parking on hill

[trcothorn]

Up until today I’ve always stored my puma travel trailer at my in-laws because I never thought it was possible to keep it at the house due to the extreme slope. Well I managed to park the thing in the backyard and I’m curious if this looks to be acceptable to anyone else. I used 4x4 blocks of wood as chocks behind the rear axle, and drove in 1.5 foot stakes to keep the blocks from moving anywhere. I also used rubber chocks behind the front axle, and I finished it off with xchocks. It didn’t budge an inch when I decoupled from the ball, and I lowered the nose down as far as possible. It’s still at an extreme angle, but I don’t plan on turning on the fridge or extending the slide while it’s parked like this. Any problems keeping like this until I can build up a more level pad? We are planning on building a level pad at some point down the road.

thanks

[afidel]

Grit dog wrote:
Good condition RxR ties will last a long time, but not as long as a keystone type block wall.

Consider this. An assumed 12x20 pad from 0-3' tall is about 13cy of fill material. Too much to unload and place by hand efficiently. So you'll need a machine and know how to run it., but only basic skill sif filling in behind a wall.
For a little over double the amount of material, if you have the room, you could build the same pad with 2:1 slopes and no wall. But requires more skill operating a machine, better compaction methods and future maint (mowing the slopes).
Probably a toss up, depending on material availability and your skills as an operator.

The wall will require grading each base lift run separately and accurately. With RxR ties, I'd consider battering the walls 1"-2" per row. I'd consider dead-manning a few ties into the fill, maybe 2 on each side about mid way up although if you build the "box" right, it will hold 3' of fill.
Fill material is dependent on your source. But best would be something more granular and not alot of fines and no clay.
Properly compacted. Still need to top with base course or gravel.
Or you could run dirt all the way up, 2 rows of pavers for wheel paths and plant it, but I'd rather have gravel underneath.

We leveled 14 tons of 1&2 rock and 7 tons of 57 rock with some shovels and rakes, 2 day job with 3 of us, a hell of a lot cheaper than renting a machine, and some manual labor once in a while is good for the soul and body. Now if you're to the point where the body is no longer done better by working then I understand where the economics might come out differently.

[Sjm9911]

Sobro wrote:
I agree that the bottom layer of PT 6x6 (don't bother with RR ties, they're heavy, dirty, and you need a chainsaw to cut them) should be below grade. In fact, you need to dig about two inches deeper than the 5-1/2 inch tall 6x6 and fill the bottom two inches with gravel for drainage underneath and the gravel helps with leveling that first 6x6. It takes a long time to get the first one because you have to be very fussy about drainange and level.

You'll need to remove the top layer of organic-filled soil from the entire landing pad site so it doesn't compost and settle over time.

If you are only going three feet high, you don't need deadmen, which are 6x6's set perpendicular to the wall length in roughly the middle of the height of the wall. You can use a garden hose with water in it as a level to determine just how tall your wall has to be at the back. Just Google how to do what the Egyptians did with their garden hoses 🙂 A string level will also work.

Use a drill with a long bit to bore a hole in the 6x6 and a sledgehammer to pound rebar through the first 6x6 at least 1 foot into undisturbed ground. Mark the outside of the 6x6 with a pencil where each rebar went so you don't accidentally try to drive a long screw or another rebar into an existing one from a 6x6 above (ask me how I know).

Stagger your joints as you go up, of course. I would backfill with gravel so drainage isn't a problem. The gravel should be typical road basecourse for your area. It will drain just fine when compacted without using larger sized stones.

Add your backfill 6 inches at a time (called a "lift") and compact that lift before adding more. You'll have to rent a vibratory plate compactor or a high school student wielding a hand plate compactor and you can also drive a vehicle over the parts you can reach to speed compaction along.

Go ahead and backfill up to where you think the concrete slab will be and use it as just a gravel top for a year so that everything has a chance to settle before you pour concrete.

He will definitely need dead men, hes parking a tralor on it. The deadmen will insure it will not bow or move when its in place. In fact i would go down 2 courses. Set it with rebar or a cross, and use the railroad tie screws for the rest.

[Grit_dog]

Good condition RxR ties will last a long time, but not as long as a keystone type block wall.

Consider this. An assumed 12x20 pad from 0-3' tall is about 13cy of fill material. Too much to unload and place by hand efficiently. So you'll need a machine and know how to run it., but only basic skill sif filling in behind a wall.
For a little over double the amount of material, if you have the room, you could build the same pad with 2:1 slopes and no wall. But requires more skill operating a machine, better compaction methods and future maint (mowing the slopes).
Probably a toss up, depending on material availability and your skills as an operator.

The wall will require grading each base lift run separately and accurately. With RxR ties, I'd consider battering the walls 1"-2" per row. I'd consider dead-manning a few ties into the fill, maybe 2 on each side about mid way up although if you build the "box" right, it will hold 3' of fill.
Fill material is dependent on your source. But best would be something more granular and not alot of fines and no clay.
Properly compacted. Still need to top with base course or gravel.
Or you could run dirt all the way up, 2 rows of pavers for wheel paths and plant it, but I'd rather have gravel underneath.

[Grit_dog]

Lwiddis wrote:
“I would dig a hole at the front and try to get the nose down as far as possible”

X2

Say wut?

[Sobro]

I agree that the bottom layer of PT 6x6 (don't bother with RR ties, they're heavy, dirty, and you need a chainsaw to cut them) should be below grade. In fact, you need to dig about two inches deeper than the 5-1/2 inch tall 6x6 and fill the bottom two inches with gravel for drainage underneath and the gravel helps with leveling that first 6x6. It takes a long time to get the first one because you have to be very fussy about drainange and level.

You'll need to remove the top layer of organic-filled soil from the entire landing pad site so it doesn't compost and settle over time.

If you are only going three feet high, you don't need deadmen, which are 6x6's set perpendicular to the wall length in roughly the middle of the height of the wall. You can use a garden hose with water in it as a level to determine just how tall your wall has to be at the back. Just Google how to do what the Egyptians did with their garden hoses 🙂 A string level will also work.

Use a drill with a long bit to bore a hole in the 6x6 and a sledgehammer to pound rebar through the first 6x6 at least 1 foot into undisturbed ground. Mark the outside of the 6x6 with a pencil where each rebar went so you don't accidentally try to drive a long screw or another rebar into an existing one from a 6x6 above (ask me how I know).

Stagger your joints as you go up, of course. I would backfill with gravel so drainage isn't a problem. The gravel should be typical road basecourse for your area. It will drain just fine when compacted without using larger sized stones.

Add your backfill 6 inches at a time (called a "lift") and compact that lift before adding more. You'll have to rent a vibratory plate compactor or a high school student wielding a hand plate compactor and you can also drive a vehicle over the parts you can reach to speed compaction along.

Go ahead and backfill up to where you think the concrete slab will be and use it as just a gravel top for a year so that everything has a chance to settle before you pour concrete.

[Timmo_]

I would use 6x6 instead of 4x4 as your "chock". When backing up my TT over a concrete street curb, I used 4x4 blocks as a "baby step" and the TT tires easily backed up over the 4x4 blocks and up and over the curb.

Second observation, after a good rain, expect some ground settlement at key contact points.

I love seeing Can Do in action.

[JRscooby]

afidel wrote:
RR ties have a functional life of ~40 years after the RR is done with them, even being a relatively young RVer that's probably plenty 😃

As far as using a bobcat, that's fine if you have $600 for a 2 day rental.

Maybe in some places, but I delivered ties for walls as late as 2010, that have serious issues.
As for somebody that has never spent time on 1 renting a Bobcat for a small job like that, it often does not save money. Average small machine (Not talking about the little stand up) has a bucket that is 5 ft wide. Do you know how to pick up a 8+ foot long tie and carry it? Maybe renter can fill between the walls, but does he know how to do it so he doesn't have ruts under wheels next fall?
If a load takes more than 2 to pick it up, it is pretty dangerous for 3 to handle. When we where loading the truck, or deciding what size machine to use for a bundle, the average tie the RR sold would be about 180

[afidel]

RR ties have a functional life of ~40 years after the RR is done with them, even being a relatively young RVer that's probably plenty 😃

As far as using a bobcat, that's fine if you have $600 for a 2 day rental.

[JRscooby]

afidel wrote:
Oh, and word of warning, the ties are really heavy, we used 4 men (1 68 year old in good health, 2 40 year olds, and a 19 year old) and some ratchet straps to carry and set them into place safely. We used a post hole digging bar to move the pieces around on the pile and to help position them together.

I drove the pipe with a post driver and finished with a sledge hammer to get them flush.

Also, pay the extra for construction grade ties, no sense saving 20% and having it fall apart prematurely.

IMHO, the best way to handle ties is with a machine. I used a Bobcat, but never had a thumb on my hoe.
RR replaces ties about every 15 years or so. At my age that might not be a issue, but I would want it to last past my lifetime. Wall blocks on a footing, and put in right might be a better deal.
Often when somebody is talking about a new TV, they are told to think about next trailer. Building a RV garage, same advice. Would that not apply here?
You will want the base of the wall below existing grade, unless you put compacted fill behind it. For a temporary (few years) you might stack a tie on top of a couple of others in a pyramid crosswise behind where tires are now. Then lay 2 pair for ramps under tires, with the uphill end dug into the grade so don't push them when getting on. This would lift the back axle about a foot and half, and give you something solid to park on.

[LVJJJ]

I park my TT on 2x12's, would be a more solid base to screw into. for a short term solution maybe stack 3 or 4 2x12's, screwed together to raise the tires, dig the front in so they are level.

[nickthehunter]

Reinforced earth walls Clicky
More info Clicky 2

[SDcampowneroper]

leveling a pad on such a slope will take retainer walls or a whole lot of fill to slope the pad to the land. Only you can judge costs and labor.
When We owned the camp. we used many a grade 2 RR Tie, tie back anchors, rebar, timber screw.
We borrowed from there. bought from them, dug and buried scrap to get fill and topsoil.
I get it, your toughest issue is not the retainer, but to fill it from where? Fill can be free or $$$

[afidel]

Oh, and word of warning, the ties are really heavy, we used 4 men (1 68 year old in good health, 2 40 year olds, and a 19 year old) and some ratchet straps to carry and set them into place safely. We used a post hole digging bar to move the pieces around on the pile and to help position them together.

I drove the pipe with a post driver and finished with a sledge hammer to get them flush.

Also, pay the extra for construction grade ties, no sense saving 20% and having it fall apart prematurely.

[time2roll]

Need to evaluate the use of the entire yard to determine where to go and where to stop on this.
Need better pictures to give more comments on the wall.