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Topic: Temporary Parking for RV (Read 1090 times) previous topic - next topic

Temporary Parking for RV

We are back home and have discovered that our new RV will not fit in our driveway. The attached picture shows it angled on our 3-car-wide driveway, and it still overhangs the sidewalk. Even if it could be parked in front, blocking the sidewalk is a definite no-no.
 
The simplest solution (for the near term) appears to be removing two 8-foot sections of wood fence next to the driveway so I can back "Ducky" into the backyard, behind the fence. (Even a newbie like me ought to be able to back onto and across a 3-car driveway and enter a 16-foot-wide opening.) This brings up some concerns:
 
Is there a problem letting the wheels directly contact the grass (mostly Bermuda)? If it makes a difference, they are Michelin XZA3's almost three years old. Would grass growing under the RV pose a problem?
 
If wheels on grass is a problem, I could back up almost to the right spot and set 2x12's behind the wheels and drive onto them. This appears to be a lot easier than using my 16'-gate expertise to hit some 2"x12" targets on the ground. This brings up some more questions:
 
Would one layer of 2"x12" support the 33,000 # weight? Should I double them up? If they are pressure-treated, would that pose any problems for Ducky's feet? I have some composite deck material left over from a deck project. Would attaching that to the 2x12's be better for the tires? Would the composite decking material itself be a better temporary parking pad?
 
So many questions but I thought I would start with the most pressing problem first. I am sure I am not the first person that has had to (at least temporarily) park their RV at home. How have y'all solved this problem?
 
Thanks,
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #1 –
I wouldn't worry about parking on grass, other than killing the grass if ducky stays too long.  If you ever camp in the wild, she is going to get her webbed feed on grass, dirt, and worse once in a while. 

I park on an asphalt driveway at home, and the sheer weight has formed depressions where each of the wheels lands.  Someday I might have it repaved.  I occasionally use boards to gain some height on one end or the other, and find the boards under that kind of weight are subject to splintering if the ground is not perfectly flat. Not a big deal.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #2 –
I parked my coach on 2X12's for a year before I had a gravel parking area installed. I still park on top of the 2X12's. I have the same tires you do, NO PROBLEM,
Make sure you run the tires across instead of in line. Cut the 2X12's to 3'-4' lengths especially in the rear.
A single row should be enough, unless you get a lot of rain and your yard floods.

My entry and exit is barely wide enough to fit between a chestnut tree and my garage. I have a exact angle of approach that only allows a few inches of clearance. Its ALWAYS a white knuckle job backing out, coming in is not so hairy. My neighbor's always ask "HOW DID YOU GET THAT IN THERE" ( if you check my profile you can see it in a satellite view on the map). I tell them I lifted it over the fence, or that I assembled it there.
1995 U320C SE 40'
Jeep 4x4 Commander - Limited - Hemi
"The Pack"  Yogi and Diesel our Airedales -  Charlie our Boxer/Akita mix. Gone but NEVER forgotten Jake our yellow Lab.
NRA Law Enforcement Firearms instructor - Handgun/shotgun
Regional Firearms instructor for national Armored Transp. Co.

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #3 –
Parking on dirt/grass works fine some places - other places not so well.  Where I live, the bare ground is almost as hard as concrete!  Depends a lot on type of soil, how much rain you get and how well the area drains.  Several stories on this forum about coaches sinking up to the axels in soft water-soaked yards.  Also, the condition of the ground may keep you from being able to move or use your coach when you want to.  "Too wet - have to wait a week for it to dry out"  I would look at this solution as very temporary, until you can arrange to have a more stable parking surface constructed.  Would also probably look better to the neighbors, if you have a "real" driveway for the coach, rather than just parking in your yard.  JMHO.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #4 –
My experience is that grass (at least in my yard) didn't like living under the coach. Even the weeds (native volunteer growth) didn't survive in the class 5 driveway where the coach sat while we built the barn.

You can get laminated veneer lumber (LVL) that is up to 16" wide in almost any length.  1-7/8" thick. An 18"-24" piece lengthwise under each tire is plenty.  LVLs are much stronger than 2x12s.  If this is a long term solution you might want to dig out some sod and add a few inches of gravel under the LVLs for drainage.  The ground under the sod where your tires go as you back in will soon compress under the tire loads.

My barn floor and the concrete approach is 5" 5000 psi rebar reniforced concrete.  I park on large pieces of scrap vinyl floor covering as a moisture barrier.

With practice you can back the coach into almost any big enough space.  My PO built an RV garage in his back yard. He had to back around the car garage next to a fence and then a three foot jog to the DR side.  He had to have the gas meter and electric pnel and meter moved and get a shorter mirror arm to have just enough room.

I have a 400' driveway with two 90° turns to get to my barn (purpose built RV garage) and then through a 12' door.  The first time it took me a half hour of forward and back to just get to the barn and then a dozen tries to get it lined up just so and in. Now it is non-stop from the road into the barn. Lots of learned visual cues for alignment do the trick.

Roger
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #5 –
I would be more concerned with parking on concrete for a long period of time than parking on grass. Concrete seems to suck the "goodness" from the tires. When you park on concrete you should place a barrier between the tires and the concrete.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #6 –
We're parked on bare ground. There is no grass under the coach, and it does grow up a bit around the edges, so when I need to move the coach I mow that stuff down. If I don't need to move the coach for a while it does get tall, so I end up finding a reason to move it. I put 2 x 12 pieces under the RR duals at first, but the wood just cracked and got pushed into the ground, so I threw them away. Of course, the Ozarks is pretty rocky anyway, so sinking isn't a problem.

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #7 –
Be cautious,  movement moisture and weight are a recipe for a tow. :o

What seems ok now will get worse. Yes I have parked on grass, driven over it at rallys too. Also seen tractors needed to pull foks out.

Pretty sure someone just had to do this on the Forum.
The selected media item is not currently available.
My advice and experiences are Free, you decide if they are worth anything .

John - driving Old Faithful
1994 U280 GV
C8.3, Banks, Pacbrake, 900 watts, Resonator, XLHD tow dolly
Retired Army Warrant Officer

Life is what you make of it - if it is lemons, make lemonade!
Former Coaches:
1988 GV 40' ORED 300HP CAT - 9 years
1990 Winnebago LeSharo - 3 years
2000 Newmar London Aire - 3 years (#18 of 23 produced)

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Lon and Cheryl –
(if you check my profile you can see it in a satellite view on the map)
What a great idea; I had never even thought of that! Clicking on my profile map (with enough +'s) shows exactly what I was trying to describe (mine is the one on the corner with two minivans in the driveway).
 
The backyard has a 6' privacy fence all the way around. What I plan to do is convert the first two 8' sections into gates. Ducky will sit proudly along the garage, peering over the new gate. I had originally planned to make the gates at the back of the side street so I could back it in completely hidden behind the house. That was problematic as the side street is a cul-de-sac which is not real wide. Also, the back drainage is not as good as the side yard which is level and dries quickly after a rain.
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #9 –
"Also seen tractors needed to pull foks out. Pretty sure someone just had to do this on the Forum." That was me. I tried to be lazy and drive the coach closer to the well to fill the water tank. Found a muddy spot and had to have a tow truck pull me out. I know of two places on these 10 acres that are somewhat muddy, and that was one of them. I'm pretty sure the other one may have a small spring there, as it is wet even when the rest of the place is dry and hard as concrete.

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #10 –
You have good looking grass, about to be damaged. And is pretty cool that you 'fixed' your forward compartment door with tape that matches your coach colors.

If on boards, be sure to not let any part of the bottom of the tire overhang the boards. Tire cords can be damaged by hanging off an edge.

Many have sunk in up to axles when ground gets wet, especially during a heavy rain.

Our boards are 1-1/2" x 10" x 27". I think they are sold as 2" x 10" and we have 6 of this size and use them for extra lift, parking on and asphalt driveway, and any place that could use boards. On irregular ground the boards may crack on the grain if the coach weight is not fully supported all along the bottom side of a board.

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #11 –
David, was not calling you out-sorry :))

Tractors were in Minot, ND (not the hail storm year) FMCA rally. I was following a Beaver he was following a Prevost the ground was undulating (no mud, dry ) the guy behind me bottomed out almost stopped, saw a puff of black smoke in the mirror he kept coming.

Next day tractors pulled people out as they parked in that area. :o
The selected media item is not currently available.
My advice and experiences are Free, you decide if they are worth anything .

John - driving Old Faithful
1994 U280 GV
C8.3, Banks, Pacbrake, 900 watts, Resonator, XLHD tow dolly
Retired Army Warrant Officer

Life is what you make of it - if it is lemons, make lemonade!
Former Coaches:
1988 GV 40' ORED 300HP CAT - 9 years
1990 Winnebago LeSharo - 3 years
2000 Newmar London Aire - 3 years (#18 of 23 produced)

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Barry & Cindy –
And is pretty cool that you 'fixed' your forward compartment door with tape that matches your coach colors.
Barry,
  Thanks for noticing. That happened a week ago Friday afternoon within two miles of driving homeward in our very first RV. Will give more details around the fire ring, if there is any interest.
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #14 –
We enjoyed Marquette, Mi so much we bought a house for our summer base. One of the criterion was a space big enough for the coach.
We found one (of course) with a side yard deep enough.

I had a portion of fence turned into a gate and with only a slight ding parked 'Toonie' on lot and in the process TORE UP! the grass.  :facepalm:

I put in an 14x45 asphalt pad and put down 4'x4' 3/4" treated plywood squares under the tires to spread the load.
The ground at the city Tourist Park had been solid enough that we didn't dent it at all. The backyard was fill.

Something to consider...
Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #15 –
Quote from: TheBrays –
I had a portion of fence turned into a gate

Elliot,
 
Thanks for sharing; the picture of your gate looks exactly like what I had in mind.
 
Mine already has the three rails, and I had intended to just fill in the frame to make each side. On your picture, it looks like your (professional) builder built a whole new frame from scratch and then reused most of the fence boards on it. The heavy duty fence posts look like 6"x6" or 8"x8"; do you know which?
 
Thanks again; my mousetrap will now be much better than my original idea.
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #16 –
I'm away from the house for a little but I think they are 8x8.
After this picture was taken  I added brackets so I can drop 2x4s across the gate to keep them shut in big winds.
Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 
 

Re: Temporary Parking for RV

Reply #17 –
I'd get it into the back yard and not worry much about it.  It probably will kill the grass.  We kept our 32' winnebago in the driveway and it was a constant source of contention for the neighbor who "ran the neighborhood".  Not against code and specifically selected the house due to no HOA and still had troubles.  My next property will be at least 10 acres ;)