How to Move and Park a Trailer without Using a Vehicle

Updated 06/20/2024 | Published 01/21/2017

Products Featured in This Question

Curt Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - 2"

(38)

$262.25

Trailer Valet XL Trailer Dolly with Chain Drive - 2" Hitch Ball - 10,000 lbs

(450)

$799.00

Trailer Valet XL Trailer Dolly with Chain Drive - 2-5/16" Hitch Ball - 10,000 lbs

(450)

$799.00

Question:

I am looking for a solution to back a 1450 pound camper trailer up my driveway to my carport. the camper is 67inch wide and the carport is 8foot wide. the driveway is about 25foot and rises about three feet. i thought that installing a hitch on the FRONT of my Element would allow me to accurately push the trailer up the driveway into the carport. does this makes sense? is this the product that i would purchase? by the way, the trailer is a cricket trek, so it is fairly compact and lightweight. also, i am new to trailering, and i like to come up with solutions that are pretty bullet proof. most of the time, i will not have a helper, and i really want to keep the camper at my home to avoid storage costs.

asked by: Chris B

Expert Reply:

I do have a solution for you but there are no front mount trailer hitches available for the 2003 Honda Element. What I recommend is a Trailer Valet XL trailer dolly such as # TVXL2 which has a 2 inch ball or # TVXL25 which has a 2-5/16 inch ball.

These are two-speed dollies that will allow you to accurately move and position the trailer, even by yourself, without having to use a vehicle. Depending on the length of your driveway you would probably want to use low gear. To make it easier you can use a variable speed power drill with the included drill attachment that comes with the dolly. This will make things much faster even in low gear. I have linked a video showing how these dollies work.

expert reply by: Michael H