New Driveway - Good News Bad News

[PharmGeek]

Note that I could not back further without contact - so a bit of elevation from the gutter and I think I’ll be golden. Or I hope

[pteck]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Does the lift much change using the stabilizer jacks? Like on flatish ground? Like you don’t have to add something under them? Assuming just an extra few cranks.

Don't need anything under them for flatish ground. Just a few more cranks on the jacks. I do always have on me 4 or so leveling blocks that I can throw under the lower end of slopped ground for the occasions they can't reach. Just like one would to level the trailer side to side under tires.

There's no way with a lift kit that this won't clear. It opens up a whole world of accessibility and reduced worries about clearance and underbody damage. I like that my hitch head and WD bars are likewise higher up and match the clearance of my tow vehicle.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, it seems as though your new driveway has a huge arch in it. From the street it should be flat but angled up slightly to your old section. [no arch needed]

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

. . . and now some lumber to test it finally . . .

Looking forward to this . . .

[markdoane]

You might pick up another inch of clearance if you switched your weight distribution hitch from a round bar setup to a square bar trunnion setup.

[gator.bigfoot]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Attachment 314472

This was coming down from the pad...but maybe if the rain gutter was filled that would be enough....

Do you own the hedge beside the driveway? If so remove half of it and come across from that angle. It will be a better lead in into the driveway. That is what I do with mine. I cut across the driveway on an angle to prevent it from dragging.

[matthewsx]

Never, ever, have concrete work done while you're not home.
Notice the 3in step at the top of our porch stairs

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by matthewsx

Never, ever, have concrete work done while you're not home.
Notice the 3in step at the top of our porch stairs

Indeed

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by markdoane

You might pick up another inch of clearance if you switched your weight distribution hitch from a round bar setup to a square bar trunnion setup.

I don’t follow - I have a propride hitch and WD bars

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by gator.bigfoot

Do you own the hedge beside the driveway? If so remove half of it and come across from that angle. It will be a better lead in into the driveway. That is what I do with mine. I cut across the driveway on an angle to prevent it from dragging.

Nope - I do not own it - my property line is right up against that hedge line - if it were not there that approach would be easier - although you will find that pulling out and leaving at that angle is quite a chore - you have to get near that point of bottoming and do a repetitive shimmy thing to move the angle of the tail end of the trailer and TV to pull out at that angle - total PITA

Thankfully - I can hug super close to the hedge and JUST clear with a linear shot out - for some reason going back in that “just” amount is even more marginal - it’s all so close that much depends on tiny nuances

Good news is in all cases right now my tires are in the rain gutter so I feel pretty confident now I’ll be fine - I think

Gonna grab some lumber at lunch today I hope and get home and try

To say I’m obsessed about this now is an understatement - it’s a flaw I have

I’m feeling more and more better about this all though - feels more and more like a near miss at this point

Lesson will be learned and I think I’ll have a functioning and attractive driveway at the end of this

If I had remembered Sunday night to loosen the WD jacks (usually I would) I think my panic would have been less as I would have reached the gutters that night

We shall see

Big thanks everyone again - y’all are like therapy for my nerves on this. Indeed lessons will be learned from this.

[PharmGeek]

In HD now - getting a 2x10 and will get this all checked out today - fingers crossed

[PharmGeek]

With boards slightly above level of gutters - just barely clears. Like baaarrreeely - and my hitch buts didn’t contact either (they did a couple times before...

In talking to my other concrete buddy he sent me this message (photo)




The concrete guy will be out here Friday morning to meet with me

[DaveP]

PharmGeek,

Not trying to butt in and not sure if you saw my previous post, but I had a similar problem after changing the bottom of my driveway (post # 55). I use a different hitch in my receiver going into and out of my driveway. It has no drop below the receiver (straight out) and no weight distribution bars hanging down (or connected). It stopped the rear of my trailer from dragging (as the weight distribution hitch tries to keep the trailer and truck on the same plane) and (or course), there are no bars to drag. Cheap solution, but you have to put the weight distribution hitch back on when you get out in the street and take it off before you go back into the driveway. Anyway, it worked for my situation.

Good luck.

[A W Warn]

A concrete topping on the existing concrete will not stay in place. The thin edges will crack and crumble in no time. Eventually all of the topping will come up, even if a bonding agent is used.
Cut, remove, replace is the best way.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Attachment 314671

With boards slightly above level of gutters - just barely clears. Like baaarrreeely - and my hitch buts didn’t contact either (they did a couple times before...

In talking to my other concrete buddy he sent me this message (photo)

Attachment 314672



The concrete guy will be out here Friday morning to meet with me

Ok...stop right where you are, put a Lynx right behind the AS tires...have the 'Concrete' guy buy them.😂😳

Bob
🇺🇸

[PharmGeek]

Originally Posted by A W Warn

A concrete topping on the existing concrete will not stay in place. The thin edges will crack and crumble in no time. Eventually all of the topping will come up, even if a bonding agent is used.
Cut, remove, replace is the best way.

My buddy said the same thing - cut, remove, and replace about 4 feet worth should do the trick.

About changing the hitch - I did see your comment - are you familiar with the propride hitch? That is not easy to simply remove and put back on - - not an option

Btw - the WD bars now didn’t hit at all with the lumber so once we regrade - it should prove all good

- just have to see how the fix will play with my contractor and what he will agree to.

I haven’t ruled out the option of a lift kit either to be clear - gonna mull more about it.

Meeting the contractor on Friday

[pteck]

Just thinking out side the box... But I assume you have a pickup?

There are vehicles (usually SUVs) with on board height adjustment like I have that can dynamically raise or lower the vehicle to get a wee bit more clearance at the other end of the trailer. Like a see-saw. I use to play these tricks pre-trailer lift, but no longer. Now I just use it as a cheat when hitching or leveling at a campsite.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

. . .
In talking to my other concrete buddy he sent me this message (photo)
. . .

His proposed modification over the gutter will dam up the water and create a problem. It is also probably ON CITY PROPERTY, so you should have your survey handy when you meet with him.

Why did you cut that 10' long 2x10 down to the short length which is under the tires? You did not accomplish the mock-up which would have informed a wise and complete solution IMO.

Here is Post #12 -- click on the orange arrow to go back there and read the entire thread again -- there seems to be a communication or some other problem here:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

This should work for a test fit mock up IMO. I think I would start with longer planks, and a bit wider to give you some wiggle room. Maybe 2 2x10 10' long, with plenty of cut-offs to use as supports every 1/4 of the length. If you have any red bricks around, they would also work as supports.

If you can find any construction cedar 2x material [vs. CCA etc. pressure-treated lumber], you can use all the scraps as kindling for campsite fires, or in your Bonfire stove!

Really, this is getting ridiculous! About 6-8 people have made the same suggestion about using a longer plank as a test.

Why did you cut it down to that length? Are you intentionally trying to test everyone's patience?

[r carl]

Originally Posted by pteck

Just thinking out side the box... But I assume you have a pickup?

There are vehicles (usually SUVs) with on board height adjustment like I have that can dynamically raise or lower the vehicle to get a wee bit more clearance at the other end of the trailer. Like a see-saw. I use to play these tricks pre-trailer lift, but no longer. Now I just use it as a cheat when hitching or leveling at a campsite.

Didn't you see the bottom pic in post 31? The truck height doesn't come into play here.

[r carl]

Pic in post 32 shows not enough dirt was removed so the poured concrete would be ground level, not grass level. Spacers above your axles will help you in other situations too.