New 21C Driveway parking on slope

[Boketto]

I have my first trailer, a new 21C, Sept. 2022.
Man is beautiful, with all of the decorations/options my wife expected.... Ok...

My driveway is sloped and I need some help on safety issues.
Measuring at the floor, the rear-rear wheel center to the tongue-jack center foot are 168 inches in distance.


Extending a line from rear-rear wheel center at the floor to the thong-jack elevating this line end to level is 13 inches.
Appear to be 4.4 degree.


Adding a wooden block 13 inch high at the front and extending the power tongue -jack will do the job? (like parking on a level surface)


Will the rear-front wheels elevate and need some spacers? or this second axle will take care and drop some?


I have wheel chocks, see picture and I planning to get Harbor freight black solid wheel stops.


Final question, is this set-up to high to keep parked at home?


Thank you

[HABBERDABBER]

A photo would help immensely in understanding your issue. Words don't always work well enough.

[Ron in BC]

Generally, for storage purposes on a sloping area, it's better to not try and level the trailer. Doing so makes the load on the axles different and, long term, that's not a good thing.

Ron

[Boketto]

Is this pic finally uploaded

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Generally, for storage purposes on a sloping area, it's better to not try and level the trailer. Doing so makes the load on the axles different and, long term, that's not a good thing.

Ron

I too have a sloped driveway, which I only use for 48 hours per trip for loading up, unloading and tinkering. 48 is all I'm allowed. I can get my rig level to cool down pre-trip the 120V refrig. If you're not doing that, level doesn't matter.

I use about 6"-8" of wood and bricks under the jack post to get to level with my rig and driveway.

YMMV

[MrLynn]

Man, that looks steep! Got a flat spot in a side yard?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Man, that looks steep!

Had to do this once while doing some refrigerator testing. Not for an extended period of time as it definitely heavily loads the rear axle. I agree with Ron to just leave it out of level for storage if it needs to be on a slope.

[KirkB]

I have a sloped driveway, and first back up, then pull forward onto 2 1" boards under the front wheels only so the wheels are more level front to back before unhitching, then jack up the trailer to almost level.

I wish I had a level driveway to park on.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by KirkB

I wish I had a level driveway to park on.

Yeah, me too. Boketto's drive looks like mine, except with a 5.0TA. I've fallen off a 6' step ladder twice while washing/waxing Ten Forward. Folks with level driveways don't know how good they have it!

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Generally, for storage purposes on a sloping area, it's better to not try and level the trailer. Doing so makes the load on the axles different and, long term, that's not a good thing.

Ron

Leaving the trailer on a slope also promotes runoff of water from the roof of your Escape. If I park mine levelled front to back, the water from rain or the AC will tend to pool on the roof and will leave water marks.

[Eggscape]

Just don’t try to run your standard fridge on the slope or you could permanently damage it.
A 12 volt compressor fridge should work fine however.

[dfandrews]

Here's the blocking that we constructed for the tongue of our Escape. We have significant slope to our driveway; which is great when it rains (if ever).
But, we can also level the trailer so to be able to run the frig. prior to loading for a trip. It's a 9 inch lift, fairly light, but very stable laterally, all made with scraps of treated 2x4.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Boketto

Measuring at the floor, the rear-rear wheel center to the tongue-jack center foot are 168 inches in distance.
...
Will the rear-front wheels elevate and need some spacers? or this second axle will take care and drop some?

It took me a couple of minutes to understand the terminology here. The trailer only has "rear" wheels (because there are no wheels at the front), and probably the best way to distinguish the two sets of wheels are "trailing" (the set closer to the rear) and "leading" (the set closer to the front).

I agree with other comments that leveling the trailer by just raising the tongue, leaving all tires on the ground, is a bad idea for the suspension (and frame). With the suspension design used by Escape (Dexter's Torflex) the two axles don't work together - they compete. There's no need to level the trailer for storage unless you are operating the refrigerator, and there is some benefit to having it tilted (for water runoff). If you do level it, add blocks or other leveling devices under the downhill tires (leading axle in this case) to compensate for the slope of the ground.

With 168 inches from trailing axle to jack, and perhaps 30 inches from trailing axle to leading axle, the blocks under the leading tires would need to be about 30/168 = 18% of the height that the jack is raised to level the trailer... so roughly a couple of inches.

[Boketto]

Thank you for all of the good advise, the 2 inch for the leading tires (thanks defining) makes good sense, I'll apply this spacer while baking up.
Boketto.

[JohnK]

I have not determined the amount of slope but we also have a sloped driveway although not as steep as what Boketto's appears to be. I pull each aft axle tire onto a 2X6 as a token leveler and finish leveling with the tongue jack. This is how we park the trailer out of storage and onto our driveway for 24 to 36 hours prior to a trip. Our tow vehicle is trapped in the garage but we like the security arrangement.
John

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by JohnK

I pull each aft axle tire onto a 2X6 as a token leveler and finish leveling with the tongue jack.

You must be a boatman. Correctly, I've learned, it's also called a trailing axle.

Ready about! Hard -a- lee!

[JohnK]

Yes I am a boatman. My boats had wings and sailed through the air. ��
John

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by JohnK

Yes I am a boatman. My boats had wings and sailed through the air. ��
John

They're both airfoils, aeroplanes & yachts.

Ready about!

[rotorbudd]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Just don’t try to run your standard fridge on the slope or you could permanently damage it.
A 12 volt compressor fridge should work fine however.

Even a few hours on a steep slope with your fridge running will effect it.
I had to pull mine out and "burp" after leaving it on the street for less than 4 hours. One good thing it that it gave me the opportunity to add lots of insulation to the sides of the cavity. It works much better now

[Chasing Trials]

If you want to be leaving it for awhile(it IS going to be work to set up right every time). Should be close to level for tires & all. Do the back in & then on to boards/blocks with the front tires. To set yourself up for this. Maybe you'll find someone who can make you a custom wedge ramps out of a leftover pieces of 6" x 6" deck post?) If you have to jack the nose up more (say on another piece of 6"x 6" block, or cement block with a piece of heavy 2"x 8". And keep adding blocks(say 2" cement pavers?) under the front tires. Will need a piece somewhere in there stack to level the top. I'd take the time make/build different blocks for use. That's steep, but can have some slope for rain run off. I have no level spot anyway near house for working on it. PS you can eyeball/measure the space from the top tire to bottom of wheel well to determine the stress on rear tires.