Good boon-docking RV with good ground clearance?

[Plan_B_RV]

Question: Could you give me example of good clearance RV that you have used or seen to boon-dock?
I have plan to buy huge 5th wheel with bad ground clearance and try to boon-dock.
I will have to increase ground clearance:
from 12” (Angle of departure %7 AKA 12.5 slope)
to 24” (Angle of departure %14 AKA 25 slope)

I could try to calculate clearance and angel of arrival/departure based on your RV suggestion. Then compare to 5th wheel and decide if my plan is sound.


Extra info if interested: Plan to flip axle + slightly bigger tire= extra 6” of clearance.
Plus airbag suspension pumped up to max. when off-road. Hopefully another 6” increase. Totaling 12” extra. But since rear overhang on 5th wheel over 90”, even increase of 12” sounds not enough.
On other hand, I will be towing illegally in most states because 5th wheel height 13.5 feet. By adding 6”, I will make RV height to 14 feet.

[cross21114]

Plan B RV wrote:

memtb wrote:
For your rear overhang....you will eventually have an issue. We heavily recommend a good, heavy duty roller. Mounted beneath the frame, as close to the rear as is possible....as wide as possible! memtb

I have idea to install 7,000 lbs axle with 10 inch forklift tires. about 7" from rear of RV. With top of the tire recessed (about 3") into floor of rv.
Each tire rated at 2725 lbs.
Axle will be hanging until right before rear would have made contact with ground.

IMO, this wheel needs to be able to swivel. If not, you might rip the tire right off, or worse, making a tight turn. If you notice most trucks which have a pickup axle will raise theirs when entering a jobsite.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Grit dog wrote:

BizmarksMom wrote:
I primarily boondock. That's why I went with a Nash travel trailer. Specifically the 22h. No slides. Well built suspension. Good ground clearance.

Great. OP want's to boonydock a "huge 5th wheel." About as comparable as apples and spaghetti. I mean they're both food, but?

I wish him luck if he's going to attempt boon docking in PA with that 41' monster. True Boondocking in PA is usually Allegheny National Forest or one of the PA State Forest districts. Not a lot of choices and the roads to where most of it is available are tree choked and little more than goat trails, especially to the dispersed sites in the state forests. I've done quite a few in both the state and ANF and can't imagine doing it with a 41' TH. It's hard enough with a 25' trailer that's only @ 11' high.

One would also have to consider doing it with an LCI frame. It would probably twist in half on that monster of a rig first time on one of those forest service roads. Better take welder and rod along with some misc pieces of iron just in case, maybe a couple of small wide flange beams.

[Grit_dog]

BizmarksMom wrote:
I primarily boondock. That's why I went with a Nash travel trailer. Specifically the 22h. No slides. Well built suspension. Good ground clearance.

Great. OP want's to boonydock a "huge 5th wheel." About as comparable as apples and spaghetti. I mean they're both food, but?

[BizmarksMom]

I primarily boondock. That's why I went with a Nash travel trailer. Specifically the 22h. No slides. Well built suspension. Good ground clearance.

[memtb]

DrewE wrote:
For many trailers, at least, an axle at the far end would tend to bend or otherwise damage the frame if it carries weight at all frequently. They are not designed to be supported by the extreme ends, but rather from the middle primarily. I'm sure there are a few exceptions that are relatively overbuilt; however most RVs are about as far from being overbuilt as they can get away with, speaking generally.

If the trailer has a good frame, lifting from the rear should transfer a substantial amount of weight to the tow vehicle. This is from experience .... once had to lift a 34’, 16000 pound 5er, approximately 4 1/2 to 5 feet from the rear....to lift it off of a 8” diameter steel post. Don’t ask! 😮

[DrewE]

For many trailers, at least, an axle at the far end would tend to bend or otherwise damage the frame if it carries weight at all frequently. They are not designed to be supported by the extreme ends, but rather from the middle primarily. I'm sure there are a few exceptions that are relatively overbuilt; however most RVs are about as far from being overbuilt as they can get away with, speaking generally.

[Grit_dog]

Welp, as they say. “There’s an arse for every seat.”
I’ll add, if you need axle flips, lifts, big trailer tires, skid wheels etc, you’ll beat the he!! Out of your truck getting the trailer there. Better make it a GN too so you don’t rip the 5ver hitch out of the truck bed while you’re smashing the nose of the trailer into the bed sides.
I’m all for modifying stuff to suit my wants or needs, but there’s a limit to what’s practical.

[memtb]

Plan B RV, That is quite an undertaking! However, with the tires only 6” to 8” wide, it leaves a lot of unprotected area between and on the outside of the tries.... if you have a raised spot, or the tire drops into a hole or rut, you may still have contact at the camper rear. Hence the roller side to side, it will take care of any high or low!

[Plan_B_RV]

memtb wrote:
For your rear overhang....you will eventually have an issue. We heavily recommend a good, heavy duty roller. Mounted beneath the frame, as close to the rear as is possible....as wide as possible! memtb

I have idea to install 7,000 lbs axle with 10 inch forklift tires. about 7" from rear of RV. With top of the tire recessed (about 3") into floor of rv.
Each tire rated at 2725 lbs.
Axle will be hanging until right before rear would have made contact with ground.

[memtb]

For your rear overhang....you will eventually have an issue. We heavily recommend a good, heavy duty roller. Mounted beneath the frame, as close to the rear as is possible....as wide as possible! memtb

[free_radical]

Heres something for boondocking,
and pretty good ground clearance too
:B

https://youtu.be/m3OcmZMpvEQ

[Plan_B_RV]

Wanderingaimlessly: Ground clearance on Glacier Peak looks great, but floor plan too small. We need office space and 374th living room has 2 couches in slides that we can remove and put desks. AND we need that garage. Thank you.


DrewW: Pickup camper indeed has best clearance. About 8” ground, %30 angle of arrival/departure.

SidecarFlip: I will do one better, I will film it for you and post it on youtube 🙂

[SidecarFlip]

Primitive camping in any RV equals trees and often unimproved roads, washouts, water crossings and other assorted issues for a pull behind. You could do an axle flip to gain ground clearance but the height issue will nail you anyway.

Why my wife and I have a truck camper in a 4x4 diesel pickup.,

Tell us when you make your first trip, I want to be an observer when you destroy your fifth wheel, because you will.

[Lwiddis]

Only occasionally does ground clearance of my relatively low TT come into play when I camp. Rear overhang is more of a concern IMO. Dont see a bunch of big boys boondocking in ruff country.