MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
And driven straight over themOnce you've spent over 30 minutes trying to get levelers set under three wheels on a very bumpy campsite, your'll make your own mind up.
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And driven straight over themOnce you've spent over 30 minutes trying to get levelers set under three wheels on a very bumpy campsite, your'll make your own mind up.
Likewise, I fitted the footplate covers.
Surface area of a standard foot = 283.5 cm2, with the cover fitted = 452.4 cm2
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It looks like Alko, who now own E&P, sell them direct, although €144!Any idea who stocks them at a reasonable price? Google foo doesn’t work too well for that one!
Any idea who stocks them at a reasonable price? Google foo doesn’t work too well for that one!
The HPC system on mine is fitted with 10inch dia with rubber covers fitted as standard so very similar.Likewise, I fitted the footplate covers.
Surface area of a standard foot = 283.5 cm2, with the cover fitted = 452.4 cm2
View attachment 883623
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That seems to be a huge saving, Does that include the hydrauic pump.You can DIY this job if you are handy. I've just priced the gear at around £650 plus hoses as needed at £40 per 10 mtr coil. I've not included the brackets needed to mount the rams but they are just basic fabrication and no big deal.
Thanks for the support very well put. I think next time I have a brainwave like this I'll keep my mouth shut.fifthwheel, I mentioned on a previous thread a long while back that I thought these self levelling systems seemed overpriced for what they are and basically got shot down about how it's not just the price of components, but the dealers have premesis, wages, aftercare, yaddah, yaddah to pay for too. It hasn't changed my view that they are still overpriced though, as it seems generally most things moho related tend to be ?
I deal with hydraulics on tractors and timber harvesters all the time and you couldn't get a much simpler system than 4 jacks to lift a van up, but people just want to push a button and have the machine do everything for them ?
As regards "twisting the van's chassis" we hear all the time about how easy it is to drain the waste water now "As I just lift the one corner of the van up and it all drains out." but the "chassis twisting" doesn't appear to be an issue then ?
I like your setup with the four d/a spool valves, people would be surprised at how precise you can operate hydraulics, there's plenty of videos online of people picking up a raw egg with a twenty ton excavator without breaking the shell !
On a simple system like you've envisaged, I think you would just park up, open the locker door to access the valve manifold, drop the rams one at a time (the pressure gauge will let you know when they've reached terra firma) then just nudge each valve till you get them where you want them, a simple Bullseye spirit level (£6.99 on Amazon) mounted beside the pump will let you know which ram needs adjusting ? With a bit of practice, you'll be running two rams at once !
I understand that on this simple system you won't have any handbrake/safety interlocks in place which the pricey packages have, but everyone does a "walkaround" before they set off don't they ?
I appreciate you have to have an interest/mechanical bent and the facilities to carry out the work, but it really isn't that complicated, one pump, one valve manifold, four rams, eight hoses and a bit of bracketry ?
Plenty of people do self builds and this (to my mind) is just another activity that would complement that sort of activity ?
Thanks for the support very well put. I think next time I have a brainwave like this I'll keep my mouth shut.
Once you've spent over 30 minutes trying to get levelers set under three wheels on a very bumpy campsite, your'll make your own mind up.
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You need to improve your levelling skills. 30 seconds is my average.
"Worth the outlay" is a very difficult question. It's in the eye of the beholder. £ 6k outlay and loss of payload. And in return you get the considerable convenience. How many days a year do I use the van, for how many years? Divide £ 6k by the number of nights. If it's a hundred nights it's £ 60 a night; if 600 nights it's £ 10 a night.
Wasn't including the getting out but yes - lets add another 2 minutes for that.Garbage, ............ you would not even be able to get your levelling ramps out of your locker in that time let alone put them in front of the wheels and then jump back in the cab.
Wasn't including the getting out. But who cares? I'm on holiday. Plenty of time, I like being active. I'm happy to get out of a van and do something. Good exercise, keeps you moving and fit.
I really don't need to arrive at a campsite, press a button to level and stick the TV on!
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Not even if its hissing down and blowing a gale?Wasn't including the getting out but yes - lets add another 2 minutes for that.
But who cares? I'm on holiday. Plenty of time, I like being active. I'm happy to get out of a van and do something. Good exercise, keeps you moving and fit.
I really don't need to arrive at a campsite, press a button to level and stick the TV on!
No such thing as bad weather - just bad clothes. (but hissing down does sound horrendous! )Not even if its hissing down and blowing a gale?
More like saving £30 to £50 a night by not staying on sites.You could say the same about a solar/lithium setup. Spend over a grand to save £3 or £4 a night on electric,
Wouldnt want to be without the gusts of wind, we always sleep better when it's windy.or a few gusts of wind rock the van… or to be able to level the van when you park up in the pissing rain from the warm and dry of the van without twatting about with mucky plastic ramps
A big chunk of that is Labour costs 2 men, 2 days, company overheads that's at least £2k.to £3k.£5k to £6k for a hyd levelling system is pure robbery in my eyes.
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I think you need a trip to Specsavers, it's like a mountain.Although quackers field is pretty level ,
That's some anti theft device you got fitted .....I got the system fitted to my rig and they are without doubt great and easy to use, depending on where you are parking ie car parks for an overnight stay, put lock type wheel nuts on as some of the tyres are in the air, some plunker my just leave you high and dry or pinch one to get himself home , you cant leave the key in the door like we used to.Struggled for a while with the thought of spending all that money, but now we would not have another van without them.
There are other benefits of having them, like wheel changing and changing discs and brake pads as I did a couple of weeks back.
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Personally, I’d never spend that sort of cash to do something I can do myself, for free (maybe because I was born in Yorkshire).Dear fellow Motorhomers
We are just in the process of buying our 2nd Motorhome. We have had a 2005 Autocruise Stargazer for 7 years, we pick up.our 2019 Autotrail Imala 615 with side dinette, 4 seat belts, sleeps 2. We have for the last 7 years used Milenco levellers and also had back leg steadies to help with any bounce if on a site more than a couple of nights. But thinking of splashing out on hydraulic levellers. Any opinions on whether they are worth the outlay or should we just continue to use the ramp levellers and have back steadies fixed to our new (to us) Motorhome?
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I have them fitted on my Swift Kontiki, and they are brilliant, a little expensive but so worth itDear fellow Motorhomers
We are just in the process of buying our 2nd Motorhome. We have had a 2005 Autocruise Stargazer for 7 years, we pick up.our 2019 Autotrail Imala 615 with side dinette, 4 seat belts, sleeps 2. We have for the last 7 years used Milenco levellers and also had back leg steadies to help with any bounce if on a site more than a couple of nights. But thinking of splashing out on hydraulic levellers. Any opinions on whether they are worth the outlay or should we just continue to use the ramp levellers and have back steadies fixed to our new (to us) Motorhome?
Any idea of the additional weight of these footplate covers and any impact ( if any) on the ram with the additional weight being carried when retracted?Likewise, I fitted the footplate covers.
Surface area of a standard foot = 283.5 cm2, with the cover fitted = 452.4 cm2
View attachment 883623
It all depends on the amount of use. I tour in my motorhome parking off grid. In my 90 days in Europe I will cover 4000 miles. They are, in my opinion, very worth the high outlay. However, if your motorhome spends most of it's life parked on your drive and you only drive to a campsite for a fortnight, I wouldn't bother.Dear fellow Motorhomers
We are just in the process of buying our 2nd Motorhome. We have had a 2005 Autocruise Stargazer for 7 years, we pick up.our 2019 Autotrail Imala 615 with side dinette, 4 seat belts, sleeps 2. We have for the last 7 years used Milenco levellers and also had back leg steadies to help with any bounce if on a site more than a couple of nights. But thinking of splashing out on hydraulic levellers. Any opinions on whether they are worth the outlay or should we just continue to use the ramp levellers and have back steadies fixed to our new (to us) Motorhome?
The weight is absolutely negligible, they are made out of some very tough plastic material. Mine are in very good condition after four years use.Any idea of the additional weight of these footplate covers and any impact ( if any) on the ram with the additional weight being carried when retracted?
Thanks
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