Forum Discussion

TheHound's avatar
TheHound
Explorer
Nov 30, 2017

Funky driveway = towing concern. Looking for some advice.

Hey folks,

I am hoping to get some suggestions from you experts on bringing a travel trailer onto our property.

We are in the market for a small couples camper (25' or less) and while we intend to travel with it, we also plan to use it regularly on our acreage north of Toronto. All we have there now is a bunkie with no power or water which limits us to a 1 or 2 night stay.

Our driveway however is not straight in from the county road but requires you to come off the road and negotiate a bend to access it. I think with some tree cutting and extra gravel I can make this work but the real concern is the dip in the driveway. It drops down fairly steep on gravel and then you came back up on what is more like a trail. According to my display at the highest point it was 10 degrees.

So, I am wondering how to approach this to determine if I will have sufficient clearance and not leave a trail of parts behind. I did bring my 11' utility trailer up no problem but the A frame jack scrapped along the gravel at one point. This was using my Toyota SUV but I now have a 2017 F150 with max tow package.

I am enjoying my research on new trailers but this little dilemma is hanging over me like a storm cloud lol.

Apologies for the long winded post but just trying to paint the picture.

A few pics added but not sure they really capture the issue. Thanks in advance.





  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    Judging from your pics I'd be more concerned about backing up that narrow drive and would instead want to pull it in and pull it out. That of course means having the space to spin the trailer around once in place but that surely would be easier than backing up that narrow drive. The dip I don't see as an issue as you'd sometimes run into this in campgrounds but of course the pics don't show that particularly well.
  • TheHound's avatar
    TheHound
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    SoundGuy wrote:
    Judging from your pics I'd be more concerned about backing up that narrow drive and would instead want to pull it in and pull it out. That of course means having the space to spin the trailer around once in place but that surely would be easier than backing up that narrow drive. The dip I don't see as an issue as you'd sometimes run into this in campgrounds but of course the pics don't show that particularly well.


    Thanks for the reply. Fortunately things get better once you get up the driveway. Lots of room to back up and potential for a full loop around.

    My big fear is wheeling in a spanking new trailer only to find the stabilizers, drain pipes etc aren't going to clear. I read some people had the dealer "flip the axles" for more clearance so wondering if I should consider something like that.
  • Mickeyfan0805's avatar
    Mickeyfan0805
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    I'm not sure I have a quick answer to your question - others might.

    If I were in your shoes, I'd be measuring out the distances on the potential setup and mimicking the geometry with 2x4's on the driveway (ie - run a 2x4 long enough to mimic the distance from the rear wheel to the hitch, at the height of the bottom of your loaded hitch and see what it does at the point of concern, then repeat from the trailer side).

    My only other comment would be to remind you that the pivot point between your truck and trailer isn't your only concern - you need to worry about the tail hitting the backside of the hill as well.
  • TheHound's avatar
    TheHound
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    Thanks for the suggestion Mickeyfan! As a total newbie I am not sure I would be able properly recreate the scene of the crime lol as I have zero point of reference in terms of how these tow and clearance of the vital organs. And you are spot on...the tail is also a concern. Funny thing is, there may not be a problem here at all but I have no way of knowing until we potentially get stuck between our two ponds. Yikes!
  • Bob_Olallawa's avatar
    Bob_Olallawa
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    Flipping the axles would be my last choice. When you drug the tongue jack on your utility trailer, was the trailer loaded and dropping the rear of the SUV down? Your new 150 most likely has better ground clearance than the SUV while hooked up to the utility trailer. The travel trailer would also have spring bars attached (if you use a weight distribution hitch),and would keep the hitch of the truck from sagging and dragging. Photos don't show all for sure but I would think the question area is the dip leaving the main road and rising up before heading down toward the water area. I drag a 35 ft pull trailer into the hills for hunting and carry a few boards to use under the tires of the truck or trailer to help keep from dragging in bad areas.
  • Mickeyfan0805's avatar
    Mickeyfan0805
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    TheHound wrote:
    Thanks for the suggestion Mickeyfan! As a total newbie I am not sure I would be able properly recreate the scene of the crime lol as I have zero point of reference in terms of how these tow and clearance of the vital organs. And you are spot on...the tail is also a concern. Funny thing is, there may not be a problem here at all but I have no way of knowing until we potentially get stuck between our two ponds. Yikes!


    Generally, your vital organs will be ok (jacks would be your main concern) - as most are typically above the lower edge of the frame. I would suggest that your tail clearance at the peak of the hill is likely your biggest issue (and the most difficult one to solve it if is one. Especially if you buried the tongue on a utility trailer, I think you are right to think ahead about the tail clearance of a longer tt.

    Do you have any sense of the depth of the dip and the distance from entry point to exit? Also, is it a pretty consistent frop and rise - or is it steeper on one side than the other. That info might give us a sense of how likely (and easily manageable the problem might be).
  • FLY_4_FUN's avatar
    FLY_4_FUN
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    rent a similar TT for a day....hitch it up and see how it goes....if all is well buy one, if it goes badly hope you get ur damage deposit back. Lol
  • TheHound's avatar
    TheHound
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    Bob/Olallawa wrote:
    Flipping the axles would be my last choice. When you drug the tongue jack on your utility trailer, was the trailer loaded and dropping the rear of the SUV down? Your new 150 most likely has better ground clearance than the SUV while hooked up to the utility trailer. The travel trailer would also have spring bars attached (if you use a weight distribution hitch),and would keep the hitch of the truck from sagging and dragging. Photos don't show all for sure but I would think the question area is the dip leaving the main road and rising up before heading down toward the water area. I drag a 35 ft pull trailer into the hills for hunting and carry a few boards to use under the tires of the truck or trailer to help keep from dragging in bad areas.


    Thanks Bob! The pic with the pickup shown at the top would represent the steepest section as we make our way out of the driveway. And the one with the coyote lol. My truck says 10 degrees for what that's worth. I could see where keeping some boards there might be helpful. My Venza was more of a crossover so yes, definitely lower than my F150. It was empty when it dragged. No damage, just some gravel scooped up in the foot of the jack.
  • TheHound's avatar
    TheHound
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
    TheHound wrote:
    Thanks for the suggestion Mickeyfan! As a total newbie I am not sure I would be able properly recreate the scene of the crime lol as I have zero point of reference in terms of how these tow and clearance of the vital organs. And you are spot on...the tail is also a concern. Funny thing is, there may not be a problem here at all but I have no way of knowing until we potentially get stuck between our two ponds. Yikes!


    Generally, your vital organs will be ok (jacks would be your main concern) - as most are typically above the lower edge of the frame. I would suggest that your tail clearance at the peak of the hill is likely your biggest issue (and the most difficult one to solve it if is one. Especially if you buried the tongue on a utility trailer, I think you are right to think ahead about the tail clearance of a longer tt.

    Do you have any sense of the depth of the dip and the distance from entry point to exit? Also, is it a pretty consistent frop and rise - or is it steeper on one side than the other. That info might give us a sense of how likely (and easily manageable the problem might be).


    Right at the entrance heading down (or exiting) would likely represent the sharpest rise/drop. Moving up towards the cabin it is less steep but I lose some traction as there is not much gravel. Not so worried about that now with the truck. There is a level stretch between the two inclines as you pass the ponds. I should have shot a video, probably more helpful. Thanks for the insight.
  • TheHound's avatar
    TheHound
    Explorer
    Nov 30, 2017
    FLY 4 FUN wrote:
    rent a similar TT for a day....hitch it up and see how it goes....if all is well buy one, if it goes badly hope you get ur damage deposit back. Lol


    Trust me, I thought of that lol. As well as paying off someone to come and assess the situation first hand.

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