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markdoane · 12-12-2016, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlhendren

Ok, I'll add one more piece of advice.....

Remember that if you get in a bind, you can always unhitch and re-position the tow vehicle at a straighter angle and then re-hitch and continue on.

Great advice, but critically important to chock the wheels before you unhitch.

You know this, but sometimes this step gets forgotten in the urgency of the moment.

slowmover · 12-12-2016, 12:44 PM

I back for a living. I don't like that driveway at all.

Is there any chance that with a pad and some privacy fencing you could store trailer where pic shows it?

Being that the house is right on the corner and that there appears to be no space between house and drive.

What is drop off from paving? 4"? That's a lot. A 90 degree turn means really having to crank things over. TV on and off pavement.

I wouldn't say it can't be done. It's that eventually it's a problem. Mistakes are just so damned expensive.

I'd keep it home as well. But . . . .

OTRA15 · 12-12-2016, 12:59 PM

-- Bare hitch ball only is fine -- no weight distribution needed.
-- two spotters better than one IMO, and one spotter should be on the phone with you. Hand signals can be confusing unless you and the spotter are an experienced team and have done this many times.

I have a more basic question -- How competent are you at backing up the trailer in general? If you are new to this, your driveway is a terrible place to start learning these skills IMO. The advice quoted below from another thread [click on arrows to go there] covers the basics of the easiest way to back up a trailer IMO. I learned it decades ago, and is indeed like riding a bike once mastered.

Another question -- are you sure your driveway is wide enough with ample clearance on the outside of the curve? You will be making a tight turn, and the tow vehicle's front, and the trailer's rear are going to at extreme angles compared to the hitch area in the middle. Are you sure both vehicles can make this turn, ignoring the change in elevation?

Lastly, are you sure your tow vehicle can pull the trailer up that hill? Even with your 4x4, with that tight of a turn, you might experience tire spin going up the hill IMO. As you park the trailer down there, you are going to have to make lots of to-and-fro adjustments. Not a good time to have the tow vehicle's tires spinning!

Not to mention if the pavement is wet, this could be almost impossible . . .

"Measure twice, cut once . . . "

Good luck!

Peter

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveMc

. . . but placing/gripping one hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and moving your hand to the left or right depending on where you want the trailer to go is pretty foolproof.
. . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Exactly!

Developing the skill to do this, without any further assistance, is crucial to happy trailering IMO. Go to a large parking lot when it is not busy, and practice this simple method until you have it down pat. Borrowing a small boat or utility trailer makes the learning easier, but is not necessary.

It is like learning to ride a bike.

Once mastered, never forgotten!

Happy Trails!

HowieE · 12-12-2016, 01:34 PM

I often voice a somewhat different opinion here and will do that again. I see no reason to remove the WD bars as that will drop your hitch to a point that you mat scrap just as you cross the hump. Also I would favor the outside of the curve and the hump as that looks like a much shallower crest to the drive.

You can test the first comment by just backing the combination t the point of the hitch reaching the minimum point of clearance with te bars in place. If you clear there it's a go.

Once ypu clear the hump you may want to move the trailer closer to the center of the drive for the balance of the parking This will reduce the possibility of the truck front tires having to go on the grass.

The complete job is a function of controlling the trailer axles direction.
If you favor the inside of the curve the bushes may block your vision. There is no shame in having to pull up to correct any over shoot as apposed to attempting to correct it while continuing to back up.

cliffcharb · 12-12-2016, 01:44 PM

That's blind side backing. If you are new to backing, I would equate that to learning to swim by being thrown in the pool. Haha. It can be done but will take patience. Spotters are a good idea.

slowmover · 12-12-2016, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffcharb

That's blind side backing. If you are new to backing, I would equate that to learning to swim by being thrown in the pool. Haha. It can be done but will take patience. Spotters are a good idea.

And that the TV will be well off the drive at one point or another. It's a situation that will cause grief someday.

Build a pad somewhere. Given that you could keep this trailer till old age overcomes you, well, consider options.

1973Argosy · 12-12-2016, 02:29 PM

I have used my front hitch in a situation similar to yours. Got the front hitch for a cargo carrier to carry the generator outside of my suv tow vehicle but works well for maneuvering in tight spots.

phann · 12-12-2016, 02:47 PM

I backup our 30ft Classic down a longer and steeper driveway with an "S" curve in it. Yours looks very doable. Each time I do it I get better at it. I found it much easier to pull forward and try backing down again if I start going off track along any section.

paiceman · 12-12-2016, 02:49 PM

Couple of points added to the suggestions so far.

You an add a wireless camera to the trailer - ours is mounted above the rear marker lights. Helps a bit, but I've backed trailers for over 45 years and it a distraction.

I don't think your gong to clear the drivers side of the driveway with your TV. I believe from what I am looking at that with that short a radius turn to put the rear of the trailer where I am guess you want it, your TV will be in the dirt.

I like the suggestion of a pad up above and camouflage to conceal it from neighbors.

But, I'd give it a shot backing down just to see. If you are using an Equalizer WD hitch system you do not have to take the bars off and as Howie noted when taking the bars off you'll probably drop the rear of the two vehicle a bit and the steep slope it looks like the hitch could drag.

Bud

larryglarson · 12-12-2016, 03:15 PM

I have been backing my trailer down a long curving driveway for 6 years with no problems. First I take my time, second because is steep I put the TV in 4 wheel drive and low low gear, third I check my brakes first. 4th my mirrors move from inside cab control so I keep them set in order to see. As soon as I think I am getting off, I pull ahead and try again.

Good Luck, it will work.

RxGuy · 12-12-2016, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mefly2

For ~$150 you can fit a front receiver on your TV ... money well spent!

Questions about the front hitches:

How much does the tongue weight of the trailer comes into play when using a front hitch? Most of the front mount hitches show a 500lb vertical pull. Is that the same as tongue weight? If it is, the tongue weight on a 27FB is north of 750 lbs.

I realize you're not going to tow the trailer down the road with it. But are you asking for trouble? Or because it is only used occasionally, it really doesn't matter?

I ask this because I looked at one of these for my TV and decided not to do it because I was going to exceed the tongue weight rating for the hitch.

Newbie here....asking cuz I don't know...

1973Argosy · 12-12-2016, 04:23 PM

I have used mine to put my fishing boat into some pretty tight spaces and once to put a SOB down a four wheeler trail at a hunting camp. The travel trailer squatted my expedition pretty good but it got the job done. I did not worry about tounge weight simply because of the slow speed and not being on public roadways. The front hitch is built just as heavy and mounted as securely as my rear hitch. I have three 4x4 vehicles and each have a front hitch.

xrvr · 12-12-2016, 05:13 PM

Have you tried backing just the tv up the driveway ? How'd that work?

TomKirk · 12-12-2016, 06:00 PM

Frankly Bro, I think you've painted yourself into a corner.

Take down that wrought iron fence. Back it straight out.

Tom

VaTravelers · 12-12-2016, 06:22 PM

Ron, we purchased a 2017 28' Serenity in Aug. Your driveway and two garages is identical to mine except my shop is on the upper pad. I have an F250 4x4 so that gives me a bit of an advantage. The day we brought our trailer home we elected to back her down. We use walkie talkies instead of cell phones. We also "briefed" the maneuver before we started. We put her on the outside of the lower pad with leveling blocks. Piece of cake. Forgot to say, it was a beautiful summer day. Go forward three weeks and our first camping trip. Wonderful maiden adventure with exception of some rain. Well it rained pretty hard while we we gone. We started to back the trailer down, I got a little crooked and started to pull forward. By that time I had two whelks on the wet soft grass. Before it was over I had torn up my grass with no traction. My trailer was all crooked in my driveway and dangerously close to my deck so I was pretty much stuck. Fortunately my neighbor came home with his new Ram 2500. He hooked up to my TV and between the two of us pulled both TV and 7,200 pounds of AS up the driveway. I did back it down with his guidance. It actually was easy with him helping. We hugged the inside curve and paid attention to the axles. I am investigating a front receiver to make the whole evolution easy. The alternative is to pay $30K to widen the driveway. Take your time and don't try it if it's been raining.

tjdonahoe · 12-12-2016, 06:32 PM

Looking at the picture, you will be in the grass with your pickup, I would do something different, a front hitch won't help as you still can't see, this isn't a boat and your drive way isn't wide enough..

NorCal Matt · 12-12-2016, 07:00 PM

We not just try it and see? Take it slow and see if it's something you want to continue to do. Grass will grow back, so as long as you don't hit the house...

Iansk · 12-12-2016, 07:09 PM

A front mount hitch is invaluable in my opinion. I've put trailers of all types in places they have no right to be in. Yes you can't see, but you have spotters. It's a little unnerving at first, but putting your "smart" wheels so close to the pivot point will give you an unbelievable amount of maneuverability. I also use an extra long ball mount to nullify any chance of hitting and it gives you an even greater amount of turning radius. Last two trucks have had a front mount, the rest of my trucks will too...

StreamDog · 12-12-2016, 07:21 PM

What I see in the photo is a sharp drop off at the top of the driveway. You might want a spotter to warn if the tongue jack is going to drag.

joshjack · 12-12-2016, 07:39 PM

So I would bring up the following concern - how steep does the driveway drop off? It is possible in these cases on a long trailer to bottom out the stairs at the front when you first start going down, and then the rear items as you approach the bottom.

The turn itself doesn't seem like a big deal, hug the inside corner and keep the turn as gradual as possible.

We have a winding driveway with trees on both sides and I put our 30' in a spot that's a 90 deg turn at inside of the driveway. I use one spotter, hug the inside line, start the turn early and keep it going allowing it to get sharper as the trailer rolls in to the spot. By the third time it's getting pretty easy.