First Tow to the Ramp...... R1T towing 20' Grady White Boat

[Thedude]

You're kidding me, the camera can't see the hitch ball?

It can (on the R1T at least) but it’s a horrible angle to hitch a trailer because the camera is mounted low like a car. The designers have obviously never driven trucks before.

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[ironpig]

Agreed, there is room for improvement....

I use a driveway marker pole (from Home Depot) that I stick an inch or two in front of the trailer coupler. When backing up... as soon as I see the stick move through the cab rear window I stop because I know I'm at the beginning of the coupler. I then jump out, pull the stick and back up another 2-3" and I'm right under the coupler. It's not as nice as a true downward facing cam like we have in our Honda Pilot, but it's what we have.

I'm considering 3D printing some sort of mirror holder at a 45deg angle that can suction cup on to the tailgate and hang over the camera that will bend the camera view to almost straight down so you get a true down-view of the trailer ball.

Maybe I'm not understanding the issue, but why do you need this? I just use the camera and back right up to my horse trailer. Are you not able to see your hitch? Maybe your camera needs calibrating? Mine is always in view:

 

[ironpig]

You're kidding me, the camera can't see the hitch ball?

It can (on the R1T at least) but it’s a horrible angle to hitch a trailer because the camera is mounted low like a car. The designers have obviously never driven trucks before.

I have had zero issues with my weigh safe hitch and my horse trailer. I back right up to it. Is it because my hitch sticks out farther than what others are using? or is there an issue with camera calibration on some trucks?

 

[Thedude]

I have had zero issues with my weigh safe hitch and my horse trailer. I back right up to it. Is it because my hitch sticks out farther than what others are using? or is there an issue with camera calibration on some trucks?

The angle is poor to get a good alignment. Most trucks you are looking down at a 45° angle from a camera on the tailgate. With the R1T it’s maybe a 5° angle from above the license plate.

 

[Acoustic71]

You're kidding me, the camera can't see the hitch ball?

Probably has something to do with the angle of the dangle....

 

[azbill]

Agreed, there is room for improvement....

I use a driveway marker pole (from Home Depot) that I stick an inch or two in front of the trailer coupler. When backing up... as soon as I see the stick move through the cab rear window I stop because I know I'm at the beginning of the coupler. I then jump out, pull the stick and back up another 2-3" and I'm right under the coupler. It's not as nice as a true downward facing cam like we have in our Honda Pilot, but it's what we have.

I'm considering 3D printing some sort of mirror holder at a 45deg angle that can suction cup on to the tailgate and hang over the camera that will bend the camera view to almost straight down so you get a true down-view of the trailer ball.

I have no problem seeing the ball and the hitch with the camera. Lined it up perfectly first time with my boat. I have about a 4 in drop on the hitch.

 

[VSG]

You're kidding me, the camera can't see the hitch ball?

Nobody said that. Of course you can see the hitch ball.

 

[NY_Rob]

Yes, you can see the ball, but it's easy to have the receiver pass over the ball and crash into your license plate because of the camera fish-eye lens and angle it's mounted at. It's not a proportional view... things further away hardly move but objects near the lens move very quickly. I use the stick just an inch out in front of the trailer receiver so when I touch the stick I know I'm at the receiver now.

Maybe once I get familiar with the R1T and trailering I may no longer use the stick, but this was my first attempt with this vehicle and I didn't want to damage the truck.

 

[Thedude]

You're kidding me, the camera can't see the hitch ball?

With my hitch set at the proper height for my trailer this is the view I get. It’s terrible, makes it take five times longer to hitch the trailer than it should.

 

[SpawnyWhippet]

Maybe its just me, but I have no issues at all backing up an R1T to a trailer using the camera. I get it first time every time.

 

[Tucker74]

With my hitch set at the proper height for my trailer this is the view I get. It’s terrible, makes it take five times longer to hitch the trailer than it should.

Same - add direct sun and might as well not have a camera.

 

[JoelD]

I also only use the mirrors when backing a trailer, my dad almost exclusively puts his right arm on the passenger seat and turns around. It all depends on who you are.

Or it depends on your trailer. My boat is a Whaler 235 Conquest with a hard top, so no question, have to use the mirrors…

 

[Claydogg]

Nice boat!

I wish we had more control when backing up to hitch. Much easier on a truck to let the motor slowly back you up in gear while modulating the brake pedal for fine movement.

Much more difficult to use the accelerator pedal in the R1T. You can kind of do it if you put it in neutral and feather the brake pedal, but you have to be rolling downhill for that to work and need to actively keep switching the camera view to a rear view. A pain.

Would also love some kind of integrated camera system that can mount to a trailer to let us see down the sides. The R1T is just too narrow to see what's going on around it when hitched up.

The engineers at Rivian could do with spending some time towing with some heavy duty trucks to get an idea of what all makes them so great for the whole towing experience.

Agree! Backing up to my boat hitch is tricky… I have to keep getting out to see how close I am because the wide angle camera view is deceiving; then when I’m about an inch or two away it’s very difficult to creep back because the acceleration is so quick! I haven’t done it yet, but hoping to avoid smashing into the hitch!!

 

[Claydogg]

I have no problem seeing the ball and the hitch with the camera. Lined it up perfectly first time with my boat. I have about a 4 in drop on the hitch.

The 4” drop is likely helping to solve the problem we are having with a hitch with no drop!

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