Truck & Trailer bought , now I need to learn to drive

argyll1st

Well-known member
Hi all, Its official, this website is a goldmine, I posted my first thread just under ten days ago and with the help of the members I have managed to buy a 2010 Sundance 3300RLB & 2005 Ford F350 Dually King ranch as my first ever RV, Back here in Scotland I dont even have a caravan or travel trailer so there is going to some steep learning needed, not only is the F350 twice the size of anything over here its left hand drive ( we drive on the right) We pickup our truck in Springfield MO on the 18th March then drive the 600miles up to Sylvanie OH to hook up our Sundance then its over to the satnav to get us to Alberta and our campground hunting expidition :angel: :angel: Thank you everyone who helped me pulling this rig together.
 

2010augusta

Well-known member
Congratulation, and welcome to the Heartland family. The fifth wheel trailer pull so much better than the bumper pulls. I would rather haul our 40' 16,500# Landmark than my 20' 6,000 Flatbed with a Jeep on it.

Can't help ya with the left hand drive stuff.
 

DW_Gray

Well-known member
Congratulations!!! And welcome to the Heartland family. I'm a newbie too and I know how you feel about driving your new big rig. Give me a call and I'll share some of the things have learned so far. 850-665-5305
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Ok Newbies - many moons ago when I first started out driving farm equipments (trucks w/ trailer or the tractor stuff), my grandpa took me out to the largest field we had and said "get out th're boy and turn". I did the same thing with my boys as youth - took them to the largest parking lot around and told them to turn and backup. It's a great way to get a feel for the way a rig makes it turns and how the truck handles when backing up. We used high school parking lots on the weekends. Hope this helps.
 

Boca_Shuffles

Well-known member
Just remember that you as the driver should be in the middle of the road. I have to remember this when I drive in some of the Caribbean islands where they drive on the "wrong side".

Watch semi-trailer trucks in the US to see how they make right turns at intersections. The wide turn knowledge will be required for driving a dually with and without the trailer attached.

Extend out your outside rearview mirrors. It will help with remembering how wide your dually is.

You might put a flag on your back bumper of your trailer so you can see in your mirrors how long your trailer is. You might forget that you even have a 5th wheel attached at times, until you check your mirrors.

Truckers generally flash their lights once the passing truck clears them, to let the passer know that they can pull back into the slower lane. The truckers appreciate when the amateurs (most of us) do the same for them. They generally acknowledge the courtesy by turning their lights off and on.

Have fun and enjoy the adventure!
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Driving on the right:
I remember a large billboard sign I saw many years ago at the highway entrance in front of the Orlando (Disneyworld) airport Hertz car rental lot: DRIVE ON THE RIGHT!!! There must have been many unfortunate accidents with drivers from left hand side countries fresh on a US highway.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Hey argyll, Welcome to the Heartland Family. Congratulations on the new rig. Now you'll see how us Yank's felt over there when we had to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road and the car. That little Mini Cooper I used to drive when we were in Sandbank was hard enough for me to get in and out of let alone shift it with my left arm.:D You'll do fine!!! Enjoy your new rig and WIDE truck.
 

CRLYHDS

Member
Wow;

I thought we were the only newbies never having pulled a trailer and then jumping into a 5th wheel. We are taking a driving class next week. They are located all over the US. This is the web site http://www.rvschool.com/
 

argyll1st

Well-known member
Its not all as bad as it sounds, I do have truck license and have driven rigid trucks, and I have towed large flatbed trailers so it not going to be all that bad but I am looking at a GPS with lane advice to give me plenty of heads up time :)
 
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