Reversing tips for Newbie
- Thread starter MicknJill
- Start date
Hi
Does anyone have any reversing tips, especially for the person outside directing the van.
I don't plan on becoming this years entertainment
Merry Christmas
cheers
Jill
Clear instructions, stand where you can been seen/heard, slow and steady wins the race.
Get 2 ways. They are great. I do the reversing and the wife tells me on the 2 way if I hit something!
And make sure You n Mick understand and agree on the terminology before hand...... Does go left mean "left" or "right"?
The above hint is from personal experience
The above hint is from personal experience
My serious tip is to go practice in an empty car park a number of times
Mrs Crusty uses the walkie talkie to tell me what it was that I just hit ..... saves me getting out of the car.
Another serious tip @MicknJill
As @relgate said practice at an empty or near empty boat ramp carpark and try guiding the van between the white lines.
What I get Mrs dagree to do (If I can't see where I'm going) is to stand next to the car window looking back towards where the van is going and she will say "left" if the van needs to go left and "right" if the van needs to go right.
The video linked below probably explains it better.... I got the idea from Clive at Mandalay and all his staff do it the same way.
If I can see where I'm going she will stand at the rear of the van, where I can see her in the mirror, and keep an eye out for any obstacles.
Oh... and apparently (SHHHH I don't know it yet!!!!) I'm getting a reversing camera for the back of the van from Santa. That way she won't have to walk back and forth checking what's behind!
As @relgate said practice at an empty or near empty boat ramp carpark and try guiding the van between the white lines.
What I get Mrs dagree to do (If I can't see where I'm going) is to stand next to the car window looking back towards where the van is going and she will say "left" if the van needs to go left and "right" if the van needs to go right.
The video linked below probably explains it better.... I got the idea from Clive at Mandalay and all his staff do it the same way.
If I can see where I'm going she will stand at the rear of the van, where I can see her in the mirror, and keep an eye out for any obstacles.
Oh... and apparently (SHHHH I don't know it yet!!!!) I'm getting a reversing camera for the back of the van from Santa. That way she won't have to walk back and forth checking what's behind!
Free camp so you don't have to reverse into a specific spot.
when we did the Metec course they showed us like the video above.. we are getting better, reversing camera helps if you do not trust the instructions 
.. Need to find a empty carpark big enough and close enough.. Maybe Christmas day everything will be shut.. he he
.. Need to find a empty carpark big enough and close enough.. Maybe Christmas day everything will be shut.. he he
Best tip I was taught years ago to take the thinking out of which way you turn the steering wheel when reversing is this...
Using your mirrors...
If you want the van to disappear from the mirror you are looking at.... Pull down on the steering wheel that side. The van will move out of the sight of that mirror.
Very useful for reversing long distances. As the van creeps into more view of one mirror, pull down on the steering wheel that side. It will then creep into the other.
Using your mirrors...
If you want the van to disappear from the mirror you are looking at.... Pull down on the steering wheel that side. The van will move out of the sight of that mirror.
Very useful for reversing long distances. As the van creeps into more view of one mirror, pull down on the steering wheel that side. It will then creep into the other.
where are u from micknjillHi
Does anyone have any reversing tips, especially for the person outside directing the van.
I don't plan on becoming this years entertainment
Merry Christmas
cheers
Jill
A long time ago I was taught to put my hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and move it in the direction you want the trailer to go. We also use mobile phone with bluetooth so we can not only hear directions but also ask questions. Thirdly go slowly so yo can easily correct if you put in too much steering input, some on here recommend low 4 if you have it. Good luck!
my $0.02
first off, look at the site, and plan where you want the Van to sit
some people find it easier to reverse into a site from the left, some from the right
get 2 ways or 1 hand held UHF if you have one in the car already
for the one Directing -
stay calm....................
take your time...............
talk clearly.............
stand in the corner of the site where you want the Van to be...... at the back of the site..........
face the front of the site...........
stay calm............
your left is the same as the drivers.........
your right is the same as the drivers.........
do NOT rush for anyone...............
try not to talk to your new neighbors too much while you are assisting in reversing - they should understand if you say
"lovely to meet you, I will be with you as soon as we get this bit sorted"
as the Driver -
listen to what they say.......
take your time............
do NOT rush for anyone...........
dont try and out think the person directing..........
ask CLEAR questions.............
stay calm...............
if they say "hang on......." maybe someone / something is distracting them..... be patient.........
as @Dandy said - I was taught to put my right hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, push wheel left to get Van to go right or push it right, to make the Van go left.
(you need to try this with a 6x4 trailer to understand maybe....... DONT try it without a small trailer or your Van on - it wont work, and you will get more confused)
Practice makes for less entertainment for others..........
I dont know of ANYONE who mastered reversing first time.........
first off, look at the site, and plan where you want the Van to sit
some people find it easier to reverse into a site from the left, some from the right
get 2 ways or 1 hand held UHF if you have one in the car already
for the one Directing -
stay calm....................
take your time...............
talk clearly.............
stand in the corner of the site where you want the Van to be...... at the back of the site..........
face the front of the site...........
stay calm............
your left is the same as the drivers.........
your right is the same as the drivers.........
do NOT rush for anyone...............
try not to talk to your new neighbors too much while you are assisting in reversing - they should understand if you say
"lovely to meet you, I will be with you as soon as we get this bit sorted"
as the Driver -
listen to what they say.......
take your time............
do NOT rush for anyone...........
dont try and out think the person directing..........
ask CLEAR questions.............
stay calm...............
if they say "hang on......." maybe someone / something is distracting them..... be patient.........
as @Dandy said - I was taught to put my right hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, push wheel left to get Van to go right or push it right, to make the Van go left.
(you need to try this with a 6x4 trailer to understand maybe....... DONT try it without a small trailer or your Van on - it wont work, and you will get more confused)
Practice makes for less entertainment for others..........
I don't plan on becoming this years entertainment
I dont know of ANYONE who mastered reversing first time.........
Stop somewhere about 20 minutes from where your going. Get out stretch your legs have a coffee, smoke if u want, let the kids run around for 10 minutes eat something. When u arrive everything runs smoother. If it takes 20 attempts who cares.
same as when i was driving semis, try to reverse in on the drivers side that way you have full view of whats going on, walk over the site first and measure the distance from the slab to where your weels should end up and put a stick or something down as a guide for the wheels, slow and steady don't get flusted even if you are blocking the road way they can wait. Don't do what i did at summerset a while ago, said to Mrs stay there heaps of room, reversed in perfectly then got out looking like a hero, oh bugger the slab is supposed to be on the left hand side, looked and felt like a real dick, didn't matter as the neighbours were old and grumpy anyway
didn't matter as the neighbours were old and grumpy anyway
yeah, I've met a few like that
makes you wonder why they go camping / Vanning if they are in a constant state of "pi$$ed off..."
The only thing I can add to all advice above and it relates to above advice is rather than having one hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and having to think in reverse is to remember that when reversing use your side mirrors and if you see more of the van in your right mirror, turn the wheel to tt mirrorand vice versa.