just dont do what i saw someone do last week....the corner steadys are just that.
i watched this chap arrive, and thought he aint going to level the van...a bit odd!
My wife noticed and said he'll get sea sick at that angle!
He then proceeded to wind up the steadies on one side lifting one wheel off the ground by some 8 inches so it was level!
First. try to find a bit of level ground. It makes things easier. Then, with the car still hitched up, try the spirit level from side to side. Ignore front to back at the moment. If you decide it's not level enough, just pop a ramp or block of wood either side of the wheel. Front or back will do, then drive up it until the spirit level says stop.
Put the handrake on and chock the wheels if necessary. Unhitch the car and use the jockey wheel to level the caravan front to back. When you're happy, put the steadies down, but don't attempt to raise the caravan with them.
I have great difficulty walking, but we manage this with a twin axle with no problems. There is no reason ever to move the van by hand. It's very easy to level, and a bit of practice will see it done in five minutes.
Quote: Originally posted by Greendemon315 on 04/5/2011
First. try to find a bit of level ground. It makes things easier. Then, with the car still hitched up, try the spirit level from side to side. Ignore front to back at the moment. If you decide it's not level enough, just pop a ramp or block of wood either side of the wheel. Front or back will do, then drive up it until the spirit level says stop.
Put the handrake on and chock the wheels if necessary. Unhitch the car and use the jockey wheel to level the caravan front to back. When you're happy, put the steadies down, but don't attempt to raise the caravan with them.
I have great difficulty walking, but we manage this with a twin axle with no problems. There is no reason ever to move the van by hand. It's very easy to level, and a bit of practice will see it done in five minutes.
Jim
Thanks Jim and everyone else.
I've got the idea, quite simple really.
I, like you have a health problem, a bad heart and very bad back and cannot manhandle a van, even a small one, but it was something that was concerning me. I'm much happier now knowing that.
Would you recommend getting them ramps and chocks, you know, them yellow things or simply a few pieces off an old builders deal?
We have a twin axle, so we just use planks and blocks, which are easier to manage than a pair of the yellow ramps. We still carry the ramps, but haven't used them for years. In fact, we don't use the blocks much. A couple of minutes looking for a flat bit of ground pays dividends. Main thing is to get the side to side right. Front to back is easy to take care of, with the jockey wheel.
Jim
Quote: Originally posted by Greendemon315 on 10/5/2011
We have a twin axle, so we just use planks and blocks, which are easier to manage than a pair of the yellow ramps. We still carry the ramps, but haven't used them for years. In fact, we don't use the blocks much. A couple of minutes looking for a flat bit of ground pays dividends. Main thing is to get the side to side right. Front to back is easy to take care of, with the jockey wheel.
Jim
Thanks Jim
I was thinking that but wasn't sure if using bits of wood didn't look very good these days ;-)
Managing health problems to make the most of the freedom of caravanning is really important and I needed to invest in two items to help me level the van easily and without stress both - physical and mental!! I had a motor mover fitted which takes all the pressure away from fine adjustments on site (I'm OK but not great at reversing!) and purchased a Milenco Aluminium leveller. With these two bits of kit and various wooden blocks to go under the steadies, I manage to get the van level quickly and easily ready for that first cup of tea!!!
------------- Alan F
KIA Niro PHEV
Bessacarr e562 Motor Home
As far as appearance is concerned, I don't worry too much about what's under the van. All my blocks are painted, and I have four small ones with carpet on. They came from a boat trailer I had.
As I said, if you look for flat ground, and do the side to side first, you very seldom need anything at all.
Alan - However bad you are at reversing, you can't really go wrong over the length of a block! Practice makes perfect, one day you will have to reverse on the road. Depends what you meet, there are vehicles that are not legally allowed to reverse. Having said that, you are quite right to make things as easy as you can. I just couldn't bear to drag all that extra weight round with me. I've never needed a motor mover and won't ever get one.
Fortunately, I don't usually need to use chocks/levellers under the wheels (I try to use level pitches), but when I do it always seems to take me ages to sort it. If you put a leveller underneath one wheel and use the motor mover to drive on to it, the van often has a mind of its own and ends up all over the place, with the front end moving one way, out of line with where you want it. If you use the car to pull on to/reverse on to a leveller, the same happens when you unhitch. I end up having to try and use the leveller on the assumption that the van might end up where you want it to i.e. start to level 'out of line' from where you want the van.
I once tried one of those levellers that fit onto the wheel and you jack it up, but I found the whole process just too much/heavy.
Do other people have the same problem, and if so does anyone have a solution?
Why is it always the door side (with the axle lock fitting) always the side that needs raising??
The problem with using the car for me is I can't be in 2 places at once ( driving, checking the axle lock & spirit level) & also if you reverse up the ramp then you have a compressed draw bar which then hits the car when you unhitch. For me it mover all the way, but it does zigzag up the ramp a bit.
With my twin axle, I keep my jack to hand, jack up the side thats too low and put blocks under both wheels. Also put on my Alco wheel locks at same time. People seem to think jacking a van up is a faff, but with jack and blocks to hand it takes minutes and no messing.
Also for blocks my son (who was 9 at the time) whilst walking round a DIY shop with me, said "Dad, why don't you buy one of them planks and cut it to use for the caravan," pointing at decking boards. Cost around £8, cut into 8 pieces that fit perfectly in the space I have to store them in van, can use for levelling or under steadies, whether 1 at a time or 2 or more stacked. Also I tend to use 1 under the jack when lfiting van, and I kneel on too. Should patent it as "A Plank".
To avoid the zigzag, use the car to put it on the ramp. You don't have the same control with a motor mover. To avoid a compressed hitch, just put the ramp or plank in front of the wheel and pull up on to it. The key is to apply the handbrake and chock the wheels before unhitching.
Jim
I like the decking plank idea, thank your lad for that.
I guess they're reasonably weather proofed before you get them and they are easy to maintain.
I'll be down B&Q tomorrow.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: All level
