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Old 05-20-2014, 08:36 PM   #1
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Trailer storage pad: how level should it be?

The contractor is coming tomorrow to complete the driveway widening to accommodate our Escape. When parked, we want the trailer to be level enough so the fridge will run properly, etc.

Our contractor has levelled the pad area side to side, but says a lot more work and a retaining wall would be necessary to level the area front to back. My question is, would it be acceptable to have a small differential in ground height from the front of the trailer to the back, and just level it for storage with the tongue jack? I would put in a pressure-treated landscape tie and use chocks when parking to make sure the trailer didn't roll anywhere.

The photo, when enlarged, gives you an idea of the slope -- perhaps one foot over the 21-foot length of the trailer. I made sure the camera was level.

I'd greatly appreciate your advice on whether levelling with the jack would be adequate, or if we should spend the money to create a level pad. Thanks!
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Old 05-20-2014, 08:59 PM   #2
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You can always back onto a leveling block under each rear wheel. That's what I do when I park on our driveway.
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Old 05-20-2014, 09:08 PM   #3
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The refrigerator doesn't care if the ground under it is level... only that the trailer itself is level.

My only concern with leveling front-to-back by just adjusting the tongue jack is that this will unevenly load the two axles (since this is a 21' and thus tandem-axle). That's fine for a night, but hard on the more highly-loaded axle over the long term. To avoid this problem, only the three foot or so area under the two axles would need to be relatively level.

Also, if the slope is only one foot over 21 feet (a 5% grade), that's not much more than one inche over the span between the axles... a meaningful difference to the axles, but not such a big deal to fix in grading.
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Old 05-20-2014, 09:50 PM   #4
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The question I have is, if your 21' is occupying the pad, where the heck do your guests park theirs?
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Old 05-20-2014, 10:12 PM   #5
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We'll always figure out a way to accommodate a 17-footer, Glenn.
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Old 05-20-2014, 10:51 PM   #6
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The area under the tires is the only level area that's needed . The rest of the pad can slope just to run the water away .
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Old 05-21-2014, 12:41 AM   #7
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You could level from the jack back to the tire parking area then slope the rest down to where the elevation is currently projected to be. Might need an extra block under the rear stabilizers but that is easy to do.
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Old 05-21-2014, 12:45 AM   #8
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Thank for clarifying exactly what needs to be level, gentlemen.

How about this solution: let the contractor get the gravel area as level as possible without a retaining wall, then install a couple of precast concrete slabs in the gravel where the trailer wheels will will rest, with some sand underneath to level them.
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Old 05-21-2014, 12:57 AM   #9
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And some sort of curb so you don't go back too far.
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Old 05-21-2014, 01:05 AM   #10
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Concrete slabs and Glens curb would be a great solution.
Two 2' square slabs on each side should do it. I guess the slabs are close to 2" thick so just dig down the high end and the other end would be at about grade. No sand fill required that could erode away. 5% grade over 4' is a difference of 2.4".
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Old 05-21-2014, 06:11 AM   #11
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Keeping the trailer level is good while using it, keeping it unlevel is better while empty to allow debris and water to run off. The 21' is ideal without a front window to have the front lower for those nasty rainy days. I then raise the front while inside packing or preparing to leave. The side to side is more important and a piece of wood handles that.
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