Parking in Sloped Driveway

[Laurob]

Hi! This is my first post, and I'm seeking advice for parking a small trailer in a driveway with a 14% downward slope. The trailer has a GVWR of less than 4,000 lbs, and for logistical reasons, it has to be parked without the aid of a vehicle - it can't be towed in, nor backed in (long story). And obviously, the downward slope when parking becomes an UPhill slope when leaving the driveway!

We've contacted Trailer Valet, and their technicians say that even their most high-end remote-controlled trailer movers can't handle more than a 10% (5-degree) slope.

Does anyone have any creative advice for making this work?

[time2roll]

You should expect any photo dragged into the photo-is-great might become public (as most things on the internet) but it does not ask you to give ANY personal information. When still I had Norton maybe 6 months ago it was never an issue. Probably just an expired certificate or something or it is a bit low tech and does not have much for authentication. Tell Norton to bypass.

Or you need to post the picture to a hosting platform that allows a link to a public forum. You cannot link to your home computer hard drive etc.

[Laurob]

Hmmm, my Norton Antivirus program won't let me open photo-posting-is-great - calls it 'known to be dangerous for phishing'. I've tried several times, even Google'd it, and it showed up in my search with a big red 'X' next to it...

[BarneyS]

Laurob wrote:


I took a picture - now to figure out how to post it! :h

If you will follow these directions exactly, it is very easy to post pictures on our forums. One of our moderators, 1492, developed this photo posting app to post your pictures. It works for other internet sites also. There is no need to have a separate hosting site for your pictures in order to use it.

It is very simple to use.
1. Upload your picture from your computer to the app.
2. Copy the resulting URL.
3. Paste that URL into your post

without ANY changes

. No additions or deletions.
Your picture will then appear in your post and be properly sized for use on our forums.:)

I have posted a test thread here for members to try out the app and see how it works. That thread is ONLY for testing however and not for comments on pictures. Good luck.
Barney

[time2roll]

Official RV.net method on photos:

http://photoposting.is-great.net

[Laurob]

BurbMan wrote:
Laurob, can you post a pick of your driveway and proposed parking spot? Sometimes it helps a lot to be able to see the problem...

I took a picture - now to figure out how to post it! :h

[Super_Dave]

How were you going to get it down the driveway without brakes? Whatever method you use to get it down, can't you use in reverse to get it back up?

[BurbMan]

Laurob, can you post a pick of your driveway and proposed parking spot? Sometimes it helps a lot to be able to see the problem...

[MitchF150]

oh, I see the reason for 'no vehicle' now.. Must have missed that part before.. Good luck with it! Mitch

[Grit_dog]

^I think the complications outweigh the benefit in this case.
If one has to get into welding attachments on a trailer or winching, it’s probably time to not think outside the box but think about a different box.
Or get a popup, problem solved. Could probably put it in the garage even?
There’s some very nice pop ups out there that don’t give up a lot to conventional TTs.

[Timmo_]

Notch the eaves? I needed 18" more inches of "backup" space (so the TT tongue did not encroach over the sidewalk) so I notched 18" from the 24" eave. All is good, when we sold the house, the buyer didn't care.

[Laurob]

Thank you all so much for your responses! We'll look into a winch-type option & see if that will work.

Yes, the reason we can't back it in is because the trailer is perfectly vertical in the back, and with the driveway slope + our low eaves, we would need to stop well away from the house, leaving the tongue hanging over the sidewalk - a no-no in our town. Even a teardrop such as an R-Pod is too tall for our eaves.

Conversely, if we pull in (forward) with our truck, it would box the truck into the garage with no way out.

In addition, the trailer will be parked on that slope (not just moved through it), which brings another set of problems.

*Sigh* We may just have to resign ourselves to paying storage if we get this (or any) trailer!

[mkirsch]

If you're going to be rolling the trailer around on the tongue jack you better invest in a pretty stout jack. The ones that typically come with these trailers will fold like an envelope. They're not meant to take much side load, and a caster catching a seam in a concrete driveway, or a crack in a paved one, or a rock, or a stick, or just being pointed the wrong direction, will end in disaster.

[schlep1967]

SweetLou wrote:
I really don't understand your issue to use your truck, but I would look at it this way. What would a tow truck use to get it up a hill? Top of hill to coupler on trailer is how far? It's going to be a winch to take it up but it has to meet the specs.

The issue is driveway length and eve of the house. They want to put the tongue of the trailer under the eve so the trailer fits in the driveway length.

[SweetLou]

I really don't understand your issue to use your truck, but I would look at it this way. What would a tow truck use to get it up a hill? Top of hill to coupler on trailer is how far? It's going to be a winch to take it up but it has to meet the specs.

[schlep1967]

When you get the trailer take it to a local welding shop. Get them to add some steel to the frame so you can attach this on the back of the trailer Tow Bar. Now you can unhook the trailer on the street. Move the truck behind it, attach the tow bar, hook up the truck and back it in.
You will also want to put a fairly strong tongue jack with an air filled tire on it as it will be supporting the nose of the trailer as you "push" it into the driveway with the truck.