Parking on a sloped driveway (1 Viewer)

[Vanman]

When we're not off gallivanting, our little ironclad MH will be sitting on a sloping drive. I thought I'd pick your brains about any issues I might face with it there - fluid drainage etc and if it was worth getting any really tall levelling blocks (if they exist). There is an 'artists interpretation' below - ok it's a blocky cut and paste but it gives the general idea ... I've pointed it up the hill so that the hab door is accessible and there's room to squeeze past the nose to access the house!

 

[pappajohn]

Could be a problem draining down in winter, and your fridge won't work.
Though you could drain into a bucket on the road.
Other than that no problem.
I would chock the wheels and leave in 1st gear with the handbrake OFF so the handbrake doesn't seize on if left over winter.

 

[WynandJean]

I love the 'artists impression' Simple effective way of conveying the situation far better than words. Ingenious.

Wyn

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Vanman]

Could be a problem draining down in winter, and your fridge won't work.
Though you could drain into a bucket on the road.
Other than that no problem.
I would chock the wheels and leave in 1st gear with the handbrake OFF so the handbrake doesn't seize on if left over winter.

Thanks. I will have a compressor fridge if that makes a difference. I will try and use it for an hour or two every 2 or 3 weeks to keep it from seizing up . There is a drain on the road so I should be able to empty it ok before parking it. Good idea about the handbrake, I can turn the wheels in too. I'll get a long EHU too so that I can keep the batteries topped up.

 

[pappajohn]

Compressor fridge should be fine but be ready for incoming flak regarding emptying into road drains.

 

[Jim]

Definitely level as much as you can with set of blocks, but do use it as often as possible. That's a lot of cash to just be sat on the drive doing nothing

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Vanman]

Definitely level as much as you can with set of blocks, but do use it as often as possible. That's a lot of cash to just be sat on the drive doing nothing

Thanks Jim, are all blocks born equal or are some higher than others? Will I need 'heavy duty' ones for an extended stop on an angle or are they all tough enough?

 

[gus-lopez]

buy a set of high car ramps.

 

[Jim]

These Milenco ones are chunky enough and will take a lot out your slope

Amazon product ASIN B003V58SBO

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Speve]

We don't have to many problems with ours which slopes around 450mm(18") in the length of the van actually runs the water off quickly used to put up on highest level of Quatro ramps to get fridge working and drain the tanks,don't need that now as have had EP levellers fitted.

 

[golly]

We have a similar situation, (sloped drive) and we follow what @pappajohn said about wheel chocks, first gear and hand brake off. As for draining down for winter, if its just the fresh water, we drain as much as possible on the drive, then leave fresh water drain open, and taps open and go for a drive to drain completely, Thats for fresh water only, not grey

 

[Vanman]

Compressor fridge should be fine but be ready for incoming flak regarding emptying into road drains.

Can't be much worse than the gunge that goes down when all the kids clean their cars every week, maybe the two will even each other out. Oh, and I meant the fresh water - obviously!

(Countermeasures released )

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

Can't be much worse than the gunge that goes down when all the kids clean their cars every week, maybe the two will even each other out. Oh, and I meant the fresh water - obviously!

(Countermeasures released )

Agreed, when you see some of the crap and rubbish in gutters I can't see the problem but some folks get quite upset about it.

 

[Vanman]

Is there a knack to getting onto a high block, is it better done forwards or backwards, with or without a helper ... ?

 

[Figaro]

There is a knack to getting onto ramps, especially the top level without going over
I'm not gifted with those skills yet so will leave to others to advise !
I know my limitations

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rangi]

I have a similar spot to park as you have, Worse thing about it I find is the water running off the roof, leaving the back covered in black streaks, I fixed the problem by getting a 3metre self adhesive drip stop from John Cross Motors

 

[MikeD]

We park on a slope. Yes your Fridge won't work but the major issue for me is the natural drainage on the roof will be compromised.

Our previous van with a air-con unit on the roof and the slope used to allow the drainage channels in the unit to flood and let water into the motorhome instead of flowing away.

Water pools by all the roof lights. We never had any leaks but did wonder if it did the mastic any good being under water.

 

[Speve]

When I used quatro ramps I would put two blocks on the drive where the rear wheels stop then set up my ramps with centre of hollow to centre of front wheel and reversed onto them the block at the back stops you in correct position so you don't drive over top of ramps.
Worked for me every time.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[WillH]

We park on a slope, quite deliberately. The van slopes from rear to front and left to right. This way all the water naturally runs off, when we drive away there is no flood over the windscreen. Although our slope is not as great as yours I don't see any problem apart from the fridge when you want to chill it before a trip, a couple of freezer bricks should help that.

 

[Duck Truck]

At least your slope goes to the road
Ours is uphill to get off, a bugger in snow

 

[Duck Truck]

Mind you!!!
We haven't had as much snow round the van as you do

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Vanman]

@kev1 Well I've just cleared the snow off and it appears I may have gone off the back of the ramps last time ... I wondered where my car had gone!!

 

[Vanman]

When I used quatro ramps I would put two blocks on the drive where the rear wheels stop then set up my ramps with centre of hollow to centre of front wheel and reversed onto them the block at the back stops you in correct position so you don't drive over top of ramps.
Worked for me every time.

@Speve I've read that about 10 times and can't quite get it ... is it written correctly for my 'nose up' position or does it need translated? It's my rear wheels that need raised. Thanks again.

 

[Speve]

@Speve I've read that about 10 times and can't quite get it ... is it written correctly for my 'nose up' position or does it need translated? It's my rear wheels that need raised. Thanks again.

@Vanman Sorry mate I was stating what I did but I reverse onto drive way and lift front up to level. I suppose you could use same principle and drive nose in Using ramps on rear and placing block at front wheels to stop you.
You just need to effectively drive up the ramps with rear wheels and stop with blocks on front in your case.
I expect that has confused you even more sorry

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Bobby22]

If you reverse onto your ramps ( front wheels ) you can open the door and see where you are job done.

 

[Vanman]

@Vanman Sorry mate I was stating what I did but I reverse onto drive way and lift front up to level. I suppose you could use same principle and drive nose in Using ramps on rear and placing block at front wheels to stop you.
You just need to effectively drive up the ramps with rear wheels and stop with blocks on front in your case.
I expect that has confused you even more sorry

@Speve No, I think I've got it this time ... does it depend on placing the blocks in front of the front wheels by the length of the ramps, but what stops the blocks just pushing forwards when the wheels get to them? Will the grip downwards be as great as the push forwards?

 

[Vanman]

If you reverse onto your ramps ( front wheels ) you can open the door and see where you are job done.

If I wanted to be nose low I'd have to reverse up the drive and then I wouldn't have access to the habitation door which would be against the fence I'm also not sure I'd have enough clutch control when I first get the van.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Speve]

@Vanman ive not had a problem with mine and my van is a 4250kg Exsis I just use a couple of brick paviors and as long as you take it slowly they don't budge my driveway is brick pavior as well, and I'm reversing up to a garage door and house wall they always stop me. You could I suppose fix them down with something like Gripfill.

 

[Vanman]

@Vanman ive not had a problem with mine and my van is a 4250kg Exsis I just use a couple of brick paviors and as long as you take it slowly they don't budge my driveway is brick pavior as well, and I'm reversing up to a garage door and house wall they always stop me. You could I suppose fix them down with something like Gripfill.

I probably just need to try driving into the stops without the ramps just to convince myself of the principle Having said that I've just thought of a minor complication ... I won't be able to drive forwards up the ramps at the rear - there isn't enough drive! The thin edges (majority) of the wedges would be out on the pavement. I'll have to go 'too far' and then roll backwards onto the ramps and against the stops. I'm also going to have to get by with just the one stop on the drivers side as there's no room to get in down the fence side for a second one ...

 

[Speve]

Just make sure the stops don't move as you are going up against em down hill you don't want to go over the back of the ramp if you use Quatros as they are quite high and you could damage your cills.
Good luck practice makes perfik
Let us know how you get on won't you?