Community Forums

bsaldeen · 10-13-2020, 07:06 PM

Some friends of ours have invited us to park and stay at their place. It's a nice spot, with water and power, and a killer view--but there's an issue.

The approach to the mooch-docking spot is down a long and narrow country road, then the turn into their driveway angles to the left at 45 degrees, and goes up pretty steeply. My iphone measured the slope at 10 degrees. Doesn't seem like much, but when you're standing there it looks pretty steep. Basically flat, then a left turn up a pretty steep hill.

We're concerned about dragging our RV's tail when we go up the drive. Or coming back down, for that matter.

My question: is there some rule-of-thumb on how to judge stuff like this? Just "trying it" would involve about a half-mile of backing up if it didn't work.

I've attached some pictures--it doesn't look so steep in the photos but when you're standing there, it seems steeper (esp from the top looking down!).

Any tips?

nbluesky · 10-13-2020, 07:16 PM

As a new owner in the DP 38' rig I am quite curious what experienced folks have to say about this. It is definitely one of my concerns. Especially steep approach drives in some fuel stations etc.

153stars · 10-13-2020, 08:41 PM

I think your tag will help lift the rear earlier. How far is the the left corner of approach to the small grassy patch on right about 1/4 way up. ???? The longer the better.
I would try to keep my left rear near the left corner and point right front right toward the right edge of grassy patch. Have someone watch right rear. bumper. Then keep/start cutting it to stay on hard ground.
Some rigs have high end air leveling that can raise or lower and drive slowly go short distances .

56safari · 10-13-2020, 08:45 PM

Sure looks like more than a 10% slope - 1 ft of rise for every 10 ft of run. But it looks like you have some slope in the same direction as the driveway on the road which will help. Measure your wheel base and the distance from the rear axle to the back bumper. Divide the wheel base by the overhang - 200 inches by 100 inches for example. In the example, the 2 means that for every 2 inches you raise the front wheels, the back end will drop 1 inch (think fulcrum). Measure up the driveway the length of your wheel base and then how much higher that point is than start of the drive way. if that is 3 feet, the back end will be 1.5 feet lower than on level ground. Compare that to the height of your rear bumper from the ground when the rv is level. if it's over the drop you calculated, measure back from the start of the driveway on the road the length of your overhang. If that distance is level or sloped away from the driveway you'll be good going up as long as the slope of the driveway doesn't increase further up the driveway.

To check exit, measure up from the driveway the distance of your over hang then how much that point is above the driveway entrance If that point is less than the ground clearance of the rear bumper on level ground, you'll drag unless you back out. If the road has a crown or slopes up going away from the driveway, you'll need more clearance.

If there is a crown on the road or the road slopes up leaving the driveway entrance, it gets a little more involved. Let me know if that is the case. Hope the info helps.

Ray,IN · 10-13-2020, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 56safari

Sure looks like more than a 10% slope - 1 ft of rise for every 10 ft of run. But it looks like you have some slope in the same direction as the driveway on the road which will help. Measure your wheel base and the distance from the rear axle to the back bumper. Divide the wheel base by the overhang - 200 inches by 100 inches for example. In the example, the 2 means that for every 2 inches you raise the front wheels, the back end will drop 1 inch (think fulcrum). Measure up the driveway the length of your wheel base and then how much higher that point is than start of the drive way. if that is 3 feet, the back end will be 1.5 feet lower than on level ground. Compare that to the height of your rear bumper from the ground when the rv is level. if it's over the drop you calculated, measure back from the start of the driveway on the road the length of your overhang. If that distance is level or sloped away from the driveway you'll be good going up as long as the slope of the driveway doesn't increase further up the driveway.

To check exit, measure up from the driveway the distance of your over hang then how much that point is above the driveway entrance If that point is less than the ground clearance of the rear bumper on level ground, you'll drag unless you back out. If the road has a crown or slopes up going away from the driveway, you'll need more clearance.

If there is a crown on the road or the road slopes up leaving the driveway entrance, it gets a little more involved. Let me know if that is the case. Hope the info helps.

10°, not 10% which equals 4.5°

777 Driver · 10-13-2020, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsaldeen

Any tips?

Hi Bob,

I don't know, it looks kinda "sketchy" to me. Your concern is very well placed.

The Hadley system has a feature to raise the coach that works at very low speeds which would give some additional clearance.

You might look at adding one of these: https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=...RV_Skid_Wheels. I've never tried one so I can't offer an opinion of effectiveness. I'd be concerned that on a surface any less hard than concrete, the roller might just dig in.

Good luck.

Take care,
Stu

10 fan · 10-13-2020, 09:12 PM

I put steel wheels on my receiver to help it roll when this happens. I had to install a self leveling valve by pass to back up my driveway. It raises 4.5". Source Eng. in OR make a kit for freightliner, not Spartan. FL air lines are 1/4" and Spartan are 3/8. I made my own.

NITEHAWK · 10-13-2020, 09:12 PM

I have the 6" dia casters on the back of our coach and I would still be leery of steep inclines like you show in those pictures.
The problem with the caster idea is that you will start to lose traction as the caster wheels start to have more and more weight put on them.
I have felt (and heard) the casters do what they are designed to do when I accidentally went off a curb in Branson. What saved me was the forward momentum continued until the drive rear wheels made contact with the ground again.
I have gone so far as to come at a slope at as much of an angle as I can in order to keep traction.

RCLImperial · 10-13-2020, 09:47 PM

I have a 20% grade driveway (a little over 11degrees) and making the transition from the road to the driveway with a 40foot diesel is iffy. I ultimately did a mod which allows me to over inflate the rear airbags which gains a few inches of rear end clearance. I doubt that you would want to do this mod for what is a one time event.

I’d suggest that you do the following: on a flat surface, measure the height of the lowest point on the rear od the coach (the point which will drag first.) then measure the distance from the rear to the drive wheel, not the tag, because it can’t lift the weight of the coach. From those two measurements you can calculate whether it will clear that 10 degree slope. If it’s close, I wouldn’t chance it.

Dick L. ‘04 HR Imperial

stinespool · 10-13-2020, 10:03 PM

Hi Imperial. I would be interested in your modification. Ours scrapes the muffler when I back up the driveway into our parking at our place.

bsaldeen · 10-14-2020, 08:01 AM

Thanks, everybody, for the great suggestions and replies. I think we're going to skip it---just too much of a hassle to do the attempt. But I am going to work the math out to see if it's possible, and by how much.

RCLImperial · 10-14-2020, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stinespool

Hi Imperial. I would be interested in your modification. Ours scrapes the muffler when I back up the driveway into our parking at our place.

It was described in the Monacoers.org website in the
Downloads>chassis>suspension rides and handling. Section. There was also a discussion on IRV2 in the Monaco owners forum in a post about a month ago. I found it by searching posts by RCLImperial. I believe that there is a complete description in the “temporary ride height “ discussion. If that fails. Send me a PM

Dick L. ‘04 Imperial

Domo · 10-14-2020, 09:39 AM

Looks fairly rural - perhaps there would have been a neighbor's field/storage silo approach where a simple bottle of wine would pay for access while you visited the other folks?

Ucbyrickg · 10-14-2020, 02:07 PM

Looking at the photos and the information I would take a gamble on my coach making it, it’s a 40’ Dynasty with tag axle, it looks like you have a 44 foot that is considerably longer. I would also be concerned in one of the photos the powerline looks to be in the 12 to 14 foot range.
The damage you could incur or the possibility of having to call a wrecker would be far more expensive than just parking nearby and running the generator.

Good luck