Just thought a new thread dealing with towing a bumper pull trailer might come in handy as the summer season of traveling will be here before you know it.
I know when I first started out, I had more questions that answers, and it can become confusing as it can become nerve wracking.
What should be a grand time to new folks to avail themselves to the fun of camping and traveling with a trailer should not turn into a bad time of short tempers and disappointments.

First off if you are new to the game, welcome and relax, take your time, gather as much info as you can however don't overload yourself with thinking you need to know it all right away....
Savor it, and realize with each pull you'll learn more and the enjoyment grows accordingly.

Hopefully others will chime in with what they can share, but I will just start out with two things that I think helped me a lot to decrease that anxiety curve to trailering.

First one is to always drive defensively.
I am not talking about white knuckles and foot on brakes, no.....just keep speeds down to where you have plenty of time and room to stop, even if that means you must adjust your speeds, etc to avoid a sticky situation.

Number 2, I would go with backing up, or into a camping spot, etc.
It really is easy IF you take your time to scout the spot you want to put the trailer.
Leave enough space between where the spot is, and where you start your backing from, which will allow you to make those minor adjustments as we "over-correct"
Also, your lefthand side, mirror is the best if you can manage to use that as you back, getting as close as you can to any object on "that side" knowing that the side you "can't" see is free and clear because you already scouted the area and if your trailer is that close to that landmark then there is no way it can hit anything in the blind spot.
Same deal if you need to use your passenger side mirror, it just takes a little more practise.

Hope I was able to help.
Please anybody else feel like helping/sharing?

 

Make your first few trips close to home base.
This way you get use to pulling the trailer close to home where you may know the roads & traffic better.
Also not being to far out the amount of time you might be "white knuckling" will be less.

Also make a list of things you need to pack for the next time out.
Dave ----

 

New to towing but here's my 2 cents. First, know your limits, but Don't cancel a trip because of inclement weather. Recently planned a weekend trip that our 6am depart time should have put us out in front of an expected snow storm. Well, we were late to leave and the snow came early. Contemplated calling things off but forced myself not to. There will be times when the weather and road conditions aren't ideal and you will be forced to travel, even if it means just getting to the next town and waiting for things to improve, so you'd better know how to do it and do it well. Mind you, all my life has been spent in places that get snow so already know how to drive when the white stuff starts falling. Knowing how to do it while pulling a trailer is mandatory for me. Now, if you're like many of the transplants that moved to my area and have never seen a snowflake let alone drive on one, please, like I said, know your limits and stay off the road.
2nd, Teach your wife how to tow your trailer. Keep in mind, I've yet to put this into practice but my theory is this- 1st there may come a time where she has to and she should have the confidence to know that she can. And 2nd, since many times maneuvering a trailer is a team effort, it will give her a better understanding of how best to assist. If nothing else, it should prove to her once and for all that you can't make the trailer move sideways now matter how many times she tells you to.

 

Love #2 Tony.......however, lol!
Your reasoning is sound and makes lots of sense, even if she was to say after trying to garner the skills of pulling, "I give up"
She would now know as you say, and that might be a huge factor in those rough moments where you asked a simple question of which lane should I be in to change over to our new route.....and you get that HOW THE HEl............. stuff

 

Patience. Work with your wife on hand signals and where to stand when backing into a site. Ok maybe just learn to figure out what HER hand signals are and interpret the best you can. When that fails get out and talk to her and walk around with her explaining what needs to be done. Did I mention Patience?

When setting up, we both have jobs to do. I'm usually unhooking the truck and connecting sewer and water, she runs the landing gear and electrical, then the slides. She unpacks all the crap that makes it look like home, and I set out the camp chairs, griddle, bbq, and open a few beers until she is done inside (you know just staying out of her way).

 

This is a good one. I keep telling myself I'll do it on the next trip but end up just doing it all myself. Probably better to find a free weekend and take her out for a couple hours to tow, park, etc.

 

couple years ago we were at Alamo lake, my wife, my daughter and myself. I towed the 5th wheel down with the F450, my wife towed the pontoon boat with my 97 F250.
last morning there I get deathly ill (went to ER when we got home)
I have always insisted that everyone will know how to tow a trailer!
my wife drove the F450 and the RV, my daughter drove the 97 towing the pontoon boat. we got home with no drama.

 

I'd add make sure all your components are well maintained and operating properly. Make sure your wheel bearings are freshly packed, brakes and lights work, bring a spare if going any real distance. Grease is cheap, seized wheel bearings and losing a wheel on the highway is not. Know how to hitch up properly, especially with some of the more complex weight distribution and sway control setups (some are not fun or unable to hitch up if off camber or not straight on).

Lastly, know how tall your trailer is!! Going down a back road and seeing an 11' clearance sign can be a stomach sinking experience if you don't know how tall you actually are.

I know this isn't always realistic for all, but I'm a big proponent of knowing how to maintain and work on your own rig. If something happens on the road, knowing how to 'bandaid' or repair it to get you to your next stopping point is a good thing. I encourage people to carry at least basic tools and components (fire extinguisher, spare wheel bearing, extension cords). Even if you don't know how to make repairs, if you have tools and materials with you, someone may come along who has the knowledge and can get you back on the road.

 

Learn how to work with your wife guiding you holding two cell phones as lights while you attempt to back up a truck and trailer down a road with rocks on both sides and NO OTHER LIGHTS when a friend tells you where to park your trailer and give you the wrong directions

 

Don’t do this!

 

When my wife is guiding me back into a site, she calls me on the cell phone. I have mine on the hands-free. We can have a normal conversation without me trying to watch her hand signals, or even trying to find her in the mirrors.

Go slowly. No need to get frustrated.

We NEVER say left or right. Use terms Driver and Passenger. Say “A little passenger” instead of “ A little right”.