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02-20-2017, 06:32 PM
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#21
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Rivet Master
Lakes Region
, New Hampshire
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 815
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And level
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRPREECE
If the surface is paved and relatively level, I would get one of these to solve your issue. Attach the cordless drill and you have a highly maneuverable dolly. I have one and it woks like a charm - but not on soft ground. It is well built for what it needs to do - it is not going to push or pull the trailer down the road, but when space gets tight, it is cheap compared to the cost to repair a dent, gouge, or scrap in your AS.
www.trailervalet.com
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And LEVEL bought one, tried it once and returned it. 750lb tongue weight, XL model, driveway has slight slope, very slight but that thing wouldn't move on it. Went the way of the front hitch and haven't regretted it yet. Curt hitch about $150 and an hour and a half self install on a Sierra 1500. The other good thing if your active you can always use it as a second mount, for bikes or other things if needed.
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02-20-2017, 07:24 PM
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#22
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Rivet Master
2013 31' Classic
billings
, Montana
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,570
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Down the street is a truck driver, have him back it in there, you watch....
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02-20-2017, 07:25 PM
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#23
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Rivet Master
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Newberg
, Oregon
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,052
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Front hitch is the answer. Frame mount, don't worry about the weight. It won't be there long enough to do damage.
This is exactly what my father in law does to park his trailer, about the same weight and length as my 27 ft FC, parallel with his garage and a tight fit next to the fence line
Mike
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02-20-2017, 07:40 PM
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#24
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Rivet Master
2002 30' Classic S/O
Fleming Island
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,667
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Quote:
Originally Posted by quietguy
No you don't. It's similar to Don Quixote chasing windmills (quixotic/quixotism).
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I wasn't so much concerned with the hitch rating as with the amount of squat the 700# load induced in my front end. The truck was close to the limit for the front axle with no load and I was uncomfortable adding 700# to that.
To each his own, it's your truck....
Al
__________________
“You cannot reason someone out of a position they have not been reasoned into"
Al, K5TAN and Missy, N4RGO WBCCI 1322
2002 Classic 30 Slideout -S/OS #004
2013 Dodge 2500 Laramie 4x4 Megacab Cummins
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02-20-2017, 07:58 PM
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#25
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Rivet Master
Lakes Region
, New Hampshire
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 815
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Al and Missy
I wasn't so much concerned with the hitch rating as with the amount of squat the 700# load induced in my front end. The truck was close to the limit for the front axle with no load and I was uncomfortable adding 700# to that.
To each his own, it's your truck....
Al
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I had the same sort of concerns, then started thinking about living in the North East, a lot of the Fisher plows are north of 700 lbs and there are plenty of 1/2 tons running around with them in the air. One of the things I did get, was one of these CURT 45342 Forged Ball Mount to get the actual ball a little higher to absorb some of the "dip"
Generally, for the amount of work you're asking it to do, I think it's fine, not going down the highway at speed or extended periods of time. Considering how unhappy my truck was with full tilt side to side swings for tight spots while backing, this seems to put LESS stress on the front axle.
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02-20-2017, 08:42 PM
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#26
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Rivet Master
1973 Argosy 24
hartselle
, Alabama
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 582
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There are many ways to measure out and mark stop points. The easiest way to maneuver time and time again into a cramped spot is with a front hitch. The sight gain is impressive. It feels a bit awkward at first but you get use to it pretty quick.
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02-21-2017, 04:24 AM
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#27
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1 Rivet Member
2003 25' Safari
London
, Ontario
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 14
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Just a question - would 2 I phones with Facetime and a spotter work ? I haven't tried it but I have a wide drive...
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02-21-2017, 05:24 AM
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#28
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Cedarcreek
, Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 527
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I back 2 trailers (25'AS and 20' vintage Avion) into their respective shelters in a wooded, sloped and tightly circuitous driveway situation. Practice, patience and repeatedly checking progress has proven effective for me. I have found that visual cues that can be seen through the side mirrors are extremely helpful and have even gone as far as installing treated lumber "wheel guides" as curbs and stop chocks to ensure I'm centered in the space and won't back in too far.
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02-21-2017, 08:45 AM
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#29
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Rivet Master
1976 31' Sovereign
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,017
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Not only parking off drive. When I built shed to store AS and machinery I did not think of making door for AS extra wide only 10 foot wide two feet front back, rather tight plus one side inside of bldg. has off set to trailer side, to close by by awning. Wife helps but some times out of view I STOP until she changes position, also I freq. get out and look situation over also go inches at time. So far in 25 yrs. no damage except one time friend helped did not stop me in time, broke elect outlet in back wall. Then cock slight when inside so can open door into stall as it is enclosed. Bill
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02-21-2017, 09:32 AM
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#30
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Tom T
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Orange
, California
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom_T
I agree that a frame/uni-body-frame mounted front receiver can help in putting your trailer where you want, as others have said above .....
If it is a very tight fit, then you may be better off with a dolly - & I would recco an electrically powered dolly to aid your maneuvering it around in the tight space - over the person-power. This is especially true if you have a harder to turn twin axle trailer.
You'll also appreciate having power assist, the older & creakier you get, as I can attest at 64!
I have one of these Power Movers for our Avion, in order to both move it in tight quarters on our driveway now, & to eventually maneuver it between the house & garage & then back to the far back area of our yard. Call or email them with the specifics of your trailer, + surface(s), distance & grades you need to maneuver it, & they can recco a custom build for your needs (no more expensive, since the build all to order).
http://www.powerdolly.co/
BTW - Using a front hitch set-up requires you to un-hitch from the trip, then re-hook-up at the front - so using a power dolly doesn't add any more steps to unhitch then hook-up the dolly.
Of course, you can also look at other powered dolly makers out there, but make sure to compare tires & motor power, so you have enough power to move your rig & enough traction to use that power.
Good Luck!
Tom
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Just to clarify on the above, & the OP drobbjr's question about a narrow space to back into ....
He's asking about a narrow slot between the garage & fence - which I'm guessing is something like 10-15' +/- wide - so it's like "threading a needle".
Our situation is similar on the driveway itself - it being a 1921 house with a rear detached garage on a narrow 42' wide street with parking on both sides, & only an 8' wide driveway with 15-18" of planter on each side & then a wall along the entire south side plus a phone/electric pole at the driveway apron entry point, & house/shrubs on the north side - so I only have a slot of 10.5 - 12' to "thread the needle"!
With practice I've been able to "thread the needle" & back the trailer into the driveway about halfway, but at that point we have a gate & the posts narrow the gap to only 9.5-10' - which I will NOT trust to backing with a truck (it's a rental, so front hitch is not an option).
It's at that point back where I switch to the Power Mover dolly & can back the trailer solo - with lots of back & forth checking, & the dolly moves slowly at walking pace, allowing for adjustments on the roll.
Yes - the dolly is expensive if taken on it's own, but is cheap compared to repairing an AS, & is not much more than the cost to buy a front hitch & have it mounted or custom-made - assuming it won't overload the front axle with the engine/transmission weight on there, plus you still have visibility issues & difficulty modulating a truck at ultra-low speeds.
So IMHO speaking from similar "threading the needle" experience, the powered dolly is the easier & safer solution in my, & probably in his situation as well.
Also, I doubt that practicing the tight maneuver in a parking lot with cones/rope/hose marking the obstacles out will help much, since that won't replicate the 3 dimensional nature of the problem, & it won't replicate any grade changes (if any). He really needs to practice with his own trailer on site with whatever means to move it he ends up using.
For example, in my case we have an 8% grade at the 5' wide driveway apron up from the street - with 10" high curbs on either side of the 11-12' wide opening/apron - with that dang phone/electric pole 2' to the right side, then a 5' flat sidewalk, then another 8% grade up for 15' to the flat part of the driveway. There is just no way to replicate all that "threading the needle" on our 75' long x 8' w + 15-18" clearance on each side with varying obstacles in a parking lot.
Only real world practice "threading the needle" at the driveway gets it down!
Hope this helps the OP,
Tom
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__________________
Tom T
Orange CA
1960 Avion T20, #2 made, Hensley Cub, TV tbd- looking for 08-22 Cayenne S, EH, etc
1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia CamperGL (Orig Owner) + 1970 Eriba Puck
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02-21-2017, 09:56 AM
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#31
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3 Rivet Member
1965 17' Caravel
brooklyn park
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 121
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backing up
sounds like you have a tight spot, so make the fence moveable! take out 1 or 2 sections and make a gate there, or anything that will remove it from your swing area. get creative, draw pictures, any thing to take the obstacles out! joe q from minnesnowda
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02-21-2017, 10:30 AM
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#32
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
KW
, Ontario
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 993
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My parking has pretty much the same dilemmas. There are multiple angles to deal with and visibility on either side is zero once the trailer is backed to the house. No lines on the pavement are going to work. My wife and I use cell phones to talk to each other. Once I get the trailer to the house it is her job to get me parked without hitting the house, running over the fence at the back and without dropping the trailer down the retaining wall directly beside the trailer. The lot angles back so it gets narrower as the trailer goes back. Once the trailer gets next to the cedar beside the garage I cannot see left or right of the trailer and I need to watch I don't catch the maple tree on the front or get the TV stuck since it is a very steep angle. The fall from the front to the back of the grass section is 5 feet.
I used to never trust my wife's instructions and that made it a real challenge. Now I just listen to her as she stands behind the trailer and I can usually get it parked in one shot.
Good luck.
Btw that is a 30 foot trailer.
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02-21-2017, 05:19 PM
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#33
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3 Rivet Member
1990 34' Limited
2013 27' FB International
Conroe
, Texas
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 208
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Seems the best idea would to not have to unhitch the TV and reposition it.
I would suggest visual aids "marker tape" a spotter with Walkie talkie and a wireless backup camera on the Airstream. Place pressure treated 2x8x6' boards on the ground that you can roll the Airstream tires on to at your final position. If possible leave the boards on the ground as permanent spot for the Airstream. All these are reasonable inexpensive options that may work for you.
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02-26-2017, 04:26 PM
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#34
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,077
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drobbjr
We recently bought an Airstream 25 Flying Cloud. I can back the trailer relatively easily into my driveway [it is a straight back up] but my plan is to park it parallel to the driveway and beside my garage.
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we got the trailer valet 5.
https://www.trailervalet.com/
it can pull the AS by hand and can also use a std electric drill to power assist the push/pull. it is one of the smallest units we found around with no bulky battery and motor to lug around
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02-26-2017, 04:59 PM
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#35
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1 Rivet Member
2006 25' International CCD
Sagle
, Idaho
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 14
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I have a parking spot along side my house. It is about 12 feet wide, paved, with the house on one side and a 4 foot high block wall on the other.. The drive way and parking area are paved with concrete. After I first had the perfect parking job I then pulled back out into the street and parked. I then used white and black marking paint to paint four 10 inch wheel placement lines on the pavement where my tires had tracked, much like lane marking line on the highway. I have one at the driveway approach and three along the long arc to the parking spot. It works out fantastic and I can do this with no spotter and very quickly. It's all in the initial placement and hitting those lines.
$9.00 in marking paint from Lowe's
a little concentration on the initial vehicle placement
and no yelling at my wife to stand where I can see her
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02-26-2017, 06:48 PM
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#36
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Rivet Master
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 7,620
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waninae39
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In grass?
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