Pull Through then Turn Around - is my husband wrong?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, it's not a "pull through" if you have to back out. Pull through means that you can drive in one end and drive out of the other end.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If you look at a commercial setup for RV storage, something around 60 feed "deep" is not uncommon. Doors need to open at least 14' to accommodate some of the nutty RV's out there. Anything less than 12' wide on the doors is unusual. Again, this is just looking at how the "pro's" do it.

For a storage area that allows you to do much with the vehicle, you need to have all the storage area doors open. You need walking space around all those doors. I'd suggest that 3' of shelf space to load / unload to would be a good idea, at least on the passenger side. Starting from an 8.5' wide vehicle: Doors add 3' (18" each). Walk space adds 6'. Shelving is another 3'. Net would be about 20 feet. Going under 12' gets crazy.

For two RV's, you basically double the space.

Bob

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, it's not a "pull through" if you have to back out. Pull through means that you can drive in one end and drive out of the other end.

I'm picturing a building with opposing doors, let's say on the right.
You pull thru, then turn left, swing around the side of the building and you're pointed out!

[Fungus]

I like Bob's idea regarding storage on the sides. We schlep our gear from a basement storage area at the back of the garage to the trailer. (The house sits on a hill with the garage below grade on the left and a "basement" behind a door at the back of garage.) I've got it organized to grab and go. But if that gear was right at the trailer that'd be pretty great. Gear for camping on the passenger/curb side. Tools and other gear for working on the trailer on the driver/street side.

My ideal Airstream barn-dominium has a way for a less-than-spry person to access the AS roof for inspection and maintenance.

And enough space to hold my 1951 Chevy pickup so I can finally work on it.

And a painting booth.

And...

And...

[skyguyscott]

Wait, wait, wait, let me get this straight ---

This is an amazing question!


A wife is actually asking if her husband could be right?

[nryn]

In my garage I have a set of shelves on the door side that are dedicated to airstream maintenance, stocking, and cleaning. Right outside the door is a little packing table that I can use to stage projects or materials.

Similarly I have a set of deep shelves right behind my truck (which is parked next to the Airstream) where I store the cargo containers and bikes and campstuffs that get loaded into the truck for a trip. I can literally back my truck up and pick what I want to load up.

I can take pics if anyone is interested. I’ve just moved in and have some more organization to do but I’m getting our trailer ready for our first trip this year and I really like how the space has turned out.

[Daquenzer]

I just built a new house that combines an extra large 2 car garage (extra wide 2 doors so I can get a pickup with towing mirrors in) an RV garage (12x12 door 14’ high garage) as one unit. It’s insulated, heated, water available, 50 AMP service with a dump station. No more pink stuff to winterize. Actually don’t need to winterize at all. But will blow out just in case. If anyone is going to build an RV garage I would highly recommend having all the hookups available if possible and insulate/heat it. Sure is handy when I come home and I can dump, etc. And it is nice it is attached to the house for easy loading and unloading.

[Fungus]

Originally Posted by nryn

I can take pics if anyone is interested. I’ve just moved in and have some more organization to do but I’m getting our trailer ready for our first trip this year and I really like how the space has turned out.

Pics please.

[GetawA-S]

Originally Posted by skyguyscott

Wait, wait, wait, let me get this straight ---

This is an amazing question!


A wife is actually asking if her husband could be right?

Because she knew how the forum would respond. She was just trying to break through his stubbornness.

[mickeyme]

Originally Posted by skyguyscott

Wait, wait, wait, let me get this straight ---

This is an amazing question!


A wife is actually asking if her husband could be right?

LOL. Well, I mean, I have to allow for the really REMOTE possibility, right?

[89Excella]

Put a target on the rear wall of the building ( blue tape works good) positioned so that when you sight down the side of the trailer looking in the TV mirror and the side of the trailer is lined up with your target the trailer will be in the center of the door opening. A couple of bricks sitting on the floor right behind the rear wheels of the trailer do a good job of preventing you from backing in too far. I have used this system for six years now and I can get my AS back to the same spot within an inch or two every time and my door is only 10 ft. wide.
Ed

[nryn]

Originally Posted by Fungus

Pics please.

I’ve written up and taken photos of my Airstream storage in this post in my Traveling with Tatay thread.

[CLOUD9WYO]

Worked through very similar geometry with our barn in an open space and concluded that the pull through option just used up too much space for very little benefit. Arranged it to optimize backing in safely and very happy with the arrangement. Camp gear stores behind camper, boat gear behind boat, etc. Very space efficient and easy in / out.

[Searching]

I agree with the earlier poster that said the pull-through design would work even easier if you installed a front hitch receiver on your truck. I think your husband is somewhat justified in wanting a pull thru. I would love one. When I get back home after a long drive and vacation, it is often night time and the last thing I want to do is to finesse a delicate backing up maneuver. A pull thru barn just enables him to drive into the barn and unhook. If you install a front hitch receiver on your truck, you would then avoid the problem of trying to make the turn around at the rear and side of your barn when it comes time to take the trailer out for your next adventure. You would have to drive the truck around to the rear of the barn but that is a simpler matter. With the truck at the rear of the barn facing the trailer hitch, you connect the front hitch receiver on the truck to the trailer and push the trailer out of the barn onto your driveway. Eventually you would have to turn the trailer around, but that could be out on the street or a side pull-off to the side of your driveway if you want to build one.

I installed a front hitch receiver on the front of my truck myself. It took me about 3 hours. It would be a breeze for most auto shops to do. I can back my Airstream into most wide spots the normal way, but when it comes to tight spots I unhook the rear hitch, turn the truck around, and rehitch the front hitch, and push the Airstream into the tight space. It saves a lot of frustration.

[gcarter]

Must be missing something. If it is a pull thru just go in the other door.

[JandC]

If you want to make the backing and parking easier, paint stripes on the floor just outside of the tires. Keep the tires tracking inside the stripes while backing in using your mirrors. To do this at a campsite, use a rope, a big brightly colored one. After a while, this little chore will be a piece of cake. Comes in handy once in a while in fuel locations, too

[AKNate]

Pull-throughs are passé. What you need is a turntable!

[RVDreamer]

I don't understand how you are setting this up. Once the truck pulls the trailer into the barn, and goes out the back exit, How do you get the truck back out to the front? Is there a drive way around the barn? If there is then why not use it to take the trailer out as well? If there is no other exit but back thru the barn then how do you get the truck back to the front? Do you just leave it and not use it, until the next trip with the airstream?

[56ovalwindow]

Learn the skill of backing your tow vehicle up with the trailer attached and it’s something you will never regret learning.
By the way, cute way to ask a question.

[dmatzinger]

For determining whether your rig can turn in a given space, you might find this calculator helpful:

http://toxiccelery.co.uk/Offtrack/What_you_need_to_know.html