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Old 12-11-2014, 12:13 PM   #1
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Hitching Tool

Has anyone tried this gadget? If so, does it work and work well? Never Miss Hitch System
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Old 12-11-2014, 12:18 PM   #2
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Another back-up idea

I found this on fgrv. I plan on giving it a try (in an empty parking area), of course.
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Old 12-11-2014, 12:20 PM   #3
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There are all kinds of gimmicks out there. Some even work. Most are a waste of $. My truck came with a factory back-up camera. I find that after a bit of practice to get used to the camera picture, I can back up the truck to the correct location on the first try, nearly every time, and with no inputs from a spotter. Works much better than most of the hitch alignment gadgets being sold.
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Old 12-11-2014, 12:29 PM   #4
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I was going to bring one of these magnetic yellow tennis ball aids to give away at the rally.
Tow Ready 63300 Solo Hitch Alignment System | eBay
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Old 12-11-2014, 01:03 PM   #5
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Quote:
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Has anyone tried this gadget? If so, does it work and work well? Never Miss Hitch System
Lots of pieces to misplace.
I have the telescoping balls that you align and they worked quite well. Have graduated to backup camera.

What the Never Miss doesn't do is make sure the ball and hitch are at the proper height. So you're still gonna have to get out and check.
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Old 12-11-2014, 01:30 PM   #6
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I never had luck with the yellow tennis balls, seemed the truck or the trailer were always cocked a little different from each other. I've got a set you can have if you want, you pay shipping.
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Old 12-11-2014, 01:48 PM   #7
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I never had luck with the yellow tennis balls, seemed the truck or the trailer were always cocked a little different from each other. I've got a set you can have if you want, you pay shipping.
Me neither. But Glenn is right about the levels. I just wondered if anyone had that gizmo, how well it worked for them. I have the hitch camera, and because of depth perception issues, I still hop in and out. Good exercise.
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Old 12-11-2014, 01:57 PM   #8
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I use the tongue twister and find it quite helpful. As long as I am within about 3" one way or the other, you use the included socket wrench to move the trailer into position. Not much more expensive than the tongue ball, and the 19' Escape is too heavy to move safely by hand.
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Old 12-11-2014, 01:58 PM   #9
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On the F150 tailgate camera I found the big black target line, that I can't disable, so big I couldn't see the hitch until I could use full zoom.
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Old 12-11-2014, 05:01 PM   #10
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On the F150 tailgate camera I found the big black target line, that I can't disable, so big I couldn't see the hitch until I could use full zoom.
Might the dealer to disable the grid, just a hardware jumper or a software setup in the camera. I disabled my aftermarket camera grid as I don't use it for hitching - just a full rear view to not need mirror extensions.
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Old 12-11-2014, 05:25 PM   #11
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I used those rod and tennis balls. Cost about $25.00. Work fine twice.
Then:
the first thing that happened was one of the telescopic rods came apart so it wouldn't stay extended at the same height as the second rod. So I taped it into place. Then the magnet fell out of the base plate of one of the rods. Then the whole thing came apart when I stomped it into my driveway.
I too have a partially filled bag of almost all the parts I will ship to an interested camper. You pay the postage of course.
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Old 12-11-2014, 05:54 PM   #12
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I have the EasyHitch ( similar to your rod and tennis balls ).
I've had them for five years or so and they are well made.
Instead of a tennis ball or yellow orb the EasyHitch has a red, flashing LED. Unfortunately, to turn it on you twist the lens. To turn it off, you twist the lens the other way. It doesn't take much to have it switch on in your glove box and kill the batteries, or for the lens to detach an drop the button batteries on the ground.
I gave up on the batteries and just twisted the lens on securely. I don't hitch up in the dark anyway.
Now that I'm getting used to the Swift Hitch backup camera, the Easy Hitch telescoping rods are relegated to the glove box.

Here's link to YouTube video:
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Old 12-11-2014, 06:12 PM   #13
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I found that the yellow balls worked quite well, but they did tend to pull off the rods - I put them back on with epoxy. I bought mine at Harbor Freight for under $10 a set (on sale); they seem to be identical to the $20+ sets at Walmart etc. Like others, I found that, with practice, my backup camera works very well and I no longer use the yellow balls.
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Old 12-11-2014, 07:02 PM   #14
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I have tried hitching once with our motorhome's backup camera - depth perception and resolution are both major issues. To be fair, this camera is far above the hitch (like 3 metres / 10 feet) and was really not intended for this purpose.

It seems to me that the best video setup for hitching would use two cameras:
  1. one centred on ball looking straight back and down at the trailer, to judge left/right alignment, plus
  2. a removable one mounted on a short arm at one end of the bumper, looking straight sideways to judge the distance to back up, and the height of the coupler.
The same combination would work for a fifth-wheel (or a bed-mounted ball hitch), and the side-looking camera could be left mounted on the inside of the box.

No, I've never set this up or even seen a setup like this. I just get out once or twice per hitch-up to check, and other than the motorhome experience it isn't a problem. I do open the van hatch to see the trailer, although I can't actually see the ball or coupler that way.
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Old 12-11-2014, 09:24 PM   #15
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For what they are the rod and yellow tennis ball back up aid has work well for me. They are not perfect but I like them better than just having my wife only detecting when I backing up. With the tennis balls I can see a better depth perception then just having my wife's saying just a little more.
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Old 12-12-2014, 05:42 PM   #16
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I used the EasyHitch one season towing my boat and it worked really well. The next season I got a backup camera and passed along the EasyHitch to a friend.
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Old 12-14-2014, 12:21 AM   #17
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my Volvo XC90 has a backup Camera that shows the Hitch Ball when backing, a little bright yellow tape on the hitch and I'm good as gold.

The Camera is a bit off center so I did need to get used to that
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Old 12-14-2014, 08:55 AM   #18
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Just noticed Costco has a license plate mount wireless backup camera with monitor on sale this month for $99.

http://www.costco.com/Yada%C2%AE-Wir...100145343.html
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Old 12-14-2014, 09:28 AM   #19
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Just noticed Costco has a license plate mount wireless backup camera with monitor on sale this month for $99.

http://www.costco.com/Yada%C2%AE-Wir...100145343.html
That looks like a good buy. Anyone have knowledge/feedback on the Yada camera?
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Old 12-14-2014, 10:42 AM   #20
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The best tool I've found for hitching up when I'm by myself: a little bit of patience...

I back the truck up centered on the hitch as best I can judge using my mirrors, and stop when I'm still 6' out. Get out and check. Back up a little more, get out and check... Back up a little more, get out and check... Typically I'm in and out of the truck 6 or 8 times before I'm ready to drop the hitch onto the ball. That's fine, I'd rather not rush.
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