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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / August 2005Hitch Aid
I posted some questions a few months ago regarding the struggles some folks have in hitching their RVs to their vehicles. You were all very kind in your feedback and helped me refine our new product a great deal. I wanted to write and say thank you to you all and let you know the Hitch Aid website is now up and running. If you have a minute please check it out at www.hitchaid.com and let me know what you think. Thank you all again, Curtis Thompson Get a mirror. Much cheaper, just as effective. Austin For the ball hitches mirrors really do not work. For the fifth wheel hitches they do OK but the field of vision is pretty limited. Just depends on how comfortable people are with the process. Thanks for the feedback, Curtis > Get a mirror. Much cheaper, just as effective. > > Austin > For the ball hitches mirrors really do not work. For the fifth wheel > hitches they do OK but the field of vision is pretty limited. Just depends > on how comfortable people are with the process. WHAT? Who needs a mirror to connect a fifth wheel? You turn your head and look back. The mirror I was referring to is one that connects to the back of the tow vehicle and shows exactly the same thing your expensive gizmo does. Except that with the mirror, the driver's eyes are pointed in the direction the tow vehicle is moving... How comfortable are you having people looking forward when they are backing up? In a campground full of children? Hope your liability insurance is paid up. Like I said before, this is a solution in search of a problem. There are other solutions, and this is the worst one I have ever seen. Another great solution (one that works without costing a ton of money) consists of two vertical sticks. One attaches to the trailer tongue, the other to the ball. The driver lines them up, and when they touch, the ball is lined up perfectly. I've made my living in technology for over 20 years. One thing I have learned is that there are lots of high tech solutions that are just plain wrong. This is definitely one of them. Austin Thanks for the input. I appreciate your opinion. There are some low tech solutions out there but this one offers the most flexibility. Thanks again, Curtis Thompson >> For the ball hitches mirrors really do not work. For the fifth wheel >> hitches they do OK but the field of vision is pretty limited. Just [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Austin > For the ball hitches mirrors really do not work. For the fifth wheel > hitches they do OK but the field of vision is pretty limited. Just depends [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > > > Austin I have a travel trailer and use the mirror sold by Camping World and it works great for me. I see the hitch ball and the tongue hitch point and back in every time. Curious as to why you say "For the ball hitches mirrors really do not work."?  SignatureRobin Charleston, WV > I have a travel trailer and use the mirror sold by Camping World and it > works great for me. I see the hitch ball and the tongue hitch point and > back in every time. Curious as to why you say "For the ball hitches > mirrors really do not work."? The kind of mirror you are talking about isn't the same thing he is talking about. He won't likely acknowledge the existence of such mirrors, because they serve the same function at a tiny fraction of the cost. What he was hoping potential customers might think of is a mirror placed on the dash board like the monitor of his expensive system. Might help with a gooseneck or 5-ver, but not with a hitch ball. He is selling the devices advertised on the web site. After we told him they were a nice try, but not worth the cost, and there were better solutions. I'm beginning to suspect that (since the world isn't likely beating a path to his door), that he'll blame me for telling the truth about his "patentable" invention. Austin SignatureColeman Bayside behind a Chevy Astro. No, not without a Reese Mini-350 WDH! There are no X characters in my address > > I have a travel trailer and use the mirror sold by Camping World and it > > works great for me. I see the hitch ball and the tongue hitch point and [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > No, not without a Reese Mini-350 WDH! > There are no X characters in my address Yeah Austin.. it's all your fault... this poor guy is just trying to make a living and you are out to bankrupt him... Think of his poor wife and kids..... but seriously now, I agree with you, a mirror is just as good and more reliable than the tv camera and screen setup... Leon in Texas I appreciate all of your comments and observations. The mirror setup is probably sufficient in some applications but since this is designed to be a portable system to use for any type of towable hookup it is more versatile. Thanks for your comments, SignatureCurtis Thompson (512) 671-8989 >> > I have a travel trailer and use the mirror sold by Camping World and it >> > works great for me. I see the hitch ball and the tongue hitch point [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > reliable than the tv camera and screen setup... > Leon in Texas Austin, Your continued participation in this conversation is very much appreciated. I love having a tough person to bounce ideas off of. The Hitch Aid system is built for folks that have been frustrated by the hitching process and are looking for ways to make it easier. Since this group is populated with many long time RVers I was not expecting a deluge of orders from this conversation. As for the "patentability" of the system, the National patent office disagrees with your opinion. Best regards, SignatureCurtis Thompson (512) 671-8989 >> I have a travel trailer and use the mirror sold by Camping World and it >> works great for me. I see the hitch ball and the tongue hitch point and [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Austin > Austin, > Your continued participation in this conversation is very much appreciated. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Best regards, How about this product http://www.hitchingguides.com/ anyone use these? Newt > How about this product http://www.hitchingguides.com/ > anyone use these? > > Newt Newt: I have used a similar product and it works great for me, when hitching solo, at home. I like a spotter, because small children and animals around the campground make me nervous when backing. Since I never travel solo, I have someone to spot for me. And it is not worth the risk to be in such a big hurry that I can't wait till my DW spotter finishes whatever she is doing and can come and help me hitch. And I find the mirror from Camping world to be attractive, and I may just get one. It comes with a bracket to fit over the tailgate, and suction cups to fit on the rear of a different kind of tow vehicle. In all fairness to Curtis: Keep up the good work. The hitching guide sticks may not be everyones cup of tea. Neither will the mirror. Your product may be just what some folks really need and are looking for. Everyone just be safe and considerate campers.... we all need to be. Leon in Texas >>How about this product http://www.hitchingguides.com/ >> anyone use these? [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Everyone just be safe and considerate campers.... we all need to be. > Leon in Texas I wish I was smart enough to invent something simple like these. I would be RVing ALL the time. Newt > > How about this product http://www.hitchingguides.com/ > > anyone use these? [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Everyone just be safe and considerate campers.... we all need to be. > Leon in Texas Leon, I have the Camping World mirror and I hook it on the tailgate of my F350. It works very well for me but I cannot attest to how well the suction cups that come with it would work. SignatureRobin Charleston, WV The suction cups only have to hold the mirror in place for a few minutes while one backs up a few feet....Wouldn't be like blasting down the interstate at 70 mph, nor driving many miles over rough national forest campground roads... I think they would be sufficient for hitching, but thanks for the heads up on that. I have a Chevy Trailblazer and hope they would fit over the liftgate with the window open... Leon in Texas >The suction cups only have to hold the mirror in place for a few >minutes while one backs up a few feet....Wouldn't be like blasting down [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >the liftgate with the window open... >Leon in Texas I don't know if this will help with a Trailblazer, but should for most pickups: I find that if I crank the trailer jack so that the handle is straight up, I can see it over the tailgate until I'm within a foot of the hitch.. I line up the center groove in the tailgate liner with the jack handle and i'm on the money or close every time... whatever you do.. mirrors, magic, camera, etc.. it's going to take some practice to get used to it.. I've gotten so that I'd rather back up to the hitch myself than be guided back, unless the person guiding is really good..... lol mac Please remove splinters before emailing Mac I can get fairlly close by watching in the rear view mirror as I back up. I can align the center of the mirror and the center of the rear seats and the center of the trailer and the vertical handle. When these are all in good alilgnment, I'm close. And if solo,when the DW spotter is still busy, I may have to get out, take a look and try again a couple of times. And you're right, I've seen some spotters who don't have a clue about what's required of them. They don't know that If they cant see your face in the outside rear view mirror, you can't see them either. And some just stand there with their hands folded,,,,watching... A spotter can be very helpful... or a pain in the neck.... >Mac >I can get fairlly close by watching in the rear view mirror as I back [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >spotter is still busy, I may have to get out, take a look and try again >a couple of times. Yeah, on my setup, when the top of the crank handle is out of sight, I'm within a few inches of the hitch, (or not sitting up straight, mom), and that's when I either get out and check it or (don't try this at home, kids), just back up real slow until I feel a little bump, then pull up an inch.. >And you're right, I've seen some spotters who don't have a clue about >what's required of them. They don't know that If they cant see your >face in the outside rear view mirror, you can't see them either. And >some just stand there with their hands folded,,,,watching... >A spotter can be very helpful... or a pain in the neck.... We've found that when we back into a spot, it's easier for me to get out and have my wife behind that wheel... it's kind of like parking with a remote control: "turn the wheel to the right, ok, back a little"...sort of like being in the truck be having a lot better view.. I kid her about her signals... the only one i recognized right away was the one where she puts both hands over her face and turns her head away.. *g* mac Please remove splinters before emailing I like their hitch halo..... I could definately use one of those since I always forget to pill the drawbar out. > How about this product http://www.hitchingguides.com/ > anyone use these? > > Newt Quick easy down and dirty... Take a 7" basketball available from any Toys are Us etc... cut slit in it and stuff it over the hitch... boom great way to not only stop you from running into it but is cushions too.... >I like their hitch halo..... I could definately use one of those since I >always forget to pill the drawbar out. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> >> Newt > Austin, > Your continued participation in this conversation is very much appreciated. > I love having a tough person to bounce ideas off of. You know, I actually thought of a situation where this might be useful. That is, with a tow vehicle where you can't see out the back window (or there is no back window), such as when using a truck-back (slide-in) camper. Marketing it that way might get somewhere. Austin |
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