 |
|
01-29-2017, 06:14 AM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
|
Parking a 40' MH in my driveway
I have a 40' MH purchase under contract and will be bringing it home in a week or two. I need to find a storage facility but I also want to bring it home on occasion to work on it and load it before going on trips.
My concern is my driveway. I think it is 4" thick concrete. Will that support a 40' MH with a GVWR of 34,000 lbs, Front GAWR of 14,000lbs and Rear GAWR of 20,000 lbs. No tag axle.
Also in order to get the MH onto the driveway from the street I will need to maneuver the MH on the grass and then onto the driveway. Should I be worried about the MH getting struck in the grass? And when the rear wheels go from the grass onto the concrete driveway is there a possibility the concrete will break as the MH tires roll from the grass onto the concrete?
__________________
Tim
Leesburg, FL '07 American Tradition 40Z Cummins 400 ISL
Towing a '14 Honda CRV Both sold
2021 Vanleigh Beacon 41LKB 5th wheel
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
01-29-2017, 06:31 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Appalachian Campers Mid Atlantic Campers Coastal Campers Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,622
|
I'd definitely say 'possibly'.
My main driveway concrete is 4", and it made up of some concrete 20 years old when the house was built, and some 5 years old when I built a detached garage on my property, redoing about 2/3 rds of the concrete.
I have clay as a base, which ranges from rock hard when it's dry, to a squishy sponge when wet.
I now have cracks on some pieces of my older concrete, in the area where there are tree roots under the concrete. None of the new concrete has cracked.
Although I have driven the coach twice on dirt in campground areas, I have seen a coach stuck requiring a huge towtruck to pull it out. So I would avoid going off road like the plague.
And not that it matters that much for your question, but your actual weights, should be less than your gross vehicle weight max's. You should get your coach weighed at a cat scale so you know how to set your correct air pressures, typically costs 10-15 bucks.
__________________
DaveB, Raleigh, NC
2015 Tiffin RED 33AA, w/Honda CRV
VMSpc, Magnum BMK/ARC50
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 06:33 AM
|
#3
|
Moderator Emeritus
Country Coach Owners Club Appalachian Campers Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.
Posts: 12,060
|
I see you are from Tampa; my old home town. I have see hard and soft ground in Fl. I would not recommend driving across bare earth and onto edge of driveway, it will probably break. There are also different strengths of concrete but if the ground is soft all will break in time. I would at least excavate the area needed across ground to driveway and pour a good 6" extension to the driveway.
__________________
Mike, RVIA & RVSA Certified Master RV Technician
Amy, Dr. Assistant - Roxie & Mei Ling, four legs each
2000 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser 450 hp & 1330# torque
06 Saturn Vue, 06 Chevy Z71 4x4 & 2014 Corvette Z51 M7
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 06:54 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
|
Thanks RV Wizard for the heads up about max weights. I'm aware of that and intend to get the coach weighed as soon as I can.
Is there anything I can do to beef up my current driveway without having to dig it all up and start anew? I can add a turn section to my current driveway to avoid driving on the grass but that won't help the rest of the driveway.
__________________
Tim
Leesburg, FL '07 American Tradition 40Z Cummins 400 ISL
Towing a '14 Honda CRV Both sold
2021 Vanleigh Beacon 41LKB 5th wheel
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 06:57 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16,160
|
There is a possibility of the concrete breaking, especially on corners or at joints. My coach is about the same size, we live in TN which has a good clay base which helps.
I poured the driveway ~25 years ago, ~4" thick. I did put reinforcing screen in it. At that time had no idea I was going to have a large RV. It has held up well under the load but I did crack the corner of the concrete where I drive onto it from the road.
I have to cross part of the grass to get in and out of my driveway. Also has a pretty steep grade to contend with. Last year the city repaved the street which resulted in the back of my coach dragging, the trailer hitch was hitting so I added a set of wheels. Still drags but at least it's not the trailer hitch.
If you have to cross the lawn you may consider getting a couple boards to lay down and take up as needed.
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 09:56 AM
|
#6
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: LA, Lower Alabama
Posts: 2,430
|
I would not be concerned about the strength of the concrete in the driveway at all. But I would be concerned about the edges if you cross yard to get on the concrete. Pouring extensions would be a good idea to keep the wheels on concrete at all times. I have a 400' concrete drive and added flairs/extensions at the road to get in and out and stay on the concrete. I keep mine at home and can drive on the yard/dirt with no problems though. Never had any issues with cracking on the edges of the drive.
I did have some minor cracking at a couple of corners due to some recent additions, RV pole barn. Had 2 cement trucks and a triple axle dump truck with gravel, 80,000 pounds, and one of them caused them, probably gravel truck. I knew it was possible but no way to get them in otherwise and it's minor anyway
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 10:09 AM
|
#7
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 28,505
|
The thickness isn't really important - its the strength of the construction and the quality of the base underneath. Residential driveways typically are not built for heavy vehicles (especially if installed by a typical home builder!), meaning not much in the way of rebar & wire in the concrete, and a light duty mix. The good news is that the base underneath in most Florida locations is great for concrete, basically just sand. That compacts firmly and drains well, two of the major requirements for a solid driveway base.
At a guess, I would say you will probably be OK if you avoid driving on the edges as drnwicks stated. But a guess is all that is.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is now West Palm Beach, FL
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 12:05 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
|
Thanks Guys, I'm going to add an extension to increase the width where the driveway meets the road and give it a try.
__________________
Tim
Leesburg, FL '07 American Tradition 40Z Cummins 400 ISL
Towing a '14 Honda CRV Both sold
2021 Vanleigh Beacon 41LKB 5th wheel
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 05:03 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Morris, IL.
Posts: 639
|
thickness
the thickness always has something to do with strength, you can have a many bag mix and 2" thick and will crack under heavy loads. When we poured concrete, driveways were 4" with wire reinforcement and was for residential use. For commercial use we went to 6" thick with rebar. I would be concerned about the edges also.
__________________
1989 Champion LaSalle 34' 454 ci always doing something to it
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 05:14 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 608
|
 I busted the snot out of my drive way with a 36 footer.
__________________
1997 Country Coach Intrigue Horizon 36' (The Dinosaur Burner)
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 07:33 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Snowbird - Waterford Mi and Citrus Springs Fl.
Posts: 3,609
|
Yup, me too. After 5 years the concrete within 4' of the rear tires will eventually need to be cut out and replaced. Not just a crack or 2, it's seriously broken up. Everything else is holding fine.
Nice to hear you've found a coach!
__________________
1997 37' HR Endeavor, 275hp Cat, Freightliner
03 CR-V Blue Ox, Ready Brake
|
|
|
01-29-2017, 10:01 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 313
|
I built a pad with 6" depth 50 x 14. The perimeter 30" got extra 1/2" rebar reinforcement and that should be good enough for nay legal motorhome. I also use Dozer Mats to keep heavy stuff from going down too much on unpaved ground. SVE Portable Roadway Systems | DOZER MAT | Prevent damage from bulldozers or steel track vehicles in drilling, utility, cemeteries, tree services, and heavy construction in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. I have driven D8, and even a D9, over the mats without a problem, I'm confident you could use them to bridge the way onto the concrete plus they could be used to provide a tire barrier when its parked. They also would help spread the load some on the parked concrete although that is not their main purpose.
__________________
2016 Pace Arrow LXE 38K
|
|
|
01-30-2017, 03:32 PM
|
#13
|
Moderator Emeritus
Monaco Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 13,426
|
Our driveway supports our 33,000 lb coach, but I had it poured with 1/2" rebar instead of the wire mesh on the recommendation of our concrete guy. Both aprons are cracked where the drive meets our county road, but are still connected to the main drive. I'd say its doable, but it will put maximum stress on the drive.
__________________
Dennis and Katherine
2000 Monaco Dynasty
|
|
|
01-30-2017, 04:00 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 15,749
|
It depends. How good is the base under the concrete? How wet is it and what type of dirt under the grass? Might be OK, might not. The gist is nobody can say for sure...
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
|
|
|
 |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|