[leaf]

Could it be bad for the tires of any vehicle to be parked on the grass of the yard? Yes, it kills the grass, but I don't care. I've tried putting down boards but the stock trailer is so long and I can't quite get it parked just so. I'd rather not put down gravel, but will if you tell me I should to keep the tires healthy.

[Lady Counselor]

The issue is moisture wicking up from the grass to the underneath. Can you lay stonedust down? The moisture can raise hell with the frame, esp if it is steel.

[leaf]

Thanks a million Lady Counselor!
It is a steel trailer. Stone dust, or gravel, it shall be!

[BeeHoney]

Really, it's better for the tires, too.

[SonnysMom]

I have been parking my trailer on grass for most of the 11 years that I have owned it. It is a steel frame. I have not had any problems. I just finally got a gravel parking slot for it about 3 weeks ago, mostly because we had gravel left over from regrading the driveway.

I prefer to keep it on gravel but I wouldn't stress about it either.

[Carolinadreamin']

This is what we did. We bought a stall mat (the thicker kind, like the bottom one seen in this link: http://www.google.com/search?q=stall...-yL4QtvZyx5TM:).

We cut it in half and we make sure that the trailer tires are centered on the mats when we return from a trip and park it. Easy, cheap and effective.

[morganpony86]

I parked my trailer on grass for several years and just made sure to move up/back every couple weeks so that one part of the tires wasn't on grass for months. You also have to compete with "sinking" if you leave it there for a while. I had a problem with the front end of my BP sinking into the grass/dirt if left in the same spot for a long time, and then I couldn't crank it high enough to get it back on my truck....

[Belg]

The only issue I've noticed is starting off on wet grass uphill. Occasionally have to throw the truck into 4wd to get started...

[Jim_in_PA]

I parked my trailer on grass for several years and just made sure to move up/back every couple weeks so that one part of the tires wasn't on grass for months. You also have to compete with "sinking" if you leave it there for a while. I had a problem with the front end of my BP sinking into the grass/dirt if left in the same spot for a long time, and then I couldn't crank it high enough to get it back on my truck....

This is the method I'm going to use for the moment until I can put a more permanent solution in place. Now that my trailer is "ready to go" and got used for the first time yesterday, I'm no longer going to be parking it on the driveway the way I was because it limits space for visitor vehicles. So for the moment, it's on the grass with the jack still over the stone for stability. In the spring, I'll cut out the soil for a "real" parking spot and put in more 3/4" modified so that the trailer is completely on stone.

[goodhors]

I would strongly second using the stall mats for parking on. They stay in place, you have NO sinking, no needing to be trimmed because grass doesn't grow on them. They give you an additional moisture barrier from the soil, so you have "less" moisture rising and working on the floorboards or cross pieces of a steel trailer. Being black, the mats will heat and dry faster when snowed on.

I would lay the 4ft x 6ft mats in a double wide layer, for the length of the trailer, so the whole bottom is better protected. Gives you a bit more width to play with, when you return the trailer to the parking area. Mats never "go bad", are easily moved or resold for almost the same money, if you don't need them anymore later on. They are pretty easy to handle out in the open, unlike TONNAGE of stones you have to move into place. Not so bad with a loader, but harsh if you must shovel that rock into place. Rolling mats, tied rolled up, makes them even easier to get into place for unrolling. Vise grips, adjustable pliers along an edge, will let you pull mats into a tight fitting configuration, instead of trying to pull them with fingertips.

I love stonedust, but it is going to need some constant attention over the time you park trailer there. Mats never need more attention, no matter how long you leave them lay. You can drive or push the mower right along over the edge, if grass gets tall, unlike stones that shoot out, sink in the ground with use. Growing plants in the stones makes the ground even MORE MOIST, than plain dirt. Mats are easily removed, should you decide to do something else with that location, grass and dirt will go back to being lawn-like quickly.

[leaf]

Thank you all.
I'll go with the mats.