Backing a 5th wheel up a Steep Driveway
I will be purchasing a HD diesel dually from one of the big 3 in addition to a 35' to 37' 5th wheel trailer. At least the desired length. I'm sending this post to ask for feedback. I have a 40' ...
Forum Discussion
jesmith352 wrote:
I had a similar issue with backing my travel trailer down a steep driveway. When I went to purchase a new travel trailer, one of my requirements was the geometry of the trailer with respect to its wheelbase and height off of the ground so that I wouldn't scrape at the "valley" of my driveway.
My solution? I took measurements of the trailer I wanted at the dealer's lot, then built a skeleton using 2x4s that replicated the critical dimensions, and I used my daughter's bike training wheels as the wheels. I ran it up and down my driveway to ensure clearance at the critical points. The only dimensions you need are total length, height off the ground, and wheelbase length both fore and aft of the wheels.
Haha, that's EXACTLY what I did when we bought our fifth wheel. We have a fairly steep driveway going down to our barn. I took all the measurements I could on the fifth and built a rig to run up and down my driveway. Probably had my neighbors curious lol. This method proved to be pretty accurate and my rear bumper clears by 4-5 inches and that's about what I calculated.
Dan
