Recently purchased Milenco Quattro levelling blocks and on a recent solo trip to the Kendal site I accidentally over shot the blocks, which resulted in the front of both blocks shattering. This left the front end of the blocks with sharp jagged points. In raising this point with Milenco I got the following response.
"Further to your email I can advise that we do sell numerous amounts of this item each year and we do not have a issue with them at all.
The reason as to why this has happened like you said was because you accidently went over the top.
However these are designed to shatter if you do go over the top so that damage doesn't occur to your motorhome.
I hope that this makes sense and this is not a fault with the item this is how it is designed."
The reason for this post is that it makes no sense to me and to seek a wider view. Is this explanation plausible or am I being fed a load of guff and being given a brush off. Whatever 50 pounds worth of leveling blocks going in the bin.
What Milenco are saying is that the blocks are fit for purpose and designed to raise the vehicle's height (which they did). It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that they are use in the intended manner and any human error incorporated (which it was) the company is not responsible for.
Fair enough but my point is it realistic to say that they have designed them to shatter if you inadvertently roll over the top. My old Fiamma levels have a chamfered front and I could drive ove and down them all day long with no problem. To design something that shatters and then becomes sharp and dangerous seems counter intuitive to me.
I looked at these ramps on the Milenco website and it does clearly state at the bottom of the page (see link).
WARNING: DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF THESE LEVELS THEY MUST NOT BE DRIVEN OVER. ALWAYS REVERSE BACKWARDS OFF THE LEVEL.
DRIVING OVER THE LEVEL MAY RESULT IN EXTREME DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR LEVEL.
For twin-axle vans, where one wheel is always going to roll over the top:
Apparently these two levels are joined together with a joining plate. Is this the way you had your Milenco levels, dogshome?
If you 'overshot the blocks', do you mean you drove right over, or just went slightly too far forwards? At what point did they shatter?
I can see the disclaimer on Milenco's website and, on first reading this thread, I too thought it must be down to error on the part of the OP. Now, on looking at the design and realising these are indeed for a twin-axle van, one has to wonder what difference it makes driving over or reversing off these ramps and why on earth they might shatter, which 'MAY RESULT IN EXTREME DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR LEVEL'.
To the OP: I think you should be glad they didn't damage your tyres and / or van. I wouldn't be happy if it had happened to me, either.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Displeasure with Milenco Levelers
