Width of Trailmanor - with awning

[rtcassel]

Originally Posted by ThePair

rtcassel: how do you get your TM into the garage? A winch, a dolly, a simple push?

We have a level driveway. We pushed it in manually for a while, then got a wheel dolly similar to the one referred to above. It is easier to place the TM where we want it to go, with my wife pushing and watching for problems and me pulling it with the dolly while tracing a chalk line on the floor with the TM tongue jack's wheel. The dolly came from HF, item 46918, which is no longer listed online. It has tires that are 14.5 inches outside diameter and 5.5 inches wide; it cost $70 in 2/2005.

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by ThePair

Would something like http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...9001_200329001 or http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...2117_200352117 work? Seems like those just slide under the wheels, then lift them up (like a BAL leveler on casters?) Might be easier to handle on a small incline then trying ramps... I do already have some ramps, which I can see for getting the trailer on to the dollies...but I don't see how they would work for getting off....

Marc

These are what I was thinking, to use out on the driveway. I'd pull the TV much of the way into it's bay (the center bay), hook up the winch to try to keep the trailer from backsliding too much, then use two of these under the wheels to slide the trailer sideways until it's lined up with the single garage to the right. (Does the tongue jack wheel roll well, or would I need something there, too?) The trailer would then be winched in, at least partway, until the wheels were almost inside, then the dollies would be removed, and the wheels guided by track while the winch does all the work of getting the TM up the (easy, granted) slope of the driveway and onto the flat garage floor. Once there, a push until it's in far enough to close the door, and we're done.

At least, that's the thumbnail sketch of the plan. I'm sure there are a LOT of details that'll get worked out the first few times I try this :P

Oh, I'm thinking about a 2009 model, in the spring, so the AC should be low profile. Also, going uphill could potentially provide a little more toproom, not less, if I'm thinking about this properly.

You all are fantastic, to help me see what needs to be done, and potential pitfalls in the plan. That being said, if anyone sees issues with this plan, please, please let me know

Marc

Originally Posted by ThePair

(Does the tongue jack wheel roll well, or would I need something there, too?)
Marc

When my frame cracked and the TM could not be towed safely, the dealer came to my house to load my TM onto his hauler.

I expected them to back their empty hauler up to my TM. Instead, two guys rolled my TM over to the hauler. this was about 50 feet away on a flat paved city street. They had to turn the TM around 180 degrees.

I would say the front wheel rolls pretty well.

[Bill]

The front wheel rolls well. But I'd be concerned about the advertised capacity of the Northern Tool dollies. At 1500 pounds apiece, there is a total advertised capacity of 3000 pounds. If you have any factory options on the TM - such as an air conditioner, awning, and swing hitch - you will be over the limit before you even start. If you have anything else beyond the dry weight - such as appliances (think microwave), clothes, bedding, tools, propane in the tanks, etc - you will be even further over the limit.

I personally believe that most advertised ratings are over-stated - that is, they won't really perform satisfactorily at the advertised limit. A good example is the 600-pound hitch dolly that Chap mentioned above, the one that collapsed when the TM hitch was lowered onto it. The TM hitch probably didn't exceed 450 pounds, and certainly didn't approach 600 pounds.

You may decide it is better to get 4 of these dollies, and put them under the stabilizer jacks rather than the TM wheels. That would also simplify the problem of getting the TM onto the dollies in the first place. And for long-term storage, it would also get the weight off the tires - another benefit. Or at least consider the 2000-pound dollies that rtcassel suggested earlier. I continue to think that even those will be awfully marginal, but that's just me. But if one of the dollies fails when it is in an unaccessible postion against a wall, you will have a nasty problem.

Bill

Originally Posted by Bill

I personally believe that most advertised ratings are over-stated - that is, they won't really perform satisfactorily at the advertised limit. A good example is the 600-pound hitch dolly that Chap mentioned above, the one that collapsed when the TM hitch was lowered onto it. The TM hitch probably didn't exceed 450 pounds, and certainly didn't approach 600 pounds.

Bill

Bill, in all fairness my tongue weight was in the vicinity of 530 lbs......480 lbs. weighed before I added a 2nd battery. But even at that, it was still below the advertised weight rating of the dolly.

I had read several reviews on that dolly before we decide to try it out that people had had their wheels bend under load, but I figured that wouldn't happen to me.

Chap

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by Bill

The front wheel rolls well. But I'd be concerned about the advertised capacity of the Northern Tool dollies. At 1500 pounds apiece, there is a total advertised capacity of 3000 pounds. If you have any factory options on the TM - such as an air conditioner, awning, and swing hitch - you will be over the limit before you even start. If you have anything else beyond the dry weight - such as appliances (think microwave), clothes, bedding, tools, propane in the tanks, etc - you will be even further over the limit.

I personally believe that most advertised ratings are over-stated - that is, they won't really perform satisfactorily at the advertised limit. A good example is the 600-pound hitch dolly that Chap mentioned above, the one that collapsed when the TM hitch was lowered onto it. The TM hitch probably didn't exceed 450 pounds, and certainly didn't approach 600 pounds.

You may decide it is better to get 4 of these dollies, and put them under the stabilizer jacks rather than the TM wheels. That would also simplify the problem of getting the TM onto the dollies in the first place. And for long-term storage, it would also get the weight off the tires - another benefit. Or at least consider the 2000-pound dollies that rtcassel suggested earlier. I continue to think that even those will be awfully marginal, but that's just me. But if one of the dollies fails when it is in an unaccessible postion against a wall, you will have a nasty problem.

Bill

Yes, I was worried about the weight issue, as well.

Can the TM be moved by putting dollies under the corner lift/jacks? So, I can just raise the whole thing up off the wheels like that?

If that's the case, this could be an even easier process than I had originally envisioned.

If the answer is yes, can it be stored like that, with the wheels "in the air" as it were? Or should the TM be lowered to put some weight back on the wheels?

The lifts I listed wouldn't work under the jacks, naturally, but I'd think the 2000# wheel dollies (or something similar) would...

Marc

[Bill]

Originally Posted by ThePair

Can the TM be moved by putting dollies under the corner lift/jacks? So, I can just raise the whole thing up off the wheels like that?

Yes

can it be stored like that, with the wheels "in the air" as it were?

Yes! The tire manufacturers recommend long term storage with weight off the wheels.

Marc

[ThePair]

In that case, a 2000# dolly on each corner = 8000# of lift, which should be more than enough for a TM that will be towed by a minivan with a 3500# rating :P

I'd imagine those curved wheel dollies mentioned previously would do the trick, or (in your opinion) should I seek out something flatter. I can see arguments both ways...probably wouldn't matter too much in the long run, either way.

[mcgyver210]

I personally don't see why two of those & a wheel on the tongue wouldn't work my self.

Didn't I read somewhere that you aren't really supposed to lift the TM with the stabilizer jacks? If I did read this wouldn't you be lifting it with the stabilizer jacks if you use a dolly on each corner.

One more thing I have used industrial swivel wheels for moving heavy items before so if you can move it with dollies on the stabilizers couldn't you just use 4 industrial swivel wheels on stabilizer & if needed two of the dollies for the tires? This would also seem to be a cheaper alternative to 4 dollies.

I may be wrong on all my thinking just thought it may be an alternative way

The stabilizer jacks are not designed for lateral stresses. If one of the dollies gets stuck in a crack, the stabilizer will bend and collapse.