Help with Towing / reversing

[RogerP]

This might seem a bit of 'bolt the door after the horse has fled' BUT

We pick up our first caravan this weekend and whilst the drive home (all 165 miles of it) does not seem too daunting and gives me plenty of time to get used to towing. I'm a little hestitant about reversing.

We are going away (loacally) the following weekend and I have to confess I'm not confident I know how to reverse.

Can any one point in the direction somewhere I can get a DVD or somewhere on t'internet that explains how to reverse. I do intend going on one of the courses but this wont happen in time.

Any help and advice eaglery waited and very welcome.

 

[BeemerMal]

Roger....Er yes well here goes.....If you are buying from a caravan dealer see if they will let you practice the basics of reversing before you venture out on your journey home. Don't be afraid to ask them or the seller for some reversing advise. If this is not available try and find an area where there is a lot of room to practice the basics. eg, an empty yard or car park.

Primarily take any reversing you do with a caravan tow very slowly. Don't ever rush these manouvers. Ensure you have extension mirrors fitted to your car and with reversing you must remember to turn your steering wheel in the opposite direction as you would if you were driving solo so the pivoting caravan moves to the left if you turn the steering wheel to the right and right if the steering wheel is turned to the left.

You will see (in the mirrors) the caravan starting to move left or right compensate with only slight adjustment on the steering wheel. Ideally have someone with you to help guide you.

Take care coming home with you new van and try not to get into a situation where you have to reverse (service areas etc) until you have had time to practice.

Book in for a towing course asap. Good luck. Mal

 

[lolly_5087162]

Hey, if all else fails, as a last resort, you could always unhitch and push - I have done that before when I got the van stuck outside our old house!! Hubby was not best pleased

Lolly x

 

[Oldfogey]

A trick that helped me when I started;

Hold the steering wheel at the bottom (6:00 o'clock position). Now if you want the rear of the caravan to move to the left, move the BOTTOM of the wheel to the left.

The sequence behind this is;

Lower wheel moves left.

Front of car moves left (in reverse).

Rear of car moves right.

Front of caravan moves right.

Rear of caravan moves left.

 

[rh010a2370]

Hi Roger.

I am like you new to caravanning, i would recommend you try one of the caravan courses, that the Caravan Club or the Camping and caravan clubs run. I would not buy the caravan clubs video as i think it is a waist of money, i bought it my self and cost me

 

[Rioja]

I presume you are 100% confident of driving your car, so, the best advice I got was forget about opposite locks etc etc, you will just confuse yourself.

All you have to do is make the car a part of yourself and imagine you are pushing the van.

Don't rush and you will be fine.

Have a practice with a couple of matchboxes, you will see how easy it is to push the "caravan" matchbox in the direction you want, just do the same with your car.

 

[Parksy]

Hi Roger

Good luck with your first caravan.

As for reversing, I'll try to give you a few simple instructions, so here goes.

1: Before you go away, if possible try to find a large open space,like an empty car park.

2:Take someone with you to make sure that you do not reverse into something ( fences, people, stumps etc.)

3ull forwards in a straight line and then attempt to reverse in a straight line. when reversing always turn the wheel towards the larger 'portion' of caravan that you can see in your wing mirrors.

4: Above all do this SLOWLY

5: When attempting to reverse into a space, always try to arrive with the space on the DRIVERS side so that when reversing you can also glance over your right shoulder at the rear corner of the caravan. Have a good look at the space. A moments hesitation is better than a damaged caravan, so dont be pressured.

6:Assuming that the aforementioned space is on your right, as you drive past turn your steering wheel to the left so that you are passing at an angle. When the rear of the caravan is just past the entrance gap put a bit of right hand lock on the steering.This will have the effect of pointing the rear end of the caravan in the general direction in which you want to go.

7: start to reverse SLOWLY, gently applying small amounts of right hand lock to the steering wheel.

8: Dont be afraid to have a 'shunt' forward if things start to go wrong. Remember what I said about 'portions' of the caravan in your wing mirrors. You should be seeing a bigger 'portion' of 'van in your right hand mirror. As you reverse gradually feed in more right hand lock to make the right hand 'portion' smaller, keeping a good look out as the bonnet of your vehicle swings left.

9: gradually ease up on the right hand lock, applying more left hand as you come back.

10: Remember, practice makes perfect and nobody gets it right first time,so ignore any interested spectators and dont be afraid to have a go. It will become easier the more you do it.

I hope this helps and was not too boring .

Enjoy your caravan

Regards, Steve

 

[Tapestry]

Hi

There's some really good advice already given.

We have a pair of walkie talkies, one stops in the car, the other with me as I direct Mike reversing onto the pitch, drive or storage pitch. It works for us. We changed our caravan last summer. A different tow car from Easter this year. The first time out with both, we felt like complete novices, we'd been caravanning 7 years at the time. The best advice we can give is take your time and do not panic.

Good luck. Annette

 

[Steve L]

Here's an interesting tip.

With your car parked in a straight line and the front wheels straight, put a couple of turns of coloured tape at the bottom of the steering wheel.

Now if you want the caravan to go to the right (in reverse) move the tape to the right. What the tpae does, is to reverse the action of the steering in your mind.

I used to use tape at the toop of the wheel on my rally cars to line the corners when I had a "quick rack" fitted.

Try it and see if you get on with it.

Steve L.

 

[RayS]

Another small tip from past experience. Make sure that any "helper" and yourself are of the same mind as to what constitutes "left" and "right", rembering the back of the caravan will go the opposite way to the back of the car - see the suggested exercise with matchboxes.

If you have any van which is heavy ( say 1100kg or more) or without some see through vision, consider getting a mover - it's much much easier !

 

[EmmanuelMuldoon]

I must admit I have never got on with the "turn the wheel one way & the trailer will go the other" type of approach.

Whilst reversing I am continually thinking/looking at the relationship between the car & the trailer at the "bend" point. If the outfit is "bent" then the angle will "tighten up" if you continue without correction, and I find it quite easy to transfer this "error" into what is required from the car to make the trailer go where you want it.

Tricky to put into words but it works for me (usually!).

 

[RogerP]

Thanks for everyones advice , very useful and hopefully I can put it to the test the weekend on our first outing.

I do have a mover fitted (due to a dodgy back) but didn't want to come across as 'All the Gear NO Idea' type. But if I'm not sure what the hell I'll just use it.

Have to say I quite enjoyed towing the van back from Exeter even at 60mph - you see so much more than at Warp 9!!!!!! it wasn't nearly as daunting as I thourght.

 

[RogerP]

Thanks for everyones advice , very useful and hopefully I can put it to the test the weekend on our first outing.

I do have a mover fitted (due to a dodgy back) but didn't want to come across as 'All the Gear NO Idea' type. But if I'm not sure what the hell I'll just use it.

Have to say I quite enjoyed towing the van back from Exeter even at 60mph - you see so much more than at Warp 9!!!!!! it wasn't nearly as daunting as I thourght.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi roger

there's been some good advice already so there's not much I could add to it exept to say take your time and practice. practice.practice at every opportunaty possible.

I have been towing trailers 30 odd years and dont get it right every time so dont worry.

colin