Help determining if I can get a motorhome into my driveway

[DazedNConfused]

This will be difficult to answer without seeing, but looking for some advice as to whether anyone thinks this will be an issue for me (see pic below). I currently have a 40' fifth wheel and F-250 SuperDuty truck. I can back into my driveway -- but it is very tricky...with exactly one way in. Mess it up even slightly and it results in a do-over. There are several obstacles that include: a curb opposite my driveway, fire hydrant opposite driveway so can't swing front end of truck over the curb or they will make contact, utility pole at corner of driveway that my fiver bumper will hit if it doesn't swing early enough to avoid. And of course there is the apron entrance to the driveway and mailbox. I have two friends that drive a truck...and the only way I was able to get the rig in the driveway when I brought it home was on their advice on how to set up properly.

My wife and I fell in love with a Tiffin Allegro 35QBA this past weekend...and are seriously considering trading our fiver in on it. But we are concerned if we will get the camper in the driveway -- either by backing or pulling in. I did note on my test drive of the Tiffin that I didn't have to swing nearly as wide for turns as I do with my truck and fiver...but having very little motorhome experience is leaving me with this big question. Closest dealer is 2 hours away...so not really possible to bring it home and try. Any words of wisdom here? Thanks.

[olfarmer]

I think it would be easier to get the MH in than the 5th wheel.

[etruitt]

Just bought our motorhome in June or July this year. Drove it 8k miles on a trip and only broke the ladder (hit something up high, still haven't figured out what) and killed the passenger side rear outside rim hitting a small rock wall late at night. No problem backing it into small driveway or campsites. I use the backup camera when backing and the mirrors. My problem seems to be sitting in front of the steering axle driving forward. Oh well.

[rondeb]

We have a carport that years ago we had to go under with a new Travel Trailer. Part of the deal was they had to bring it to the house and see if it would go under it. We knew we had clearance, but do to a fairly good grade going to our back area, we were not sure if the back end would raise higher than our clearance. There was just absolutely no way to determine this without the trailer actually coming under it. Since then we have upgraded to a Class A and due to a wonderful neighbor, we are able to use his driveway to come in and go past our carport and cross over a strip of lawn to our back area. Most dealers will do just about anything to make a sale unless it is really a long distance for them to go to your house .

[DSDP_Don]

First off....I'm guessing I could turn my 40' DP into that driveway and make it. If your new coach can't, move the mailbox over a few feet, and throw a piece of plywood down on the corner (over the grass) and back in over the curb.

I wish mine were that easy to access!

[PastorCharlie]

I would approach from the right of the picture very close to the curb on the right side of the MH and stop the rear wheel at the curb intersection of driveway and street curb. (The MH will pivot at the rear wheel) Turn the steering wheels hard to the right before moving backward and it will go right in.

The overhand is not long enough to teach across the 18' drive to his the mailbox if the MH is kept close to the driveway edge on the right side while backing. The MH is not long enough to have a problem with the fire hydrant on the opposite side of the 26' street.

Do the math. AGAIN...the MH will pivot at the rear wheel.

[JimM68]

I don't see a problem. You can easily back in from the left, and just as easily pull in from the right.

I get our forty footer in pretty easily. Hardly ever drive on the lawn any more 🙂

Take the motorhome on a testdrive and give it a try. 2 hours is local enough. Heck, I live in western Chicago. 2 hours during rush hour to lake Michigan. Local. Dealer won't mind, escpecially if you pay for the fuel.

[Daveinet]

Very likely you will have no trouble backing in. The wheel cut on modern motorhomes is pretty tight.

If you do have a problem, there is a way to get around your city ordinance. To the right of your driveway, concrete in some decorative stone. Make it look like a pad around your mail box. Put your mail box on a drop in hole. When you go to park it, lift the mail box out, and drive over the stone. If you have trouble climbing the curb, lay a board down as a small ramp. If they won't let you concrete in a stone pad, then do a search on "grass pavers". These will allow you to build a foundation that you won't sink in under the grass. Then you just drive over your lawn and know one knows the difference.

[Blaster_Man]

I had a Montana 5th wheel pulled by a Chevy 3500 D/A dually. The Montana was hard but doable. With the MH, tried boards under the rear wheels, various angles, nothing worked. After trying numerous times on two occasions, gave up. The back end (DP) is too low, it hits, and even the front end (generator) hit coming out. Now we leave it in storage and make a couple of trips to load it...and unload when coming home.

[Blaster_Man]

Double post.

[DazedNConfused]

robertbenita wrote:
I do not think you will have any trouble at all given what you have been doing with a 40 foot trailer. I will add that if it were me, I would, like others mentioned, move the mailbox so immovable objects will only be on one side of the driveway. Driving passed your driveway and using a little of the cul-de-sac looks like the easier way to approach backing up and you can use the utility pole as a guiding point that will always be the same. Go slow, practice, and before long it will be the simple task it looks like from the picture. Good luck!

Awesome. Thanks so much and thanks to all that took the time to read and reply. 🙂

[robertbenita]

I do not think you will have any trouble at all given what you have been doing with a 40 foot trailer. I will add that if it were me, I would, like others mentioned, move the mailbox so immovable objects (that I might hit) will only be on one side of the driveway. Driving passed your driveway and using a little of the cul-de-sac looks like the easier way to approach backing up and you can use the utility pole as a guiding point that will always be the same. Go slow, practice, and before long it will be the simple task it looks like from the picture. Good luck!

[DazedNConfused]

redguard wrote:

DazedNConfused wrote:

zman-az wrote:
Is the RV you are buying local? If so you can bring it to your home to see if it fits.

Unfortunately, no - dealer is two hours away.

am I missing something? what does the roadway from side to side measure?

It's 26' from edge of my driveway to opposite curb. Guessing this shouldn't be an issue.

[dezolen]

Looks like a walk in the park to me. I find my 37' motorhome is much easier to back into tight spaces than my old setup of F250 and 33' 5th wheel trailer.

[redguard]

DazedNConfused wrote:

zman-az wrote:
Is the RV you are buying local? If so you can bring it to your home to see if it fits.

Unfortunately, no - dealer is two hours away.

am I missing something? what does the roadway from side to side measure?

[bluwtr49]

I'm betting you can do it. The MH is only 35' I believe you said and your pickup is what....20' or so. The drive is wide so perhaps one fill maneuver is probably all will need.