picking up my new 2014 250rs tonight, I have a contractor coming in a couple of weeks to build some retaining walls and level off an area of my driveway to park the new unit with the wheels level. my driveway slopes down toward the house and I plan on using the BAL x chocks on each side to prevent the trailer from moving towards the house until the new spot is built. my concern is that I won't be able to get the tonge low enough to have the unit level enough to put the slides out and load it all up? should I just stack/pyramid some 2x8's under the rear wheels to help bring the rear up? with my fifth wheel it wasn't much of an issue since I could lower the front quite a bit more than a TT. You can see in the pictures that there is a dirt area to left of the bike that we are going to build up as the landing pad for the trailer wheels to sit level..the tonge will still land on a bit of the paved grade as we can't build it up more than about 18" but for at least the next week we will be storing it on the pavement where the truck is in the pictures.Thanks for any sugestions....I don't plan on storing it this way permanently....just until we can get the "landing pad" built in the driveway!

Looks to me when you build the landing pad the back bumper of the RV is going to scrape a lot as you back up to the landing pad. From my look at the picture you got about a 6-foot drop from the sidewalk to the garage. At that angle the back bumper is going to come into contact with the concrete of the landing pad way before the wheels start to level the RV off.

I don't think the slope is that drastic, also the Outback 250rs is taller (has more ground clearance) than most TT's we have looked at.

The only thing you need to worry about is the fridge. It's likely you will still be pretty far off level even if you lower the tongue all the way. Unless you raise the wheels and bring it closer to level, I wouldn't run the fridge.The slides should operate fine since they are pushing out sideways and not fighting the slope.You can also load it up but it will be a little uncomfortable to walk around inside, depending how much slope you can take out. It might be like the "sloped house" at a carnival where it feels wierd when you are inside because your eyes don't have a reference to tell you are sloped but your body feels like tipping!Steve

Some wood under the wheels isn't going to hurt anything. However, don't rely SOLELY on the xchocks to hold it in place. Believe it or not, they aren't made to keep the trailer from rolling, they are for stabilizing and stopping rocking when you are inside.With that much slope, some good ground based chocks along with your xchocks are a must. I don't think I would put the slides out with that much slope, as I'm not sure if they are designed to open like that.Tighten the xchocks as tight as you can get them.

93Cobra2771 wrote:Some wood under the wheels isn't going to hurt anything. However, don't rely SOLELY on the xchocks to hold it in place. Believe it or not, they aren't made to keep the trailer from rolling, they are for stabilizing and stopping rocking when you are inside.With that much slope, some good ground based chocks along with your xchocks are a must. I don't think I would put the slides out with that much slope, as I'm not sure if they are designed to open like that.Tighten the xchocks as tight as you can get them.URGENT! PLACE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL BEHIND ALL 4 WHEELS AND LET THE TRAILER ROLL AGAINST THOSE CHOCKS BEFORE UNHOOKING. OTHERWISE, IT WILL ROLL! DO NOT RELY ON XCHOCKS!You can operate the slides on the angle, but not the refrigerator.Is there anyway you could leave the truck attached after chocking the trailer wheels?

temporarily parking TT on a down slope | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

Lowsuv
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
i have a fleet of 4 X 4 lumber blocks that i cut on the diagonal ( about 30 degrees ? ).
When i park on a good slope the trailer tires rest firmly against those blocks .
i also use the X - Chocks on both sides .
the trailer rocks less if on a slope against the 4 x 4 blocks .
i have a boat also and boat trailer parking is never level hence the fleet of 4X4 blocks.
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
Reminds me of a campsite I was in once. Put down only one block for side to side level :) , X-chocks on, unhooked, tried to drop the tongue to get it level. Couldn't drop the tongue enough. :M Hooked up, remove x-chocks, pull forward, put down 2 more boards on each side, back up, side to side level, X-chocks on, unhook, was just enough to get level with tongue jack almost at bottom. :)

No reason you can't put a few boards down to raise it up enough to drop the tongue to level.

About the BAL chocks, I once forgot to remove them when I wanted to move the trailer in my yard. With the BAL chocks on the wheels I couldn't move the trailer .. :S .. then I rememembered, remove the BAL chocks. You can throw an extra block behind a tire on each side if it make you feel better.
nevadanick
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
No need to be level to load it
katoom400
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
I don't think the slope is as drastic as it appears in the pictures, no problem in the heavy rain...just havee to make sure I keep the gutter clear at the bottom.

the area infront of the Honda Accord is where I'm going to level it out with retaining walls and QP
nickthehunter
Nomad III
Aug 20, 2013
katoom400 wrote:
I don't think the slope is that drastic, also the Outback 250rs is taller (has more ground clearance) than most TT's we have looked at.

If it was me, I'd be make a scale drawing on paper before i invested money in grading, retaining walls, and concrete. Look at the picture, raise the front wheels on your SUV until they are perfectly level with the rear wheels and the rear fender is on the pavement. Now consider that overhang on the RV is about 5 times more than the overhang on the SUV and you just compounded the problem. Looking at the photo, my eye says your money is going to be wasted. Like I said, a scale drawing will tell you - which is time well spent before the money is not so well spent.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Aug 20, 2013
Wow - building codes in your area must be lax as I can't imagine a slope like that going twoards the house. Must be fun in a rain storm - but I digress... If it were me, I'd arrange for some off site storage until your driveway can be modified to accomodate it. If you don't know how drastic the slope is, get a line level and run a string. It would not be a happy day of finding out how how much room you really have vs what you thought when you bring the TT home for the first time.
I_am_still_wayn
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
93Cobra2771 wrote:
Some wood under the wheels isn't going to hurt anything. However, don't rely SOLELY on the xchocks to hold it in place. Believe it or not, they aren't made to keep the trailer from rolling, they are for stabilizing and stopping rocking when you are inside.

With that much slope, some good ground based chocks along with your xchocks are a must. I don't think I would put the slides out with that much slope, as I'm not sure if they are designed to open like that.

Tighten the xchocks as tight as you can get them.

URGENT! PLACE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL BEHIND ALL 4 WHEELS AND LET THE TRAILER ROLL AGAINST THOSE CHOCKS BEFORE UNHOOKING. OTHERWISE, IT WILL ROLL! DO NOT RELY ON XCHOCKS!

You can operate the slides on the angle, but not the refrigerator.

Is there anyway you could leave the truck attached after chocking the trailer wheels?
I_am_still_wayn
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
93Cobra2771 wrote:
Some wood under the wheels isn't going to hurt anything. However, don't rely SOLELY on the xchocks to hold it in place. Believe it or not, they aren't made to keep the trailer from rolling, they are for stabilizing and stopping rocking when you are inside.

With that much slope, some good ground based chocks along with your xchocks are a must. I don't think I would put the slides out with that much slope, as I'm not sure if they are designed to open like that.

Tighten the xchocks as tight as you can get them.

URGENT! PLACE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL BEHIND ALL 4 WHEELS AND LET THE TRAILER ROLL AGAINST THOSE CHOCKS BEFORE UNHOOKING. OTHERWISE, IT WILL ROLL! DO NOT RELY ON XCHOCKS!

You can operate the slides on the angle, but not the refrigerator.

Is there anyway you could leave the truck attached after chocking the trailer wheels?
93Cobra2771
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
Some wood under the wheels isn't going to hurt anything. However, don't rely SOLELY on the xchocks to hold it in place. Believe it or not, they aren't made to keep the trailer from rolling, they are for stabilizing and stopping rocking when you are inside.

With that much slope, some good ground based chocks along with your xchocks are a must. I don't think I would put the slides out with that much slope, as I'm not sure if they are designed to open like that.

Tighten the xchocks as tight as you can get them.
subcamper
Explorer II
Aug 20, 2013
The only thing you need to worry about is the fridge. It's likely you will still be pretty far off level even if you lower the tongue all the way. Unless you raise the wheels and bring it closer to level, I wouldn't run the fridge.

The slides should operate fine since they are pushing out sideways and not fighting the slope.

You can also load it up but it will be a little uncomfortable to walk around inside, depending how much slope you can take out. It might be like the "sloped house" at a carnival where it feels wierd when you are inside because your eyes don't have a reference to tell you are sloped but your body feels like tipping!

Steve