# Travel Trailer On Sloped Driveway



## Danodog

I have 4 tire chocks, (2 of them rubber) and 2 Bal X-Chocks to hold this trailer on a sloped driveway. Trailer is not level in the photo and needs about 4 more inches to level. What are your thoughts?


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## Bill & Kate

For storage, I would not want to try to get it any more level than it is - the suspension looks like it is already flexed some which means that the tongue jack is carrying more weight than normal. Since the tongue jack is extended so much and holding some extra weight, I might want to try and find a jack stand or something like a sturdy saw horse to hold the tongue.

I am not sure how level it really needs to be for storage .....


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## duggy

If you run the fridge while the trailer is parked, you need to get it pretty close to level. I would put a layer of 2 x 8 wood under the front wheels, to equalize the load between the two wheels, and build a solid base to put under the tongue jack, so you can raise the front until it is level. A small slope of an inch or two won't hurt the fridge, and it allows water to drain from some places that may hold it when perfectly level.

With the trailer tipping downward the way it is right now, it is actually transferring more load to the tongue jack than it would if it was level.


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## H2oSprayer

If this is how you plan to store it, I would suggest you try to get it as level as you can so that rain water doesn't back up and leak in somewhere. Although the city wont allow us to store ours in our driveway, our driveway slopes like yours. When we bring it home to clean it or get it ready for our next adventure, I also use 4 tire chocks as well as 2 of the X-Chocks. I block up as high under the tongue jack as I can before lowering the jack and when I raise the tongue as high as I can, the back is nearly touching the asphalt and I am just about level front to back. Before moving the truck, I will bring out 2 - 8" cinder blocks to put under each of the front stabilizing jacks, lower them as well as the rear jacks to lock it to the ground and prevent it from sliding down the driveway. Although it is not the ideal situation, we make the best of it.

Welcome to Outbackers and what's with the OB number on the rear upper corner?


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## CamperAndy

I would make a pair of wedges out of wood. Back as high up the drive way as you can, set the wedge then roll onto them. The front thick side would have a large built in curb. This will help level the trailer and reduces stresses on the suspension for storage. You will have lots of stresses as you park but that should be okay short term. Also remove the WDH when backing up a slope like this as that will really stress the tongue.


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## thefulminator

When I bring my trailer home from the storage yard, I park it in my driveway which has a 6 degree slope. I have to stack up 12" of concrete blocks under the tongue jack just to be able to get it level. Just to be safe I use two sets of chocks, a wooden set I made that goes between the tires and a pair of BAL locking chocks. I also deploy the stabilizer jack and have to put a 4" concrete block under the fronts so they can reach. I've been doing this for five years now with no issues. One really nice thing about this setup is that working under the front end of the trailer is really easy.


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## camping479

Our driveway looks to be similarly sloped, this is how I leveled it out.


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## Insomniak

H2oSprayer said:


> Welcome to Outbackers and what's with the OB number on the rear upper corner?


That was from the trailer races last weekend


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## Insomniak

We have a similar problem, but our driveway isn't very long, and the Outback is! I set it up like this only when loading or unloading, and it's level enough for the fridge to work. I found one day that by making it completely level, I was actually lifting the front wheels off of the ground with the tongue jack. As I was raising the tongue, the X-Chocks slipped out from between the tires and the trailer rolled a few inches before the plastic wedge chocks stopped it. That was a little scary, so now I put the plastic wedges in front of the rear wheels. I need to make wood ramps or something to get those front wheels lifted so I can use the X-Chocks.


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## camping479

i built the pieces I used out of 3/4 marine plywood and a 2x8. The 2x8 on flat was just the right height to level the trailer and even out the suspension. My concern was leaving the trailer parked with most of the weight on the rear axle. I don't know if was a valid concern or not but I didn't like the idea of taking a lot of weight off of the front axle and transferring it to the rear axle.

Mike


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## duggy

camping479 said:


> Our driveway looks to be similarly sloped, this is how I leveled it out.


That is exactly the solution I had in mind. The only thing I might add would be a little more length to the 2 x 8's under the front wheels, so you could use chocks in front of them as well.


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## thefulminator

To help take the slope out of the blocks I use under the front stabilizers, I place a concrete retaining wall block like the one shown below under each stabilizer and flip it upside down with the lip on the downhill side. That may not make up all the slope but it helps.


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## Insomniak

thefulminator said:


> To help take the slope out of the blocks I use under the front stabilizers, I place a concrete retaining wall block like the one shown below under each stabilizer and flip it upside down with the lip on the downhill side. That may not make up all the slope but it helps.


I use folded pieces of thick cardboard to shim the front edge of one of the wood blocks under my front stabilizers. Takes out some of that slope and the cardboard travels real light!


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## hoodscoop

Danodog said:


> I have 4 tire chocks, (2 of them rubber) and 2 Bal X-Chocks to hold this trailer on a sloped driveway. Trailer is not level in the photo and needs about 4 more inches to level. What are your thoughts?


Maybe a little over the top but you might take a plastic coated heavy chain and fish it through adjoing front and rear wheels and put a keyed lock to connect the ends of the chain. Keep it tight. This will serve as an emergency stop if the wheel blocks move or if some butthead kicks them out.


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## Danodog

hoodscoop said:


> I have 4 tire chocks, (2 of them rubber) and 2 Bal X-Chocks to hold this trailer on a sloped driveway. Trailer is not level in the photo and needs about 4 more inches to level. What are your thoughts?


Maybe a little over the top but you might take a plastic coated heavy chain and fish it through adjoing front and rear wheels and put a keyed lock to connect the ends of the chain. Keep it tight. This will serve as an emergency stop if the wheel blocks move or if some butthead kicks them out.
[/quote]

I like that idea. I just need to find some heavy chain. Thanks!


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## Stance

My driveway is also too short. So, I have to almost parallel park it and get it just right so the bed tucks under the eave's drop. I have since made a ~6 ft long ramp to replace the blocks shown. The LH wheels are on the asphalt and I don't put the front stabalizers down. They are not really needed. I don't have any issues so far with it like this except the first step is a bit high.


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## CamperKev

Insomniak said:


> We have a similar problem, but our driveway isn't very long, and the Outback is! I set it up like this only when loading or unloading, and it's level enough for the fridge to work. I found one day that by making it completely level, I was actually lifting the front wheels off of the ground with the tongue jack. As I was raising the tongue, the X-Chocks slipped out from between the tires and the trailer rolled a few inches before the plastic wedge chocks stopped it. That was a little scary, so now I put the plastic wedges in front of the rear wheels. I need to make wood ramps or something to get those front wheels lifted so I can use the X-Chocks.


Holy Crap!! Your actually in the street!







Do you store it there or is that just so you can pack it for a trip? Also wanted to ask you how well does the new Dodge tow compared to your old Tundra?? Must be like night and day!!


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## thefulminator

Here she is, dirty but back home.



Double chocked for your protection.


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## crawgator

Do any of you have trouble with the hitching when it is on that much incline. We used to have a lot of problems and we witness the neighbor having troubles too.


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## thefulminator

No hitching problems as long as I back straight in. When the truck is at an angle lifting the truck high enough to get the equalizer bars on can be difficult.


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## Stance

crawgator said:


> Do any of you have trouble with the hitching when it is on that much incline. We used to have a lot of problems and we witness the neighbor having troubles too.


I do. I can't hook up the WD bars while it's on my driveway. The alley is flat and the drive way is sloped. I'd probably have to lift the truck off of the ground to hook them up. So, I don't and hook them up when both the TV and TT are in the alley.


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