Forward maneuvering TT vs Fifth wheel

[powerscol]

If I may suggest test pull your trailer in a parking lot to determine tail and truck swing. It easy to do. Line up with the parking lines as straight as you can, then turn into the drive between the parking spots. Have a helper or 2, but watch and mark what the tail and tires do in the turn. You can also back into the spots for practice and watch what the front of the truck is doing with respect to the trailer swing. You might be surprised as how much swing there really is. For parking my trailer at home I have a quick attach king pin receiver (hollow cup) that mounts to the front of the tractor. I keep the landing gear down and just raise enough off the ground to move. I think I posted something about it here.

Now this might surprise folks, but after owning both I find backing up a TT to be easier than a 5th wheel. It has to do with the pivot point and reaction to truck swing. However tail swing with a TT can be huge as my brother found out the hard way. I am still learning how to back my 5th wheel successfully the first time.

Hope this helps

[backtrack2015]

I agree with Frank. If you can turn around somewhere on your property, I’d just move your mailbox down the road a bit (opposite side of driveway?) and cut across your grass a bit to go straight through the gate.

[Aridon]

Our mailbox will need to get moved, that's for sure, maybe the neighbor's too

View from street (two cars can pass easily, but there's a ditch to the right)
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View from property outward. Driveway is wide enough for FedEx delivery trucks but a bit curved.
Attachment 24658

Wouldn't concern me one bit. Plenty of room and we are much longer.

There is plenty of road there to make the turn, back in, back out or whatever.

[geotex1]

For me personally, that's a back-in. I'd relocate the mailbox. At the length you are talking hitched, you can do it, especially with what looks to be a very quiet road. Now if you are permitted to change the apron and move the mailbox, totally doable as a head in. You'll want to take it slow at first and really plan where you enter and place the steer wheels of your truck to make sure the tail of the camper doesn't hit the gate by turning too short to follow the paved drive. I'd go for backing though because if you can master that, you'll be well set for the non-pull-through sites!

FWIW, I'm a lot longer than you and have the same road width except with guide rail opposite my drive. Driveway width about the same, no gate but massive boulders either side. My road is well trafficked. I get it all in just fine. I cannot jack and chase it in though in one fluid motion because of the physical constraints. I have to take 3 adjustments to get all of it in off the road. Point being, don't put pressure on yourself thinking you have to do it smoothly without corrections.

[BeenGone]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I guess what I'm taking is that we should be able to get in with either setup. That's great news. Like I said before, the guy who delivers hay, backs in, but he has to go down the gravel road, making it even harder because the turn is more like 110 degrees. We may go ahead and add gravel to the spot, where the mailbox is now, because the road is a bit higher than the shoulder, after they put a new asphalt layer onto the old.

The road has very little traffic, so no rush when trying to get in.

[[email protected]]

Folks, I need to tap into your experience. My question is about which turns better forward, with same truck and trailer length. I understand the differences in backing up but what about turning into tight streets?.

The background of the question is the entrance to our home. Not only will turning into the street that leads to our residence be a challenge, getting in through the gate will be even more one. When we get hay delivered, the guy (RAM 3500 LB and 25ft Fifth wheel trailer) prefers to back into the driveway backwards, that means, he turns into a small pathway of our neighbors and backs up into our driveway. One part of the difficulty is not only the narrowness of the gate opening, it's also that the driveway leading to the barn turns right after the gate in a 45 degree angle. We won't go that route and wouldn't be bothered to have the wheels go over our lawn (which is no show lawn), we have a farm. The concern is clearly the shortcut the fifth wheel will be making when turning in from the street through the gate.

He feels we won't make it through with a 31ft fifth wheel. Would we make it through with a 31ft camper? If all fails, by being pulled with a tractor?

I mean, there's always the option to take the gate down...

Fifth wheels will turn sharper because the pin is further forward. But I think the real problem you're going to have is pivot point to the axle the axle will be making an Ark. When being pulled forward that will ride inside the turning radius of the truck. That is probably why you're a delivery person backs in because it is easier to pivot backwards on the axle instead of having the axle turning behind you and closing into the inside of the turn.

[Roll With The Changes]

Maybe I'm overstepping or assuming here, but I'm guessing the everyone is talking about pulling nose in without backing up?

[Saldog]

As Backtrack2015 stated a TT or as some call a bumper hitch trailer will track very closely to the tow vehicles tire tracks. A 5th wheel camper or goose neck trailer under track, the trailers tires will track to the inside of the tow vehicles tire tracks, e.g. if there was snow on the ground and the 5th wheel trailer made a right turn the trailers tire tracks would be on the inside of the tow vehicles tire tracks. That is why when turning corners 5th wheel campers have to swing alittle wider. On the plus side as noted you can really jack knife a 5th when backing.

Good luck in getting your camper, happy travels. GO CHIEFS!!!

[Roll With The Changes]

That's what I thought.... The thing that sets a fifth wheel (gooseneck) apart from a bumper pull is the ability to get the truck 90 degrees to the trailer. That is true going forward as well as backing. It's hard to explain this in words without pictures but I'll try.

In this scenario suppose you came down the road forward and pulled past the driveway all the way to the end of the road. You then backed up, turning the truck hard right. The result would be the trailer is still straight with the road, but the truck is pointed straight into the driveway. The hitch is also even with the driveway. That means that when you pull forward, the trailer will initially pivot before it starts to move forward meaning the trailer will almost be lined up with the driveway before it even starts to roll.

Think of the same scenario, when you start turning the truck thirty feet earlier. The truck is making the turn and the trailer is following but will the large off track.

Not sure if it makes sense in words, but I submit that if you can get to 90 degrees, you can make any turn forward that you can backwards.

[Roll With The Changes]

Let me correct that... With ANY TRAILER you can make any turn forward and backward.