RVs are High!!! The Conclusion!!

[Spizzer]

All,

A month or so ago I posted a thread on suggestions about being able to utilize my RV garage for a class A. (thread here) The ceiling has a low portion of 11' 7", and the door opening goes 12'. In the far end, the width changes to 9' 6". Most RVs, especially newer models, have the A/C on the roof, making their max height well over 12' 5", and some to 13'. The pre 2009 Winnebagos and others had residential air in the basements, which made their max height 11' 6" to the "highest standard feature". Through the 8 pages of the thread, I recieved a lot of thoughts and suggestions. Thanks to everybody, I appreciate it.

After measuring and checking and measuring and checking, our first pick to begin with, a Winnebago Journey. We finally bit the bullet and bought one (luckely without the satellite dome)drove it back to Colorado and after about 30 minutes of work, got it to fit in the garage.....Talk about a stressful exercise!!

I have a finger width of room between the side view camera and the wall on the passenger side and a finger width of room between the drivers mirro and wall on the opposite side. I am going to notch out my drywall to give me another 3/4" of clearance for the camera to allow for the coach tipping on the airbags if it does.

Here are some shots:

[Spizzer]

Daveinet wrote:
One other option would be some well placed photo sensors connected to a very loud buzzer. You can only look at so many things at the same time, so an audible warning would just tell you to stop, before damage is done.

Good idea. I think I'll figure some kind of warning system out.

Jeff

[Spizzer]

Executive wrote:
I agree with Scott. While congratulations are in order to squeeze that baby in there, it will get old pretty quickly. I had a similar situation with my home in California. I could only back the Winnie into the side yard because of a couple pine trees. After doing it probably 100 times, I finally tagged the wall and boy was I POed..at myself. I really dreaded both leaving and coming home but the middle was awesome!...I would see if I could add some wiggle room to the garage....Dennis

Dennis, I think it will be a lot less of a pain than using a storage lot. Did that for a while with a trailer, and it was a pain. DW and I took it out yesterday to clean it all up and it wasn't bad taking it out, and it went in a lot easier the second time....we know the spots to watch now.

Thanks for telling your story....it'll keep me focused.

Jeff

[Spizzer]

PatStab wrote:
Well I couldn't do it. We just built an 18 X 44 motorhome garage. ....
..snip...

Good luck, hope you never hit anything, would hate for you to mess it up.

Your garage sounds nice! The really hard and tight part for me is really the last eight inches!

Jeff

[Spizzer]

FIRE UP wrote:
Well Mr Spizzer,
I as well as all others on here have commended you for greasing that thing into such a tight space. But, while it went well this time, the possibility of damage is high based on that kind of limited clearance. .........

Your clearances are so close that there's almost "0" room for error or, even any slight variations in the coach stance. If, you park it, and you don't drive it for say, a month, and the air bags leak, which they all do at, at various rates, and, it starts to lean even in the slightest amount, based on your pictures, you've got almost no room to compensate for any type of lean, in either direction.

.............snip....... I know and realize that expanding that garage would be one serious pain but, you'd only have to do it one time and, from that point on, you're parking your nice rig would be seriously easier and, backing it out would be cake. Just some thoughts here.
Scott

I appreciate your comments, Scott. Iam a bit concerned about how the air bags will leak. I'm going to put a call into Freightliner, and ask them how the system works. Some how it seems to keep it level. When you go in and out you can hear the air moving around, but there appears to be no tilt.

Expanding the garage is a major undertaking. As I mentioned I think I'll do a little dry wall surgery to start with.

I think parking it is much less of a pain than driving it several miles back and forth from a storage lot and leaving it out in the elements.

Jeff

[daveB110]

I'm guessing your garage has a side door about where you M H door is. or do you let the front four feet protrude, out of view from the camera? This reminds me of our ocaisional predicament of being parked on a busy ferry, jammed in with no room to exit our vehicle, hoping the tub doesn't begin to sink! Tough to get access to your bays?

[kokois1]

How did you open the door to get out?

[Passin_Thru]

Bleed off the airbags then it cant tilt.

[okhmbldr]

I think you did a great job! You accepted the challenge and conquered!
It really surprises me that so many responses have the attitude that the "sky is eventually going to fall". You seem to think everything through to the end result, so I don't think you'll ever encounter any problems. Congrats on your success!

[buta4]

Hi,

You'd think that rvf manufacturers would have foreseen this side-mirror
clearance situation and designed fold=back mirrors as in the automotive industry.

[Stephen_W]

Great job measuring and having the guts to trust your measurements!

[Daveinet]

Daveinet wrote:
One other option would be some well placed photo sensors connected to a very loud buzzer. You can only look at so many things at the same time, so an audible warning would just tell you to stop, before damage is done.

OK, so taking my post into the DIY realm, Drill a hole into the concrete floor near the door entrance on either side. Put an eye hook in each hole. Tie a fishing line vertical to a microswitch at the top, with a piezoelectric buzzer connected to it. This way if you tag the line, the buzzer will go off and warn you to stop. While optical may seem slick, optical sensors get dirty, especially if they are aimed straight up. A simple fishing line should last forever. I'd be inclined to test it before each use. I just keep thinking along the lines of what Dennis said, you can do it 100 times and always be careful, but at some point the odds are against you. Having an audible warning should prevent that. I also like what 06Fargo said about painting stripes on the drive to help you get lined up, before you enter the garage. This will be especially true as your driveway is up hill. That slant can throw off your perception when lining things up.

[MustangGT]

WOW! You've got patience or guts or both! More of both than myself obviously.
So OK, you've proven you can fit your motorhome in your garage. Now the question to ask and answer is: "Does the added value of security and shelter in the garage exceed the eventual (probable, IMHO) damage caused by moving the RV in and out of such a tight space?" And maybe loss of all that storage space for a car, pojects etc. I suppose lack of RV basement access and ingress/egress too.
I'd have to be really desperate to take such a risk, but awesome job looking at pics. LOL

[sowego]

Wow, amazing job parking in such a tight space. Backing out will be fun too! I'd be sure you don't try to drive it in or out with snow on the driveway so there is no chance of sliding. It's a good thing you have a place to open the door or you'd be trapped inside the motorhome.

[noteven]

If you don't turn the front wheels it will go straight in and straight out...

Paint 2 small black sight lines on the drive way that line up with the side of the coach that tell you that you are correctly lined up to taxi in.

And you would use the cameras for backing...

Parking in close quarters where you can see the wide points (mirrors) from the seat is easy but a little more clearance for the camera is a good idea.

Dangle a soft ball that touches the windshield when you are far enough in - saves someone accidentally kicking your stop board...

Don't back in - the big deezil will fill the house with fumage while you are making air psi's on start up.

and once you are in there post a picture on rv.net to get the kerfuffle going 🙂 ... no wait already done 🙂 🙂

[Spizzer]

Daveinet wrote:
It may be of of benefit to permanently mount mirrors in strategic places in the garage. There may be a time when it is impossible to have help backing out, or pulling in. Maybe even a wireless camera inside the garage with the monitor in your coach. Permanently mount the camera in the top of the doorway aimed straight down, or slightly forward. You could even paint guide stripes on the floor, so there is good contrast to help you see and line things up.

Those are some good ideas! I will have to figure out something like that. THe biggest problem right now is that the coach headlights are on all the time and the make it hard for my DW to see. I need to fasion some covers to hang over them while parking.

jeff