R-pod Owners Forum : Turning a trailer around on a narrow road https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks : Turning a trailer around on a narrow road Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:14:23 +0000 Mon, 26 Apr 2021 11:17:55 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=14586 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : My 'pod doesn't have... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142093#142093 Author: Colt
Subject: 14586
Posted: 26 Apr 2021 at 11:17am

My 'pod doesn't have a tongue jack wheel, so, no. 

On my last trip I made an easy U-turn in roughly 3x to 3.5x the width of the 'pod.  I seemed that I could have turned even sharper. 
]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2021 11:17:55 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142093#142093 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : Originally posted by geewizardNo... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142087#142087 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14586
Posted: 26 Apr 2021 at 9:00am

Originally posted by geewizard

No one is capable of backing up a trailer and for long distances?



Depends on the road, how much traffic, and what long is. A few hundred yards with a turn or two on relatively flat ground with no other traffic sure. But then there's no good reason not to walk it first.

A mile on a twisty narrow steep road with other vehicles around no way. I'll disconnect and drive it first without the trailer.]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2021 09:00:29 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142087#142087 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : No one is capable of backing up... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142078#142078 Author: geewizard
Subject: 14586
Posted: 26 Apr 2021 at 8:11am

No one is capable of backing up a trailer and for long distances?]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:11:43 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142078#142078 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : Originally posted by Grandpa... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142070#142070 Author: MarkW
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 6:51pm

Originally posted by Grandpa Hiker

I installed this Enduro Caravan Mover on my 179 several years ago. Worth every penny. 

https://purplelineusa.com/product/enduro-trailer-mover-two-motor-system/


Can easily turn Pod around as long as space is as wide as Pod is long.

We have friends with a Safari Alto that came equipped with those from the factory.  Very cool, but a bit too pricey for my taste (both the Alto and the drive system).
]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 18:51:42 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142070#142070 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : +1 to Jato. Much easier and safer... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142069#142069 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 5:25pm

+1 to Jato. Much easier and safer to walk the road if it's short enough or disconnect and drive the road first to scope turnarounds. Then reconnect and tow. If no turnaround presents itself then find somewhere else to camp. ]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:25:13 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142069#142069 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : I installed this Enduro Caravan... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142067#142067 Author: Grandpa Hiker
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 4:34pm

I installed this Enduro Caravan Mover on my 179 several years ago. Worth every penny. 

https://purplelineusa.com/product/enduro-trailer-mover-two-motor-system/


Can easily turn Pod around as long as space is as wide as Pod is long.
]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 16:34:57 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142067#142067 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : I trapped myself at the end... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142065#142065 Author: tcj
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 1:59pm

I trapped myself at the end of a narrow dirt road that ended at a lake shore in the woods. To turn around I turned the steering wheel as far as it would go and backed just a few feet until the back of the rpod was almost hitting a tree. Then unhitcheded my pickup and turned it around and hitched the trailer back up with the pickup 90 degrees to the road.  pulled forward a few feet with the steering wheel turned all the way towards back down the road.and repeated the process again.  It onlly took about 10 minutes.
]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 13:59:13 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142065#142065 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : We did this more than a few times... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142063#142063 Author: jato
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 1:16pm

We did this more than a few times traveling on back dirt roads in the U.P. of Michigan but had lightweight pop ups.  One was a 4 man 1982 Rockwood and the other a 6 man 1993 Jayco.  Both had a steel wheel that could be attached to the front jacking point, actually was more difficult to turn the car around as the road was one lane wide with sand and/or wet ditches on either side. 

Being older, and hopefully wiser now, I think twice before going down an unknown road because there is no way to turn our 177 around that way, no wheel on the front jack and too heavy to move manually.
]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 13:16:53 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142063#142063 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : It COULD be feasible IF it was... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142059#142059 Author: MarkW
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 10:59am

It COULD be feasible IF it was a paved road, IF it was reasonably level, and IF you had a wheeled foot on your hitch or if it was light enough you could lift it by the hitch and move it. 

Obviously, this would be an emergency only maneuver.  I'd think of moving weight from front to back to lighten the tongue weight, temporarily switch the foot to a swivel wheel (you can buy one for $15 and they attach with the quick release pin), and maybe use wheel chocks to control the rotation.  I have moved boats around a like this in the past by having somebody go stand on the swim ladder to get weight off the tongue.  It's something I might try with the camper in our driveway just to see if it's workable.

Oh, and $4/yr in 1968 was expensive compared to now (inflation calculator says $4 in 1968 is the equivalent of $30.15 in 2021)
]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:59:11 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142059#142059 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : Originally posted by MarkWWould... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142057#142057 Author: poston
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 10:18am

Originally posted by MarkW

Would anybody consider doing it using this Popular Mechanics 1968 suggested method?

Uh, no.

It COULD be feasible IF it was a paved road, IF it was reasonably level, and IF you had a wheeled foot on your hitch or if it was light enough you could lift it by the hitch and move it.  But if it's that light, then while not just turn it manually?  Otherwise, I'd just back up to the last wide spot.  I think the scheme was intended for a relatively light utility trailer.

I have turned around a trailer where I couldn't just make a one-pass U-turn by disconnecting and reconnecting at an angle.

One thing I did glean from the image was that Pop Mech was $4.00 a year back in 1968!  It retails for $15/year now.  Wow.


]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:18:12 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142057#142057 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : Image didn't make it the... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142056#142056 Author: MarkW
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 9:26am

Image didn't make it the first time:


]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 09:26:05 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142056#142056 Turning a trailer around on a narrow road : Would anybody consider doing it... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142055#142055 Author: MarkW
Subject: 14586
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 at 9:23am

Would anybody consider doing it using this Popular Mechanics 1968 suggested method?

https://books.google.com/books?id=FtQDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP5&ots=bA9gRpsCNO&dq=camper%20turn%20around%20narrow%20road&pg=PP5#v=onepage&q=camper%20turn%20around%20narrow%20road&f=false



]]> Sun, 25 Apr 2021 09:23:25 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14586&PID=142055#142055