Turning radius planning

[Mayne_Doc]

Hi, I need some advice about turning radiuses since I am trying to plan a building on a 200x75ft lot. I want to build a pull-through RV garage with a small house and garage attached. I have a 39' Carbon 348 5ver. I am ordering a Ford F350 6.4 Turbo DRW long bed with a B&W hitch.

With that combo, what is the typical turning radius, without putting strain on the truck's suspension? I can plan a driveway with a back in but I would rather have a drive through to make it easier. The lot is 75ft wide - can I make a full turn in that amount of space? I know no one can be precise but a general idea will help a lot

Thanks

Karel

[Vinnie]

You know- I've been thinking the same thing, and would love a pull-through barn! I haven't measured anything yet, but my rig is similar, with a slightly longer 5er on the same truck. The only limiting factors I can think of is that the "run up" driveway to the barn is going to have to be at least 10' or so longer than the total combined vehicle length, so you can get straightened up before you start entering the barn. Going into the structure with any kind of pending turn will have too much rear-wheel cheat which is unlikely to correct once you're straightening out into a structure with limited lateral adjustment possibility.

I need to do a lot of land measuring in my case, but I've almost decided that it's going to be easier to do a back-in barn, because it just takes too much real estate to have both in and out clearance for a pull-through.

Specific to your question, though- I think 75' of paved width should be sufficient to rotate the rig, especially with the longer bed not limiting the kingpin swivel (by running the corner of the trailer into the cab of your truck). Could you hook it up and mark the start-end placements of the wheels with some cones after making a tight turn and measure the results... just for accuracy in your specific case?

[JRTJH]

The turning radius for a F350 DRW 4x4 long bed truck is nearly 60'. If you're going to build a garage on a 75' wide lot and require 15' clearance on each side (building code restrictions in many places) then you're facing an uphill battle. Also keep in mind that you will need to have the truck AND trailer "nearly completely out of the garage door before you start your turn to prevent the "rear end swing" from colliding with the sides of the garage door.

It's going to take some "very careful placement" of the building to accomplish what you're trying to do, even if it "might be possible".... From the "quick glance at potentials" I'd think the turning radius behind the building, before you even start the turn will be as important as the width of the lot. You're going to have to maintain "street setback" to the front of the building, the length of the building plus the distance behind the building before you start the turn. That, I think, will be more critical than the actual width, but coupled with the side lot clearance, you may not have enough width or length to do what you're planning....

[Mayne_Doc]

Thanks guys.

I was thinking the same. Even if I place the garage at a diagonal on the deep lot, I may need to cement a ton! I can plan a wide garage door that would take up some of the back-end swing on the pivot but again, might still be difficult to get back down the driveway. I have to build a house too! Perhaps backing in is in the cards. Shoot.

Appreciate the help.

Karel

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by Mayne_Doc

Hi, I need some advice about turning radiuses since I am trying to plan a building on a 200x75ft lot. I want to build a pull-through RV garage with a small house and garage attached. I have a 39' Carbon 348 5ver. I am ordering a Ford F350 6.4 Turbo DRW long bed with a B&W hitch.

With that combo, what is the typical turning radius, without putting strain on the truck's suspension? I can plan a driveway with a back in but I would rather have a drive through to make it easier. The lot is 75ft wide - can I make a full turn in that amount of space? I know no one can be precise but a general idea will help a lot

Thanks

Karel

Maybe you just need a turntable on the other side of the garage ...if money is no object lol

[Ken / Claudia]

As I read this, I first though about the project ,if I needed that type of information (turning the combo in a xxx amount of feet.
Do you think this would work?
Hitch up and go to a large parking lot that is not being used, mark the area as you turn with cones or paint. Measure the distances your combo needs to turn.
We did that type of stuff at crash scenes. By measuring distances of crashes by marking debris, skidmarks etc and put it on paper.

[notanlines]

In reality you are about a good 40' away from bringing a good idea to fruition. Keep in mid also that should you make just a 3' mistake on your initial approach you have zero space in which to back up and make a correction. With just one error and ten minutes and you'd have that Carbon 348 facing every direction but forward.

[sourdough]

Karel I would be very hesitant before I embarked on that adventure. My property next to my home is 120' wide and 125' deep. I use that property to more or less "stage" my RV, clean it up etc. when it's not in its storage barn.

The setback where I live is 25'. You don't mention the exact size of the building you are contemplating but if it was only 55' to hold the length of the trailer with "breathing room" you are looking at the structure extending 80' into the lot. When you pull out with the truck just WAG at 60' for trailer/RV length. It has to clear the door before turning - you're now at 140' into the lot. The arc will take up more real estate - it will be tight.

The width to me is probably too tight to consider. If the building has to be setback say 10' from the property line and the building is 30' wide you have chewed up 40' of the 75' width. In reality you would probably begin your turning arc maybe 15' inside the property line leaving 60' to complete the turn.

In my lot I park approx. 20' from my fence line to clear the pecan tree limbs. When I complete my turn I am right under the pecan tree limbs on the far side, approx. 20' from the far side property line. So just "best guessing" I'm using up about 80' of that 120' lot turning. When I'm doing that I'm watching the cab closely because it is a TIGHT turn. The tires don't "roll" and just leave tracks, they cut furrows and make dirt ridges due to "pulling" across the ground vs rolling.

A lot of stuff there but maybe something in there that might touch on something to think about.

[jasin1]

I thought this was interesting..at least for travel trailers possibly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yGZTa_-lYY

[Cbrez]

There is probably no side yard setback for your driveway, so you should be able to locate the driveway immediately adjacent to the property line and use the full 75’ width to make your turn. There will be a side yard setback for the structure, so after you make the U-turn you’ll have to keep turning to get lined up with the garage door. You should be able to go down to your local zoning office and confirm the setbacks for your zoning classification.

Question is are you able to straighten up before entering the garage. Your rig will probably be 55’-57’ long. Let’s say your front yard setback is 25’ and your garage is 45’ deep. That leaves you 130’ from back of the garage to the rear property line. That’s more than twice the length of your rig. Should be enough to get straightened up but not sure. You can confirm if you take delivery of your awesome new truck before you finish design.

I would not concrete the entire length of the driveway. I would concrete between the street and front of the garage, place concrete at the entry to the rear garage door and place a concrete pad where the other end of the driveway meets the street. Use rock for the remainder.

[hornet28]

Originally Posted by Mayne_Doc

Thanks guys.

I was thinking the same. Even if I place the garage at a diagonal on the deep lot, I may need to cement a ton! I can plan a wide garage door that would take up some of the back-end swing on the pivot but again, might still be difficult to get back down the driveway. I have to build a house too! Perhaps backing in is in the cards. Shoot.

Appreciate the help.

Karel

You're also building a house on the same 200 X 75 lot? If that's the case I think you should figure on backing in

[madams144]

Originally Posted by Mayne_Doc

Hi, I need some advice about turning radiuses since I am trying to plan a building on a 200x75ft lot. I want to build a pull-through RV garage with a small house and garage attached. I have a 39' Carbon 348 5ver. I am ordering a Ford F350 6.4 Turbo DRW long bed with a B&W hitch.

With that combo, what is the typical turning radius, without putting strain on the truck's suspension? I can plan a driveway with a back in but I would rather have a drive through to make it easier. The lot is 75ft wide - can I make a full turn in that amount of space? I know no one can be precise but a general idea will help a lot

Thanks

Karel

Maybe not ideal for the house size/plans, but 2 driveways? One left one right at the property extents forming a big “U” at the rear of the lot. Drive in right side, cross lot at rear, pull thru the shed on the left side the property.

This way you’ll have lots of parking for the bbq and Christmas party’s

[jaycee61]

Originally Posted by Mayne_Doc

Hi, I need some advice about turning radiuses since I am trying to plan a building on a 200x75ft lot.

Karel

I don't know anything about this, and it's not ideal for what you want, however, would using a mechanized RV mover be of any assistance to this plan? https://parkit360.ca/products/electr...over-5th-wheel

The example URL is also for a 5th wheel. If the URL doesn't work you can search motorized trailer mover and it pops up. You could disconnect the truck to have additional turning radius perhaps to get it straightened up for the return back into your building, then hook up your truck back inside. Just a thought.

[firestation12]

A forklift could easily accomplish the turn. If the turn around area is surfaced with concrete, then a solid tire style forklift would work. If on turf or earth, you’d need a pneumatic tire version. As someone mentioned, the 5th wheels axle’s are going experience a lot of side load scrub during the turn. My vote is learn to back it in and widen the opening to the garage, and allow enough room inside the garage for slides to open.

[Cracker]

I used to have the exact same truck with a 27' Cougar on the ball. I can't imagine why you would hesitate to back in - unless you're on a high-traffic street. I have a 100' long x 24' wide driveway, with an uphill grade, coming off of a 24' wide neighborhood street. Once I put the rig in reverse I never shift again until the rig is stopped in its' normal parking slot. The approach angle off the street is just right to tilt the uphill corner of the trailer up and avoid dragging it on the drive. Try it - you'll like it!

[NevadaRich]

Doc, I have to run, but I have a Toy-hauler of 43ft with a GMC 3500 DRW CC, I have about 1/2 Acres on a corner Lot, I checked everything and found I could NOT make a turn from the side street into the garage, so I ended up just backing in the garage, the street in from of my place is 45ft wide....I had to backup 3 times to get it into the garage and drive up onto the sidewalk across the street to get it strait enough to get into the garage. I will try and show photos when I get back.....

[Ibdagriz]

Go with an F-450 instead as it has a wide track front end on it and the turning radius is seriously smaller than the F-350. Lots of videos on it.

Griz

[Halcyon]

My rig is not quite as long as yours -33’ trailer, same length truck. I put a 12’ wide, 14’ tall door for the trailer in my 40’x 60’ pole barn garage. Another 8’ x 12’ door for the pickup, if needed. I have a back in situation, and the wide door does give me room to make some errors in backing. Concrete floor, 4’ deep concrete pad in front of door. If doing over, I would have gone with a 6 or 8’ pad in front, since the wheels on the truck and trailer sometimes get stuck on the small lip from gravel to concrete.

[TakingtheFifth]

I have a 360-circular blacktop drive with a 65' radius. My older F350 crewcab longbed has no problem with it but when I lash up my 38' Cougar the poor 5er wheels are absolutely tortured. For that reason I prefer to either back in, or to pull in at a 45 and back in at another 45 to my 20 wide side load outdoor spot.

My 16' wide drive is 100' long before the circle and 70' long after the circle. If I pull in and use the circle, I need to go back up until I've used up about half the 100' to straighten out. Translating all that to your 39' 5er and your truck, you have roughly a 60’ rig and are looking at an oval that is 65-70’ wide and is elongated by 39’+60’, so a 70x175 oval with your barn sitting on one of the oval legs? Add to that the approach to the street.

I guess your house would sit somewhere in the middle, and one end of the oval would not be an oval but would conform to the needs of the house and garage. The good news is very little grass to mow.

The bad news is WOW, that’s a lot of expensive concrete. In commercial construction, one must supply a retention pond to handle the extra runoff.

But no matter what you finally plan out, think about multi-use for some of that pavement. Perhaps a huge patio and/or a tennis court and/or a basketball court, etc.

You didn’t talk about your street and any problems backing in, but it might be nice at least have that as an option. With wide flares at the entrance and extra width going in-it might be fine with a bit of practice. Maybe add a camera system to help out with navigation.

Have fun planning this fun project and good luck.

[dutchmensport]

Originally Posted by Ibdagriz

Go with an F-450 instead as it has a wide track front end on it and the turning radius is seriously smaller than the F-350. Lots of videos on it.

Griz

This is a good idea, except.... the tighter the turning radius of the tow vehicle, the tighter the trailer tires track to the center of the circle. It won't leave you much room for any buildings:






FYI... I added "flairs" to the end our driveway. It wasn't because I didn't have room. We live in the country, had plenty of room, except for mail box across the road which is really in the wrong spot for backing a trailer in. No, the reason for the flair was because I got tired of trying to make a tight back-in turn and ended up with the trailer tires in the grass. That wasn't so bad in the middle of the Summer when things are dry and the ground is hard. But I sure got sick and tired of leaving ruts (deep ruts) in the yard backing in during those Spring and Fall rains. My driveway is over 200 feet long.