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247magic · 08-31-2020, 01:18 PM

I have a pad that is big enough to park a 30' trailer and it would be very easy to add a 50 amp connection. However is would require backing up a incline before flattening out. Has anyone had any issues backing a Airstream from the street up a incline? We will be ordering the 27' Globetrotter at the end of the year

**Kevin245** · 08-31-2020, 01:47 PM

No issues here. As long as the rear end doesn’t drag, or scrape on the transition from the street to the incline you should be good. If it is off pavement then traction could be an issue on wet terrain. We had a 31’ BTW.

247magic · 08-31-2020, 02:03 PM

Thanks

Daquenzer · 08-31-2020, 03:06 PM

If you have a pickup you may need to put in 4x4 or lock the rear differential so you don’t slip as much. I’ve done that a few times backing into a sloped site with gravel. I have a 28’

gator.bigfoot · 08-31-2020, 03:16 PM

I back up and turn to park mine next to house. The first part is part of a steep driveway before getting onto the grass. As long as it's fairly dry it works. But in spring I need to wait as the trailer can easily sink 3 or 4 inches in the grass.

Also when it sinks in it requires much more power.

GotTaGo · 08-31-2020, 05:20 PM

Biggest issue for many is the tail dragging at the flat to incline transition.

My 28’ bottomed out bad. I tried using boards as ramps with limited success. Installation of the 3” Dexter AS lift kit solved the issue.

GetawA-S · 08-31-2020, 05:48 PM

I’ back my 23FB into a narrow space next the house - slopes up from the street and down towards the neighbors. Once I had a feel for the best trajectory, I put down pavers to minimize friction and even out the low spots. It makes all the difference, and looks better than ruts and dead grass. (TBH, it was the wife’s idea.)

NoResults · 08-31-2020, 05:55 PM

Added the 3" lift kit. Sometime still scrape a bit. Have to hit my marks exactly and then still a bear. House on one side drop off on other side.

I also have a power mover to position it once up on level. No room to move around.

Dave

djb75 · 08-31-2020, 07:19 PM

We have an incline that leads up to the entrance of our barn (where the trailer lives). At first, we had an issue with dragging on the way in, but a few minutes with the tractor fixed that. While it still adds a little to the complexity of backing in, now the incline's biggest challenge is stopping periodically to readjust the rearview mirrors!

mikeinca · 08-31-2020, 08:43 PM

I do it all the time at my house. As mentioned, the crucial factor is the abruptness of the transition between street and driveway which can create issues with dragging the tail of the trailer. The longer the trailer, the more rear overhang, and the greater the likelihood of problems in this area. All else being equal a 27 footer will be less of a problem than a 30 footer, but it all depends on the configuration of your driveway. I had to have mine redone as a swale at the bottom caused real problems even for a 25' trailer.

I don't lock the diff to get up my paved drive but I do put the truck in 4x4 low range. It gives me more traction, power and control when backing slowly and it's also easier on the transmission.

emelaich01 · 09-01-2020, 09:26 AM

Our street is crowned at the center and the transition from the street to the driveway is rather abrupt. When we brought our 25' FB home, the rear frame extensions made gouges in the soft asphalt.
We used a 2" x 12" backed up with a 2" x 4" screwed parallel in the center and laid that in the gutter to take up some of the spacing problems. That did it and later added the Dexter lift kit.
Until then and if you do drag for just a bit, might try a ball mount with a 3" drop to raise the rear a tad. For the short trip up the driveway, you shouldn't need your WD hitch.
Sounds like an ideal spot--you'll get it figured out!

jaybauman · 09-01-2020, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emelaich01

Our street is crowned at the center and the transition from the street to the driveway is rather abrupt. When we brought our 25' FB home, the rear frame extensions made gouges in the soft asphalt.
We used a 2" x 12" backed up with a 2" x 4" screwed parallel in the center and laid that in the gutter to take up some of the spacing problems. That did it and later added the Dexter lift kit.
Until then and if you do drag for just a bit, might try a ball mount with a 3" drop to raise the rear a tad. For the short trip up the driveway, you shouldn't need your WD hitch.
Sounds like an ideal spot--you'll get it figured out!

The geometry of our street/driveway is similar. For awhile, I used homemade ramps made from stacked 2x12 boards. This was tedius, and the ramps were extremely heavy. A 3" Dexter lift kit got me most of the way there, but I still occasionally drag the rear bumper and/or WD bars.

So, in addition to the lift kit, I remove all WD tension and then start backing into my drive (clear the rear bumper). Then, I add quite some tension to the WD bars to raise them up from the ground (clear the WD bars). This multi-step procedure takes a slight bit of time, but I can do it without adding extra ramps.

See if you can use your WD hitch to your advantage if you need additional clearance in front or back of your trailer.

pteck · 09-01-2020, 10:02 AM

All great recommendations already and I use many of the same techniques. If it's particularly steep, you may need to use several of the strategies together.

These are my go tos, with some unique to my tow vehicle
1) 3" lift, dexter axle and upsized tire lift
2) Low range
3) Remove WD bars
4) Approach grade at an angle if the space is wide enough
5) Vehicle height selectable suspension vehicle to lower hitch by 2", raising tail of airstream
6) Traction boards

soling917 · 09-01-2020, 10:44 AM

No problem backing, but turn off your brake controller.

**azflycaster** · 09-01-2020, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soling917

No problem backing, but turn off your brake controller.

How does that help?

AFTER TAXES · 09-01-2020, 08:49 PM

just get in and do it........see I know u could
really cant think of any issues

soling917 · 09-02-2020, 08:02 AM

You don't want the trailer brakes to operate when backing. You going slow and some times I 2 foot the backing the brakes will bind.

247magic · 09-05-2020, 09:34 AM

Thanks so much for the reply’s. Some great information.

Airdog9 · 09-06-2020, 06:03 PM

No problem...might take a few try's, but like most things will become easy with time. Enjoy the new rig!

Shads Shack · 09-07-2020, 08:19 AM

I have backed my 22' Airstream up a number of rather steep grades to campsites.

I try to avoid whenever possible. I will go to a lesser site if possible.

The issue I find is that the automatic transmission temperature skyrockets, and I'm not sure how hot the fluid can get, even for a very brief time, before it is permanently harmed.

My tow vehicle is a rear-wheel drive Nissan Armada, and most people have told me I have plenty of ummmph for towing my trailer. However, that refers to engine power and does not include backing up, a fete that I don't think automatic transmissions are designed to perform under duress.