I have only been doing this for a short time, but the number of times I have seen people (mostly women), standing between the van and the tug while they direct the driver back to hook up the van, which I think is silly.
It would only take a little dew on the sole of the shoe for the foot to slip off the pedal and someone would end up with crushed legs.
Agree Greg. I had a "Hitch Guide" fitted under the ball that guided me in right on top of the ball when I had the camper but now I have a big CV I had a reverse camera fitted to the back of the tug. Shut the front gate! What a great thing they are, you can reverse right above the ball first time ready to just drop down on it. Much better and safer. No need for assistant or arguments.
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DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Geez Greg, we witnessed this woman in a C/P at Broken Hill, getting ready to hitch, pushing the tug back in order to stop the driver from reversing any further as he would not listen to what she had to say, mainly 'STOP'.
Thought this is an accident waiting to happen. If this is how they behave in a C/P, imagine how they drive with caravan in tow.
Larry
You could also get run over by a truck if you had an accident. When the director stands behind the car there is usually something stopping the car going all the way back and that's the draw bar/aframe.
Having said all that accidents do happen and you have to be careful in whatever you do. Life is easier for those of us who do not have reversing cameras on the car if someone is directing and the director has to be in a position to be seen by the driver and also judge when the hitch is over the ball
Yep reversing camera is the way to go, love ours no arguements when hooking up, still have a few disagreements where she puts me on a site but a lot easier since we installed rear view camera on van and reverse camera on ute. Reverse camera also helps getting out of carparking spots, can see cars coming down the street before you can see them when parked beside a 4X4 or a big van.
-- Edited by Dav4Cris on Tuesday 2nd of June 2015 12:58:25 PM
Like Dougwe we have a guide over the towball. for the small investment of $80 its a marriage saver. BTW the bride guides me from the driver's side of the caravan about 2 meters from the hitch.
Cheers
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I use the (tennis) balls on telescopic arial device that has a magnet base - one on the hitch the other on the tow ball - reverse up until the balls "kiss" - perfect every time. I also have two hand held UHF transceivers but can only use them when a man-type person is guiding me - the child-bride is dislexic with left & right and cannot work out "left or right hand down"- although she is great on navigation from maps and driving staight ahead. It's just reversing the van (or any trailer) seems beyond her comprehension. The kissing balls absolute marriage saver, from SuperCheap at $19.00 set.
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I also recommend spending $50 on a pair of radios as reversing cameras and a radio are just about foolproof. If you have a fixed unit in the car then you only need 1 portable.
hand held UHF's are great if the person guiding you is not your partner (Im being PC and not using the term wife). My wife BOSS was hopeless backing me up to hitch and I found it was easier and keep blood pressures and naughty words being uttered for me to back, stop, jump out and check progress and keep repeating the process. What a pain!!
I tried the backing device where two antenna like poles stick to the tow ball and tow hitch and you keep them lined up and reverse until the two touch - the one I bought cost me $45 and had to red dishes which when they touched - they folded over so you knew you were pretty much correct. Well, that was what it told me on the carton. I took it home, tried it - and bugger - I could see one of the poles through the rear window of my ute which has an canopy on it - too short. I gave it away to another camper.
Got reversing cams fitted to caravan and ute - great, but it can sometimes be difficult to make out the tow ball hitch from the rest of the immediate frame. Bought a tin of fluro orange spray on paint - sprayed the end of the tow hitch and can now back up 1st time round ready to wind down the jockey wheel. The paint also stops people walking into the end of it - have seen other campers walk into or fall over the end of hitches !!
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Don't want the wife anywhere near the van or tug when hitching up. Thats what the reversing camera is for!
Tried to get the wife to use a hand held radio for advising me when reversing the van, again another reversing camera was better than trying to tell her when to press the button on the radio, she still says it doesn't work!
Two things I don't do for a happy life, don't ask the wife when to take the next turn but do ask her to go walk the dog when reversing or hitching up.
Its just not worth it!!
