RV.Net Open Roads Forum: RV can’t make it into driveway. Bottoms out hard.

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Topic: RV can’t make it into driveway. Bottoms out hard.

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/12/18 08:18pm

Hey all. So we just purchased our new 32 foot Sunseeker and upon getting it home discovered a bit of a problem. While I have plenty of space for it in the driveway, I can’t actually get it up into the driveway. The hitch guards scraped just a hair turning onto my street, but turning into the driveway was a huge can of worms. I got the RV about halfway in when I heard the guards start to scrape the asphalt in the street.

Me being me I decide to back it up and give it a bit more speed. Big mistake. I hit a point where the hitch guards dug into the sphalt so much that I couldn’t move either way. Tried putting some 2x4s in there. No joy. It was stuck good. So I hooked up a strap to my Hemi Ram 1500, tossed the wife in the drivers seat of the coach and yanked it out with the truck.

So for right now it’s parked on the street until I figure out what to do about this. I ordered a set of rollers to go on the bottom of the hitch but I’m not sure that’s gonna be enough.

Because the big dip at the bottom is right at the street I don’t think I could have the driveway leveled out at the bottom out into the street. Not sure if putting a culvert in there would fly with the county but I suspect not.

What have you guys done in this situation? Heavy duty ramp of some kind from driveway to street to raise it enough that the ass doesn’t drag?
Dump a yard of pea gravel at the bottom to build up the dip? (Again not sure this would be allowed)
Open to suggestions.

Here are a couple of pics of what I am dealing with.

[image]

* This post was edited 09/12/18 08:43pm by an administrator/moderator *

Posted By: MitchF150 on 09/12/18 08:26pm

Ain't no way you are getting that rig up that driveway.. With the amount of rear overhang on the rig, just ain't gonna happen..

Heck, even your truck is only inches away from scraping that nose guard...

I've got a pretty steep driveway too, and no way the trailer is going up it, but I can park my trailer on the side yard, and it's kinda steep too, but I can get my trailer up it, just barely.. It's gravel, so it's a bit more forgiving.

Good luck!

Mitch

2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

Posted By: jplante4 on 09/12/18 08:34pm

Looks to me like you need to find a storage facility. Think about turning on the fridge before you take off for a trip. No way will you get level on that street.

Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
CAT 3126/Allison 6 speed/Magnum Chassis
2014 Equinox AWD / Blue Ox

Posted By: downtheroad on 09/12/18 08:35pm

and...if you do manage to get it up into that driveway, you will be so unlevel that you probably won't be able to use your frig....

sorry (more bad news)..
anyway, good luck with it.

ok Jerry, you beat me to it....AGAIN.... [emoticon]

"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

Arctic Fox 25Y
GMC Duramax
Blue Ox SwayPro

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/12/18 08:49pm

I had a 25 foot trailer parked where the RV was intended to go. As long as I angled it right I was able to get the trailer up there no problem. The rear overhang on this thing is killing me though.

And I know about the leveling issue already. Even on the street there the auto level gives me an angle too steep warning and it won’t deploy the jacks. I figure I could put some platforms down below the rear jacks to make up the difference and get it reasonably level. I’m actually going to get in touch with a local driveway company and have them come take a look and see what they can do to level this out some. I was hoping someone here might have some easier ideas than ripping out and replacing my whole driveway though.

And yeah, storage is out of the question. Any storage places near me want over $200 a month for outside storage.

Posted By: camperdave on 09/12/18 08:56pm

You can do it. Experiment with turning in with more angle Build up ramps with wood, they will be big and heavy but who cares. You only use them at home.

I store my RV on a hill too steep to run the fridge. No big deal, I just load with some ice and turn it on when I go. Beats paying for storage!

Posted By: timmac on 09/12/18 09:13pm

That's some tight parking you got there, ramps is the only way I see, chock those wheels good or that RV might roll away, I am so happy I have a flat large lot in Vegas..

Posted By: MarkTwain on 09/12/18 09:19pm

Try laying some 2x10 boards were the drive way hits the street. If needed, lay 2'x10's on top of each other. You might also look at some arched metal motorcycle ramps.

Posted By: azdryheat on 09/12/18 09:30pm

Try backing it in, no overhang on the front.

2013 Chevy 3500HD CC dually
2014 Voltage 3600 toy hauler
2019 RZR 1000XP TRE

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/12/18 09:40pm

azdryheat wrote:

Try backing it in, no overhang on the front.

A buddy of mine suggested that as well and that is what I did with the trailer before trading up to the class C. I’m a little Leary that the back bumper will just smack the driveway but it’s worth a shot. When the rollers come in and I get them installed I’ll give that a shot.

The other downside to backing it in is access. That puts the main entry door on the side of that retaining wall you can see in the second picture. Would leave us entering and exiting thru the drivers cab door for the most part or having to walk around the whole rig to enter the main door. But if that’s what it takes to get it in then so be it. Trying to be a good neighbor and I don’t want to leave it on the street all the time if I can avoid it.

Posted By: MitchF150 on 09/12/18 09:58pm

See where you scraped the road driving in forward? If you back in, your bumper is gonna hit about 2' up the driveway.. Long before your rear tire can get to the driveway.. Even at an angle, I just don't see how that's going to work?

Gonna add those skid wheels.. Okay.. All that's going to do is twist the heck out of the frame and even if it survives that, once you backup a couple of feet more, your rear wheels will lift off the ground and you have no power to the ground.

No idea how you got a 25' TT up that drive, but I guess if you did that, then anything is possible...

I'm only going from your pics and from my own experience with a steep driveway..

Anyway, good luck!

Mitch

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/12/18 10:12pm

Best shot I could find of the trailer in the driveway. This was before I stretched it by adding 3 feet to the back of it and slapped an 8 foot truck camper on the front half of it. It’s overal length from hitch to tail was 28 feet.

And yeah, that’s my concern with the rollers, that I will hit a point with them that the rear wheels will lose contact with the ground and I’ll be hung up again. I like the wood ramp idea and that may well end up being the ticket.

* This post was edited 09/13/18 08:12am by an administrator/moderator *

Posted By: Ed_Gee on 09/12/18 10:16pm

Since no one else mentioned it, perhaps you could have air levelers added to your rear axel? If available for that chassis then you might be able to raise the rear about 4” or so which might get you past your problem. Something to consider, anyway....

Ed - on the Central Oregon coast
2018 Winnebago Fuse 23A
Scion xA toad

Posted By: timmac on 09/12/18 10:18pm

You need to change your lifestyle and have less toys or buy a different house with parking for your toys..

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/12/18 10:31pm

timmac wrote:

You need to change your lifestyle and have less toys or buy a different house with parking for your toys..

Hey, the guy who dies with the most stuff wins! Don’t you know that?

Seriously though, the RV was an upgrade for my growing family and to support my main hobby which would be that Jeep sitting on the trailer. dW isn’t much of a desert fan but she tolerates it because I love it and my daughter is quickly following my footsteps at 4 years old. The camper on trailer was great when it was just the three of us, but with my son arriving in February I realized the little 8 foot truck camper wasn’t going to cut it for long. So we went shopping for something bigger. I was all set for a 20ish foot used Class C. But then DW set foot inside this beauty and she turned to me and said
“We need to up our budget. I want this one.” So here I am.

Happy wife, happy life.

Posted By: MitchF150 on 09/12/18 10:50pm

Nice toy hauler! Very impressed. And it looks like a lot of fun for sure.

What I see is that the rear overhang on the flat bed trailer is a lot less than your MH. Plus, when you are backing in that trailer, it is able to 'pivot' as such at the hitch point, so that helps it's angle of attack too..

Basically, you will need to have your rear tires hit some sort of 'ramp' just as your rear end gets close to the driveway. Once the rear tires hit the ramp, the rear end will lift as the tires goes up the incline. The 'rub' here is going to be what kind of 'ramp' is it going to take to make that happen?

Mitch

Posted By: SoundGuy on 09/12/18 11:02pm

92GreenYJ wrote:

Happy wife, happy life.

How "happy" would she be with the trailer parked on the street all the time? [emoticon]

Raise the trailer on it's suspension, perhaps that will buy you sufficient clearance. [emoticon]

My driveway also slopes noticeable to the street, 'though not as severe as yours appears to, and I nicely solved any concern over the trailer ever rolling forward in the slightest once unhitched by using the weight of the trailer itself to bear down on a set of wheel pads I built specifically for this purpose.

[image]

Posted By: 12thgenusa on 09/12/18 11:50pm

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but rollers are a waste of time and money. They are not designed to do what you want and are only going to hang down and contact the driveway sooner and probably damage the frame.

If the driveway slope is constrained by the level of the street at the bottom and by the garage entry at the top, rebuilding the driveway is no help. If there is a “flat” area at the top it could be taken out and the overall slope of the driveway could be lessened slightly. However your pictures don’t seem to indicate that and I don’t think it would be enough anyway. It looks like there is substantial crown on the street as well.

The only way ramps would work is if you back in. With what looks like an approximate 8’ overhang, the ramps would have to extend at least 3’ into the street and about the same up the drive. The support base would look like a shallow “v”. Maybe they could be made in sections. The other problem would be if you can back far enough up the drive for the front wheels to be off the ramps so that you can remove them after you park.

2007 Tundra DC 4X4 5.7, Alcan custom rear springs, 2009 Cougar 245RKS, 370 watts ET solar,
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Posted By: Tom/Barb on 09/13/18 12:11am

Time to move to flatter place.. [emoticon]

2000 Newmar mountain aire 4081 DP, ISC/350 Allison 6 speed, Wrangler JL toad.

Posted By: colliehauler on 09/13/18 02:12am

Put on some 38's and and a lift kit. [emoticon]

Posted By: Hammerboy on 09/13/18 05:31am

I have a very steep driveway down to my barn where we store our 33' fifth wheel, about 10' of elevation change over about 75' or so with the steepest being around 11-12 degrees. I knew this was a challenge before we poured the driveway but at the end of the day I have a good 4" clearance at the lowest point (bumper of fifth wheel) backing down the driveway. The key for me was a smooth fluid surface, in other words NO sharp bends. I have a flat surface in front of the barn for when it's parked outside as well.

Dan

2019 Chevy crew LTZ 2500 HD Duramax
2017 Wildcat 29rlx fifth wheel

Posted By: valhalla360 on 09/13/18 06:06am

Another vote for be very leery of rollers. If you are lucky, the rear tires simply come off the ground and you lose traction...good chance you twist the frame which can lead to a variety of problems.

Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

Posted By: T18skyguy on 09/13/18 07:04am

x2 on airbags plus rollers, but that is a very steep approach angle. If you built ramps big enough to handle it they would be too heavy to move. If airbags and rollers won't do it, I think you might need a shorter rig.

Retired Anesthetist. LTP. Pilot with mechanic/inspection ratings. Between rigs right now.. Wife and daughter. Four cats which we must obey.

Posted By: spoon059 on 09/13/18 07:24am

That's not gonna happen. You got a flat trailer up there because it can pivot at the hitch. Your Class C isn't designed to pivot. You barely have enough clearance for your pickup...

Your options are to leave it on the street or pay for a storage yard. Rollers are going to reduce your clearance, save your money. Ramps aren't going to work effectively, as they would have to extend to the street and far up your driveway and be placed along a curve since you will have to be turning while you back up.

2015 Ram CTD
2015 Jayco 29QBS

Posted By: Isaac-1 on 09/13/18 07:59am

You may consider a set of Air-Lift rear helper air bags and pump them up all the way when you want to pull into the drive way. An air lift kit should only be about $350 without an onboard compressor, you of course would not want to drive down the road with them fully inflated. Adding a compressor system would run another $400 or so, plus labor of course.

Posted By: noteven on 09/13/18 08:00am

You need to build up on the street with ramping of some kind to bridge the rear wheels over the deep area where the pickup front tires are in that picture. Wood planking and blocking with a couple sheets of rough plywood on top is as good as anything if you have some where to store it at home. I’d be tempted to drop a few screws in to hold the top deck from “spitting out” toward the street as you back in. The front end should not bother because the ramp is there and the tires are close to the end of the vehicle.
Use a 2x4 and something to roll it on. Stick it out as high and long as the back overhang of the rv and tape measure how much lift you need and where on the street the tires have to start up the ramp...

You may only need enough inches of rear lift that an air lift system on the rv would be enough. Such a system would be handy cross small washes and stuff too...

But you have to discover the angle of the dangle first, with simple cheap means...

Posted By: BarabooBob on 09/13/18 08:24am

The motorcycle ramps will fold up like an origami project. I use the heaviest motorcycle ramps I could find for my ATV, garden tractor, and motorcycle. The garden tractor weighs about 1200 pounds and it causes me to seriously consider not using it for that anymore.
Can you come in at about a 30 degree angle and as soon as the rear tires are up the driveway a bit straightening out?

Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

Posted By: DrewE on 09/13/18 08:35am

Air helper springs aren't going to give a vast amount more clearance...a couple inches, maybe, but not enough here IMHO. Approaching from an angle probably won't help here either as there doesn't appear to be enough space to get past the sharp transition before straightening out. The problem isn't the rear axle, per se, but the long overhang in the back combined with the quick transition from flatish street to slopey driveway. The same steepness of driveway with a gentle transition into it would be fine.

Basically, this unfortunately falls into a similar category as "How do I park my 28' motorhome in a space that's 26' long?"--there's no reasonable answer. One can imagine constructing some sort of wheeled dolly that raises the rear wheels several inches above the ground, and then rig up a system to safely pull the motorhome up with a winch or something. Ruben Goldberg would be proud.

Posted By: Veebyes on 09/13/18 08:55am

Cheap & simple. Get some 2X boards, some ply to go over the top & back it up at an angle. Make sure the ply is double thickness & supported.

Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter

2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel

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Posted By: Jayco-noslide on 09/13/18 09:25am

You may have to rebuild and re-slope the driveway?

Jayco-noslide

Posted By: mike-s on 09/13/18 09:41am

Boards alone are not enough - what are the axle weights - ~4K lbs? Unsupported, boards are just going to bend or break for the span it looks like you'll need. Play around with a "draw" program to visualize the angles and clearances and get a feel for what span you'll need.

A couple of 2x12's set on sandbags to provide support and fill the gap to the street. Or, if you want a bit lighter/easier to handle, cut some triangle shaped pieces to fill the gap and glue/screw it together.

Posted By: colliehauler on 09/13/18 10:08am

Does a person really want to have a major construction project whenever they want to use the RV? Personally I would redo the driveway and be done with it.

Posted By: mike-s on 09/13/18 11:10am

colliehauler wrote:

Does a person really want to have a major construction project whenever they want to use the RV? Personally I would redo the driveway and be done with it.

That looks to be impossible, without lowering the garage or modifying the public curb and roadway (good luck with that). As stated in the OP, "Not sure if putting a culvert in there would fly with the county but I suspect not."

Posted By: RRTom on 09/13/18 11:46am

Recently we were shopping for a new motor home. Our driveway situation is less severe than yours but we did have to have custom ramps made to park our 40' motor home. We looked at a 28' class C (yes downsizing) but the grey/black drain was beneath the motor home about mid way between tires. We really liked the motor home but we knew there was no way we would get it in the driveway without breaking off the drain. Passed on that one. Good luck with your situation and keep us posted as to the solution.

2020 Georgetown GT 31LS

Posted By: Dave in TN on 09/13/18 12:27pm

I can't tell from the pics, but is there enough room to park it sideways? Even if you modified that short retaining wall and built some extra parking pad so the front of the RV was pulled up to that white concrete wall. Basically parked in similar placement as it is on the street...just moved over 10 feet closer to the house. Would get it off the street and you could just pull in. You may not have enough space to do that without blocking your driveway though...your truck is blocking the view of that area in the pics. RV would be very unlevel side to side, but it's going to be sitting unlevel regardless.

Posted By: turbojimmy on 09/13/18 01:05pm

My driveway is really steep coming off the street - pretty much what you have there. The UPS guy can't/won't come up it (it's also 500 feet long so he hates me because he has to walk my packages up). The TruGreen guy tried once and failed miserably - cut up the street pretty good with the back of his truck.

Anyway, as fate would have it my old Allegro has an ancient Jet Ride air bag system in the rear. I'm sure there's a modern equivalent but it replaces the stock suspension with truck/bus-like air bags and some helper leaf springs. I have a big range of adjustment. It's a 30-footer with a ridiculous overhang. I can get it high enough to clear my driveway when exiting but so far have had mixed results returning - it always seems to scrape a little on the left side of the bumper. Not enough to hurt anything though.

The big difference is that once I clear the approach I can park it on a level surface at the top of my driveway. In your case I'd make sure your parking brake works and you chock the wheels. Ideally you'd want to level it and run the fridge about 24 hours before your trip, but not being able to isn't the end of the world.

Here's a clip of the range of travel on the Jet Ride system. I go from max height to the "Auto" setting which brings it down to level. It's before I restored the rig so don't judge...

https://youtu.be/A-mAQq6vAzE

Here's a pic of it at the top of my driveway when I first bought the house. You can see how steep it is right up to the house where it levels off. I had 110 PSI in the bags - it didn't scrape coming up that time.

[image]

* This post was edited 09/13/18 01:43pm by turbojimmy *

1984 Allegro M-31 (Dead Metal)

Posted By: noteven on 09/13/18 01:26pm

Lumber with some plywood will bridge it. We have a wood trestle over here a ways that can hold up a freight train ??

Posted By: Mickeyfan0805 on 09/13/18 01:34pm

It's hard to tell for sure, but from the pictures it looks as though the driveway is only half the problem. It appears that the street slopes down from the center of the road up to the edge of the driveway (probably for drainage) which slopes back up. This ends up creating a 'v' that that is probably a good 15' or more from the two points of level height on either side. This gap would need to be traversed to get the MH up the drive. I don't see any way that re-leveling the driveway would fix that issue sufficiently.

If it were me, I would mock-up my approach with some 2x4's. Make a 2x4 rail that is the same length as your rig (bumber to bumper). Then, place two 'legs' on the rail at the location of the tires. Those legs should be long enough that the bottom of your 2x4 rail sits at the same height as your rig. You now have a model of your ground clearance that you can use to try to evaluate options.

From the pics, it looks like somehow bridging that 'v' from somewhere near the peak of the road to a point somewhere up your drive is the only way to go. While any type of support structure would have to be substantial (and well supported), the mock-up I am suggesting would help you get a sense of whether or not it is even feasible and, if so, a sense of what you would need to do.

Posted By: colliehauler on 09/13/18 02:44pm

mike-s wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

Does a person really want to have a major construction project whenever they want to use the RV? Personally I would redo the driveway and be done with it.

You could have the RV parking to the side on a different level then the aproach to the garage. You could even make it level where you could use the camper and frig.

Posted By: turbojimmy on 09/13/18 02:50pm

92GreenYJ wrote:

What's the blue thing with chrome bumpers? Appears to be a classic Mopar cruiser?

Posted By: am1958 on 09/13/18 02:58pm

Wouldn't the cost of the modifications to the driveway/roadway etc. cost him more than a few years of storage at $200/month...

Posted By: mike-s on 09/13/18 03:02pm

colliehauler wrote:

mike-s wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

Does a person really want to have a major construction project whenever they want to use the RV? Personally I would redo the driveway and be done with it.

You could have the RV parking to the side on a different level then the aproach to the garage. You could even make it level where you could use the camper and frig.

My statement was made based on the posted pictures.
Looking at them, I don't see anything to support that what you say is possible. There's not enough room between the garage door and that retaining wall, and there's no image which shows the rest of the driveway or lot.
[image]

Posted By: colliehauler on 09/13/18 04:04pm

mike-s wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

mike-s wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

Does a person really want to have a major construction project whenever they want to use the RV? Personally I would redo the driveway and be done with it.

You could have the RV parking to the side on a different level then the aproach to the garage. You could even make it level where you could use the camper and frig.

You might be correct, just trying to point out different options then having to build a bridge every time a person wants to use the RV.

My drive is between two telephone poles (single width) and expands to three car drive. Made it difficult to back the 5th wheel in. I'm lucky that covered storage is only 60 a month here. Sounds prohibitly expensive where the OP is located.

Posted By: midnightsadie on 09/13/18 04:37pm

looks like you have toys? time to move out in the country.

Posted By: Chum lee on 09/13/18 08:04pm

Just a suggestion to save you trouble down the road after you figure out how to get your RV in the driveway.

Do not use the park function in the transmission with the emergency brake to hold the vehicle on the driveway. Instead, use chocks to hold the weight, then set the e-brake and then put it in park after the wheels stop against the chocks. If you don't do that you risk premature wear and eventually shearing off the parking pawl (lock) in the transmission. If that happens you will lose the park function in the transmission. Start the engine, then put the vehicle in reverse first, release the e-brake, then pull the chocks when you depart.

Chum lee

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/13/18 09:19pm

Dave in TN wrote:

The retaining wall there is actually the property line with the neighbors.

And **** just got real. My lovely neighbor who I haven’t even really talked to apparently decided that instead of walking her lazy ass 20 feet over to my house to talk to me, it would be better to call the cops and waste their time to come over here and ask me to move it from where it is right now. The cop flat out said I am not doing anything illegal and I am completely legally parked. But lady next door apparently had her landscapers not want to walk around it to get to her backyard to do their thing and tell her they wouldn’t do her yard. Again, as the cop said, I’m not doing anything illegal parked where it is, but apparently chick next door has a problem with it.

Frankly I’m now inclined to park it in her driveway.

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/13/18 09:23pm

turbojimmy wrote:

92GreenYJ wrote:

What's the blue thing with chrome bumpers? Appears to be a classic Mopar cruiser?

Yet another of my toys. 1971 Dodge Charger

[image]

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/13/18 09:41pm

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:

You nailed it. The heavy crown on the street I believe is my biggest issue. The hitch dug into the crown. Front tires were about halfway up the driveway and the rears were just at the bottom of the driveway at the lowest point when it dug in and just stopped. That black mark you can see is some of the rubber I burned off spinning the tires. At this point I’m thinking a combination of the ideas mentioned here should work. Luckily my street is pretty dead usually as it’s not a thru street and only traveled by people that live here. I’m thinking if I can get it lined up straight across the street, build me some ramps to bridge that gap between the crown of the street and the driveway then I can just drive it on up.

Posted By: T18skyguy on 09/13/18 11:12pm

How bout bigger wheels/tires plus airbags? There is a picture somewhere in the forum of a rig converted to 4 wheel drive with bigger wheels and tires.

Posted By: turbojimmy on 09/14/18 04:53am

92GreenYJ wrote:

Yet another of my toys. 1971 Dodge Charger

[image]

Sweet!

Back on topic - if you do try rollers please post your results. I was thinking of going the same route, but my scraping isn't quite as severe as yours. If it works for you it will definitely work for me.

Posted By: dodge guy on 09/14/18 05:56am

92GreenYJ wrote:

I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but have you tried backing it in from where its parked at on the street? cut the wheel to the right and let one side go up first and then the other. my neighbor had a similar issue with his Class A. he had to back in at an angle to clear the driveway. It worked for him. It should work for you. I also see a curb next to the RR wheel. maybe put a 2X4 there and get that tire up over the curb first while backing in. I would think that would allow the rear to clear while backing in. You will never be able to pull in though!

Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

Posted By: ncrowley on 09/14/18 01:52pm

I agree with the folks that said to add rear air bags. Adding 4 inches of clearance is significant. With that 4 inches and other techniques, you have a good chance of getting in. Plus the air bags should give you a better ride.

Nancy
Newmar Northern Star

Posted By: stevemorris on 09/15/18 04:27am

hope you use the parking brake!! and in the ram too!!
too many people don't use their parking brake, lots of shift cables and solenoids get worn out on slopes like that

2017 Ram 1500 4door, 4x4, 5.7 l hemi, 8 speed
2008 KZ Spree 260

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/16/18 01:59pm

Well I got it in the driveway. A combination of the hitch rollers, a stack of pavers, and four 2x4x8s did the trick. That said I do NOT want to have to do this every time so this is a temporary solution at best. I have contacted a local concrete guy to get an estimate on reworking half of the driveway for the RV.

[image]

Posted By: turbojimmy on 09/16/18 02:43pm

92GreenYJ wrote:

Well I got it in the driveway.

Excellent! The cost of the driveway modifications will likely exceed putting bags on the rear of the rig. Plus like others have said the air makes it ride nicer and gives you some suspension travel for leveling without goofing around with ramps (assuming you don't already have hydraulic levelers).

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/16/18 03:02pm

turbojimmy wrote:

92GreenYJ wrote:

Well I got it in the driveway.

I do have auto levelers. That said after this I feel I don’t have to redo the whole driveway. I think just filling in the low spot on the left side where the RV goes up will do the trick.

Posted By: turbojimmy on 09/16/18 03:14pm

92GreenYJ wrote:

I do have auto levelers. That said after this I feel I don’t have to redo the whole driveway. I think just filling in the low spot on the left side where the RV goes up will do the trick.

Cool - doesn't sound too bad then. Enjoy it!

Posted By: Grit dog on 09/16/18 03:20pm

92YJ, unless I’m missing something, there’s no “low” spot to fill in. From the pics, your driveway goes up from the gutter line, correct?
You can’t re work the curb and gutter and street grade, you’d have to lower the driveway.
I don’t see a solution by filing anything in. But ICBW.

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Posted By: Hammerboy on 09/16/18 05:09pm

Grit dog wrote:

I think its doable. It looks like if he excavates that sharp bend on the drive about 6-8' from the street he will make it. My drive is much steeper and I make it fine. Just needs a more rolling surface with no sharp bends in the driveway

Dan

Posted By: timmac on 09/16/18 06:31pm

92GreenYJ wrote:

All those toys and no deceit area to park them without blocking neighbors views, I can maybe see why she complained why it was parked in the street blocking her views to get out of her driveway, also the way the motorhome is parked in the driveway also blocks views form her front door and such, I made sure when I park my motorhome at my house including my boat and Jeep its not blocking views out front of house, its all behind a 5 foot fence set back in property as to Vegas codes..

You would be a problem for me as well, you want big toys than buy a house to properly accommodate them..

Just my opinion..

Posted By: Mr.Mark on 09/16/18 06:32pm

92Green..... Good job, I wasn't sure if it was going to work for you. It looks like some minor modifications to the driveway will allow you to pull in with minimal problems.

Safe travels,
MM.

PS. I had a '72 Dodge Charger in my late teens (bought used) and yours brought back good memories! [emoticon]

Mr.Mark
2021.5 Pleasure Way Plateau FL Class-B on the Sprinter Chassis
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(SOLD) 2008 Monaco Dynasty, 42 ft, 425 hp Cummins

Posted By: Ron3rd on 09/16/18 06:53pm

camperdave wrote:

X2!

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Equilizer Hitch
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Posted By: Lynnmor on 09/16/18 06:58pm

I’m in a rural area and still must have a driveway permit to do anything with the transition from street to driveway. Be careful with that project, the powers that be might make things worse for you.

Posted By: fj12ryder on 09/16/18 07:30pm

Is that parking going to pass muster with the city? I mean it's blocking the easement/sidewalk area. And right up against your neighbor's property line. If your city lets that go after your neighbor rats you out, then it's a much more liberal city than ours.

Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Posted By: PAThwacker on 09/16/18 07:56pm

92GreenYJ wrote:

turbojimmy wrote:

92GreenYJ wrote:

What's the blue thing with chrome bumpers? Appears to be a classic Mopar cruiser?

Yet another of my toys. 1971 Dodge Charger

[image]

You have too many toys for postage size city lot. Most camper trailer I could fit on my sloped driveway at my house was a 21 footer. I had mere inches to spare from front hitch and rear bumper scraping the road and driveway. Where does the half ton truck, mopar, truck camper, flat bed trailer, 33 ft class c, modified jeep, and wife's ride fit?

* This post was edited 09/16/18 08:12pm by PAThwacker *

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Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/16/18 09:12pm

Hammerboy wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Take another look at the pictures of it in the driveway. Where that big stack of pavers goes out in a line is the low spot I am referring to and what ultimately stopped me getting it in there. The rear tires of the RV dropped into that low spot and that was what hung me up on the rear. By building that “bridge” out of pavers/ timber the rear stayed up high enough not to hit the road on the way in. So I think the ultimate solution is going to be to fill that low spot in and build it up as I did with the pavers, but this time do it permanently with concrete. That way I don’t have to spend 45 minutes building my bridge every time I want to take it out.

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/16/18 09:21pm

timmac wrote:

92GreenYJ wrote:

And your opinion is dumb. You don’t have the whole picture at all. The steps you see there are access to the side yard there from their ample driveway/ garage area which is where their front door is and where they enter/exit from. In the 5 years we have owned our home I have never once seen them use those steps or even walk along that side yard. There is also that very large hedge and a huge wall behind it blocking their view of the street entirely from their front door. At most they saw the roof of the RV at the very top of the wall.

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/16/18 09:24pm

fj12ryder wrote:

There is no sidewalk. I’m in a rural area way up on the hill on a quiet street. Only about 10 houses on the whole street and it doesn’t go thru so it’s only traveled by people that live here. The retaining wall along my neighbors little walkway there is actually on my property.

Posted By: 92GreenYJ on 09/16/18 09:30pm

PAThwacker wrote:

92GreenYJ wrote:

turbojimmy wrote:

92GreenYJ wrote:

What's the blue thing with chrome bumpers? Appears to be a classic Mopar cruiser?

Yet another of my toys. 1971 Dodge Charger

[image]

Well the truck camper is gone. The RV now takes the left half of the driveway, my wife’s Grand Cherokee takes the top spot on the right side, my daily driver Ram truck is parked behind her car. Right now my 71 Charger is on the street in front of my house and my Jeep is parked on my dead grass behind the bushes of the front yard off the driveway. I will be replacing the dead grass with 1/2 artificial grass and half pavers to make an additional parking space there for the Charger and the Jeep will then take over the spot on the street in front of my house parked on the flatbed trailer it will be towed to the desert on.

Posted By: Mickeyfan0805 on 09/17/18 07:40am

92GreenYJ wrote:

Where that big stack of pavers goes out in a line is the low spot I am referring to and what ultimately stopped me getting it in there. The rear tires of the RV dropped into that low spot and that was what hung me up on the rear. By building that “bridge” out of pavers/ timber the rear stayed up high enough not to hit the road on the way in. So I think the ultimate solution is going to be to fill that low spot in and build it up as I did with the pavers, but this time do it permanently with concrete. That way I don’t have to spend 45 minutes building my bridge every time I want to take it out.

If they let you do that, more power to you. Come back and let us know what happens. From the 'outsider' perspective, looking at those pics, it is hard to imagine someone doing what you are suggesting. Trying to level that out without touching the street (which would not be allowed by the municipality) or creating a 'curb' entering onto the driveway (which very well could be a code problem), it is hard to see how restructuring the drive will work.

That said, you see it in person and have the best view of all of us. Let us know what your concrete company says, as it will be interesting to see what options (if any) they provide.

Posted By: 1320Fastback on 09/17/18 07:49am

When there's a will there's a way!

1992 D250 Cummins 5psd
2005 Forest River T26 Toy Hauler

Posted By: Grit dog on 09/17/18 07:55am

92GreenYJ wrote:

Hammerboy wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Don't ya love people's opinions about how you're affecting others lives......lol.
I see what you're saying about the grade break between the driveway apron coming off the curb, up to the first joint. Yes if you straight graded that, lowering it a bit, to the second joint it would help a bit with break over angle down at the curb, but I dont think it will help with the RV. Wheelbase too long. This was the other fellows suggestion.
If you're simply building up the little dip in the pavers inside the curb line, that could help and if it's enough to get the camper "over the hump" that's great.
But look at the pic of your truck with front wheels in the gutter line. There's not much you can do about that overall condition except to basically lower the whole driveway. Which isn't really feasible.

Posted By: jkwilson on 09/17/18 09:13am

I think I'd just have some aluminum pieces made to set in place when going in and out. Fast and no compliance issues.

John & Kathy
2014 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS
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Posted By: John Wayne on 09/17/18 12:21pm

Could you angle up the driveway from the street and park the MH up on the grass where the Jeep is. Then park the rest of the toys on the driveway.

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Posted By: troubledwaters on 09/17/18 01:16pm

Grit dog wrote:

Don't ya love people's opinions about how you're affecting others lives.......

This site is full of other people's opinions including yours. So who's to say who's opinion is valid and who's isn't?

Posted By: PAThwacker on 09/19/18 09:06am

troubledwaters wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Don't ya love people's opinions about how you're affecting others lives.......

This site is full of other people's opinions including yours. So who's to say who's opinion is valid and who's isn't?

All I asked was how does he fit all those units on a city lot: typical size .25 acre. City could challenge every mod and raise an eye on parking on grass. City is 100% worse than any HOA out there.

Posted By: fj12ryder on 09/19/18 11:35am

^^^^^^^^^^FWIW I wondered something of the same and he replied that he lives in a rural area, so city prying would be a non-issue.

Posted By: covered wagon on 09/20/18 09:27am

Best thing we ever did was to get out on country acreage. It will afford a better way of living for you with an RV.

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