OH wants to learn how to tow just incase for any reason i cant drive whilst away.I suppose it makes sense and one day may happen.So do i get some cones and take our van off raod somewhere or do we go for professional training.We live in mansfield area so whats your thoughts and best way forward
Reversing a caravan isn't something you can really teach beyond the basic counter intuitive turning steering wheel in opposite direction than you think it should go to get back of 'van in correct direction. After that its just practice so save your money & find a bit empty carpark somewhere to practise in.
If you imagine how your front wheels face when you are reversing just the car, then transpose the whole car to face the way the car's wheels are as you reverse the caravan.
This is difficult at first but you will soon get the hang of it.
When I was learning to drive (and reverse) an artic, the instructor had a steel ruler and I would get a rap across the knuckles every time I made a mistake.
Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 09/11/2014
Ear Plugs and a Blindfold can work wonders!!!
That's silly advice if you don't mind me saying so! She'll never be able to reverse a caravan wearing a blindfold and will not hear instructions with ear plugs in!
I know many men who can't reverse a caravan to which some have been caravanning for over 10 years or more apart from those who regularly drive articulated combinations and their response is "I can't do it" but they have given up far too easily. Practice makes perfect is the key but to achieve this you need patience and understand out the outfit performs. The easiest solution is to buy a cheap child's car and caravan and practice with it at home first but you need to hold the vehicle exactly where the front steering wheels are so you can see how the trailer manouvres. The shorter the caravan the more difficult the reversing procedure is because of the distance from the towball to the caravan wheels so a longer caravan is easier to reverse. I started with a Coachman caravan that was no longer than 13 feet long in length including the 'A' frame but I was determined to get the hang of reversing without the aid of any tuition. I eventually mastered the art of it but when I bought the caravan we have now which is about another 3 feet longer it made the task so much easier.
Okay, so you eventually master the art of reversing but then you have the task of positioning the caravan adjacent to the next caravan with the correct spacing and the best way to do it is to get one of the yellow ramps out, space the correct gap and then put the ramp on the ground to whichever side you want so that you can see the ramp in your towing mirror. Slowly reverse the outfit by using the ramp as a guide and then you finally achieve perfection.
When people ask me how I do it to such a fine art I tell them that it takes a bit of initiative, understanding, patience and a lot of practice. If you have the determination then you will eventually conquer the art of reversing.
Hi rog,its not a million miles away.She works at east mids airport.And many thanks all for replies.I have a 3ft long steel rule,so i can rap her knuckles and be beyond slapping distance myself.