"TO tow or not to tow, that is the question"

[Pete Masterson]

I could be ...

In my first 18 months with my coach, I got into several situations that were, uh, "ill advised." That required backing -- and that generally required removing the toad while in the midst of a tight turn. (That puts a lot of pressure on the tow-bar arms, which make them really tough to release.) It didn't take me long to pack a big rubber hammer in my tool kit to help with those tight situations.

However, I have subsequently taken much more care to plan ahead -- look at the turning resources available -- and simply avoid places with a highlikelihoodof being too restrictive. Getting a GPS has also helped, when I've missed a turn, I can now usually find a way to go around a block. Indeed, missed turns are the primary problem I've had where I've needed to do some serious backing and maneuvering where it's necessary to remove the toad -- and the GPS has cut those situations WAY down. (Still happens 'cause some roads are semi-invisible, particularly in the last mile or two toward finding an RV park.)

However, on balance, I'd rather (very) occasionally unhook the toad than deal with backing a trailer. But then, I had plenty of traumatic trailer backing headaches back in my Army days...

(I was driver of a water purification device, mounted on a "5-ton" truck chassis. I had the choice of towing a 50KW generator that was narrow (and invisible, except when jack-knifed) but light, or a 12 ton chemical trailer that acted as a very effective anchor on the already slow performing truck. I usually pulled the generator -- and my assistant driver spent a LOT of time waving his arms when I tried to back the darn thing up...)

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

Photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bluebirdzoom/PeteMasterson#

On May 19, 2009, at 8:46 PM, Fred Bellows wrote:

wow, I really had no idea it was so complicated to tow a car. I just knew I wanted to be able to back up. In about 1980 I had a '76 Ranchero that the shifter broke on. I was too broke (or lazy) to fix it, and so I just left in drive for about six months or so. I would start it with my foot on the brake and drive it, making sure I didn't pull into anywhere I'd have to back out of. I remember how I could sometimes pull into some parking spots, and then when I wanted to leave I would start it, lunge forward while turning off the engine, and it would bounce off the parking block and roll back enough (while turning a little) to then re-start it and pull away. I was unemployed at the time. I now wonder if that caused deep-scarring traumatic issues that are affecting my desire to keep my back up otions?

\/\/\…Fred
__________________
Fred & Wendy Bellows
Queen Creek, AZ(so.east Phx)
'90 SP36
"Maunder Maximum"
photos of coach and upgrades
current location