Question on Backing into Camping Space

[Afubar]

This video seems great: RV Driver Confidence Course: Part 7 - Better RVing

However in the marking of the MH, it shows only the marking of a MH without a tag. What would be your guess on where you would measure from on a MH with a tag? From the drive wheel or the tag. MH in question is a 38 footer, not sure it it would make a difference, they don't say.

Thanks all
Kaye

[Afubar]

No one has a best guess????

[Go Dawgs]

Measure from the driver. It is only an estimate. Have someone work with you in a large parking lot to start. It only takes a few times backing in to learn how to work your rig. Practice, practice, practice.

The video only really works if you have a large road to back in off of. Doesn't work at most state campgrounds

Good Luck
Arnold

[sdennislee]

I have stayed in more parks where the road is too narrow to allow you to pull far enough forward to loose sight of the right shoulder.

When the road is wide enough this systems works flawlessly.

I believe for your tag the 8' marks is from the drive wheels. Simply method to verify this try it in a large parking lot with the 8' mark set from the drive wheels, if successful you are done, if not remark from the tag and try it.

[Afubar]

Thanks, I'm not too bad with backing, can back a 3 horse slant without problems and did back the MH out of a 11 foot gate from my yard on to a smaller two lane road with mailboxes set slightly off to the left side. I just saw this video and thought WOW, if that would work, it looks so easy.

thanks again
Kaye

[powerboatr]

we use the systme almost all the time.

but at our home port, i have to back in on the passenger side, as the street is so narrow like many sp parks. we cant pull forward and turn the wheels towards the other side, soooo
i get close to the driveway side of the street and and then stop as my rear wheels are about 5 feet past my driveway, then i cut the wheels hard over to the right and back up slowly. this puts a wide arc, but also puts me dead on spot and then as the front crosses into the driveway i straighten the wheel and fine tune until we are under cover and on spot
i found this system works pretty darn well
if i loss sight of my dw in the mirror i STOP.
my drive is 25 feet across and 25 long, then it goes in under the port which is 25 x 40 concrete

[hooverbill]

Good information.

[38 Special]

Raise the tag for easier turning, use the drive axle for your measurements in the course in the first post.

[Montrealer]

Kaye, I only have 8 years experience driving a 41ft coach pulling a 31ft car trailer but here is my thinking:

The pivot point should be the drive axle. In a tag axle configuration, the tag is typically located behind the drive axle and in many of the airbag suspension models, it can actually be raised when backing up hence should not affect the the 8 foot rule as measured from the drive axle.

One of the reasons the tag axle can be raised when backing up (actually an automatic feature in many tag coaches) is that if not, the tag tires would drag sideways as your coach turns hence increasing the turn radius.

So if your coach does not allow for raising the tag, I would be tempted to use the mid point between the drive and tag axles and measure 8 feet from there.

Give it a whirl and let us know what you found.

Gary

[Afubar]

On my MH the Tag does not raise. I can take the pressure off, but the tag does not come off the ground.

I will be sure to give a review when I get back. Leaving Monday will return on the 25th. Not sure if I'll have phone or internet service where I'll be, but if I have a connection, I'll let you know next week.

Thanks All.

Kaye

[Afubar]

Well, Montrealer nailed it, "So if your coach does not allow for raising the tag, I would be tempted to use the mid point between the drive and tag axles and measure 8 feet from there.

Give it a whirl and let us know what you found.

Gary"

I actually measured from the middle point and then from the drive axel, marked both. When we got to camp, went with the middle point, and the system worked flawlessly. First try, nailed it. No pulling back, going forward, twisting or jiggling.

I like this system.

Kaye

[dons2346]

When you have a tandem axle anything, if you cannot raise one axle, the pivot point will be in the middle of the two axles.

If you can raise an axle, the pivot point will be wherever the axle on the ground is.