Backing into the garage

[redbarron55]

An anchor in the floor and two wedges cut tapered to make the transition easier

[LarryB.]

I use rubber pavers in place of leveling blocks. They are ¾" thick and easily stackable. I got mine For $4 from Menards and cut them in half. They’re also available from Home Depot, Lowes and other big box stores. Another alternative might be the material used for stall mats.

If your garage is 1½" high you could construct a “ramp” by overlapping two (or more) of the the paver halves that would be an alternative to using plywood and shims. Then, like me, you could also use them for levelers when you go camping.

[Pete J]

Easiest fix: Neighbors!

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Pete J

Easiest fix: Neighbors!

Or in Canada: Neighbours!

[skipperclyde]

I have used a dolly and electric winch. A cheap harbor freight winch with a remote control mounted to a stinger that I put in the rear receiver.

I can steer the dolly while operating the winch. I connect the winch to the trailer battery.

Works great but you still may need a ramp depending on the size of the winch.

[Dick Kasnick]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

A lot of driveways settle after they are poured because the backfill dirt/gravel was not properly compacted. Keeping rain water out is the function of the door bottom seal.

Ah that this would be so... the threshold of a garage has the lip to keep driven and gravity fed rain from entering the garage. True, the garage floor should also be sloped, but the astrigal of a garage door will not seal water out. I have been in the garage door business off and on for 50 years, and never have seen rubber astrigal that keeps a seal over more than a few years.

The suggestions for pushing in with the TV or a winch honestly are the best. I was always able to back it in, with a spotter for help, but that was me...

Good luck.

[Pete J]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Or in Canada: Neighbours!

TOUCHÉ!

[snuffy2]

Find a friend with a hammer drill or rent a hammer drill. Drill and install a 1/2 to 5/8 anchor in the concrete. Buy a $30.00 come along. You're done.

[BushWacker]

I suggest a winch or come-a-long. If you don't have something to mount it to on the back wall then mount an anchor into the cement. This is as simple as drilling a hole into the cement and mounting an anchor with anchoring cement. You can even have it removable with a bolt. Although I'd keep a flush-mounted bolt in the hole at all times to keep debris out of the whole.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by snuffy2

Find a friend with a hammer drill or rent a hammer drill.

I needed a hammer drill for one time use, and have no friends. I went to rent one and found that it would cost more to rent than to buy one at Harbor Freight. I still have it if you want to borrow it.

[BushWacker]

The saddest part of this reply is that you have no friends.

Originally Posted by gordon2

I needed a hammer drill for one time use, and have no friends. I went to rent one and found that it would cost more to rent than to buy one at Harbor Freight. I still have it if you want to borrow it.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by BushWacker

The saddest part of this reply is that you have no friends.

But now that I have lots of tools, including a hammer drill, I can get friends!

You see, I thought the saddest part was that your didn't get my attempt at humor.

Bottom line, even if the cheap H.F. drill breaks the second time you use it, its still cheaper than renting for a single use.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by LarryB.

I use rubber pavers in place of leveling blocks. They are ¾" thick and easily stackable. I got mine For $4 from
If your garage is 1½" high you could construct a “ramp” by overlapping two (or more) of the the paver halves that would be an alternative to using plywood and shims. Then, like me, you could also use them for levelers when you go camping.

Genius here! Just looked them up, you could either cut the paver in half, or even in quarters if using for leveling blocks. They are 16 inch square, so either two 8 x 16 pieces or four 8 x 8. It would be interesting if they slip when stacked (when using as leveling blocks).

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

Genius here! Just looked them up, you could either cut the paver in half, or even in quarters if using for leveling blocks. They are 16 inch square, so either two 8 x 16 pieces or four 8 x 8. It would be interesting if they slip when stacked (when using as leveling blocks).

I actually considered these when I first decided to go away from my long love stack of treated 2x6 blocks. I decided against these for a couple reasons. Firstly, they are quite heavy and secondly, they do not stack together to need smaller storage. All this is compared to going with something like the Lynx blocks, though to their disadvantage they are way too much money for what you actually get.

[Conrad S.]

Get a bag of Sakrete blacktop patch at a building supply center. Fashion two small ramps at the lip of the garage floor and tamp the material firmly with the end of a 4x4, then drive your car over it to tamp further.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Conrad S.

Get a bag of Sakrete blacktop patch at a building supply center. Fashion two small ramps at the lip of the garage floor and tamp the material firmly with the end of a 4x4, then drive your car over it to tamp further.

That stuff is an asphalt patch and would do a lousy and ugly job when placed on concrete. For an asphalt job it would work not bad.

[Jim Bennett]

What about making, or getting made, two simple light steel ramps. You could use a tab that rests on the top slab area, and making sure it is long and supportive enough taper it back to the drive a ways. You could store this out of the way when not required and they would last forever. A bit of a better wood ramp.

[tom w]

for your tv check with curt hitches for a front mount hitch. then pushing the trailer into garage will be easy. this is what I do with mine. then mark on the garage floor a guide line for trailer tire.

[Sharon W]

Just push it up to the lip by hand and make sure it’s aligned up, chock the wheels, back up the tow vehicle and hook up, then push it with TV over the lip. You really need to learn how to back the camper if you’re going to own a camper... just sayin!

[LarryB.]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

... paver ... They are 16 inch square, so either two 8 x 16 pieces or four 8 x 8. It would be interesting if they slip when stacked (when using as leveling blocks).

I cut them in half. They have a “gritty” texture on both top & bottom so that “slipage” is impossible. Also, since they are rubber, the top edge isn't “sharp” making it easy to “drive” the trailer up on two or three or four.....

Also, if you have any leftovers after leveling the trailer, you can stack them under the door step to normalize the distance between the trailer's step and ground level.