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04-24-2003, 06:04 PM
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#21
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4 Rivet Member
1999 34' Limited
2002 19' Bambi
Allen
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 292
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Tongue twister
Rickk48,
The tongue twister comes off the jack post as you raise the jack for travel. The jack post is just sitting in the "cup" of the tongue twister.
As for why we need a tongue twister...ratcheting the tongue over a little bit for a perfect alignment is a LOT easier that moving the whole tow vehicle, but to each his/her own.
david
02 Bambi LS
WBCCI # 7548
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07-29-2005, 06:18 PM
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#22
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Remember Burma Shave!
2006 19' Safari
2000 25' Safari
1985 25' Sovereign
Fort Myers
, SW.Florida
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 510
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Somewhat interesting ...
My '65 Safari has (had) this mounted. Note in one pix that you can actually see the reflection of the tongue!
__________________
NORM #3305
"... there is nothing you can't fix yourself ...
... if you're handy ...
... with a check book! ..."
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07-29-2005, 07:56 PM
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#23
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Rivet Master
1986 25' Sovereign
Southern Middle
, Tennessee
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,319
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Looking over my right shoulder I have learned to line up the bolts on my closed tailgate with the 2 40 lb. tanks. As I get closer I get out to make final adjustments until I am over the ball. With the Hensley on my newly purchased '86 Sovereign I am just playing it by ear.
__________________
Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
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07-29-2005, 10:15 PM
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#24
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Contributing Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Austin (Hays County)
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,164
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I always hook up by myself and prefer to do so.
I just threw away my convex mirror this week after not using it for a year or two. At the distance of the pickup bed, the image in the mirror was way to small for any accuracy. Add to that the fact that my truck cab is in bright sunlight and the hitch ball is in the shadow of the roof of the storage shed and what I could see in the mirror was usually so dark as to be useless.
I simply line up the knob on my bed cover with the little level in the center of the trailer.and back up until I am quite close. I get out once and check alignment and any needed angular correction. I then leave the door open and look down at the pavement to gage the distance I move back. I find that to be more accurate than looking back at the trailer.
I usually get out only once. Occasionally, I go a bit too far and gently bump the hitch. I then look down at the ground again to gage how much to pull forward.
__________________
John W. Irwin
2018 Interstate GT, "Sabre-Dog V"
WBCCI #9632
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07-30-2005, 10:46 AM
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#25
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' Globetrotter
Yorktown
, Virginia
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 87
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I'll pile on to the 'do it yourself' camp.
I've gotten pretty good... Only takes me 15 or so hops in-and-out of the truck to get it ready.
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07-30-2005, 01:28 PM
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#26
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DayStreamer
2001 19' Bambi
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 163
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My wife also hates helping guide me when hitching -- I picked one of these simple devices a few years ago. It works great!
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...=SRCH&tcode=37
__________________
Dave
DayStreamer
2001 19' Bambi
02 Avalanche
Mesa Arizona
AIR #5591
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07-30-2005, 01:40 PM
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#27
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Contributing Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Austin (Hays County)
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,164
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Interesting
Quote:
Originally Posted by grizzy
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This is exactly the thing that I threw in the garbage this week as being totally useless. I bought it at Camping World expecting big things for it, used it a dozen or so times, and found that I could line up better without it than with it. The image at that distance was so small that I practically needed a telescope to see anything in it. The shadow of the storage yard roof completed the problem by putting the user in the sun and the ball in the shade.
I once had a convex mirror mounted permanantly on the hitch of my gooseneck Scamp trailer. That worked fine since the ball was only about 4' from the driver's seat and the image ws plenty large. The only problem there was learning which way to turn since mounting the ball on the hitch gives a totally different effect than having it on the TV.
__________________
John W. Irwin
2018 Interstate GT, "Sabre-Dog V"
WBCCI #9632
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07-30-2005, 02:57 PM
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#28
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,335
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I purchased a NAPA convex mirror with bracket for about $7 and permanently mounted it on the propane tank cover's lid. When the lid is fully open, the mirror is in the correct position. When the lid is closed, the mirror is discreetly tucked away behind the cover. Like John, I found it very difficult to see the ball on the pickup, until I fitted a fluorescent orange ball cover, purchased at my local Airstream dealer. This ball cover transforms the operation. Now I can view the whole operation perfectly clearly, and I back up until the orange ball just disappears from view under the hitch. I have also painted a couple of "leading marks" on the tailgate and the front of the Airstream. I have slit the front of the ball cover, so I can remove it without having to lift it a long way when the truck ball is immediately below the hitch. With this set-up, I can always hitch up first time. I must confess to a little of the sin of pride in this operation! Nick.
__________________
Nick Crowhurst, Excella 25 1988, Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel. England in summer, USA in winter.
"The price of freedom is eternal maintenance."
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07-30-2005, 05:05 PM
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#29
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Rivet Master
2004 30' Classic
Field and Stream
, PA & MT
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 819
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My dear wife can't ever give clear verbal directions. She often says "go right" when she means "go left", and her 12" can often be as much as a yard.
However, after about 5 years of giving me directions to help with hitching up, I'll have to give her credit. Doggone, she is actually getting pretty good!
We almost always hitch up in the daytime, and our communication is exclusively done via her hand signals that I look at in my side view mirror.
As long as she's not talking, we do just fine!
John
__________________
Flyfisher
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07-30-2005, 06:10 PM
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#30
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,183
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When Candie, (the wife), is with me she and I work well toghether. We have been towing Argosys and Airstreams since we first met 18 years ago.
She does an excellent job in backing me up! It only took 17 years for her to master it!
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07-30-2005, 06:52 PM
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#31
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418
2007 25' Safari FB SE
1958 22' Flying Cloud
1974 29' Ambassador
Yucca Valley
, California
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: 1963 26' Overlander
Posts: 4,804
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I end up doing it myself....too much stress otherwise. I don't know what it is that becomes so irritating about getting lined up wrong. This needs professional analysis, in my opinion.
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07-30-2005, 09:46 PM
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#32
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Rivet Master
2003 25' Safari
Kissimmee
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 813
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My wife has no idea how long a foot is, or an inch, etc. I hitch it myself. I do the exact process that Erwin described, but it usually takes me 2 or 3 tries before I get things aligned properly. I do not have a mirror or other cool devices, yet.
__________________
Dan
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08-09-2005, 05:45 AM
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#33
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3 Rivet Member
1993 34' Excella
, Maryland
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 231
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Parking is where we come to blows
I've got the hookup part down pretty good. Usually quicker if I do it myself. I line up the center of my bedliner with the rivets on the propane cover. Once I get reasonably close I check alignment and distance. Then I leave the drivers door of the truck open and mark the edge of it against a reference point on the ground. Back up until the door edge is over the reference point and drop the trailer on the ball.
Now, when it comes to parking the trailer... My wife likes to tell me to "move the trailer over", "watch out for the tree", "it's crooked". I keep working on her to give me reference points (driver's left, driver's right...). We use the radio's but I am still working with her to get her to hold the transmit button down before she starts talking...
-Alden
__________________
1993 34' Excella 1000
2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel
(No it doesn't have a HEMI in it)
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08-09-2005, 06:22 AM
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#34
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,617
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The problem I had was understanding my wife's signals. Was I too far left or an illegal receiver downfield? We always got it close enough when we had a small tent trailer (we could wheel it around some). When we got the Airstream I bought one of these:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...m?skunum=21332
It makes the ride home much more enjoyable!
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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08-09-2005, 08:56 AM
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#35
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Rivet Master
1984 31' Excella
Abernathy
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 865
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You have an easy hitch up the same way you get to Carnegie Hall......practice!
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08-09-2005, 09:36 AM
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#36
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Site Team
1964 26' Overlander
1964 19' Globetrotter
OlyPen
, Washington
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,935
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Embarrassing confession:
One of my favorite campground activities is surreptitiously watching folks parks. I know I shouldn't watch but just so dang entertaining! Pulling a lawn chair over to the event and popping open a cold one would complete the experience but whenever I suggest it, I'm told in horror by my saner than I husband, that it's just not done. I am continually amazed by "parking helpers" who fail to stand where they can be seen in the drivers mirrors. Hanging head in shame now.......
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08-09-2005, 09:55 AM
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#37
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Causes of Divorces
What is the greatest cause for divorces amoung Airstream owners????????
Parking "misguiders".
Turn this way, no turn that way, has not quite made it to Mr. Websters dictonary, along with "that rock wasn't there a minute ago", and "where in the devil did that tree come from?"
Andy
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08-09-2005, 10:16 AM
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#38
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Rivet Monster
1975 31' Sovereign
1980 31' Excella II
Sprung Leak
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Janet
Embarrassing confession:
One of my favorite campground activities is surreptitiously watching folks parks. I know I shouldn't watch but just so dang entertaining! Pulling a lawn chair over to the event and popping open a cold one would complete the experience but whenever I suggest it, I'm told in horror by my saner than I husband, that it's just not done. I am continually amazed by "parking helpers" who fail to stand where they can be seen in the drivers mirrors. Hanging head in shame now.......
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Gee Janet...maybe we need to camp together...my wife and your hubby can hide out and pretend they don't know us...I'll bring the cooler if you have chairs
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #XXXX AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
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08-09-2005, 12:15 PM
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#39
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3 Rivet Member
1984 31' Excella
Santa Barbara
, California
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 144
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Mirror hitch assist
Having bought the convex mirror product at Camping World I was frustrated with getting it to stay mounted on the back of my Suburban (with barn doors). The suction cup method was not satisfactory. Having read the posts in this string about mounting mirrors to the propane tank cover lead me to merely mount the convex mirror "legs" with screws into a sufficiently wide piece of plywood (1' x 2 1/2') and then temporarily place it on top of the propane trank cover. Granted it does not fold up into a small configuration anymore but it works.
__________________
Mark
1984 31' Excella, mid bath, king size bed
1998 Chevrolet Suburban K2500, 7.4L/454 c.i., 4WD, Pullrite Hitch
AIR No. 2375
"You know... life is just the way it is...."
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08-09-2005, 02:29 PM
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#40
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
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Single Woman Hitching
There are two rivets on the propane tank cover that I can see through the rear view mirror in my barn door suburban. I got it lined up right, but did not drop the hitch down, then drew two 2 inch diameter circles on the outside back windows of the 'burb where I thought the rivets would appear to be centered in. I jumped back in the cab, checked the actual alignment, jumped out and corrected it a couple of times until I had it perfect, then lowered the trailer and successfully got the ball locked on, THEN I DREW THE CIRCLES ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOW and wiped them off of the outside. This actually works for both left and right and distance. The "eyes" look crosseyed if I'm too far away.
I'm a single woman in my 50's, and lots of nice men offer to hitch it for me or help me (usually a "God help me" experience). Then they just drop their jaws because I can often back up and drop the hitch on in one try. With the smoked glass you can't see my black magic marker circles from the outside. I get the "I wish my wife was coordinated enough to to that" has led me to confess my guilty little secret to more than one....
PS I like the gooseneck mirror idea too. If you can't see the hitch in the mirror because the trailer is in the shade put a flashlight on the A-frame pointing at the ball.
Tin Lizzie
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