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Trailer Valet XL

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rawest50 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote rawest50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Trailer Valet XL
    Posted: 15 Mar 2017 at 8:36pm
Bought the Trailer Valet 5X V211 Tongue Jack Dolly. Took measurements and it will fit my 179. Tank and battery location were my concerns. Let you know how it works out. Too old to learn how to backup. 😂
2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler
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❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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rawest50 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote rawest50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2017 at 6:55pm
For a rookie backing up the Valet with the battery drill & adapter work as advertised. Love it. My next adventure is on the grass. Clean pavement. Need a little load in the front of the trailer. Worked great.
2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler
2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab
2 Weiner dogs
Great wife puts up with my BS
❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GLBCamper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2017 at 9:40pm
Originally posted by rawest50

For a rookie backing up the Valet with the battery drill & adapter work as advertised. Love it. My next adventure is on the grass. Clean pavement. Need a little load in the front of the trailer. Worked great.

May I ask what kind of drill you used? I tried with my regular cordless Ryobi drill and it didn't even attempt to move. It's not like I'm straining to use the hand crank so I figured it was lack of torque.
Old: 2014 177 HRE
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rawest50 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote rawest50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2017 at 1:07pm
Black and Decker 18v battery. I think I read somewhere you needed at least 14.4 volt drill.
2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler
2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab
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Great wife puts up with my BS
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GLBCamper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2017 at 1:39pm
Originally posted by rawest50

Black and Decker 18v battery. I think I read somewhere you needed at least 14.4 volt drill.

Thanks. Mine is a 12v so it might be too small. I just went out and tried it on the Valet XL without the trailer attached and it certainly works, so likely I need more torque.
Old: 2014 177 HRE
2015 Tacoma V6 4x4 Double Cab
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rawest50 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote rawest50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2017 at 6:36pm
If you get one got to the 18. My did handle the slight incline in my drive. Hope it can get it done on a little steeper incline. I am going to try the grass of my yard. I have a huge oak I cannot back around.
2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler
2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab
2 Weiner dogs
Great wife puts up with my BS
❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 2017 at 12:49pm
We tried the Trailer Valet XL. Ordered it last week from etrailer.com and it arrived late Thursday. OBTW, the box it came in was about 15" too long, and 9" too tall, and there was zero padding around the product box. As a result, both boxes had been beat up pretty badly. The larger outer box had a giant rip in it almost big enough for the product box to fall out. In addition, the product box was also badly torn. It looked like the product box had been "repackaged", as it was wrapped all around with packing tape & also had a couple of those shipping straps wrapped around it. None-the-less, the end of the box was blown out, and parts were ready to fall out (but they didn't).

After looking over the package in horror, I found the Trailer Valet itself looked mostly OK. There were a few gouges here and there, but nothing looked like it would affect the functionality. So we took it down to the storage facility where our R-179 is stored.

The storage lot is flat, and paved. We have it chocked with an Andersen leveler/chock, as there is a very slight incline toward the fence behind where we park the R-pod. So to move the R-pod, we have to move it very slightly to the rear (maybe a 1/4" or 1/2", but not very much). This allows us to remove the front half of the Andersen, and then roll forward.

Unfortunately, the Trailer Valet could not even move the trailer enough to remove the front half of the Andersen chock. This was complicated by the 99 cent "spanner wrench" that comes with the Trailer Valet. I tightened it as much as I could, and then I tightened it some more. Yet, somehow it never seemed to be quite tight enough. If it came with a real spanner wrench it might have worked better. However, I'm not inclined to spend $40 on a proper spanner at this point.

Very disappointed. We're going to try to send it back to etrailer, but I would not recommend this thing to anyone.

We will look into the Parkit360 or the Purpleline e-go as an alternative. The e-go would travel with the trailer and operates by remote control, so that would be the cadillac option. The Parkit360 is similar to the Trailer Valet, but has much larger tires. Either way, we're looking at close to $1000 versus the $600 for the Trailer Valet.
bp
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rawest50 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote rawest50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 2017 at 4:00pm
Once I got where I could backup I stopped using it. When using it you have to pull the handle auto as far as it will go and hold it. If not the break will be on. If I ever have to put the RV in a real tight spot I will use it.
2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler
2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab
2 Weiner dogs
Great wife puts up with my BS
❤️ Thoroughbred Racing.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote DavMar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 2017 at 7:22pm
It would be great if there was a product like the Trailer Valet that you could use on a gravel driveway and only cost a few hundred bucks. From the road into my driveway and then the trailer parking spot is a tight C without much room for me to maneuver the truck, another words a real PIA! I thought maybe I'd be able to use my lawn tractor but found out fast my Cub Cadet couldn't handle the trailer tongue weight. Bummer, back to the drawing board on that idea. It would be great to have something that I could use to maneuver the trailer into its parking space once I've backed it into the driveway.
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
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Post Options Post Options   Quote marwayne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2017 at 12:10am

If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.


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