Parking Trailer on Sloping Driveway

[Altazi]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum, and I am looking to get a travel trailer. The maximum overall length must be less than 26 feet, so it will fit in my driveway. I do not wish to be stuck paying to park it elsewhere.

My driveway has a 5.66 degree slope down towards my garage. I would prefer not to have the trailer roll down hill into the garage, garage door, eaves, etc. I have been thinking about how to construct a robust means of preventing the trailer from rolling downhill past a particular point. Also, I have some leveling to do - the driveway has a slight slope (2") from one side to the other, so I would need to equalize the height in the sideways direction so the trailer will sit level.

I was thinking that the best way to prevent the trailer from rolling is to use some sort of wheel chock that is attached to some flat material, so the trailer's weight helps keep the chock from slipping. Also, I could use more of the flat material on one side to achieve the sideways leveling. When thinking of robust materials, Hardiebacker boards came to mind. They are sturdy and waterproof. These are shown in the drawing below as 'ramp material'. The wheel chock material is not yet determined, but it would need to be firmly attached to the Hardiebacker boards. I estimate < 600lbs of shear force on the chock.

In the drawing below, things are sort of crunched. In reality, there should be space for two trailer tires sitting on the ramp. The driveway slope and the ramp material thickness are exaggerated for illustrative purposes.

Does this look workable? Are there better materials to use? Is there an existing product that would work better?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Roy M]

I hope you aren't subject to strong winds! You are overthinking this. Properly inflate the tires and use inexpensive chocks or make your own. Why are you concerned about side to side leveling? Will somebody be staying in the trailer which would likely be in contravention of municipal bylaws?

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I has the same problem with my new Class C. I needed to raise the front to level the RV.

I used two ramps and still had to add lift under them. I use black step treads under it to prevent any sliding movement. I also put wheels attached to the front so that I could tilt it and move it, (Heavy).

I used large wheel chocks on the rear tires.

All the material except the wood came from Harbor Freight.

 

[mel s]

 

[JayArr]

I've found that for most problems I have with my trailer there is already a solution because I'm not the first to encounter it.

For side to side leveling try these.

Curved Leveler - 2 / pack

Curved Leveler - 2 / pack

www.camco.net

I've been using them and they work great. Because they are curved they are adjustable you can raise one side 1", 2" or up to 4" and they are compact so you can take them with you and use them to level the trailer if your campsite isn't perfect. You won't want to haul that wooden set up with you and it'll only be good on a 5 degree slope so it's less than ideal for anywhere other than your driveway.

I bought the 2-pack since I have tandem axles and if you put these on both wheels on one side there is no need to chock the other side, the trailer won't move.

My last question is why do you think it needs to be level in the driveway? As long as you turn the fridge off a trailer can be stored on an incline.

 

[Altazi]

First, I'd like to thank you for responding so promptly. Here are my comments, accordingly.

I hope you aren't subject to strong winds! You are overthinking this. Properly inflate the tires and use inexpensive chocks or make your own. Why are you concerned about side to side leveling? Will somebody be staying in the trailer which would likely be in contravention of municipal bylaws?

Overthinking things is what I did for my career, and I'm not likely to stop anytime soon. I do not like surprises, and having my trailer roll down my driveway and damage both the house and the trailer is something I definitely wish to avoid. I will always look for an over-engineered solution rather than one that was under-engineered.

As for the trailer being level, it is simply because I wish it to be so. No one will be living in it for more than one or two days at a time over a month or more.

I've found that for most problems I have with my trailer there is already a solution because I'm not the first to encounter it.

For side to side leveling try these.

Curved Leveler - 2 / pack

Curved Leveler - 2 / pack

www.camco.net

I've been using them and they work great. Because they are curved they are adjustable you can raise one side 1", 2" or up to 4" and they are compact so you can take them with you and use them to level the trailer if your campsite isn't perfect. You won't want to haul that wooden set up with you and it'll only be good on a 5 degree slope so it's less than ideal for anywhere other than your driveway.

I bought the 2-pack since I have tandem axles and if you put these on both wheels on one side there is no need to chock the other side, the trailer won't move.

My last question is why do you think it needs to be level in the driveway? As long as you turn the fridge off a trailer can be stored on an incline.

I was hoping to find a ready-made solution, but so far I haven't had much luck. I have no intention of moving my driveway chock/leveling solution with me. I want something that will remain in place, and will firmly stop the trailer's backward motion as I am parking it. The stopping function is more important that the leveling function, if it comes to tradeoffs.

I used two ramps and still had to add lift under them. I use black step treads under it to prevent any sliding movement. I also put wheels attached to the front so that I could tilt it and move it, (Heavy).

I used large wheel chocks on the rear tires.

All the material except the wood came from Harbor Freight.

Your solution looks very promising. I will do more research on this. Thanks!

Again, thank you all. If you have any other comments, questions, or suggestions, I welcome them!