too; 4. I use as little speed as possible so that I am moving as slow as possible to actually move backwards. We have been in some very very tight spots. In fact some so tight that after getting into the spot I have no idea how to get out. Good luck and have fun backing up.

Jeff Heiser
Merritt Island Florida

sreigle · 11-16-2004, 07:58 AM

We also use the radios. Ours were $30 at walmart and includes a charger for the rechargeable batteries (don't need to remove them to recharge).

Jeff, that's interesting about your approach going to the far side. I wonder if FW is different than TT. When we were at Bernardo Shores in Imperial Beach (San Diego), CA, the sites are nice sized but the access road is a one-laner. They told me to get as close to the shrubs and the site as I can, then cut it sharply. I was a doubter but tried it their way and was amazed how well it worked. That allowed room for the truck and the nose of the Montana to swing out into the road. Couldn't have done that otherwise. Usually I try to angle the rig from the close side to the far side as I drive past the site, giving me a less sharp turn into the site. But that wouldn't have worked well at this particular site. But TT's turn a lot sharper than FWs and their nose doesn't swing out into the road as you back so maybe it **is** different for a TT than a FW??

You may also like: