move bambi by hand?

Randjg1 · 07-14-2008, 11:45 PM

ok i may be insane but here's my problem and possible solution. Please chime back to confirm it can be done or if im nuts.

I have a nice new cement pad in my side yard for our 19ft bambi (4500lb)
the only problem, to get to it i have to manuver between two trees and then cut sharp to try and straighten her out before my drivers side drops down the slope into my neighbors yard, and then to make matters worse, as the tow vehicle pulls off the back of the pad as the trailer pulls into place my yard slopes up into my back yard, sharply so my hitch starts to dig into the ground so, anyway, yeah im not a master tower yet but am able to pretty much pull this off. However last night was touch and i got it on ok but its not lined up super straight and it buggs me to no end.

Heres my thought. Can i get a wheeled post? or wheeled floor jack or something to put under the tounge post and swing it over a foot by hand? Or maybe a neighbors lawn tractor could help? if i could jack up the front and slip a wheel on the post somehow and then slide the thing and then take it off id be a happy camper. and my pulling in and out would be way less stressful. Thanks for any insight.

Hey, maybe i should just hitch it to my bike, right? ha
thanks

ronstory · 07-15-2008, 12:04 AM

Been there, done that... just not with an Airstream... yet.

Harbor Freight to the rescue. Goto Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices and do a search on "trailer dolly". Looks like two choices for a 600lb hitch weight.

NevadaGeo · 07-15-2008, 12:05 AM

They make large caster wheels (maybe 8 inch or 6 inch) that you could put on the end of your tongue jack. If your concrete pad is level, then you should be able to move a bambi around by hand.
Try the camping world or harbor freight or an industrial supply

InsideOut · 07-15-2008, 12:06 AM

We too have a "tight fit" getting our two trailers onto our 21' wide by 24' long slab of of a very narrow alley.

We use these Hydraulic Wheel Dollies and a lawn tractor to get the job done. The lawn tractor has a much tighter turning radius and the wheel dollies allow us to straighten them out and nudge them into place...with room to spare for working on them. We also have wheels for the tongues for moving around to get them away from the fence/garage to get inside if the doors are on those sides - normally, we park them with the doors to the center so we can get into either anytime...but below is when they were pushed to the edges to make the center work area as large as possible... each is only about 9-12" from the edges in this picture.

As long as your slab is flat...they work great!

Shari

Lumatic · 07-15-2008, 07:53 AM

I have a caster wheel from the 70s I can sell. Send me a pm if you are interested.

mandolindave · 07-15-2008, 07:56 AM

My friend has the trailer dolly. Something to think about...it has a brake controller

Steve & Susan · 07-15-2008, 10:42 AM

Your plan is a whole lot easier because your Bambi is a single axle unit - turning is not a problem with those. It's near impossible to turn a double-axle unit with a dolley - too much friction.

Make sure you have a helper with a pair of wheel chocks ready to chock the wheels when you want to stop. 4500 pounds on the move is a LOT of momentum and unless the dolley has a brake, you'll need outside help.

Best of luck -let us know how you fare!

Tim A. · 07-15-2008, 12:24 PM

Take a look here for another solution: Electric trailer dolly recommendation . Andy's word of caution would not apply to your Bambi.

unclemax · 10-12-2008, 09:03 PM

Hey Randjg1, Send up another post if you get the right equipment figured out for moving your AS. I have a 2007 CCD 16' Bambi (3500lbs) and im trying to make plans to move it into my backyard to use as a home office. I have a level pad, but its a really tight fit, so I've been reading the threads, looking for what equipment might work best.
thanks,
unclemax

RDM16CCD · 10-13-2008, 08:03 PM

I store my 16' Bambi in an off-site storage garage - and it's a little tight backing through the garage door - I'm certainly not the most skilled at backing into tight places. I bought a Power Caster and I'm really pleased with the quality, and the way it takes away all of the stress of backing up. It runs off of 110 VAC, and my Honda generator will power it if I need to use it while boondocking. A little extra expense up front, but well worth it to me in the long run.

Randjg1 · 10-13-2008, 11:26 PM

As it turns out before i could go buy a wheel or whatnot we took another trip and when i returned i did a better job and lined it up perfect. So i havent had the need. I did see the wheel at camping world for like 22 bucks but i want sure the size was right and all so i didnt pick it up.