I need HELP!!!: RV casters to avoid bottom drag

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RV casters to avoid bottom drag

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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
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Topic: RV casters to avoid bottom drag

Posted By: rpodWanda
Subject: RV casters to avoid bottom drag
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 1:27am

Hello,

I appreciate being part of this group.

I'm not able to back my RPod into my driveway because of the slope.

I've read a couple of articles and youtubes regarding the subject. The recommendation are to caster wheels welded to the rear frame of the camper. They will be out of the way for regular driving, but be a help for when I'm backing into my driveway.

Have any of you made this modification? It seems like it would work in my situation, but I'd like to hear from folks who have tried it for their RPods.

Thank you.

Replies:

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 4:47am

I haven't tried it or needed to but i wouldn't recommend it.

The rpod frame is quite light (2 inch x 4 inch x 0.1 inch steel tube). It handles the bending loads it needs to handle when the trailer weight is supported by the tongue and the axle. If the axle isn't carrying the load because its now taken between the tongue and casters all the way at the rear you've roughly doubled the frame bending load.

Is that going to bend the frame? Its probably starting to get close. Note that FR tells us not to use the stabilizing jacks to take the load of the trailer, just to stabilize it. There is a reason for that.

There are many things you can do short of trying to hold up the trailer from its far ends. Do you have a lift kit installed? 15 inch wheels? Removeable rear stabilizing jacks?

You can also look at lowering the hitch height temporarily, that will raise the rear of the trailer. Or reduce the change of slope with blocking and 2x12's temporarily. I would suggest looking into doing all those things before going to the casters.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: GIAKIN
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 7:16am

I agree with offgrid. I looked into this for my problem with a steep driveway and decided to have a lift kit installed. That was enough to get me "over the hump" so to speak.

I really doubt that the r-pod frame could handle that amount of stress in such a localized area.

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2018 R-Pod 179
2015 Tacoma PreRunner

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 7:55am

There are a couple of ways the frame could get bent doing this. One would be directly at the caster location, although you could theoretically make up a weldment to spread the load out enough where the casters attached to the frame to mitigate that.

The other is right in the middle under the trailer. Basically, you've taken a couple of beams (the frame rails) and instead of supporting them at one end and about 2/3 of the way toward the other end at the axle (creating a cantilever), when you lift the trailer off the axle with the casters you're now making those beams support the trailer from the end points, like a bridge. That longer span about doubles the beam load, and the load is highest in the center of the span.

Long story short, I would expect that if it occurs a bending failure would probably be in the middle of the trailer, even if you did a careful job mounting the casters at the rear.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: Awchief
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 8:53am

No, no, no. The chance of trashing frame is too great and I have a feeling FR would void your frame warranty.

Consider FR 3 5/8 inch risers. My 19/189 would make contact backing in and pulling out of my yard. Not even close now after I installed the risers.

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Michael

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 8:57am

We had the same problem with a too abrupt driveway. Before we got the lift kit installed when I backed the trailer over the rolled curb (we don't have driveway cutouts), I did it at an angle and was just barely able to clear the bottom. The lift kit gives you quite a bit of extra space. If that didn't work, larger wheels would be the next step to take with load range D or E ST tires and a little higher sidewall so you maximize the gain from the larger wheels. Don't go overboard on higher sidewalls, though, as that can have an adverse effect on stability and you have to be sure they fit under the fenders.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: Toyanvil
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2019 at 9:18am

If you don't want to lift it, and it just hits a little in your driveway. When you get home you could install a drop trailer hitch just for your driveway, it may be enough to clear the back without hitting the front. A friend if mine has the same problem and he just puts some wood in the gutter.