Do bogie wheels work?

[Blueseeker]

Help!, we are purchasing a 39ft Winnebago Destination out of state and have a bit of a sharp incline from the roadway into our driveway, needing 16.5inches to clear, it has 14 inches..the salesman stated, no problem, we will install a set of bogie wheels on the back of the mh so it won't drag.
Does anyone have experience, knowledge of these actually help without damaging the mh?

[LJowdy]

If you're writing about steel roller wheels welded to the chassis they do work provided they're placed lower than the lowest part of the chassis (usually somewhere near the hitch)
If you have a mud/rock guard hanging from beneath the coach behind the wheels, it will drag and probably break off.

Another method is to place 2 x 12 boards at the apex of the incline and drive over them thus making the incline less steep

Remember this, the salesman will tell you ANYTHING to get you to buy the coach.

[azpete]

remember that they put a severe strain on any weld joints where the frame is extended. they will also cause the frame to twist if one side is lower or higher than the other side.
yes, they work, sometimes too well.

[Blueseeker]

Since the driveway has traffic from other neighbors, can’t do the 2x12 but good info, and I’m savvy about salesmen��

[LJowdy]

Don't discount the 2x12's just because you have neighbors. At my previous home, I parked my coach and enclosed trailer on the side of my home. I had to build some inclined curb jumpers so I could drive up over the curb. I kept them on a 2 wheel dolly and when I was done, I just picked them up and wheeled them back to my yard.
What I'm getting at is you don't need to leave the boards there permanently, just when you drive in and out of the driveway.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by azpete

remember that they put a severe strain on any weld joints where the frame is extended. they will also cause the frame to twist if one side is lower or higher than the other side.
yes, they work, sometimes too well.

An outstanding and accurate answer. Knowing the highly potential damage that could occur, I'd to what it takes to ramp up the rear tires for the transition. At least those tires, and that part of the frame etc. is designed to take angularity and off set loads.
Scott

[aknavy]

Not a motorhome, but I have a tow setup with triple receivers, and I run a big roller bar between the outer two receivers, and it has worked great. Better than an single wheel hitting on either side, I hope anyways.

[Dutch Star Don]

My personal opinion, I would rather roll on a dolly wheel than drag the frame. Many say that the wheel will do damage.......what's the frame doing?

The issue is.....many install the wheels, adding another 2"- 4" of height, making the coach have to drag more. If you take some time and carefully install the wheels, you can make it so they only add about a 1/2".

Most RV's have the loop shaped double drag bars mounted at the rear, frame width apart. Rather than mount the wheels to the bottom of these bars, consider mounting them to a piece of square tubing. Take a piece of stout square tubing, a little wider than the width of the drag bars (frame width) and add the wheels to the square tubing ends. Mount the square tubing inside the drag bar loop and adjust the height so the wheels are just a 1/2" or so lower than the drag bars. U bolts can be used to attach the square tubing.

[saddlesore]

Is the coach air ride or on steel spring ride...IF air ride could "Raise" the coach to get clearances needed, steel spring ride not so much.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

Is the coach air ride or on steel spring ride...IF air ride could "Raise" the coach to get clearances needed, steel spring ride not so much.

Well,
Maybe. You can only do that on certain air suspended coaches. Our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD is not capable of increasing ride height, even momentarily. But, based on a thread on here a short while ago, there are at least one brand/mfgr that has that feature designed into it.
Scott

[jimnkee]

Yes they do work. Some years ago we had a 27' bumper pull and many times the wheels on the back saved our butt.

[Blueseeker]

Thank you all for the input, much appreciated! The delivery date is drawing near, and we are going ahead with the bogie wheels. They are welding on a set of heavy duty ones at the lowest contact point behind the rear wheels, so we can only hope and pray at this point.