From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel
Subject: Re: NEED HLEP HITCHING UP
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 10:51:50 -0400
Message-ID: <lt51j016s6j8gemttlfu2dohftjhs9oecs@4ax.com>

You simply need to develop a system and not rely on gimmicks that can fail.  I
solo tow a concession trailer with my MH on occasion.  Here is my system.

My system relies on having the MH and trailer perfectly aligned and on a
couple of marks.  I take the time to get the MH perfectly aligned with the
trailer.  When it is I can sight through the mirrors and see that the trailer
and MH sides are parallel.  I have put a little piece of reflective tape on my
trailer located such that when I'm in perfect alignment with the hitch, half
of it is obstructed by the MH body when viewed in the driver's mirror.  Once
I'm parallel with the trailer and the tape is half obstructed, I back VERY
slowly toward the hitch, not more than a foot per second.  I have left the
tongue of the trailer jacked down on the level of the ball.

Backing that slowly, I will either gently contact the tongue with the ball or
if I'm a little off, contact the bumper with the hitch.  Backing as slowly as
I do, there is no damage and no jostling.  When I make contact I get out and
look.  Usually the ball is touching the tongue.  I jack the tongue up so that
it will clear the ball and go back to the wheel.

To make the last little maneuver, I focus my vision across the edge of the
window frame onto some object on the ground.  A stone, twig, etc.  I back
while watching how much that object has moved vs the window frame and mentally
compare that distance to the space between the tongue and ball.  I put on the
parking brake before releasing the brakes to make sure the rig doesn't roll
any.

I usually nail it on the first try.  Rarely a second one is needed.  If I'm
off a little I can let the tongue down until it fairly lightly touches the
tongue and then rock the trailer and/or the MH until the tongue drops down on
the ball.

A camera won't let you do it any easier than that.  If the camera fails and
you've come to rely on it, you're really in a mess.  Better to develop a
system of landmarks (or mark them like I did) and your skills.

John

On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 04:39:37 GMT, "ANETA NEWTON" <a.newton@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

>Hi folks,
>
>I need help hitching as I'm a solo.
>
>Any experience with Hind-Sight or SureShot camera systems?  Does anybody
>know where I might find a wireless system?  I'm not good at DIY.
>
>I'm open for any suggestions.
>
>Aneta
>
>