Reversing to hook on van, easier solo or with someone directing

[Delt1c]

Just wondering what others views are easiest way to reverse the car to hitch up. When it was the 2 of us the other half used to direct me back to hook up , used to take about 10 attempts during which time SWMBO seemed to think that when the car was 6 inches of the van I could move it 12ins to the left or right, used to result in some lovely conversations in the car when we set of.
Now I am towing solo , believe it or not i find it a lot easier to hitch up, just align a mark on the back window of the car to a point on the caravan watch in the mirrors so that i can see equal amounts of the van in both mirrors and slowly reverse until the the marks align, can usually get within an inch of the hitch. I do get quite a few offers to see me back , and they are surprised when I decline and they see how close I can get to the hitch. just wondering if others have found the same, have to admit 1st time I picked the van up on my own I was dreading hooking up , now dont even think about it.

 

[Parksy]

My o/h doesn't drive, her spatial awareness skills are not that great and she's not very tall so she can be hard to see at times because she doesn't know the best place to stand.
Because my car is a 4x4 with poor rear vision I ended up fitting a reversing camera.
The number plate mounted camera points down toward the towball so I get a 'hole in one' every time now while Herself sits safely in the passenger seat.

 

[RegandPat]

I always hook up on my own now, it only takes about 10 go's but at lease I don't full out with Pat.
Before I leave I have to reverse out of the long drive and turn left into a private car park, now thats fun with Pat's directions, she sometimes just vanishes from sight.
Reg and now were she gone...

 

[602]

Hi,

"Come on, come on, a bit faster, a litle bit more" - crunch - "now look what you've done!"

602

 

[andy72]

in my humble few times ive actually hitched up, i find it easier to drive a good distance away from the van, reverse back keeping an equal amount of caravan in each mirror. I can usually get within 6 - 12 inches of the hitch which is quite easy to just pull the van up to the car. I find the key is to just take things slowly and inch by inch.
All done solo while my wife keeps the kids our of the way on the playground. She comes back and we are ready to drive off.

 

[Soozeeg]

I did read somewhere (can't remember where or who said it) about sticking a long pole/stick (bamboo cane, e.g.) onto the hitch somehow, then making a little mark (with a blob of Tippex, or perhaps a small sticker?) in the centre of your car's rear window. Then you reverse until the two line up in your rear view mirror. Sounds simple, bet it isn't though, lol. And it doesn't really indicate whether you've gone far enough back......erm, until you feel the bump, hehe. Perhaps not such a good idea after all......I don't know, basically

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

Hi to you all out there.A special Big Hello to those Helpers that do not know their Left Hand down a bit, from their Right Hand down a bit & Clockwise from Anti-Clockwise. Yes, a Very Tenuous Subject. There have been a number a 'You've Got To Have One Of These' reversing aids on the market for years.Look around at the NEC for them. Most times I can line up and drop the hitch straight onto the ball after an initial approach and then a twitch to the nearside or offside.A useful aid is a length of Dowel Rod approx' 12-15mm Diameter,and with the hitch in the air with enough room for the ball to go under comfortably.Stand the Dowel Rod up against the hitch head,reverse using the rod as a line of site and when you see it flex towards the car you know you are there,but for a twitch away.

 

[Mikey_74]

I must be lucky, I always seem to get within a couple of inches anyway but Ems 9 times out of 10 watches me back, and she understands about how slow the back end of the car responds to steering movements, and when she helps me I don't think it's ever taken more than 3 goes and the hitches is directly over the ball, comunication and a steady pace is the key we find, like reversing onto a pitch, she knows where to stand so I can see her and directs me back, we've not been caravanning that long and have to say I think we make a pretty good team!! (I do hope she reads this, few Brownie points)

 

[Lutz]

I'm in the lucky position of having a car with a factory-fitted rear camera as standard, allowing me to reverse and aim for the hitch with an accuracy of on inch or two, but before I used to align centreline of the car and caravan first and then reverse with the driver's door open and use a reference point on the ground next to the open door (a stone or something like that) to indicate me exactly how far I need to reverse to get the hitch exactly over the towball.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I do it entirely unaided except for the reversing camera on the car,extended door mirrors,reversing bleepers and a magnetic pick up tool on the tow ball to aim and and a sweeping brush by the van hitch
Usually finishing off with the mover and bumper protector

 

[cooky1]

My wife is pretty good at directing me back onto the hitch, but now I tend to get somewhere near and then use the mover to get the hitch over the ball

Graeme.

 

[harro11]

Wifey gives me loads of signals, only trouble is she hasn't grasped the concept that I need to be able to see her giving them.

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

Hi harro11,maybe a suttle reminder might help reinforce the essential notion.Next time you are out on the road with your 'Second Mate' and you see the notice on the back of a truck or coach that says " If you can't see me in the mirror,then I can't see you either" point it out to her.

 

[JohnnyV]

Have to say my other half tries hard, but like many of you report she cannot grasp the fact that I need to be able to see her, and that it is no good telling me that I am six inches to the right when I am only three inches from the hitch - so I invested in a camera and now I can do the job better solo !
I think its all to do with 'spatial awareness' or something similar.

 

[runnerphil]

I drive I Citroen xsara Picasso and some times I fold the centre rear seat forward and open the boot I can see the tow ball from the driver’s seat and line it all up perfectly! But I have to honest mrs baldylocks can direct me back to within ½ inch of the hitch but it is lot easer with the boot open.

 

[joeby]

Thats a neat little camera johnnyv ,whats it called and where do you buy them from , Regards Joe C

 

[Parksy]

There are more expensive and better quality kits available but inexpensive wireless reversing camera kits are available on Ebay if you just want one to hitch up the caravan

 

[joeby]

Thanks very much Parksy

 

[WatsonJohnG]

You can get a "bullet" CCD colour camera from Maplins that will mount in the rear bumper

 

[JohnnyV]

Hi Joe C
As the previous posters advise you can get a camera set up from ebay/maplins etc - I actually bought mine from the ebay shop of www.reversingcamerasuk.com - if you go on their website they have a huge variety, I had two cameras one for the van and one for the car so I also had a monitor that can switch between the two and I opted for 'hardwired' because people tell me that you can get interference on the wireless versions from mobile phones and also the signal can get blocked - I figured if I was running a cable from the back of the van anyway it wasn't really any more difficult to fit another 7pin socket and wire both cameras through to the monitor.
One problem on my particular car was finding a position for the camera where I can actually still see the hitch (hence the odd positioning and the fact I opted for a 'hinged' mounting.
Cheers
Jon

 

[MikeA]

I have a crucial role in our hitch-up procedure. I stand alongside the hitch head with my hand directly above it, at a level about halfway up our car's rear window. Then Mrs A reverses the car straight back to the perfect position every time. I have no idea how she does it, and I'm not planning on asking her in case she suddenly realises it is difficult and loses the knack.

Mike A

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I too have had cameras from Reversing Cameras UK
Very good to deal with and you can have a conversation
I opted for the Maplins in the bumper as it looked neater and went to Maplins as I was going away to France a few days later
Since posting above I have been unable to locate the bullet camera on their website
I can't quite see the towball but I put a magnetic pick up tool on top of the ball
I have replaced the Kuga double din radio/CD with one that incorporates sat nav,radio,CD and the rear view screen in one unit

 

[joeby]

Thanks very much for the detailed info JohnnyV , as i have no window at the back due to the island bed,it would be nice to have a camera at the rear of the van to see whats behind now and again

 

[Easyvanner]

Hitching up solo you have no one els to blame, argue with or have a slanging match with

Now using cheap wireless cam, moved between rear of van and Al-ko stabiliser handle when hitching.