Max angle when backing up hill?

[Randy Q]

OK this may seem to be a stupid question, but we are new to 5th wheel world and my driveway at home is close to a 45 degree angle, will try to get an exact angle. I have just purchased a 42' Open Range 412RSS and plan to do some work on it and change some furniture etc. I have adequate flat level space on top of driveway but should I be concerned about interference when backing in off of road and when RV starts leveling out but truck is still on angled driveway? My truck is long bed C3500 dually with standard Reese 5th wheel hitch.

This would not be much different than some on/off ramps on some interstates and rural campgrounds in mountainous areas. My hitch has double articulation, tilts L/R and forward and back.

Input appreciated as should be bringing unit home later in week.
Thanks in advance.

[trackman]

There will not be a problem backing it up the driveway. You may want to check at what angle you will be unhooking the truck from the camper. If you cannot back up to level ground with both units cutting loose may be a problem

[SmokeyWren]

I doubt your driveway is anywhere near 45°. 20° to 25° would be an extremely steep driveway.

And your hitch is not the problem. The clearance between the bottom of the trailer overhang and the top of the pickup bedrails is the problem. If you have less than 8" clearance, then even a 20° angle would cause the trailer to crunch the bedrails.

You could try it, but only with a loudmouthed observer to holler STOP! just before you crunch the bedrails.

One way to get the trailer up there is the way an RV shop does it - use a forklife with a tilting fork, and maybe a pallet between the kingpin and the fork. Then you could have all sorts of angle between the fork and the kingpin with no big problem.

[Highway 4x4]

45deg would be a 50% grade. Unless your truck is a 4x4 I dought you will be able to push it up that kind of grade in reverse, traction being the issue. Also you might drag the rear when you back it up depending how quickly the drive gets steep. Hard contact between bed and 5th is a real possibility.

[SeabeckS]

Actually 45 degree slope is a 100% slope, 10 foot vertical rise in 10 foot horizontal distance....just sayin'!

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by SeabeckS

Actually 45 degree slope is a 100% slope, 10 foot vertical rise in 10 foot horizontal distance....just sayin'!

My math teacher disagrees with you. A 10 foot vertical rise in 10 foot horizontal distance would be an Isosceles right triangle, with the hypotenuse being the driveway. Straight up would be a 90° angle, or 100% slope.



With AC and BC both being 10', then the angle at A is going to be 45°, or 50% of the 90° angle at C, which is straight up.

I'm and old codger, and I don't think I've ever seen a 50% slope where ordinary tow vehicles would try to climb. Of course, some of the dirt-bike enduro or hill-climb trails have close to 100% slope, but I don't think anyone in their right mind would attempt to drag or back a trailer over those trails.

[DonDee]

Slope Percent Calculator

[SmokeyWren]

I guess I don't understand the definition of "slope". If a 45° is a 100% slope, then what is 60° or 90°?

[SeabeckS]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

I guess I don't understand the definition of "slope". If a 45° is a 100% slope, then what is 60° or 90°?

90 degrees is an infinite slope...or a cliff!

Slope is expressed as a percent, the rise divided by the run...

5 feet of rise divided by a 10 foot rise is 50%.

Cheers!

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by SeabeckS

Actually 45 degree slope is a 100% slope, 10 foot vertical rise in 10 foot horizontal distance....just sayin'!

A man who knows his Slopes.

Folks the formula is 100 times rise / run.

So
a 45 Degree slope, the rise is the same as the run and that makes it a 1/1 or 100% slope.

The math teacher needs to study construction/roofing.

By the way, The rise over SLOPED side is 1/1.414 or about 70 percent, not 50 as some have suggested,

Only 100% is correct though... Former roofer, And a math/science major I am.

[SeabeckS]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

A man who knows his Slopes.

Folks the formula is 100 times rise / run.

So
a 45 Degree slope, the rise is the same as the run and that makes it a 1/1 or 100% slope.

The math teacher needs to study construction/roofing.

By the way, The rise over SLOPED side is 1/1.414 or about 70 percent, not 50 as some have suggested,

Only 100% is correct though... Former roofer, And a math/science major I am.

Thanks. In a former life I spent a few years as a professional forester, then did civil engineering tech work. Prior to that a wild land firefighter in the Sierras. I know steep...LOL.

[Randy Q]

real angle is 23 degrees, did not expect such a firestorm over slope. So in real world even 23 degrees is subject to bind against bed, correct?
Forklift idea is good idea but do not have one.
Assume a flat bed truck with 5th wheel hitch would work? As a temporary fix as we will not be at this house much longer as full time rving is in near future.

Thanks again for input
Randy

[SeabeckS]

Originally Posted by Randy Q

real angle is 23 degrees, did not expect such a firestorm over slope. So in real world even 23 degrees is subject to bind against bed, correct?
Forklift idea is good idea but do not have one.
Assume a flat bed truck with 5th wheel hitch would work? As a temporary fix as we will not be at this house much longer as full time rving is in near future.

Thanks again for input
Randy

No fire storm here (really been there, done that...NO fun!).

But 23 degrees is ultra steep, as you well know...

A flat bed / fifth wheel hitch might work, but still need to have somebody monitoring the process pretty darned closely. Hard to know for sure without a whole bunch more detailed geometry.

Good luck, and congrats on getting to retirement and full timing!

Cheers!

[SeabeckS]

And...23 degrees converts to 42.4% slope. OMG that's steep!

Why this is difficult to answer is that there are many variables to consider, such as distance from the rear axle of the truck to the axle(s) of the fifth wheel, rear departure angle of the fifth wheel (angle formed between the contact point of the rearmost tire to the bottom of the rear bumper), length of "flat" area leading to the driveway, overall length of the truck and 5er, height of the hitch pin point...etc, etc.

Without knowing every single detail, I'd venture a guess that you might be looking at a very difficult task....