Hello all, newbie here... We just upgraded from a popup to a 2005 skyline nomad. If at all possible I'm wanting to store the trailer at our house, not a storage lot.My problem is we have a pretty extreme driveway uphill to the house, consisting of a decently sharp switch back up the hill. Our TV is a 2006 Chevy crew cab 2500hd 6.0L gas shortbed. It weighs about 5900 pounds, the trailer weighs 6100 pounds.I'm confident I can make it up the hill to our yard... but scared to death to try going down. Going down the driveway is about 170 feet of about 12% grade, about 25 feet of it is about 20%:E . After the 20% grade I have to make a sharp turn to the right on a fairly large flat area to an immediate steep hill (not as steep) again to the street.The driveway is all concrete and asphalt. I'm visualizing me going down the steepest part and having the trailer push me as I turn to the right jackknifing me, pushing the rear of the truck sideways because the trailer will still be coming down the hill as I turn the truck on the turn. Can I trust the trailer brakes going down the hill? I also plan on staying in 4lo going down.Will disconnecting the weight distribution, putting weight on the back of the truck help or hurt? I also will tether the back of the trailer to another truck just in case it does start to push.Just looking for some advice from some of you with tricky driveways or maybe experience from a challenging campsite..... I know... just store it somewhere.... Not worth the chance damaging the thing before we get to use it.... BUT I'm all for the challenge!

The trouble you have is you should not be in 4 Low where your wheels can't slip. You are on concrete and asphalt and there is nothing giving there, so you are loading up the wheels with the extra weight behind pushing, and making turns. Now I don't know what you have for 4 low, but I know I have Warn hubs in mine, and the joy of that setup is you can set the trannie for low range, but not use the front wheels unless you put the hubs in. If yours works like that, go for 4 low and you will be handsomely rewarded I bet.If you have to use all 4 wheels on the way down the straight stretch, go for it, but I would avoid turns and just bring it to a stop and then go forward again in 2wd

They make power dollies that can safely get you in and out of that driveway...battery operated and electric, might even make a gas model...not cheap but it should do the trick....

The length of driveway you describe is not enough to overheat your brakes. As mentioned, don't use 4WD on dry pavement unless you have manual front hubs to disconnect.Use your brakes. Keep it dead slow (even stop before starting the scary bit). Set your trailer brakes a little on the aggressive side and go manual on the trailer brakes if you think the rear end is going to get loose. Once you've done it a couple of times and get your heart rate under control you should be OK.Just go slow, slow ,slow.Stu

That doesn't sound so bad.I've towed up and down long gravel roads over 25%, with many switchbacks. At that point, removing WD is a must for going up. But going down it down helps the front tires grip. Gearing down of course is a must, and sometimes riding the trailer brakes is useful, such as during a sharp turn.If I'm on a really steep grade, I'll put on the parking brake for some extra drag. If I'm on REALLY steep (over 50%) I'll put the transmission in the opposite gear (i.e. drive for backing down) which lets the torque converter absorb most of the braking energy. It actually works great, and is a similar principle to the transmission retarder used on big buses. However, I'm not sure how well other transmission would hold up to this. Seem to not bother mine.

If you can make it up... the down will be easy. Low gear and ride the brakes at 2 mph or less.No on the 4lo unless the front hubs unlock.

Looking for some advice for our steep driveway | Good Sam Community

PAThwacker
Explorer
Sep 10, 2014

I have a steep driveway. Biggest challenge is at transition to the street. Current 14" tire equipped 21ft trailer gets out and in with 1.5" of the rear bumper. I do not think we can add ten feet of trailer and clear it even if equipped with 15" tires.
opnspaces
Navigator II
Sep 10, 2014
Glad everything worked out okay and the trailer is home. But stop teasing us with photo's of pieces of trailer. How about a full picture of the trailer that we can drool over?

As far as the use of 4 low, I do agree with the posts about it damaging the drivetrain if you do not have a way to disconnect the front drive.
Next time you get a chance to pull up the driveway you might try it in 2 wheel drive first. You can always stop and put it in 4low if you have to partially up the driveway.
AirForceAngler
Explorer
Sep 10, 2014
Glad you made it up. Some advice though, if you continue to use 4lo on dry pavement you WILL break something, most likely the transfer case. Even if you're not turning, even variations in tire pressures can cause enough of a bind in the drivetrain to put undue stress on the t-case.
bakulatp
Explorer
Sep 10, 2014
We got our trailer yesterday and got it up to the house with no problems...

To navigate our driveway we have to make a switch back directly off the road to the right, then another halfway up to the left at the steepest part.

I ended up pulling past our driveway, backing up the first half far enough to just go straight up the second half. Worked like a charm.

I did use 4lo while going straight.

I still had 4 inches of clearance at the most extreme part. This thing has tons of ground clearance...pretty big tires and the springs are on top of the axle.

Now going down should be a snap...

Thanks everyone for the advise!
bakulatp
Explorer
Sep 05, 2014
2012Coleman wrote:
So OP - whats the story? Crash and burn or safely get up and down the hill?

Trailer won't be ready for pickup until Tuesday!

Hope everything works out. I'm more worried about dragging the rear end more than anything now. I'll keep everyone posted and hopefully help someone else out down the road in the same situation.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2014
So OP - whats the story? Crash and burn or safely get up and down the hill?
bakulatp
Explorer
Sep 01, 2014
The pics just doesn't capture our driveway in its true glory. Maybe the grade isn't THAT bad... It's just the turn we have to make kills any momentum I have before starting the steepest part.

I hauled my first heavy load up with our truck today. 4200 pounds of concrete on a big metal tandem trailer (the kind skid steers are hauled on). I figure the total weight was around 6000 lbs, the same our trailer is going to be. I barley made it up the hill... 1st gear, pedal damn near all the way down.

Just in case something goes wrong... The trailer e brakes work in reverse if I press the plunger on the controller right?
CaveRun
Explorer
Aug 31, 2014
That's not too bad of a hill! :)
TNGW1500SE
Explorer
Aug 31, 2014
Just be sure and video the event in case it turns out bad. I love to watch this stuff on youtube! :)
mobeewan
Explorer
Aug 29, 2014
bakulatp wrote:
This is what I'm up against, standing on our turn looking up and down towards the street.

That little hill? The dam and gravel road I described was a little bit more challenging.