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Old 07-31-2015, 08:05 AM   #21
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Wow, all such great, well thought out ideas. I've been noodling around with ideas of how to do this for months. I obviously should have just posted here!

To start, I'll probably try the winch (especially if I can snag the $50 one from Craigslist), if that turns out to be too difficult, I'll order a Trailer Valet.

I'll update with details once the Bambi is in the driveway!


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Old 07-31-2015, 09:20 AM   #22
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Fundamental question(s): Why do you need the trailer to be pulled into your driveway/carport hitch first? Supposing you get it all the way in there hitch first, via winch (which sounds like a good idea), motorized dolly, excavator, team of sled dogs, etc., how will you get it back out to the street?

I too have a long skinny driveway, and mine has a nasty little kink to it out at the street. I pull my '73 21' GT into the end of the driveway with the TV, and then attach a hand trailer dolly like pictured above. I muscle (pull by hand) the trailer down my skinny driveway, and then behind the house it widens out to meet the mouth of a 2 car garage. Once I have the trailer in the wide spot, I rotate it 180 degrees so that the hitch is pointing out so that I can pull it back out with the hitch (again by hand). There are plans on Ebay to build a powered trailer dolly, driven by a 12V winch. It is my eventual plan to build one to ease my back.
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Old 07-31-2015, 09:39 AM   #23
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Hitch first because we actually want to use it in the driveway and don't want the door to be facing the fence.

We'll get it back out to the street the reverse way of the way we get it in.

I have thought of backing it in then trying to turn it around (this was originally my Dad's suggestion). This just seems really complicated to me. If I don't have a winch, I need to bring about 4 of my neighbors or friends to help push it/muscle it around. There is still a light incline, so if we fail, then I'm stuck with my Airstream angled strangely in the driveway and I have to figure out a way to get it out under less than ideal conditions.

If I'm going to do this, I want to do it safely and with control. I also want to be able to get it out of the driveway when I'm done with it. I'll likely pull it in 3 or 4 times a year. With the winch, the blocking behind the wheels every couple of inches is easy enough to do.

I may ultimately end up with one of the TrailerValets. I like what I perceive to be both the ease of use AND the fact that when I want to use it, all I'll have to do is attach it to the on-board batter and go.
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Old 07-31-2015, 10:13 AM   #24
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I really think the trailer valet is the solution you need. The winch may get you up, but how about going the other way? Is the incline enough?
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Old 07-31-2015, 11:25 AM   #25
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This is DESIGNED for your situation:
powercaster I use it to maneuver my 34' AS.
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Old 07-31-2015, 11:40 AM   #26
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1) Get the hand dolly. That's a good idea. It's good strategy to have one anyway.

2) Recruit friends to push Bambi into place.

Tom
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Old 07-31-2015, 02:53 PM   #27
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ICurrie
Why not just back it in? What are we not seeing here? Driveway looks nice and level and wide enough. Just back that puppy in. jon
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Old 07-31-2015, 03:02 PM   #28
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Use a Mini Excavator to Move 19' in Driveway?

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Originally Posted by B00merang View Post
ICurrie
Why not just back it in? What are we not seeing here? Driveway looks nice and level and wide enough. Just back that puppy in. jon

Per post #23. Because the door faces the fence when the trailer is backed in, and she wants the door to face the yard so it can be used while parked at home. A great idea IMO.
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Old 07-31-2015, 04:33 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by phlegm View Post
How about something like..
If your driveway is flat enough you can pull it by hand.
If not, you can improvise a way to tow it with the mini-ex or a riding mower, or even if you are brave.. use this in the front to steer and PUSH the trailer with the mini-ex.

MaxxTow Trailer Dolly with 1-7/8" Hitch Ball - Black Powder Coated Steel - 600 lbs MaxxTow Hitch Accessories MT70225
I bought a battery powered unit something like the manual one shown. It has two good size tires and a powerful electric motor run by the 12V battery. This thing will pull our 23' IngternationalSerenity if on a smooth and hard surface. Macadam for example. Our unit is new and unused as we have gravel drive surfaces and the tires simply dig-in rather than pull the Airstream. I recommend the product to pull and maneuver trailers where the surface is "hard." Special tires for the unit are available…….maybe I'll get some!! All the best!!
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Old 07-31-2015, 06:30 PM   #30
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I must have missed something. You want to get the AS into your drive nose first. Then what? Will it always stay there in that position? How will you hook it up to your TV to exit and go RVing?

You could always back the AS into the driveway, chock one side and use a dolly wheel on the jack post, and rotate the AS so it winds up the way you want, but then, you would have to reverse that to get it out. What are you trying to accomplish, big picture?
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Old 07-31-2015, 06:31 PM   #31
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Use a Mini Excavator to Move 19' in Driveway?

Adam, where did you get the motorized trailer dolly? My driveway has a slight incline, maybe 3%?


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Old 07-31-2015, 07:49 PM   #32
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Could you just back it in?
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Old 07-31-2015, 07:55 PM   #33
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Could you back it up the driveway then turn it around with a dolly at the top? I've turned mine 180 deg with just a comalong <sp?>.
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Old 07-31-2015, 07:57 PM   #34
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I also have one worktruck with the receiver mounted on the front.
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Old 07-31-2015, 08:11 PM   #35
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I would say with the right ball hitch attachment on the excavator bucket it would be no problem to move. Mini excavators vary in size, so if it is really small it might be a challenge. Maybe flip the bucket and attach the hitch to the underside of the bucket. I do it with a Bobcat, much easier.

More importantly, you need to know the machine pattern, you will need to make compound movements. If you can't operate one now, don't learn on an Airstream. Not worth it. Maybe back it in, then with a wheel on the tounge jack, spin it around. Not sure what a 19' weighs
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Old 08-01-2015, 11:45 AM   #36
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Lawn Tractors/Trailer Dolly

We encountered a similar issue. We pull our 25' Serenity into the driveway and back it into our turnaround. We then detach the TV and get it out of the way. Initially, we used our Kubota BX2350 (lawn tractor on steroids) and put a 2" receiver on the 3-point hitch. After much searching, we found that the tractor said we could accommodate a 600 lb hitch weight, while the trailer has an 880 lb hitch weight. With a family of engineers, we decided that if we fixed the height of the hitch and lowered the trailer onto it, it should work and not overload the hydraulic pump. We also put the snow plow on the front of the tractor for counterbalance weight. It worked, but the steering was a little light. Since then, we've invested in a Parkit360 electric dolly with the trailer brake option (our drive has a slight slope). For straight pulls, that works well. You can make corners, but you have to work at it. And, it's small enough to store in the back corner of the garage.
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Old 08-01-2015, 02:12 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lcurrie View Post
Hi All,

I'm trying to get my Bambi into my driveway hitch first, which means pulling it in. I'd then like to get the tow vehicle out. I won't bore everyone with all the details of my driveway, but if I use the car/truck to do this, I'll need to leave it in the the driveway, there would be no way to get it back out.

I have access to a mini-excavator and am wondering if that would work. Would it be strong enough? If so, the next challenge - how could I attach a hitch receiver? I've seen the hitches that clamp on to buckets, but the reviews say that they only work with light weight trailers because they'll twist.

Since the mini-excavator isn't mine, I don't want to make permanent modifications to it. Maybe I can remove the bucket and have something made/welded that will attach to arm?

Thoughts?

Lynn
One of these for ~ $65 and a few friends, moving it will not be a problem.
600 lb. Heavy Duty Trailer Dolly
4 pulling on the front (2 on the dolly & 2 on the chains or use rope)
2 pushing on the back. Just tell your friends not to push on the skin, except directly on a rib.

I have a 1,600 lb 17' long utility trailer I move around by myself.
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Old 08-01-2015, 04:03 PM   #38
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Thanks again for all of the info. Here's the plan, which is already in motion:
  • Winch - acquired off of Craigslist today per Channing's tip.
  • Trailer dolly, jack with wheel, or just a wheel for my existing jack - still thinking a bit on this one. I like the dolly route because it has the knobby wheels and I'm going to have to create a plywood path over the grass center on my driveway for the wheel(s) to roll. Liking the wheel on a regular jack idea because it's one less thing to store + it will require 1 less thing to have to man during the move. Is it safe to assume the weight ratings on those are for the tongue weight and not the trailer weight?
  • Chocks for the wheels during moving - aquired
  • 12V battery for the winch - will likely swipe out of my car to use since I won't need it often.
  • Post to attach the winch to and lay across driveway in front of carport posts - hoping to borrow this from one of several friends. Again I don't want to store anything I don't have to, but if needed I'll purchase from Home Depot.

Lynn
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Old 08-01-2015, 04:52 PM   #39
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Parking your Travel Trailer

Quote:
Originally Posted by lcurrie View Post
Adam, where did you get the motorized trailer dolly? My driveway has a slight incline, maybe 3%?


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The unit is a "Parkit 360" which we purchased on line. I am confident the unit will pull and maneuver well over our 6000lb (max weight TT) on hard surfaces. Concrete/macadam etc.. A 3% grade should not matter with the weight of your TT. Check out the item on line. Remember the unit requires a battery (you buy separately). If you are interested in purchasing one send me an email…adamgeuss1945@gmail.com If opportune we will sell at 1/2 price. New and literally unused with battery. Hope this isn't against the Forum rules. I really am not a seller of things. I like to buy…….Hmmmm.
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Old 08-01-2015, 06:00 PM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lcurrie View Post
Thanks again for all of the info. Here's the plan, which is already in motion:
  • Winch - acquired off of Craigslist today per Channing's tip.
  • Trailer dolly, jack with wheel, or just a wheel for my existing jack - still thinking a bit on this one. I like the dolly route because it has the knobby wheels and I'm going to have to create a plywood path over the grass center on my driveway for the wheel(s) to roll. Liking the wheel on a regular jack idea because it's one less thing to store + it will require 1 less thing to have to man during the move. Is it safe to assume the weight ratings on those are for the tongue weight and not the trailer weight?
  • Chocks for the wheels during moving - aquired
  • 12V battery for the winch - will likely swipe out of my car to use since I won't need it often.
  • Post to attach the winch to and lay across driveway in front of carport posts - hoping to borrow this from one of several friends. Again I don't want to store anything I don't have to, but if needed I'll purchase from Home Depot.

Lynn
Yes, the ratings of the trailer dollies are the tongue weight, not the trailer weight. I use one of those manual HF units to drag my trailer around. It is rated to 600 lbs tongue weight, and my trailer weighs around 4500 empty--haven't had any worries using it.
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