Calc. Turn Radius w/Truck + 35' 5er

[ArcadiaArch]

Hello. I am designing a new driveway to accommodate a GMC Sierra 2500 Crew Cab and a not-yet purchased 35' 5th wheel. What is the best way to approximately calculate the necessary turning radius for this combo?

I've scoured the internet and spoken to several RV dealers and no one can offer any help. Anyone hear have any advice? Thank you!

[JRscooby]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Personally I would be making sure the 35' 5er loaded weights are within the 2500's capability.

A plan view of what you are talking about would help give you the answer you are looking for.

Not sure, will the turning radius change from class 2 to class 3?

[Cummins12V98]

Personally I would be making sure the 35' 5er loaded weights are within the 2500's capability.

A plan view of what you are talking about would help give you the answer you are looking for.

[valhalla360]

TXiceman wrote:
Remember that all of the sites having a calculation method for large trailer rigs are based on commercial tractors and commercial 5th wheel trailers. These 5ers have the trailer axles at the very rear of the trailer and will behave differently than a typical RV 5er with the axles closer to 60% of the trailer length.

Ken

Autoturn can modify the wheel base and overhangs.

But 99% of the time a WB50, will be close enough.

[valhalla360]

schlep1967 wrote:

msmith1.wa wrote:
This is what the road designers where I work use. Looks like an account is needed even for a trial. If you know someone that does road or even parking lot design ask them if they can run throughwhat ever software they have.

https://www.transoftsolutions.com/vehicle-swept-path/autoturn-online/

Those turning templates are for going forward. Totally different than backing in. Now if you can find what they use to design a loading dock in the city, that would be the right stuff.

Autoturn can do reverse. Just not economically viable for a homeowner to buy it.

[Allworth]

OP?

OP?

[TXiceman]

Remember that all of the sites having a calculation method for large trailer rigs are based on commercial tractors and commercial 5th wheel trailers. These 5ers have the trailer axles at the very rear of the trailer and will behave differently than a typical RV 5er with the axles closer to 60% of the trailer length.

Ken

[JRscooby]

bucky wrote:
Although it isn't as easy as it sounds if you can pull in you should be able to back out. I'm not real good at the concept though. 😮

But if there is a chance of traffic it is much safer to back out of traffic than back into it.

[bucky]

Although it isn't as easy as it sounds if you can pull in you should be able to back out. I'm not real good at the concept though. 😮

[JRscooby]

schlep1967 wrote:

ArcadiaArch wrote:
Hello. I am designing a new driveway to accommodate a GMC Sierra 2500 Crew Cab and a not-yet purchased 35' 5th wheel. What is the best way to approximately calculate the necessary turning radius for this combo?

I've scoured the internet and spoken to several RV dealers and no one can offer any help. Anyone hear have any advice? Thank you!

I guess someone should have asked this by now. Are you looking at a pull through driveway or a back in driveway? As that would be two totally different designs.

Good question. I have been assuming he wanted to know how small he could build something like a traffic circle. Someplace to drive around a circle without backing up.

[schlep1967]

ArcadiaArch wrote:
Hello. I am designing a new driveway to accommodate a GMC Sierra 2500 Crew Cab and a not-yet purchased 35' 5th wheel. What is the best way to approximately calculate the necessary turning radius for this combo?

I've scoured the internet and spoken to several RV dealers and no one can offer any help. Anyone hear have any advice? Thank you!

I guess someone should have asked this by now. Are you looking at a pull through driveway or a back in driveway? As that would be two totally different designs.

[schlep1967]

msmith1.wa wrote:
This is what the road designers where I work use. Looks like an account is needed even for a trial. If you know someone that does road or even parking lot design ask them if they can run throughwhat ever software they have.

https://www.transoftsolutions.com/vehicle-swept-path/autoturn-online/

Those turning templates are for going forward. Totally different than backing in. Now if you can find what they use to design a loading dock in the city, that would be the right stuff.

[msmith1_wa]

This is what the road designers where I work use. Looks like an account is needed even for a trial. If you know someone that does road or even parking lot design ask them if they can run throughwhat ever software they have.

https://www.transoftsolutions.com/vehicle-swept-path/autoturn-online/

[schlep1967]

That's a tough number to come up with. Remember you are not working with the full 35 feet in length. Your length to worry about is the pin to the rear axle. With a 35 foot fifth wheel you may only be looking at 25-27 feet or less.
A big part of your design needs to be based on the width of the roadway you are backing in off of. If you have 24 feet of road width and no real close obstructions to the sides, you should be able to get the trailer into a very narrow driveway. Provided you start from the far side of the road.

[valhalla360]

In the road design business, look up "turning templates". Mostly built into CAD software but the old guys will have scale sheets they can lay on plans.

Of course, there is a cheat, go on google earth and look at campgrounds till you find something similar to the layout you want. Then take measurements off that. So long as the campground handles 35ft 5ers regularly, should work fine for you.