Trailerable RVs have never been more popular, especially the new pod campers. But many people have difficulty maneuvering them with a car or truck, especially when backing around corners and into tight spaces. With Parkit360’s Force 5K and Force 10K power dollies, moving a trailer has never been easier. Lightweight and small enough to fit into the back of a small sedan, they’re powerful enough to move a fifth wheeler.
Robust 1.5 hp Bosch electric motors, and the RV’s or a conventional 12V battery, power the dollies. They come with a built-in charger. The Force 5K handles loads up to 5,000 lbs. It has 4″ wide tires for traction over a wide range of surfaces. The Force 10K moves up to 10,000 lbs. on 6.5″ tires.
Using a Parkit360 power dolly is simple. After freewheeling it to the trailer, it’s connected to its included 1–7/8″, 2″, 2–5/16″ or 50mm ball, and locked down. Using the thumb toggle on the handle for forward and reverse, it’s purely a matter of steering. Because the operator is close to the RV and looking directly at it, there’s no concern over jackknifing or when within mere inches of a wall.
Here’s the link to the ParkIt360 website. Watch a video to see how it works. Here’s a video which shows the Transformer, the adapter for fifth wheelers.
Posted by Bob Difley. Information obtained from press release.
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I have one of the park 360 units which I use to move my trailer about 6 times a year for about 50 feet in my drive way and I had and do have my share of problems with the unit.
The trailer I move has a GVW of 7500 lbs. and the 10,000 lbs. unit I have has all it can do to move this trailer. I would think a 5000 lbs. trailer 10 K the unit would handle with little or no problem. I had and still have numerous issues with this unit over the last 4 years. The frame completely broke up on my unit this year and when I contacted Parkit 360 I was told the frames have all been reinforced / changed to correct the problems I have. I guess I had the prototype unit. ( no compensation for finding there unit weaknesses) .They wanted $500 for a new frame. I took the stripped down unit a fabrication shop with my drawing on how to reinforce the frame and they repaired and completely reinforced the frame. Since day one I have had a chain jumping problem. The chain continued and continues to loosen and I thought the frame breaking up was the cause. After the repair and reassembly the chain still loosens, but not to the extent previously. Now there is this “skipping & Jumping” in the gearing & planetary without the chain jumping. I did a measured stack up of gearing engagement and found the sun gear lacked 1/8 inch (out of the total available 1/2 inch) engagement into the planetary. I milled the roll pin seat on the sun gear & drive sprocket housing deeper (1/8 inch) which now allows the sun gear to fully engage the 1/2 inch of planetary gearing.
The thumb control button assembly last year burned up and a new assembly was purchased from Parkit. I was told you needed to push the button squarely or this could happen. $ 150. later. Certain trailers, because of their coupler design ( Atwood couplers) will not allow you to use the ball on the Park It unit. Now you are forced to use the post on your tongue jack ( which can bend from the push or pull load) or purchase a received post which bolts on to the trailer frame. The tongue jack post or the receiver with post drops into the Parkit 360 where the ball with post would normally go.
Needles to say I am glad I am a design engineer to keep this unit running. I have the 1.5 HP motor with brake control, on board battery charger. Any problems you have you can talk with the tech at their shop. Any financial assistance for poor reliability of parts for get it, you pay full price with shipping from Canada for them. This is just a brief scenario of my Park It 360 issues.
From the picture and your comments, it isn’t clear how this would handle a 5th wheel trailer. Help!
Good point! Thanks for bringing it up, Al. I’ve added a couple more links to the article, including a link to ParkIt360’s website and a link to a video which shows the “transformer” to use with fifth wheel trailers. Here’s that link: https://bit.ly/ParkIt-Transformer-RVT815. I hope this helps. 😀 —Diane at RVtravelcom