So often I see people driving or towing an RV, and just like poor quality work, they’ll tell on you, just as soon as you try to back it up.
Please don’t assume i’m being an ass about this, I get that some folks can’t back up. I used to be one of those folks, and I fixed it. I’ve also trained a bunch of those folks, and they fixed it, too.
Backing is easy, if you’ll just focus on the principles, and PRACTICE. Notice which word is in all caps? Yeah. That’s the key part, right there.
Anytime you have a chance, go to a truck stop, go way in the back where there’s a bunch of empty spot, pick one, and back into it. Practice, watch what happens, and then practice some more. Get good at it by challenging yourself to get your rig in the spot in less times than you have axles. Have three axles? No more than three pull-ups. Have five axles? Fine, you get five.
1) Remember that when you’re backing, it’s all about positioning the non-turning wheels. With a Motorhome, this means putting the rear, or drive wheels, where you need them, using the front, steering, wheels to do that.
2) If you have a trailer, put your hand on the BOTTOM of the steering wheel, and move your hand in the direction you want the BACK of the trailer to go. See how that works? Like a charm.
3) Start in a wide open area, like a big parking lot, and practice staying inside the lines. Once you can do that, you can back anywhere you can fit.
4) Whenever possible, have a spotter. A spotters job is simply to look where you can’t readily see, to be always in your line of sight and out of your way, and let you know you’re about to mess up, BEFORE you mess up (critical timing right there, the BEFORE part).
5) BREATHE. For the love of (insert thing of choice here), BREATHE, dude. It’s just driving in reverse, and YOU CAN DO THIS. Seriously, just relax, breathe, and give yourself plenty of room to maneuver. You’ve got this!
I have four axles on my rig, but I back it in the first time, with a pull-up now and then. Go ahead, challenge me 😉
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