Parking in driveway - STEEP

[MrEvolution]

I posted this in the pop-up forum but I may get a larger audience for my problem here.

Picked up a 2017 12SC over the weekend. My small Tacoma did a great job getting it home. Then the driveway turned on us. I have a long steep driveway. I'm not sure about the grade but it's pretty steep. I tried backing in and just before the grade changed the bottom of the tongue jack scrapes the ground. I pulled out and came at it from an angle this time driving forward. I have a little bit of a yard to move around in but I got stuck on the grass before I could turn and get it in the driveway using a circle technique. I wound up backing it onto the street and drove it forward up the driveway. I unhitched and wiggled the truck out of the driveway and parked behind the PUP. My partner used the yard and parked her car in front of the PUP so she'll have to bank around it until I figure out a solution.

Everything is in the driveway but it's in the wrong order! I have some ideas but I'd like to see what others think so i don't continue rambling.

Thanks for any opinions.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by MrEvolution

snip... I have a long steep driveway. I'm not sure about the grade but it's pretty steep. I tried backing in and just before the grade changed the bottom of the tongue jack scrapes the ground. ...snip

Everything is in the driveway but it's in the wrong order! I have some ideas but I'd like to see what others think so i don't continue rambling.

Thanks for any opinions.

Is there a valley where the driveway meets the road? I'm guessing there is and your tongue jack hits with your TV tires down in that valley. If you could put some lumber in that valley, it may keep the rear of your TV a bit higher and get past the scraping.

Is there are removable foot on your tongue jack? Did you remove it?

Also, consider temporarily removing your tongue jack when you back in. It may be easier than it sounds.

A steep driveway will also require some serious wheel chocks to be sure your trailer stays put!

[Heady]

Replacing the jack with a model that swivels up may address the jack hitting the driveway issue.

[Jm9301]

This might be a bit of a mickey mouse work around, but do you have an idea of the clearance you need to get that jack over the slope? generally speaking any drastic elevation changes you want to hit at as close to a 45 degree angle as you can. But if you have enough space between the rear bumper and the ground, perhaps you should try one of these



You can set it up either way and have your tounge pretty high for the purpose of a steep driveway if that seems like it may work. If not you will likely have to take the jack off as others have suggested.

[MrEvolution]

Where exactly does that go? I assume the ball mount sits on that. Is it easy to swap out. I would only need it when returning home to park it as getting out of the driveway won't be a problem. The angle is much less than 45 degrees on the drive, not sure about the angle change at the problem spot.

[bansai]

It just replaces the hitch you are currently using... goes into the receiver on the back of your truck. I think the theory is you would only use this adjustable one when parking in your drive way as you'll be changing the angle of the pop up, the extra hardware there is so you can adjust the height of the hitch ball, which obviously isn't shown in the picture. If the back end of your popup is scraping, you could lower the hitch ball, which would pivot the back end up a little... you may be able to find a sweetspot where nothing drags.

I'd try the ramp idea first.

[bankr63]

I had the same problem with my driveway. Ours is pitched about 10' rise in 30' run. That is an UP slope to the house with a valley at the road, the issue may be different with a DOWN slope and a hump at the curb. (See pic below. Trailer in storage, but in summer would be right where the car is parked).

I did eventually learn the correct angle to hit it at so that it would not scrape, but not until after dozens of scrapes, and with a tight street I rarely got the angle exactly right anyway. There was never any damage caused aside from a few shallow gouges in the paving.

A couple of things that helped me, or may help you:
1) if the angle is not drastic, take it slow, and let it scrape. Your tongue jack will be lifting less weight than it is designed for (probably a couple hundred pounds of tongue, and a couple of hundred off the TV rear axle), but the lateral scraping force is not what it is designed for. I never bent my jack after many times scraping, but it could happen so use caution. You could consider placing a thin piece of plywood where the jack hits to help it slide easily and protect the drive; never tried this, but it should work. I never got used to the sound by the way; just grit your teeth and go slow.

2) Always leave/enter the driveway empty. Pull out and park at the curb, load up and fill the tank if taking water. A light trailer will sit quite a bit higher.

3) I like @Jm9301's suggestion, but you may need to hitch twice. Your trailer should be flat to slightly nose down when towing. A nose up trailer can be unsteady on the road. You may need to swap back to the normal hitch for travelling.

4) If you have a softer surface driveway, cut a groove where the hitch hits. Sure it's a trip hazard, but you won't scrape anymore.

[Jm9301]

Yes my apologies, you would only use this for backing in, unless you re adjust the height afterwards. I assume you already have a hitch that is setup to your liking so this would just be used for the sole purpose of inclines. I actually have one of these that i use for hauling a multitude of trailers so i can adjust easily to get as close to the right height as possible.

If you can smooth the area of the beginning of the incline with a ramp i would absolutely do that first.