I would like to purchase a TT in the future to place on my property. The door side I would like in a certain direction but to do so the terrain will not allow me to pull it into place... (If I backed it in to position the normal way, the doors would be on the opposite side of which I want them to face.)I know a lot depends on the type of TT. I am thinking that it would be some where in the length of a 25 footer with double axles. I do not have the site yet in a state to accept a trailer (even if I can do this "push" method.) I am trying to think down the line so as to anticipate more about getting the site ready to place the RV.Is there a possibility that I could affix a hitch to the rear bumper to only push-position the trailer into my ideal location?It would only be used for these temporary site placements.

Can't figure out if you are serious or joking.How are you planning to pick up the tongue? There will be considerable amount of weight on the tongue to deal with which would require some sort of wheeled dolly.Then you have the issue of trailer bumpers being nothing more than 20 ga sheet metal, you would have to reinforce that considerably..Perhaps consider a Motor Home instead of a trailer, then you can simply drive it into position..You will end up wrecking a trailer attempting to push from behind..Of course there will be a bunch of folks posting they do it all the time..

With a ParkIt360 trailer dolly you could move it into any place you want to park itCourse it will cost you $$$$ParkIt360

No not joking (would have posted this Thursday if it were... LOL)Thanks for the input to think about more the mechanics of TT's.I guess I need to figure out how to pull it from the correct side without using my truck.Perhaps that electric dolly might be an option.I could hire my excavator to perhaps pull it into place with one of his implements.

Gdetrailer wrote:Can't figure out if you are serious or joking.How are you planning to pick up the tongue? There will be considerable amount of weight on the tongue to deal with which would require some sort of wheeled dolly.Then you have the issue of trailer bumpers being nothing more than 20 ga sheet metal, you would have to reinforce that considerably..Perhaps consider a Motor Home instead of a trailer, then you can simply drive it into position..You will end up wrecking a trailer attempting to push from behind..Of course there will be a bunch of folks posting they do it all the time..I think it is a pretty good question as I’ve been in a couple of sites I’d like to do that, and have manually done it when I had a pop up. The silly suggestion is to buy a motor home to permanently park.

What about renting a skid steer or a tractor? I'm thinking somehow add a ball to the bucket or fork, and lifting the tongue to maneuver the trailer into position. You might already be renting the equipment to prepare the site.Brian

Pushing a TT into position from the rear bumper...?

lane_hog
Explorer II
Apr 01, 2021
Those jack-wheels do make it possible to move a trailer by hand on a hard packed surface, but sheets of plywood work, too.

If you've got some mature trees, you might also be able to use a winch or come-along with a block & tackle. It would be slow, but relatively safe.

FWIW, I've seen 2" receivers welded or bolted to the rear frame on fifth wheel trailers to allow triple-tow where it's allowed. That might also be an option to consider in conjunction with a jack wheel.
d3500ram
Explorer III
Mar 31, 2021
I would most certainly make sure that any placement will done safely. If it were a perfectly level, hard surface site, I would entertain different "moving devices" of sorts... but as I visualize the possibilities, my specific situation will likely require a vehicle with weight more that say an ATV. It will need to "control" the trailer when situating it.

As mentioned, this idea is a couple years away... After I prep the sit, I might just set up a yurt or even my outfitters tent. The latters will be a whole lot easier to put in place.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Mar 31, 2021
rlw999 wrote:
Gdetrailer wrote:
wowens79 wrote:
Gdetrailer wrote:
Can't figure out if you are serious or joking.

Might be a "good question" but a "pop up" and a 26+ ft trailer are two entirely different creatures when it comes to tongue weight.

Popup has what perhaps 200lbs-250 lbs on the tongue with a trailer weight of 1800 lbs - 3500 lbs, a empty 26ft TT will weigh in at a min of 5000 lbs and can have as much as 750 lbs on that tongue empty.. You are gonna have to have super human strength to pickup a 26ft trailer tongue by hand..

Not sure why you'd need to pick it up by hand, I'd just use a wheeled trailer jack. Put some plywood under if it if it's off road.

The harder part is getting a tongue on the back of the RV that he can hitch to his truck. Maybe some custom hardware to attach a toad tow bar.

But by the time he buys the wheeled jack and custom fits a tow bar, he's probably half way to the price of an electric tow dolly.

Nothing like chopping up conversations then reconstructing them to suit your view.

I was responding that moving a lightweight "popup" by "HAND" is vastly DIFFERENT than moving a REAL HEAVY 26ft TT..

2K lbs or so vs 5K lbs or so.. Someone IS going to get hurt or killed in the process once that trailer tongue is no longer adding friction to movement to the train wreck that is about to happen.

Folks HAVE been hurt or killed over the yrs attempting to stop their own vehicles that slipped out of "park", not sure why folks think trailers can't do the same..

Don't respect the weight, it won't respect you when it rolls right over you..

Safety should be priority, not stupidity.

Sometimes I think this forum is connected to the DARWIN AWARDS website that highlight folks creative ways to get killed..
d3500ram
Explorer III
Mar 31, 2021
OP here... appreciate the banter, it gives me many ideas and options.
Just to clarify, When I used the word "state" I meant it as a term of "condition" or "circumstance", not as a political boundary. I need to get my proposed site into a condition to accept a trailer in the location where I would like to place it.

As others have alluded, there is a certain ideal position on which to locate the door side of the RV, along with a deck or patio, that will capture the view to the river adjacent to my backyard with mountains as the backdrop.

I would need to bring in fill. My excavator, with whom I occasionally contract for projects, always has discharge from his other projects and is always looking for places to dispose of removed soil. I am willing to accept it and would like to perhaps make a spot for a trailer. The way it would be placed presents the quandary of which I asked on the original post. Maybe asking to "push" from the back bumper was not the best descriptor of my predicament, but it did start the conversation to eventually getting me thinking about the options and possibilities.

Very knowledgeable folks here and I appreciate the ideas. I will think on it more as to how best to resolve. It will not be this year and most likely not next either. But perhaps 3 or so years from now at the earliest I might be able to make this happen.

But as to the question of how to place the RV... when I get the site designed and installed, I will just have my excavator move the trailer into place. He has articulating front-end loaders and back-hoes that can make it happen by pulling it into position from the tongue ...and the equipment can easily navigate the new added raised soil.
rlw999
Explorer
Mar 30, 2021
Gdetrailer wrote:
wowens79 wrote:
Gdetrailer wrote:
Can't figure out if you are serious or joking.

Might be a "good question" but a "pop up" and a 26+ ft trailer are two entirely different creatures when it comes to tongue weight.

Popup has what perhaps 200lbs-250 lbs on the tongue with a trailer weight of 1800 lbs - 3500 lbs, a empty 26ft TT will weigh in at a min of 5000 lbs and can have as much as 750 lbs on that tongue empty.. You are gonna have to have super human strength to pickup a 26ft trailer tongue by hand..

Not sure why you'd need to pick it up by hand, I'd just use a wheeled trailer jack. Put some plywood under if it if it's off road.

The harder part is getting a tongue on the back of the RV that he can hitch to his truck. Maybe some custom hardware to attach a toad tow bar.

But by the time he buys the wheeled jack and custom fits a tow bar, he's probably half way to the price of an electric tow dolly.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Mar 30, 2021
ZINGERLITE wrote:
Gdetrailer wrote:
To put that into perspective, this is about the same as trying to push a 1/2 ton pickup truck by hand.

A little off topic but thats actually really easy for 1 person. Focus on rolling the tire not pushing the truck! a friend that used to work on semi's showed me that trick. makes rolling projects around the driveway easier!

Try that trick on dirt, grass or on a hill and see how well that "trick" works.

I have a 120 yr old antique car that weighs right around 2,000 lbs, rolling the wheel (and these are large diameter wheels, think on the order of a wagon wheel) and I can easily move it around on my flat, level cement garage floor.. Doesn't work as well on dirt and grass.
Anything unlevel, well lets say I am not dumb enough to try since that 2,000 lb car can do a lot of damage to a human body when it rolls right over you.

I have a healthy respect for anything that is on wheels, weighs more than myself and don't have a deathwish.

A 5,000+ lb trailer with no wheel chocks, no brakes and tongue off the ground or on a wheel dolly NEEDS the same or higher healthy respect..
wing_zealot
Explorer
Mar 30, 2021
colliehauler wrote:
I have a similar situation. In order to get my 35' TT into position I hired a skid steer to pull it in. I wanted the door side to face the lake and put in a patio. You could make a very heavy duty dolly to support the tongue and purchase a electric wench from Harbor Freight to pull it into position. If your ground is relatively flat a power dolly would work (mine was not). The skid steer and operator was $300.
You've peaked my curiosity, I want to know more about this electric wench!
GrandpaKip
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2021
I attached a 2” receiver to the bucket of our compact tractor to move various trailers around. It does have a bar to mount a ball, but it’s not accessible with the backhoe on.
You would have to have about 10 feet in front of the trailer.
gbopp
Explorer
Mar 30, 2021
Huntindog wrote:
I think you are reading it wrong.
The way I read it is he does't have the site ready yet... That can mean many things, perhaps a pad needs to be made, vegetation trimmed etc.

Okay, you're correct. I finally got it through my thick skull. It's probably still frozen solid from the winter.
When the OP said 'state' I was thinking of a political subdivision of the USA.
If the OP had used the word condition instead of state I would have understood.
That's not his fault, it's mine. Stupid is as stupid does. :S
Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 30, 2021
gbopp wrote:
colliehauler wrote:
I beleive he is in the same predicament as I. Not enough room to pull the trailer into place and get the truck back out because of the terrain.

I have several large pine trees and a lake that prevents the use of a truck.

I understand the OP's situation. But, he said, 'I do not have the site yet in a state to accept a trailer'
It sounds, to me that he's still looking for a site and has not decided on the state.

Like I said, maybe I'm reading the question wrong.
I think you are reading it wrong.
The way I read it is he does't have the site ready yet... That can mean many things, perhaps a pad needs to be made, vegetation trimmed etc.

Forum Discussion

Pushing a TT into position from the rear bumper...?

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Bumper strength

Push button gearshifts

Deer Bumper

Bumper Grill

Diesel push HP recommendation