I have a Whitewater Retro 195 travel trailer. I'm going to use it as an AirBnB in my yard.The way the trailer needs to be situated is such that I cannot tow it into position. I will need to PUSH the trailer in, from behind.The area the trailer will sit in is not paved, it will be on gravel.For that reason none of the motorized or powered dollies will work (based on the reviews I've read).I'm wondering how I might mount a tow bar on the BACK of the RV, which i could then hitch to my 4runner. Effectively towing / pushing it backwards a bit. The travel trailer has a large metal bumper, and I can see it'd be easy to mount a hitch RECEIVER on it.... and maybe jury rig something where i put in a 48" hitch extender, and then put a coupler on the end of that bar.... definitely not elegant, but maybe it will do the job?Otherwise I have no idea how to move the darn thing from behind. It's 7000 GVW. I can't be the only person with this problem.... does anyone have any solutions?

At my seasonal my trailer needs to be backwards in my site with pine trees preventing towing in with my truck. I hired a guy with a skid steer to put it into position. If the trailer is small enough you might be able to use a garden tractor. On the front of the trailer. You might be able to use a dolly on the tonge and push from behind as well if you had another person guide the dolly

Thanks very much. I ordered a "Ultra-Tow Heavy-Duty Adjustable Trailer Dolly" thinking exactly that: that if I could push from behind, the person in front could steer with the dolly. It's the pushing piece I'm not sure about... I'm concerned I won't be able to manually push it given it's on gravel... and without some kind of mechanism between the 4runner and trailer.... just not sure how to do it.

Chains and a come-along or even an electric winch. You didn't say why you can't tow it in there. Are there trees in the way or buildings? If trees you can use a good rope and pulley attached to the tongue around the tree to the truck to pull it in place.

If you can’t winch it in, dolly on the tongue or just some plywood for the jack wheel to run on and put an old tire between the bumper and push vehicle (if you have something that actually has a bumper) and push it in. Or 1 case of beer and a few friends/neighbors and push in by hand if it’s not uphill.

Thanks very much. A come-along or electric winch is a great idea. There really isn't a tree situated where I could pull from, but i could certainly sink a very large post in concrete to serve that purpose. That's a great idea. There aren't trees or buildings in the way. The issue is that the trailer will need to fit into a side yard that is roughly 20' x 50'. So there's no good way to tow it in, and then get the tow vehicle out. The space is long, and narrow. Just too narrow.Thanks for the come-along idea. That + sinking large posts in concrete is certainly a way to do this!

How to tow & push BACKWARDS? | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

cougar28
Explorer
Sep 01, 2020
Put in the post but chain a pulley to it. Attach a cable to the front of the rv go through the pulley back under the rv and attached to your pickup. Now your pulling it in.
schlep1967
Nomad
Sep 01, 2020
You are welcome. Just remember these things roll when you don't want them to. Have something with brakes attached to the back of the trailer as you pull it in. Just in case it decides to roll toward the person using the come-along.
afidel
Explorer II
Sep 01, 2020
My concern would be local and/or state ordinances about occupation of a trailer as a residence. I know where I'm at that's a complete non-starter and I assume California is even more strict as far as regulation. Before you sink a bunch of time and energy into this you'd be smart to look into the legalities of what you're thinking of doing.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Sep 01, 2020
"You might be able to use a dolly on the tongue and push from behind as well if you had another person guide the dolly"

You might need three. I tried with a dolly...failure! TTs are heavy.
RetroAirBnB
Explorer
Sep 01, 2020
Thanks very much. A come-along or electric winch is a great idea. There really isn't a tree situated where I could pull from, but i could certainly sink a very large post in concrete to serve that purpose. That's a great idea.

There aren't trees or buildings in the way. The issue is that the trailer will need to fit into a side yard that is roughly 20' x 50'. So there's no good way to tow it in, and then get the tow vehicle out. The space is long, and narrow. Just too narrow.

Thanks for the come-along idea. That + sinking large posts in concrete is certainly a way to do this!
Grit_dog
Navigator II
Sep 01, 2020
If you can’t winch it in, dolly on the tongue or just some plywood for the jack wheel to run on and put an old tire between the bumper and push vehicle (if you have something that actually has a bumper) and push it in.
Or 1 case of beer and a few friends/neighbors and push in by hand if it’s not uphill.
schlep1967
Nomad
Sep 01, 2020
Chains and a come-along or even an electric winch.
You didn't say why you can't tow it in there. Are there trees in the way or buildings? If trees you can use a good rope and pulley attached to the tongue around the tree to the truck to pull it in place.
RetroAirBnB
Explorer
Sep 01, 2020
Thanks very much. I ordered a "Ultra-Tow Heavy-Duty Adjustable Trailer Dolly" thinking exactly that: that if I could push from behind, the person in front could steer with the dolly. It's the pushing piece I'm not sure about... I'm concerned I won't be able to manually push it given it's on gravel... and without some kind of mechanism between the 4runner and trailer.... just not sure how to do it.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Sep 01, 2020
At my seasonal my trailer needs to be backwards in my site with pine trees preventing towing in with my truck.

I hired a guy with a skid steer to put it into position. If the trailer is small enough you might be able to use a garden tractor. On the front of the trailer.

You might be able to use a dolly on the tonge and push from behind as well if you had another person guide the dolly

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How to tow & push BACKWARDS?

29 Replies

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