Backing into the garage

[Baxter]

OK, a kind of silly question from the guy who's new to trailers in general:

This thing just barely fits in my garage, which is wonderful. Keeps my wife (and the neighbors) much happier. It fits very, very snugly, but it does fit.

BUT: we have a roughly 1 1/2" to 2" lip in the garage floor by the door, and I am not strong enough to push the trailer over that lip. My wife tried to help, and we couldn't do it together, either. We're already pushing it uphill when we get to the lip, and that extra bit is just too much.

I don't think I have a place to mount a crank winch or something, which was my first thought.

So, anyone have suggestions for some very small ramps or something to get it over the hump, so to speak? I tried some half-inch planks, but they just split in half

[John in Michigan]

We have similar challenges. Very very tight fit to get the Trillium 4500 under the 7' door frame. Must swap to smaller tires/rims, remove vent cover and wedge the garage door above the door frame. AND the garage floor surface is 1" to 2" higher than the driveway surface. We do manage to get the Trillium 4500 over the hump by both of us pushing.

For you, I suggest three options:

- Get the trailer as close as possible to the garage floor surface, then jack each wheel up, then pile enough 12" wide plywood strips under the wheel to form a bridge to the garage floor surface. We've done this.

- Construct solid wood ramps that rest on the driveway surface.

- Get a motorized trailer dolly. (This won't work if it raises the trailer up too high to fit under the garage door frame.)

[thrifty bill]

I use a large scrap piece of plywood, with a little shim under the edge against the concrete lip. I routinely push mine into my garage that way.


The shim is so my 1/2 inch plywood is closer the the height of my floor. So its 1/2 inch when the wheels come in contact with the plywood, and maybe an 1 inch on the side touching the floor. My floor is slightly over 1 inch higher than the driveway, maybe 1 1/4 inch.

I can't roll it over 1 1/4 inch high edge, but I can roll it up 1/2 inch, and another 1/4 inch at the floor. The plywood sits in front of the edge of my concrete floor, it doesn't go over the floor at all.

[Baxter]

Maybe the shim is where I went wrong. That's to keep your plywood from cracking/splitting at the highest point right?

[Raspy]

Back it up the hill and over the bump, with the TV. And then push it the rest of the way by hand. I can't push my Oliver at all because it has no front wheel.

[Baxter]

That would be nice, but I honestly don't trust my backing up skills to get this thing in within the inch or two clearance I have available.

[floyd]

If you have a lawn tractor, mount a ball on the front.
You can push and maneuver the trailer with it.


You could also get a short piece of 2X4 for a fulcrum and a long piece for lever, then just hump each tire over the threshold .


If you have a jack, you could use it to lift one side at a time and slip a Lego block under the tire right by the threshold, then it would be a level or slight "downhill" roll over the threshold.


You could substitute a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood instead of your planks.
They won't split.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Google threshold ramps. You may find something that would work. Or just go by hand until you reach the opening, then hitch up the TV to push it in, then back to hand rolling.

[Wayne Collins]

The Expensive and BEST way is to hire a concrete jacking contractor to raise the driveway slab so it is flush with the floor.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

The Expensive and BEST way is to hire a concrete jacking contractor to raise the driveway slab so it is flush with the floor.

I'll bet the lip is there to prevent rain water from coming in, so you dont want to defeat that protection.. esp at ten grand or more

If there is any pace you can get an anchor in the back of the garage (far from the door) then a winch or a $30 come-along should work. It might well be worth adding a good concrete anchor for this purpose. If not, then I agree.. back in by hand or trailer dolly, stop at the lip hook up tow veh. Back up six inches, unhitch and go back to manual backing.

PS.. chock as needed.. I didnt think I needed to add that step in the procedure but maybe I should have.

[Baxter]

I need to check my angles, but a come-along might work. :thinking

[Iowa Dave]

A come along or a boat winch mounted in the center of the stall might well be a good solution. I’ve moved some pretty heavy stuff with a come along and it’s only a couple inches at a time. You might have to beef up the vertical stud in the back of the garage at the plate and end rafter. Can’t beat fir for strength.
Iowa Dave

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I'll bet the lip is there to prevent rain water from coming in, so you dont want to defeat that protection.. esp at ten grand or more .

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.

[Jim Bennett]

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.

This is about the only reason for the lip. I have seen the resultant many times before.

Water ingress is not an issue if the garage was built correctly. I have built many dozens of garages, both attached and detached and have never had a water problem.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Baxter

OK, a kind of silly question from the guy who's new to trailers in general:

This thing just barely fits in my garage, which is wonderful. Keeps my wife (and the neighbors) much happier. It fits very, very snugly, but it does fit.

BUT: we have a roughly 1 1/2" to 2" lip in the garage floor by the door, and I am not strong enough to push the trailer over that lip. My wife tried to help, and we couldn't do it together, either. We're already pushing it uphill when we get to the lip, and that extra bit is just too much.

I don't think I have a place to mount a crank winch or something, which was my first thought.

So, anyone have suggestions for some very small ramps or something to get it over the hump, so to speak? I tried some half-inch planks, but they just split in half

You can get a trailer dolly that has a ball on it and has 2 rubber tires. We have one and it makes moving our 17' Casita easy. You can steer the dolly the way you want to make the trailer go and you can keep the front end as low as you need to. Harbor Freight has them for around $50. There are other places that sell them also.

[Iowa Dave]

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.

Hi Wayne
Maybe we could get your girlfriend “Miss No Connections, No Connections!” to give that camper a shove up over the lip?
Iowa Dave

[steve67]

Place some larger/wider boards in front of the garage that you can back the trailer onto with the car and then push/position it from there into your garage. Store them under the trailer.

[ehoepner]

If I were faced with this situation, the first thing I would do is back the camper into the garage with my tow vehicle. I started out backing four wheel trailers on the farm as a kid. Backing my Casita around the end of the house into a very tight spot in the back yard is a piece of cake.

If push came to shove, I would mount a hook on the concrete floor and use a come-a-long winch or block and tackle to pull it back in.

[Baxter]

On my house, the lip is molded into the concrete. No idea why. There’s no settling, and no danger of water since everything slopes away from the garage. But there it is.

[Borrego Dave]

[QUOTE If push came to shove, I would mount a hook on the concrete floor and use a come-a-long winch or block and tackle to pull it back in.[/QUOTE]

There you go Carter, this is probably the easiest way to go. Once it's over the lip pushing it will be a piece of cake.