Parking

[mzflorida]

I'll take whatever ball busting comes with this post (not thin skinned in the least). I'm not too proud to ask for help! I don't want to go into my driving history but it is substantial with a crap ton of training. That said, I am having one heck of time parking this thing. I'm hitting all the wrong angles. I'm kind of a perfectionist so I want to pull and back in with as few moves as possible and just cannot find that sweet spot pulling in or backing in. Any tips, videos, whatever...I'll take it. Appreciate it. Mike

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Backing in is easier. Whatever you do, practice. And if you see the truck below, park an isle or two over.

 

[mzflorida]

Backing in is easier. Whatever you do, practice. And if you see the truck below, park an isle or two over. View attachment 182910

Two aisles over is hysterical!

 

[kapinallinen2]

Two aisles over is hysterical!

I prefer it over not being able to open my door when a prickus parks next to me.

 

[DEG]

Often the distance between rows of parked cars is not enough to make a wide enough sweep to pull straight into a slot on the first try.

 

[jkm312]

It just takes a bit of time to learn where the front and rear bumpers are. Backing in is easier, the mirrors won't lie to you. When I got the truck I tried backing with the trucks surround camera's, never going to do for me. Except, when picking up the trailers, I can put the ball exactly under the hitch. That part I like. No more playing chicken with the rear of the truck. Cars, parking spaces and parking lots are getting smaller all the time. We all have to watch what we are doing.

 

[Darksteel165]

I have backed in my whole driving life it helps a lot.
I find that using the side view mirrors work the best, don't get used to the screen.

If you line up 1 line of a parking space typically you should be good.
Expect to pull out once and back in to adjust if needed.

I find if you let the mirror go down automatically it screws me up, but my father likes it, try it both ways.

Only use the backup camera to make sure you don't hit something by getting too close, mirrors for everything else.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Try parking a battleship...

If it's not angle parking, I mostly have to back in. Vet parking at Lowes helps. Home Depot can suck it with their prius sized spots.

 

[kapinallinen2]

Never parked a battleship, that could be interesting.
Done a 120 foot patrol-boat tho.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I do the same as mentioned by others and use my mirrors. The camera just let's me know how close I am to pulling up on the ramp... I mean car, behind me. I can't do the down angle mirror either.

Backing in is way better anyway. You never know when you might need to leave in a hurry.

 

[mzflorida]

I have backed in my whole driving life it helps a lot.
I find that using the side view mirrors work the best, don't get used to the screen.

If you line up 1 line of a parking space typically you should be good.
Expect to pull out once and back in to adjust if needed.

I find if you let the mirror go down automatically it screws me up, but my father likes it, try it both ways.

Only use the backup camera to make sure you don't hit something by getting too close, mirrors for everything else.

Thanks. Yup. I look at the camera as an aid, not the standard. I've been trying both tilting and non tilting on the mirrors and I'm with you.

 

[mzflorida]

I do the same as mentioned by others and use my mirrors. The camera just let's me know how close I am to pulling up on the ramp... I mean car, behind me. I can't do the down angle mirror either.

Backing in is way better anyway. You never know when you might need to leave in a hurry.

I can relate to that and have been there! Thanks!

 

[mzflorida]

Try parking a battleship...

If it's not angle parking, I mostly have to back in. Vet parking at Lowes helps. Home Depot can suck it with their prius sized spots.

I'm at Lowes all the time their vet spots are at the most narrow element of their parking lot. USAF and IL Air Guard here. Retired cop too.

 

[mzflorida]

It just takes a bit of time to learn where the front and rear bumpers are. Backing in is easier, the mirrors won't lie to you. When I got the truck I tried backing with the trucks surround camera's, never going to do for me. Except, when picking up the trailers, I can put the ball exactly under the hitch. That part I like. No more playing chicken with the rear of the truck. Cars, parking spaces and parking lots are getting smaller all the time. We all have to watch what we are doing.

That is what I'm missing and can't seem to hit. So lets say you are backing into a spot on your left, you're already as far right as you should be, what part of the truck are you lining up and to where on the parking spot?

Edited to make it clear...sorry.

 

[Brutal_HO]

That is what I'm missing and can't seem to hit. So lets say you are backing into a spot on your left, you're already as far right as you should be, what part of the truck are you lining up and to where on the parking spot?

Edited to make it clear...sorry.

You just need to "steer" your driver side rear wheel into the lane. Concentrate on that tire placement, but also make sure you have enough room around the truck to swing and don't tag the car on the RR of the bumper. I do use the tailgate cam to spot the RR since this thing is so big... but had to suck it up with all prior pickups.

Get yourself positioned into a spot and then pay attention to how the truck responds when pulling out and where the tire is on the lane marker as you pull out. Use that to visualize when you're backing in.

Same thing applies to backing a trailer. A 5th wheel reacts much slower than a bumper pull so one has to think ahead of the tire track a bit and steer to it.

I was driving tractors and farm pickups before 12 but when I went through mandatory "driving school" we were forced (with the instructor ready to control) to learn to navigate a turn with our eyes closed and visualize it Jedi style until we mastered it, to not cut it or swing too wide. It stuck with me so much that I find myself chastising those lazy drivers that cut across a turn. LOL

 

[mzflorida]

You just need to "steer" your driver side rear wheel into the lane. Concentrate on that tire placement, but also make sure you have enough room around the truck to swing and don't tag the car on the RR of the bumper. I do use the tailgate cam to spot the RR since this thing is so big... but had to suck it up with all prior pickups.

Get yourself positioned into a spot and then pay attention to how the truck responds when pulling out and where the tire is on the lane marker as you pull out. Use that to visualize when you're backing in.

Same thing applies to backing a trailer. A 5th wheel reacts much slower than a bumper pull so one has to think ahead of the tire track a bit and steer to it.

I was driving tractors and farm pickups before 12 but when I went through mandatory "driving school" we were forced (with the instructor ready to control) to learn to navigate a turn with our eyes closed and visualize it Jedi style until we mastered it, to not cut it or swing too wide. It stuck with me so much that I find myself chastising those lazy drivers that cut across a turn. LOL

That is actually super helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. I think that will help more people than just me.

 

[Kiwiaudio]

As others have said, its essentially a familiarity thing, learned only from experience.
My old Tundra i could park it on a dime. My first Ram, it was like id never parked before and it took a while to relearn its dimensions. My new Ram, i'm relearning all over again !
Hop out and check where you are physically a few times when you feel you are too close to something. Invariably you have a lot more room than you think.
I remember early on in ownership of this new technological marvel, i was backing out of a parking spot at a costco in a downpour, and all those mirrors and cameras were totally useless as it was raining so hard, and i couldnt tell where i was at all. I would have LMAO if i was watching me

 

[PetePA]

Never parked a battleship, that could be interesting.
Done a 120 foot patrol-boat tho.

I'm done a 228 boat... that's inches.

 

[aprez]

You need to get this.

 

[LaxDfns15]

You just need to "steer" your driver side rear wheel into the lane. Concentrate on that tire placement, but also make sure you have enough room around the truck to swing and don't tag the car on the RR of the bumper. I do use the tailgate cam to spot the RR since this thing is so big... but had to suck it up with all prior pickups.

Get yourself positioned into a spot and then pay attention to how the truck responds when pulling out and where the tire is on the lane marker as you pull out. Use that to visualize when you're backing in.

Same thing applies to backing a trailer. A 5th wheel reacts much slower than a bumper pull so one has to think ahead of the tire track a bit and steer to it.

I was driving tractors and farm pickups before 12 but when I went through mandatory "driving school" we were forced (with the instructor ready to control) to learn to navigate a turn with our eyes closed and visualize it Jedi style until we mastered it, to not cut it or swing too wide. It stuck with me so much that I find myself chastising those lazy drivers that cut across a turn. LOL

That first sentence is the key. Pull past the spot far enough and then put whichever rear tire is on the side you're backing into where you want it to go. Then just make sure you don't hit anything on the other side or in front when you swing around. I swear my backup camera is ever so slightly crooked, because if I use it to try to line up the markers with the lines on the pavement it's never straight. Grew up using side mirrors, still use side mirrors, I just use the camera to make sure I don't go over the line.

Only spots I even consider pulling forward into are Costco's because they have the double lines with a foot of space in between. Otherwise I back into spots because getting out turns into a 17 point turn.