Wheel Cut

[willema]

How can I find my degree of wheel cut?  I'm a brand new Class A driver and I need all the help I can get.

[DavidL]

Are you asking what is the specification of the amount of turn?

Without looking at yours....it is what it is.

Use your mirrors / camera and sometimes a second person in your mirrors to guide you into tricky spots.

Practice in a parking lot that doesn't have light posts.

If you have a tag, look at how to lift the tag to decrease turning radius.  Typically a button on the dashboard.

[willema]

The size of the wheel cut will help me determine determine when to begin turning the wheel for turns.

[Ivan K]

You may be overthinking it but here is info from my yr. 2000 documentation, find your wheel base and should be close:

[Chargerman]

1 hour ago, willema said:

The size of the wheel cut will help me determine determine when to begin turning the wheel for turns.

Start your turn when your body is at the start of the intersection

[DavidL]

Knowledge of the turning radius dimensions doesn't apply to real life driving.  The specs really don't mean anything tangible.

If it's a tight turn, turn late so the inside of turn middle of the RV chassis doesn't hit anything.  And start the turn on the outside of the turn.  Let the outside of turn nose follow along the outside of the lane so the majority of the RV is centered in the turning lane.

And look all the time in the mirrors on both sides that are aren't close to anything.

Practice.  Stay conservative until you learn your real world turning radius and footprint.

Know that the tail of the RV has some swing to consider it's length.  Ford 36 gas chassis have lots of overhang to worry about.  Tags much less so.

 

Plan your route so you aren't having to turn around.  Or there is a route to turn around.  Park in parking lots so you can easily exit, even if more cars / trucks pile in while you are having lunch.  Use Google Earth to map out your route looking for turn radius issues (fuel stations etc).  Park at the back of the lot where no one else wants to park.  Enjoy the walk.

Edited September 30, 2023 by DavidL

[Robert92867]

IRV2 and Lazy Days say 05 Roadmaster Chassis has a 50 degree wheel cut

[willema]

Thank you all.  From what I understand, for a 50 degree wheel cut, you should start your turn when your body is at the the intersection.  I''ll start there and make sure I'm looking in my mirrors.  when I purchased the motorhome, I drove it on multiple types of roads and on different intersections to make sure I was "reasonably" comfortable.  Right after I brought it home (and backed into my attached garage) I had double fusion on my back.  So I'm sitting at home waiting to get my hands on it!

 

Thanks again.

[96 EVO]

4 minutes ago, willema said:

Thank you all.  From what I understand, for a 50 degree wheel cut, you should start your turn when your body is at the the intersection. 

 

Thanks again.

Not quite sure what they mean by that🤔.

If they are talking about making a 90deg right turn, and the 'intersection' being where the curb turns, I'm sure I'd be running my rear wheels onto a lot of sidewalks.

It also depends on how many feet your wheels start out away from the curb. Older intersections that still have square corners, you may need to take half of the lane to your left, if there is one! If you have no choice but to do this, turn on your right turn signal early, so nobody behind you decides to try and creep up beside you.

[Dr4Film]

Even though I have my right turn signal on and has been for a block or more I still have Jamokes that try to sneak up the right side of me then they slam on their brakes and blast their horn, That's when I stop, wait 5 or 10 seconds and SLOWLY proceed creeping through my right hand turn making sure that I clear everything on my right and left. Once done I toot my air horn as I leave.

Trust me, I have yet been able to fix STUPID!

[Paul J A]

6 hours ago, willema said:

Thank you all.  From what I understand, for a 50 degree wheel cut, you should start your turn when your body is at the the intersection.  I''ll start there and make sure I'm looking in my mirrors.  when I purchased the motorhome, I drove it on multiple types of roads and on different intersections to make sure I was "reasonably" comfortable.  Right after I brought it home (and backed into my attached garage) I had double fusion on my back.  So I'm sitting at home waiting to get my hands on it!

 

Thanks again.

Use the hip principle. Worked for me .

Common sense from prior driving experiences from driving any vehicle may be an alternative for you. 

[Dr4Film]

What most new Class A bus drivers fail to realize soon after getting behind the steering wheel is where the front steer wheels are in relation to the driver. Big difference between driving a vehicle with the steer wheels in front of you versus behind you,

[jacwjames]

Practice makes perfect (sort of).  The more you drive the more you will become more comfortable.  Worst thing you could probably do is get too confident, it might get you in trouble.

Maneuvering in tight places can be tricky and it's better to be safe then sorry, if in doubt about whether you can fit don't try.  

 

When I was building my garage I had limited area/space to build it and was forced to put it at an angle from the driveway and to make it worse I limited area to make a sweeping turn into the garage to come in straight.  I wasn't confident I could do it so even before the garage was built but I had the area excavated I put some hazard cones up where the 14' door was going to be.  I tried to drive the coach in >>>NOPE ain't going to work.  So I tried backing in and it worked like a charm.  I just aim my rear drivers side to ~2' from the door edge and as soon as my rear wheels hit the concrete crank the wheel to bring the front end around.  In most cases now I can do it in one try backing in slowly.  Worse case is I stop, pull forward a little and make another attempt.