Back Your Trailer Like a Pro

When backing your RV it’s good to have a helper spot you. Keeping in voice contact by cellphone is fine when it works, but a two-way radio system works universally. Over time you’ll both get a process down, which will make parking a snap!

Photo by Chris Dougherty

Backing a trailer into a parking spot or a driveway has always posed a challenge for RV owners—even seasoned veterans get confused at times.

There is an increasing number of driver aids to help enthusiasts become better backers, but even with a rear view camera, all it takes is one wrong turn of the steering wheel and you can find yourself pulling forward to start the process over again. It’s easy to understand why: You’re trying to make steering adjustments while looking through a mirror, which reverses things—and it’s difficult to re-train your brain on the fly. To make things easier, take a tip from professional truck drivers: Turn the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go. You want the trailer to go left? Push the bottom of the steering wheel left. Use the same scenario for moving right: push the bottom of the steering wheel to the right. It’s much easier than trying to remember, well…the backwards way.