Do I need levellers...?? (1 Viewer)

[Encantador]

For those that have not seen any of my other `many` posts. Collecting my first MH on Wednesday (weather permitting), a 2007 Swift Kontiki tag.

Do I need levellers of some kind and is this the best sort to get....?
[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Caravan-Motorhome-Levelling-Blocks-Fiamma/dp/B005R1KZB6/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_1_0[/ame]

Also, what about wheel chocks, I will be parking on the level at home but are they something worth carrying when on the road?

thanks

Steve

 

[Snowbird]

Unless you want to destroy your fridge, dont mind water lying in the sink and shower, get levelers and use em.

 

[DBSilverfox]

The fiamma ones are the same as I have, and would say they are a very useful accessory.

not all pitches you stay on, even at top class (expensive) sites will be level. i also understand, though not experienced it, that some appliances such as fridges will not work correctly if the van is not within a certain tolerance of level.

Some might also recommend a spirit level, but I knew it would drive me crazy trying to get perfect level if I ever bought one

David

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[Encantador]

Thanks.

Just read in another thread about someone using snow chains, can I add those to the list also....

Don`t really know if we would ever be using the MH in this sort of weather, but are they something else always worth having, just in case??

Thanks

Steve

 

[chrisboyo]

Easy there now funster

It,s very easy to go out spending lots of hard earned when you first get a motorhome

Leveling blocks are a must and we find that the Milanco ones are very good as they have 'steps' in them, the fiamma ones, we found did not give us enough lift on some sites

Take some runs out in your new toy before splashing the cash. You will soon find out what you need:thumb:

Happy Daze & see you at a Funsters meet
Chrisboyo

 

[Chybax]

Hi Steve
We had the yellow Fiamma ramps and one split ! We now have the Milenco ones which seem much stronger !
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l2736&_nkw=+Milenco++ramps

I always pour a glass of wine and place on table to see if we're level

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[catspyjamas]

I always pour a glass of wine and place on table to see if we're level [/QUOTE]

And I've always used water!!! Thanks for the tip - will upgrade to wine from now on

 

[Scout]

we did when we started what your doing now, trying to get everything, we bought levelers on day one, it was two years befor I used them. The same with lots of stuff, chilll a bit you will only learn what you need by trail an error, talk to pepole on site/rallies look at what they have got and pinch it when thier asleep (only kdding)

 

[slobadoberbob]

we spent about £14k extra in the first year

While our American RV cost us £28k (4 years old - 8,000 miles on the clock)... sees the red link below if you want to see more of it.... we did allocate £40k and we did spend the rest very fast on extras... OK some of them you may not need.. we purchased a TV dome satellite system, backup camera/entertainment and sat NAV in one ..Pioneer was of money.. The Snooper 7,000 is better and half the price (we have both now).. we put a 26" TV in (Mains 230v) and a Mains DVD.. so we have a 1500 watt inverter fitted .. pure sin wave and it is a charger.. great... we also have the battery management NASA BM1 .. the battery master and the reverse auto polarity switcher.

Yes we have levelling blocks .. 4 big Fiamma type and a couple of truck chocks (not the silly ones you see).. we also had air suspension fitted to the rear to give a better ride and allows us to level up as well by changing the pressure.

We also use a scissor jack under the tow ball - stops bounce when in side.. plus we have one under the electric step.. under the slide out on the RV we also have supports for the rails and that keeps the van rock steady.. a good spirit level.. but the best way for us is the fridge door and the bathroom door.. do they stay in place open.. if so we are level... but over a few days you may need to adjust if the ground is a bit soft .. we are 5.5 tons all up. 23'9" long.. so very european size.

Check out the link.. shows what you can get for less money ...

Bob:thumb:

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[DESCO]

Have to agree some form of levelling system is useful, would agree when someone else said don't go mad buying what looks like a good idea till you have done some trips, the classified adds are full of the unused good ideas.

 

[icantremember]

For those that have not seen any of my other `many` posts. Collecting my first MH on Wednesday (weather permitting), a 2007 Swift Kontiki tag.

Do I need levellers of some kind and is this the best sort to get....?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005R1KZB6/?tag=mhf04-21

Also, what about wheel chocks, I will be parking on the level at home but are they something worth carrying when on the road?

thanks

Steve

Morning Steve, IMO and from experience level ramps are vital and more so the longer your wheelbase.

Without them you may have fridge problems on some sites plus it is far more comfortable in bed if level and all the drains will work better and they will prevent your wine or beer sliding off the table.

We have both the Fiamma & Millenco ramps but normally only carry the latter as they are slightly higher.

As for chocks we do carry them but dont use them very often.

 

[Encantador]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Fully understand the warnings about going mad and spending loads I don`t need to, definitely trying not to do that.

Some things are `essential`and some are not, not exactly sure when our first proper trip will be but don1`t want to get there and realise some obvious `essentials` are missing, just for the sake of asking the question.

From the replies so far it seems that levellers are a essential.

Thanks again.

Prepare yourselves for the next question please....

Steve

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[MikeandCarolyn]

On a level surface our van is slghtly 'nose down' as shown by the 'cross spirit level' on work surface just inside Habitation door(it was there when we got the van-think they only cost a couple of pounds).
So we carry Fiamma levels-I did own a pair of Milenco for about 2 weeks-they are bigger and better,but take up too much storage room for us.
I put a piece of inch thick marine ply under each level-this ensures that the level is on a flat surface and reduces the risk of it cracking.
Mike.

 

[jonandshell]

I'll second the previous advice given-

The Milenco Quattro levels are a top piece of kit, especially if you have a longer wheelbase.:thumb:

The longer your wheelbase, the more you have to raise your wheels to achieve a level attitude for any given slope.

 

[Gromett]

I had and carried about levelling blocks for the first 5 years I was motorhoming and used them twice and got fed up very quickly. I ended up giving them away and have never regretted it. I quickly got used to sleeping on a slight slope and have always been able to find a pitch that is close enough to level to work for me. I am currently on a long term "pitch" where the drivers side front wheel is lower than rear opposite side so sloping in two direction. Not a huge amount and I don't notice it tbh.

People say they are essential but in my experience it is just another thing to clutter up valuable locker space.oh:

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[bob and jules]

We're an Autotrail Cheiftain, so on the same tag chassis as you. If youre like us you will, as previous poster said, find that even on a level surface the chassis points you downhill ! We almost always have to use levellers ( the big milenco quattros for us ) or look to turn the van round so that it levels up on a down slope.
As an example tho, we're on Cabapino in Spain with a slight slope up towards the back of the pitch, I've got the van on the Milenco levelers, on nearly 3 inches of paving slabs and I'm still waliking up hill to go to bed !!
Perils of a long van I'm afraid.

 

[vwalan]

going on to the chocks/wedges . in many eu countries it is compulsory to use chocks if parking on a steep slope . if the vehicle is over 3,500kg. i havent heard of anyone getting done but certainly trucks etcvery often have them fitted to the chassis in brackets from new .
could be the next spanish police fund earner. dont give them the oportunity. parking against the kerb isnt enough.

 

[novawight]

With only a small van have never found the need, as long as long as my feet point down hill,never had any probs with fridge, but i do look for the flatest piece of ground....Del

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[slobadoberbob]

we have Sealey truck chocks

going on to the chocks/wedges . in many eu countries it is compulsory to use chocks if parking on a steep slope . if the vehicle is over 3,500kg. i havent heard of anyone getting done but certainly trucks etcvery often have them fitted to the chassis in brackets from new .
could be the next spanish police fund earner. dont give them the oportunity. parking against the kerb isnt enough.

We have two serious Sealey truck chocks.. as we are an automatic .. and if I climb front ramps or rear I need Sue to put a chock behind the wheels that are not on the ramps so when I release the footbrake and put the RV in park it stays level and does not slide back down a little while the park brake settles.

Plus being big they will hold out twin wheels.. we carry 4 of the big ramps as we are duels at the rear and if we have to level the rear one side or both sides we put a ramp under both of the wheels.

Bob

 

[slobadoberbob]

why not go to one of the shows

Thanks for the replies guys.

Fully understand the warnings about going mad and spending loads I don`t need to, definitely trying not to do that.

Some things are `essential`and some are not, not exactly sure when our first proper trip will be but don1`t want to get there and realise some obvious `essentials` are missing, just for the sake of asking the question.

From the replies so far it seems that levellers are a essential.

Thanks again.

Prepare yourselves for the next question please....

Steve

It will soon be show season time and you will be able to see lots of products available and in use. MHF members often meet up and have a meet at the shows and that way you can see what we all use and why.


Bob:thumb:

 

[scotjimland]

People say they are essential but in my experience it is just another thing to clutter up valuable locker space.oh:

agree...

never had them for the RV .. seldom had any problems finding a relatively level pitch on an aire or site .. besides, I don't think they make any that would take the weight .. and if they did they would be very heavy and cumbersome..

scare stories about fridges are just that, if your van was on such a slope as to affect the fridge, frankly you wouldn't want to be in it ... and a long van doesn't exacerbate a slope.. a slope is a slope irrespective of van length..

more often than not people only put them out to mark their pitch..

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[Jaws]

Milanco Quatros for us.. Had the Fiamma ones for a long while but found :
a) they ended up more or less folding up on us..
b) too many times they were simply not high enough

Spirit levels are mentioned a lot, but also worth mentioning is that most folk use a very small two way type ( We use a little round one with a bullseye in the middle.. when the bubble is in the middle of the bullseye you know your level )Cost £1.99.

Also worth mentioning that a good many fridges do not work too well if they are not level..
No real idea why but expect it is something to do with cheapskate manufacturers skimping on how much freon gas they put in.

 

[FIDGET]

Hi, We use Milenco Quattro plus we take a fiamma one for the third wheel and so far we have never been unlevel ,only problem is storage of said items as they take up quite a bit of space ( check measurements before buying as we found we didn't have enough storage in side external cupboards ) we then resorted to fitting a back box to house outdoor chairs ,table, wedges ,windbreak etc. I did this as I don't like having to put these items in the van or toilet room ,hate having to move them about when parked up so back box is very handy as always have these items with us. This leaves room for bar-b-que is side ex cupboard. Terry (fidget)

 

[bob and jules]

''... and a long van doesn't exacerbate a slope.. a slope is a slope irrespective of van length.. ''

A slopes a slope, but the longer the van, the more jacking up it takes to level it ?..... or at least it did when I did trigonometry !

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[Rayb182]

If wild parking/camping a couple of 2ft scaffold planks with support underneath, just in case you have to drive off quickly.

 

[scotjimland]

''... and a long van doesn't exacerbate a slope.. a slope is a slope irrespective of van length.. ''

A slopes a slope, but the longer the van, the more jacking up it takes to level it ?..... or at least it did when I did trigonometry !

like I said.. I never had them .. so no matter what length my RV wheel base was, the slope was the slope.. same for a short wheel base van..

and yes, that is correct, IF you want to be level, a longer wheel base (overhang makes no difference) would require more lift than a short wheel base for a given slope..

 

[Snowbird]

Just a word of warning to those of you that don't level. Condenser fridges don't like being off level and though it may seem to work OK now you will be doing it long term damage over a period of time, the refrigerants separate if off level over a period of time which is irreparable. Don't be led to believe that you can have it regased. It cannot be done. Be warned.......Fridges are very expensive and should be looked after. Nothing worse than a fridge packing up when its 25 deg plus. I hate cold beer.

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