Parking problems with big rig

[bobkatmsu]

We are going full time in 2018,we are considering a new rig. A 40'-42' DP and a 22' enclosed trailer. My question is how difficult will it be to find places to park. At present we use county, state and nstional parks when available and also private campgrounds. Currently we have a 38' gasser, towing a 4 door Jeep Shahara.

[Harrydavidson]

1st. The trike the OP has is a V8 powered item. Not your dads trike.
Back in the day I hauled a drag car all over the country in an enclosed trailer. We never drove it into the trailer. We used a winch to load and unload with the steering straight. Once inside the trailer We tied it down from underneath using an crisscross pattern Near had any trouble

[wa8yxm]

With a really BIG rig (over 35 foot) you need to do a virtual visit to your campground before you go there, THat is go to the web page and reserve a big enough site. Most campgrounds I have visited have details on the web page as to how big the sites are... NOW that said.. I have put my 38' 3-slide out Class A on a site marked "Tents only" due to the small size without issue.. . But well hey must have used a six foot yard stick when they measured.. (I mean it was not even a "Tight fit") But only one such site.

[jorbill2or]

msmith1199 wrote:

jorbill2or wrote:
Ok, I have a 41' motorhome pulling 25'enclosed :)utility car trailer( that's total length,as trailers are measured on their total length tongue included Mine is a 20' box 5'tongue)

The OP said a 22 foot trailer and he wants to put a Jeep Wrangler and three wheel motorcycle in it. So if 22 is the overall length that means the box is 18 feet. Not a lot of room for a Wrangler and a three wheel motorcycle. So I think it's reasonable to assume he's talking about a 22 foot box which would be a 25 foot overall length.

I have a 16 foot flat bed trailer that was advertised as a 16 foot trailer. The flat bed in fact is 16 feet long and the trailer has an overall length of 20 feet.

I stand corrected 🙂
I do believe a 4' tongue is the minimum any motorhome should use .. 4'6" or 5' is better or clearance becomes a big problem that would be a 26-27 overall plus a foot or so for the ball receiver plus the 42-43 motorhome ..

[Trackrig]

Bill

[Bill_Satellite]

Put a trike lift on the back of the RV and pull the car 4 down.
http://hydralift-usa.com/trike-lift/

[Jayco-noslide]

As you know, the 38 footer plus the Jeep makes a pretty long package. To me, the larger MH and trailer would be unthinkable. Everything about it would be stressful and difficult but I realize some have a much higher tolerance than I. I think you would have to plan ahead for every stay and make sure a campground has sites that big. Most won't and especially not public campgrounds.

[Ivylog]

bobkatmsu wrote:
. I have a Boss Hoss trike. The trike will not fit on the lifts they make for the back of motor home. .

At 11.5' long it's not going to fit in a 22' trailer plus a car/Jeep. Even with a V nose you are looking at close to 30' unless you go with a stacking trailer$$$$.
I would get a trike that's less than 8.5' long and put it on the back of a tag axle coach and pull the Jeep four down.

[msmith1199]

jorbill2or wrote:
Ok, I have a 41' motorhome pulling 25'enclosed utility car trailer( that's total length,as trailers are measured on their total length tongue included Mine is a 20' box 5'tongue)

The OP said a 22 foot trailer and he wants to put a Jeep Wrangler and three wheel motorcycle in it. So if 22 is the overall length that means the box is 18 feet. Not a lot of room for a Wrangler and a three wheel motorcycle. So I think it's reasonable to assume he's talking about a 22 foot box which would be a 25 foot overall length.

I have a 16 foot flat bed trailer that was advertised as a 16 foot trailer. The flat bed in fact is 16 feet long and the trailer has an overall length of 20 feet.

[JnJnKatiebug]

I would get a V-nose trailer so the front wheel of the trike could sit up over the tongue allowing you to use the shortest trailer possible.

Maybe even a car hauler trailer with the front wheel of the trike on the tongue and a cover over it. Make it a lot easier to tie down.

[Dennis12]

A spotter with a walkie talkie is your best answer.

[jorbill2or]

Ok, I have a 41' motorhome pulling 25'enclosed utility car trailer( that's total length,as trailers are measured on their total length tongue included Mine is a 20' box 5'tongue)yes with a tape its almost 67' long we've been full time for the past 1 1/12 years. I was also a triples/doubles truck driver for 25 years before I retired. So now you have the background here's my perspective
Yes its doable. I and many others do just what your asking Towing 4 down is the easiest by far.>>BUT I needed the space as my DW still works aranging conferences etc and needed supplies. so I built storage "attics" above the car.
Parks are harder to find, yes, but I've never had no- place to go! I just plan a little further ahead.The cost is also higher as its normally a "premium" spot. We Almost always ask for a 70' pull through .. There are many more places that can accommodate than you would think. We also casino camp and boondock in the SW easily A few times I have also dropped the trailer in a storage lot portion of the park and used a smaller site. when we get to the park if access to the rear of the trailer is a problem we pull the car our just as a 4 down'er would unhook at the office check in . Backing is a piece of cake, the long wheelbases make it easier but then again I've backed more trailers than I could count
tying it down and the reverse does involve getting down on hands and knees , in the dry inside I might add. but it only takes 10 min tops once you have it set up.Im 65 and not thin but squeeze out fine but I still can nascar the window if needed:C ,good shape I guess but order or get one with a escape door .. I should have and made my life a little easier!!
So.. Yes it can be done and without much pain but.. I have a specific need.
Given different circumstances, I'd 4 down. I don't fit in tight state parks .. don't try.Google earth views of the property ahead of time confirm what i'm looking for and if I even call ahead or just cross them off.
My only other comment is how will you fit a trike AND your car in that space ?? My car (a 17' volt) takes up most of the 20' box I have a 2' work bench across the front but little room between it and the front of the car.
Good luck with whatever you decide !!

[Trackrig]

bobkatmsu wrote:
The reason I'm considering an enclosed trailer is that, 1, we need a car, 2, we go to a number of motorcycle rally's a year. I have a Boss Hoss trike, I'm not comfortable riding a two wheeler any longer. The trike will not fit on the lifts they make for the back of motor home. So I need a way to take both with me.

The reason I quit thinking about an enclosed trailer is I put my car inside of one as a trial and couldn't figure out how to safely get out of the car - meaning I had to climb out of the window. That's fine for a 20 year old, but it doesn't work well for most retired people.

I was looking at the dimensions of the Boss Trike on line and and the shortest Jeep (an assumption on my part that you'd keep the Jeep since you have it) and it's going to be awfully tight to get them both inside of a 22' inside space - I would double check if that's enough space when you may have to add some space to get the rigs situated right for the trailer tie-down locations. And as mentioned above, you then have the tongue so you're going to need a 70' space plus room for the tail loading ramp to drop down which may not be available in a back-in space.

Bill

[msmith1199]

By 22 foot trailer, that usually means the length of the box. The trailer tongue will add about four feet or so. So a 22 foot trailer will be 26 feet long. 42 plus 26 is 68 feet or 3 feet over the max allowed by many States. Now having said that, I will say in all the years I've been on here I've never heard of anybody getting a ticket for being three foot too long in a motorhome, just pointing out that many states have a 65 foot limit once you get onto surface streets or state highways.

[bobkatmsu]

The reason I'm considering an enclosed trailer is that, 1, we need a car, 2, we go to a number of motorcycle rally's a year. I have a Boss Hoss trike, I'm not comfortable riding a two wheeler any longer. The trike will not fit on the lifts they make for the back of motor home. So I need a way to take both with me.

[Ivylog]

Backing something with a DP, especially something long is actually fairly easy as the amount of rear overhang helps. As you are aware, there are very few pull through spots in most public CGs and finding a site 60+ feet long near impossible. I would go 42' (tag axle...lots of CCC) and continue to tow the jeep.