Adding parking aides to new concrete pad.

[YC1]

Once you have it in place, put a 4x4 against each rear tire. Pull forward and tape around the blocks. Paint the spot so you can set them back in place each time.

[turfcat1]

Hello,

After learning the hard way that Kilz latex primer, once fully cured, will stick to virtually (and unfortunately) everything, I gave it a try for painting stripes in the carport where I kept my travel trailer and boat. This was about 12 years ago. After many years of dirt and several passes with the pressure washer, the stripes are still there, save for a few odd chips here and there.

David

[spsm]

I always pull into the barn. I have a tennis ball attached to a fishing line and once I touch the divider between the two front windows, I know I've pulled far enough in and I'm square, with everything else. Make it Easy Peasy on yourself. Besides if I asked this lady to guide me, (born and brought up on a farm with tractors and trucks) I would lose my job.

[BigBadDad]

I painted two large circles (8 inch diameter) at the end of the rear. The circles are in a direct line dead center to where I want to be 12 inches apart from edge of circle to edge of circle. (I used Kilz primer, it lasts longer than the pyramids.) I back in putting the circles in the middle using the back up camera (even see them in dark) when the first circle disappears and the 2nd circle is there I am dead on every time.

[Dutch Star Don]

My coach is parked in my side yard. It needs to be parked in the same spot every time, so I can work on it and get a ladder to fit when washing. The first thing I did was get it where I wanted it. Then I taped off a line at each wheel, about 24" long, parallel to the tire. I then painted a 6" line perpendicular to the tire at the center of the tire (making a "T"). I did this for all six wheels (tag axle).

The reason I marked each wheel, is that I use rubber pads under my tires. Often, when were gone, the wind can move the pads around, or occasionally I'll move them to wash down the slab. The markings allow me to readily position them where they were previously at.

When I back my coach in, I just back onto the pads and look at the line painted near the left rear wheels to get it in the correct position. I also painted a line, perpendicular to the coach, just outside the driver's window. It's painted where the gap appears between the first and second bay door. I can look down and keeping backing until the gap aligns with the painted mark.

Each time I back my coach in, it ends up in the same spot every time.

[Tall Tex]

This has been the most amusing thread! If y'all put as much time in on practicing as you did painting stripes and such, you would realize how silly you're being.

I back my rig into a barn stall that is 13 feet wide between rows of posts and 50 feet deep. I watch the posts on both sides and stop before hitting the back wall. Done!

Just get some practice. Then you'll be able to safely park any where. Start by not insisting on pull through sites at rv parks. Once you overcome the anxiety, and get confidence, you'll be showing off your skills on the road.

Have fun, be careful and don't scare yourself.

[marjoa]

I use a simple piece of painters blue tape on the front wall to line up with and another piece on the left wall to line up with my line of sight. Works every time now after about a 1/2 dozen tries and minor movement of the tape.

[LarryJB]

Originally Posted by Tall Tex

This has been the most amusing thread! If y'all put as much time in on practicing as you did painting stripes and such, you would realize how silly you're being.

I back my rig into a barn stall that is 13 feet wide between rows of posts and 50 feet deep. I watch the posts on both sides and stop before hitting the back wall. Done!

Just get some practice. Then you'll be able to safely park any where. Start by not insisting on pull through sites at rv parks. Once you overcome the anxiety, and get confidence, you'll be showing off your skills on the road.

Have fun, be careful and don't scare yourself.

I'll bet you can park with your eyes closed, Tex. .
Maybe you just don't realize how talented you are.

[Edd505]

Just like big rigs, one stripe to line the left, sight side, watch your mirror back down the stripe your square. Square is hard to judge, you should know where the back is if you drive it. Take a CDL class you learn backing, parallel parking, serpentine backs, and backing into docks.

[Tall Tex]

Originally Posted by LarryJB

I'll bet you can park with your eyes closed, Tex. .
Maybe you just don't realize how talented you are.

Larry,

I do know how talented I am. I've had a CDL for 50 years, owned a farm machinery dealership, and hauled all types of equipment. Then for 30 years managed a team of engineers conducting component and fuel economy testing using 18 wheelers as the test tool. So I have had the opportunity to operate big equipment in tight quarters all my life. So yes, I know how to maneuver my coach with confidence and I receive compliments from people at RV parks that work there guiding people to their site for being able to get parked in one shot. I can also back a trailer like a pro because I've been doing it alll my life.

This is my point when I say practice. It will make you better that's all.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Tall Tex

Larry,

I do know how talented I am. I've had a CDL for 50 years, owned a farm machinery dealership, and hauled all types of equipment. Then for 30 years managed a team of engineers conducting component and fuel economy testing using 18 wheelers as the test tool. So I have had the opportunity to operate big equipment in tight quarters all my life. So yes, I know how to maneuver my coach with confidence and I receive compliments from people at RV parks that work there guiding people to their site for being able to get parked in one shot. I can also back a trailer like a pro because I've been doing it alll my life.

This is my point when I say practice. It will make you better that's all.

Well,
All that history might be good for you and, allowed you to be a better "backer". I too have a bit of backing experience. About 35 year of backing fire trucks all over the planet, runway foamer/tanker, and a few others. But, that just helps us.
As for the rest of the NORMAL RV drivers, any addition/alteration/change/help that one can do to assist in parking these big girls, is WELCOME. When getting ready to close escrow on our present new home, about 2.5 years ago, the wife and I, decided to have the floors in both the RV garaged (attached) and the 2.5 car garage, both professionally epoxy coated. And, just prior to the two top coats of ultra clear epoxy, I drew up a set of double yellow lines to be placed in an exact distance from each side wall. I had them epoxy those two lines on and, then add the clear coats.

Those lines WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR. Even though I've backed fire trucks for miles, I still appreciate those lines. They allow me to put that coach, in the EXACT position, each and every time. Since my RV garage is just under 16' wide, placement of that coach, at the inside of those 2" lines, allows for me to open bay doors on both sides of the coach, with about 3" to spare when the doors pass the horizontal part of opening.

Sure "practice makes perfect". And, no doubt about that but, backing into certain situations, especially for non-professional backers/truck drivers, still might require some additional VISUAL help.
Scott

[JFXG]

Originally Posted by LarryJB

.....I would like to add some kind of aid or reference points........ My idea is to paint stripes equidistant from the center about 10 feet apart along the full length of the pad so that I can see them in the mirrors as I back into carport, as well as a stripe across the back with a clearly marked center point that I can see in the backup camera so I know when to stop and to aid with centering.
......

Larry.... don't overthink it. Lord knows you've received plenty of advice, and folks have thought up all sorts of clever ways to remind them of something.

Why do you need two lines? One line on the driver's side will be the easiest for you to reference while backing, and I assure you that wherever you put the left side, the right side will be there, 8.5 ft away. Every time.

Why do you need to mess with the backup camera? Fish-eye lens, shadows, odd perspective. Pshaw. Measure the distance and paint a nice four inch wide vertical stripe on the wall to your left as you back in, such that when your head is at the stripe the coach will be right where you want it. You're already sitting there looking at the left wing mirror. Don't even have to move your head.

[LSC9901]

Granted I'm only playing with 30' here but I have to back this in at an angle and have about 1 foot, at best, on each side. You can't see it real well but on the passenger side there is a drop off of 18 inches at some points. As noted practice is a valuable tool. I'm not now and never have been a truck driver. We've lived at our current home for 4 years and this was our best alternative. All the aids are great and I suppose I'd use them if available but I feel good knowing I can park it most any place without aids or without my bride. Bottom line is just do whatever makes it easiest for you.

[georgelesley]

This may sound silly but we found it very helpful in any parking situation. The usual problems we see when one is parking and the other is spotting is no agreement or consistently in the signals used by the spotter. At a recent RV driving school we learned great signals. We had already invented our own, the new ones just tweet them a bit.

It does not matter what signals you use as long as you BOTH agree before hand what each signal means and are consistent with them. We both understand that the outside person is pointing the direction they want the end of the vehicle they are at to go whether they are in the front or back. Thus, when the spotter is in the rear they will point the way they want the rear to go, in the front, the way they want the front to go. It is then up to the driver to make that happen. Crossing the arms (think RR crossing) means stop. Once DW has crossed her arms I never move until she gestures me to do so and which way she wants me to go.

This will help you greatly in all parking situations, and remember, practice makes perfect just agree and be consistent with the signals. When the driver (usually me) gets confused about what the spotter wants I just stop until we clear things up.