U Turn Question

[Yianni]

This may be a dumb question but I'm wondering can you make a u turn with a fifth wheel? I'm coming from a travel trailer where it was no problem and have not been able to get to an empty parking lot to test for closeness.
I have a Cyclone 3010 with short bed truck. I did read on another forum where the poster said he crunched his cab while making a u turn with a 3210 so I started wondering what do you do if you have to. I also have a manual slider but have not had to use it yet.
Thanks!

 

[PSF513]

I have a Big Country 3550 TSL and a Ford F-250 with a 6' bed. Although I have not made a U-turn at an intersection. I have completed a U-turn in the bubble of a cul-de-sac. That said, and even with the 88 degree turn, you need to be very careful to watch your trailer nose and the cab.

The difference between 88 degrees and 89 degrees can be several thousand dollars in repair costs.

 

[jmgratz]

How do you make a U turn...VERY CAREFULLY...or better yet find a parking lot you can pull into and then back out of with hitting low clearances.

 

[boatto5er]

Also keep in mind - the tighter the turn, the more stress that is placed on your axles and suspension. At 88degrees you'll practically be spinning the trailer in place. I cringe everytime I back mine into my driveway and that only requires around a 65-70 degree turn.

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

Not sure if this is the way to do it but whenever I am turningreal sharp, ie uturn or when I am backing I will turn down the trailer brakes to zero so that if i happen to hit the brakes they will not be in play on the trailer.

 

[truknutt]

This may be a dumb question but I'm wondering can you make a u turn with a fifth wheel? I'm coming from a travel trailer where it was no problem and have not been able to get to an empty parking lot to test for closeness.
I have a Cyclone 3010 with short bed truck. I did read on another forum where the poster said he crunched his cab while making a u turn with a 3210 so I started wondering what do you do if you have to. I also have a manual slider but have not had to use it yet.
Thanks!

Could you really make an 88 degree turn with your travel trailer?

 

[Yianni]

Yes, I could!

 

[truknutt]

Just wondering...my bumper contacts the front corner of my tag-alongs. It must be the difference in A-frame size.

 

[2010augusta]

I have made a U-turn on just more than a 2 lane road with one wide shoulder. I am sure I was past 90 degrees without backing up. The Landmark WAS spinning in place on the center line. We do have a long bed and the F-450 will turn tighter than a 1-ton. It did twist up the tires and axles a bit but they went back to normal when the trailer got straight again.

 

[lwmcguir]

Have also made a 90 degree turn as well with a Landmark

 

[Delaine and Lindy]

U-Turns can be made but I highly recomend not making U-Turns. There is a lot of stress put on the suspension and don't forget there is a lot of overhang on the rear of a 5th wheel. My Trucks turning radius is much sharper than my prior 1 ton Trucks so it really puts a lot of stress on the suspension and tires. Even when backing into a site I will pull up and reset so as not to put any more stress on the 5th wheel than I have to. GBY...

 

[Bob&Patty]

We have to make a "U" everytime we come home. We have to, so we can back it in the drive. In fact sometimes its more than a 90* turn depending on how many cars are parked in the cul-da-sac. Still have the OEM back glass in the Chebby short bed.

 

[Yianni]

Bob,
do you slide the slider back before turning in the cul de sac?

 

[Bob&Patty]

Yianni, no, I never slide it back. But if I want put the Horn in the backyard, then I do. 5'ers react more like a TT with the slider back. Go find a big parking lot, try it, see how far you can turn and still keep the OEM glass.
I must say, the 1st time I did a "U" turn I almost soiled my shorts. Optical illusions. Turn until it looks like your going to hit the cab. Stop, get out and LOOK. You will be suprised how much room there is. A word of advise, never do a "U" turn on any grades or steep inclines. You may not need a new glass.........but you need the upper bedrails fixed.
There is one thing no one has touched on. When you make a sharp turn with a 5'er. The Trailer will lean the opposite way you are turning. They "CAN" lean far enough to hit the bed of the truck the closer you get to the 90*s. This goes back to my statement about highly crowned roads and a steep incline. Bob

 

[Riverman]

Our last trailer was a ball hitch. I wasnt capable of anywhere near 88 degrees. Add the equalizer bars, and it gets worse. The option of backing out the same path you drove in is always there if you find yourself in a tight spot...or take a trip around the block.

 

[lwmcguir]

I certainly agree with the earlier post that only make u-turns if you absolutely have to. The suspension and tires both take a beating for sure especially if you are on pavement.

 

[traveller]

We have a Cyclone 3010 and a short bed truck. We have to make a U-turn every time we come home from a trip. Seems like there is plenty of clearance as not to hit the truck.

 

[Kashman]

Ah...the difference between 88 deg & 89 deg, about $3000.00 in damage to the truck. And that was while hooking up to the unit.

 

[Loco]

If you are pulling a Cyclone you better be careful with those tri axles. We have 3975 Cyclone and it hates tight turns. The poor tires look like they are going to pop off the rims. So I avoid tight turns any time I can. If we have to do it we do it very slowly.It put one **** of a load on the springs and wheels.

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

I once had a 36' sailboat that I would tow with a 1 ton truck several years ago. The boat weighed 14,000 lbs and the trailer weighed 3000 lbs. The trailer had 4 (yes 4) axles. Talk about loading and twisting of tires and axles. Turns were made very WIDE and SLOW.