I was thinking about buying a milenco or bulldog caravan leveller, but a few reviews state the amount of time to screw up with the ratchet.
How many people use a trolly jack cos I have a small one in the shed and I reckon it will be a lot quicker to jack the van up and put blocks under the wheel rather than cranking it up with a ratchet, and a lot cheaper.
Only disadvantage I can see is the weight issue of the jack.
I used the ramps or blocks, But got a bulldog leveller very cheaply.
It takes less or a similar time than it does to wind a leg up or down.
The advantage though is its easy to fine tune, Where with the planks or wedges i would say ahh close enough, With the leveller it only takes a few more clicks to get it perfect.
I have a selection of levelling devices and just use whatever seems appropriate at the time and what I can be bothered with. I've got a couple of Milenco levellers and they are great to use, but often a single plank under one side is more than enough.
If I'm going to be in one place for a week or so though, then I tend to spend more time getting things spot on and the levellers allow that without shunting back and fore. The few minutes they take to set up are well worth it in my opinion, and they do look pimp, which is nice!
I was thinking about buying a milenco or bulldog caravan leveller, but a few reviews state the amount of time to screw up with the ratchet.
I used to have one they are very good at doing the job but took so long to do and left me worn out useing the ratchet that i sold it.
a lot better to use the ramps as Tango suggested above
I have one of these Hoppy level indicator mounted in the front gas locker or you can mount them in the front window. I reverse onto the pitch and the level indicator tells me how much one side of the van needs to be raised. I then pull forward and put the number of levelling planks needed and reverse onto these. Cheap, simple and works easily for our twin axle.
The trouble with jacking and lowering onto planks is that the tyre alters the level when it takes up the weight.
I accurately levelled the caravan at home, then stuck a spirit level on the A frame under the plastic shroud, but in a place I can see it. First level front to back using the jockey wheel and then level side to side using the motor mover and one ramp.
Since changing the van and getting one with an Alko wheel lock, I have made a new wooden leveller out of a decking board with 3 levels. Now I can move the van wheel enough on the leveller to line up the wheel lock.
Motor movers don't help align alko locks with twin axles which is why I got rid of my alko locks and found easier to use wheel locks. Ramps aren't usable either as you would have to drive over one to get to the other and one would have to be cut short to fit.
I have always levelled side to side and then front to back.
I have a 190 bhp tow vehicle, already hooked up when arriving on a pitch, which makes light work of pulling the van up my home made stepped wooded wedge.
To check the level my wife places a spirit level with a vertical vial on the van's side; that is still square with my solidly built german van.
Or on near level sites and hard standings I use the mover climbing on an off cut of wood, seeking a level patch, or up on some bulked up hard standing gravel.
I really fail to see the benefit of hauling around more kit, other than for the kit makers and retailers who must think it is great some spend their money on them.
Quote: Originally posted by brianconwy on 26/5/2014
with twin axles, Ramps aren't usable either as you would have to drive over one to get to the other and one would have to be cut short to fit.
I don't have a twin axle caravan but use a twin trailer.
Why do you need to have each wheel on separate ramps?
With the trailer both wheels can go up the same ramp and the suspension evens things out albeit with different lifts seen by each wheel. I know one wheel ends up more loaded than the other but this happens all the time when coupled up and on uneven ground, static or towing.
Not understanding what is different when twin axles are fitted to caravans, that some owners want to lift each wheel to lift the van side.
The wheels of the caravan are quite far apart and I would imagine one wheel would be unstressed. I am not sure if all the stress being taken up by one wheel for a fortnight would do any damage but I just put the required number of planks there and reverse onto them.
We have a horse trailer and that is a twin axle. In the USA you can buy a ramp for one wheel for horse-trailers/5th wheel so that a wheel can be changed by driving the good tyre up the ramp. tyre change ramp
'I really fail to see the benefit of hauling around more kit, other than for the kit makers and retailers who must think it is great some spend their money on them.'
Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 26/5/2014
Hmmm. But then you lug round a huge caravan that will sleep 6.
I am trying to find the connection between spending the money on a mover and having enough space. I was only joking as I have nothing against movers ( or any other gear if it is useful ). Lugging our van around isn't a problem as the mtplm is only 1556kg which is easily towed by our car.
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Topic: Caravan Leveller
