A "Can I park it there" Question

[BandJCarm]

Not sure where this question fits. Never have seen it addressed here anywhere.

Without pictures (it'd take about 5 to explain), here's the issue:

House has paved driveway, big enough and straight enough for the 40 foot 5'er when it comes in. The trouble is the street.....it's fairly narrow, with a huge dropoff on the other side from me. Backing in our 30' Grey Wolf was a chore. This thing may not be worse, but it may be.

Now, on the OTHER side of the house is more land, and a curve so the street gets wider. The ideal thing to do would be to take out two trees (one is sweetgum that I hate!) and back it in between the house and the 250 gallon LP tank.

Trouble is..............that puts me right on top of the Septic Tank!! We have city water, but not city sewer (annexed years ago and that is all the city will offer). I can make sure it is not parked on top of the cleanout line...and with yet another tree removed (another stinking sweetgum) I could back it PAST the septic tank.......but I'd be driving over it back and forth.

My first thought is "Bill, don't even think about this, you're going to cause big problems"..........but the location is the best, and I thought I'd get some 'expert' opinions on this just in case I'm thinking on it wrong

Any ideas?

[bob caldwell]

Can you straddle the cover? The cover on one of these is pretty thick..

[wanderingbob]

Drive over it , whats the worst that can happen ?

[5picker]

I would NOT be comfortable parking on or running over an in ground septic system with anything more than a lawnmower. Many county codes here in PA prohibit compaction and/or otherwise disturbing the soil cover.

[wrvond]

No, you can't drive over it. You will crack it and it will leak. Then you will have to have it dug up and replaced. I am assuming you have a concrete tank and not a much older metal one.

[shughey00]

Well I would not do it. I was working with my friend doing landscaping when he forgot where the septic tank was as we were running an excavator the backyard. He was in an excavator that was not large...maybe 15Klbs to 18Klbs I'm guessing.
Yah...well we found that tank....when the track popped through the concrete lid. Not a fun job to replace a lid on a tank full of waste.

Tank was about 2-3 feet down.

Considering a tracked excavator displaces weight over a greater area than wheels I would not want to drive anything over a tank that was bigger than a small pickup and even then....not.

Your 5th wheel should be what..15Klbs loaded or so....stay the heck off. If you are lucky you would just crack the lid but if the wheel breaks through enough you won't be pulling it out with your truck. I thought the lids were reinforced but nope......that thing easily broke into pieces...how do I know...guess who had to schlep down in the hole and shovel the last bits of concrete lid out of the tank....yah I got racooned a few times.

[EDABEUT]

How deep is the septic tank in the ground and the lines coming in and out. If its more than 6 feet deep I would drive over it but not park on it. I would not drive across or park on your septic field.

[nomad297]

Septic tanks are made of "lightweight" concrete. I wouldn't take the chance of crushing the top of the tank with the weight of your trailer or truck.

Bruce

[BandJCarm]

Confirming what I thought.

I appreciate the input. I figured this was a stupid idea of mine.........and it is.

Back to figuring out how to jackknife into the existing driveway!!

[GSD_Gunner]

Don't drive over the tank and don't drive that much weight over the leach field either!

[Kanga99]

Have you considered widening your drive apron? Much much less expensive than replacing a septic tank.

[CampingGator]

Don't drive over it. My husband had to re-do our daughter's drain field because he damaged it from running the tractor over it when he mows.

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by wanderingbob

Drive over it , whats the worst that can happen ?

X2. Besides, the grass is always greener over the septic tank!

[Airborne]

I saw this demonstrated at an RV show this past winter. It may do the trick for you. It allows you to move your rig in very tight situations. Video | Purple Line

[Delco Bobby]

I am on public sewer but I discovered we had an old septic tank when it collasped leaving a large hole in my front lawn. My neighbors son fell into their septic tank when it collasped under him while mowing the lawn.

I would not park over it unless I was able to build some sort of bridge over the area. Something to spread out the weight load and protect the trailer if there is a collapse

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by Airborne

I saw this demonstrated at an RV show this past winter. It may do the trick for you. It allows you to move your rig in very tight situations. Video | Purple Line

OP has a FW. This doesn't work on FW.

[spock123]

I had the same problem at my house of getting camper in. I made the driveway wider so I didn't have to cut to short and I have a septic tank in the way, I would never drive over it


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[keith_h]

Around here code does not allow you to put any type of driveway or parking pad within 10 feet of the septic tank. It isn't just for fear of damage but the traffic vibration can cause the tank to shift throwing off the flow of effluent and causing a possible spill or backup into your house.

[Bobaloo]

Don't do it, if you do it will cave in eventually

[JohnF]

Could be a great spot for FULL hookup though.