Backing a long fifth wheel

[timelinex]

I have a ram 3500 8ft bed and tow a 43ft grand design fifth wheel.

My issue is that there is a one lane road leading to my house. Then I have to back in through my houses front gate as there is nowhere to turn things around inside my yard.

I can drove paste my gate entrance and then jack knife the trailer in by turning 90 degrees and pushing it into place. Obviously this is extremely hard on the trailer and axles, so I don't want to do this if I don't have to. Oh the types of noises generated by this!

I cleared out a 50ft wide by 40ft deep patch of land in front of my house thinking that would make for sufficient room to turn into and back up. Boy was I wrong. The turning radius is so bad, and the trailer/TV sooooo long that I basically barely get things turned and then spend 30 minutes of stress and back and forth (queue the Austin Power's scene) until I can finally back in. I have attached a rough outline of the situation and rough path that is taken into the patch.

Anyone have any for changes to my back in technique, or where to clear out more land. Obviously clearing out ALOT of room in front would solve this.... But the owner was generous as it is and I don't want to push too much into the land. It's also desert land, so its a big pain in the behind clearing it out and getting the cactus residue out.

[pinesman]

Any way you can open up your side a little more so the turn can be more gradual? Maybe extend the width of the driveway and culverts? Theoretically, the turn would be just as tight coming out of your driveway as backing in

[Nwcid]

I know you said you do not want to clear more land, but that is likely your best option.

Keep in mind that you do not need to clear a 50' wide area again. Really you just need a ~12' wide path that lines up so you can pull forward a few more feet and get your truck/trailer straight. That is one thing from my dad that always sticks with me. If you are having trouble backing, get straight and try again.

[Hpozzuoli]

Can you clear deeper into the area you did. The hassle would be a permanent, worthwhile solution.

[Old-Biscuit]

DO what I call the 'swoop' method

Approach with driveway on your right (***Will need spotter coming in on 'blindside' *Passenger side)
Hug the right side of roadway
When the front wheels of truck reach the 1st portion of driveway turn left away from driveway at a 45* angle
When back wheels of 5vr reach the 1st side of driveway turn truck back right until truck is straight
Backend of 5vr should now be lined up with driveway...start backing up and when backend of trailer begins moving quickly follow

Should be able to back-in w/o having to jackknife the trailer suspension
*pull ahead and straighten up if necessary

[Dutch Star Don]

I think your brush clearance helped but I would back in differently. I would drive down the road, from the left side of your drawing towards the right side, hugging the curb with your passenger side (gate side of the road). Drive past the driveway and then back up, cranking hard with the trailer into the driveway. After a couple of tries, you'll know at what point your rear trailer tires need to be when you crank the trailer hard. The clearance you made will help in letting the front of the truck swing wide into the cleared area without any obstacles.

Backing in as described above is still going to be a hard turn on the trailer, but once you have it figured out, it should be a one and done turn. The trailer is capable of making that turn, even though it may sound like it's crying out.

[carybosse]

Originally Posted by Nwcid

I know you said you do not want to clear more land, but that is likely your best option.

Keep in mind that you do not need to clear a 50' wide area again. Really you just need a ~12' wide path that lines up so you can pull forward a few more feet and get your truck/trailer straight. That is one thing from my dad that always sticks with me. If you are having trouble backing, get straight and try again.

When I first rented a spot for storing my TT, they sent me to a pretty decent location, but 2 spots down was one where there was basically a drive aisle and i could line it up and back straight in. (I didn't have TT in tow at the time.) I went back and asked if I could have the other slot, it was available, so they did all the paperwork to swap. My wife was looking at me like, "you are such a pain to these people." The first time I parked in the new slot, she understood. It was such an easy backing up.

I have since switched to a covered spot, and I have a similar issue to the OP. I have to swoop to the right then do all of the things you guys are describing to back up. There is a steel column on one side, thankfully the other side is a shorter trailer so I can cheat a bit on the passenger side. I typically get myself started in, then pull forward a bit to get straightened out, then on the second pass, go straight back. I am not 5th wheel, if I was with my lengths, I think it would be less painful.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

DO what I call the 'swoop' method

Approach with driveway on your right (***Will need spotter coming in on 'blindside' *Passenger side)
Hug the right side of roadway
When the front wheels of truck reach the 1st portion of driveway turn left away from driveway at a 45* angle
When back wheels of 5vr reach the 1st side of driveway turn truck back right until truck is straight
Backend of 5vr should now be lined up with driveway...start backing up and when backend of trailer begins moving quickly follow

Should be able to back-in w/o having to jackknife the trailer suspension
*pull ahead and straighten up if necessary

I agree.

[timelinex]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I think your brush clearance helped but I would back in differently. I would drive down the road, from the left side of your drawing towards the right side, hugging the curb with your passenger side (gate side of the road). Drive past the driveway and then back up, cranking hard with the trailer into the driveway. After a couple of tries, you'll know at what point your rear trailer tires need to be when you crank the trailer hard. The clearance you made will help in letting the front of the truck swing wide into the cleared area without any obstacles.

Backing in as described above is still going to be a hard turn on the trailer, but once you have it figured out, it should be a one and done turn. The trailer is capable of making that turn, even though it may sound like it's crying out.

BOOM. I think this is it! Appreciate it. I can't believe I missed this.

Basically what your saying is I start with doing half my reversing "jacknifing procedure"... The half that isn't yet hard on the trailer. Then straightening and going into the cleared area. Timing it right, that will get me atleast 30%+ of the way in the right direction, before I even utilize a majority of my cleared space.

[0rion]

IMO you would've been better to clear a long section like a second lane vs one that is deep but not deep enough.

[Jkwilson1989]

An overlooked comment from Pinesman above about the backing being the same to the trailer as pulling out of the driveway is dead on.

If you have trouble envisioning how to back somewhere, envision pulling out of the same spot. Just as you leave your driveway, the truck will be on the opposite side of the road parallel to the road, with the trailer diagonally across the road with the tail end just at the driveway. That’s where you start backing, and you follow same route as you exited.

You have the extra room you cleared to use as extra width for the road so you have a lot more leeway as to where the front of your truck can go.

[Ray,IN]

The most common mistake in backing a trailer is not pulling forward enough in the beginning.

It sounds like more forethought should have been it the picture when buying a 5er.

[TXiceman]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

DO what I call the 'swoop' method

Approach with driveway on your right (***Will need spotter coming in on 'blindside' *Passenger side)
Hug the right side of roadway
When the front wheels of truck reach the 1st portion of driveway turn left away from driveway at a 45* angle
When back wheels of 5vr reach the 1st side of driveway turn truck back right until truck is straight
Backend of 5vr should now be lined up with driveway...start backing up and when backend of trailer begins moving quickly follow

Should be able to back-in w/o having to jackknife the trailer suspension
*pull ahead and straighten up if necessary

What he said. The biggest mistake people make in backing a 5er id starting out too far into the road which leaves no room for the front of the truck to swing. I start my pullover when the rear tires of the truck are at the first part of the drive.

With your limited space you will wind up getting the truck and trailer cranked around pretty far.

Ken

[powerboatr]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

DO what I call the 'swoop' method

Approach with driveway on your right (***Will need spotter coming in on 'blindside' *Passenger side)
Hug the right side of roadway
When the front wheels of truck reach the 1st portion of driveway turn left away from driveway at a 45* angle
When back wheels of 5vr reach the 1st side of driveway turn truck back right until truck is straight
Backend of 5vr should now be lined up with driveway...start backing up and when backend of trailer begins moving quickly follow

Should be able to back-in w/o having to jackknife the trailer suspension
*pull ahead and straighten up if necessary

agree 100%, i do this with our long flat bed trailer on our very very skinny street
it sounds funky but will swing the tail.
slow and steady wins the race and GREAT spotter helps a million