Levelling Ramps Problem

[mick noe]

we use millenco triple levelling ramps and do need them even on level ground as rear is always higher than front even fully loaded with scooter in the garage. But when I apply handbrake it always moves back a couple of inches (seems to be as the brakes take up the load [alco chasis]) this nearly always sets the tyres on the pointed ridge between the 'cups ' that the tyres are meant to sit in. I am worried this will damage the tyres in time. has anybody made there own ramps and if so out of what? as the flat top type do not appear to be made in high enough versions.

 

[MikeandCarolyn]

You could attach a thick board in marine ply to the flat top ramps-that ensures they sit flat and raises them by whatever thickness you choose.

 

[old-mo]

When you have reached the height you want to be at...

Put the handbrake on and put the vehicle in first gear and turn off the engine .. let the clutch up and this will normally stop that bit of a backward run..

.

 

[john kyte]

Or drive a couple of inches further up the ramps

 

[Puddleduck]

My Brother-in-law made his own levelling ramps many many years ago..... he used hard wood salvaged from furniture dumped at the local tip.

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[DuxDeluxe]

My Brother-in-law made his own levelling ramps many many years ago..... he used hard wood salvaged from furniture dumped at the local tip.

Probably lighter than the Milenco Quattro ramps as well ..........

 

[Puddleduck]

Probably lighter than the Milenco Quattro ramps as well ..........

Probably not......... he did try to sell the design (it was before the availability of the Milenco offerings). Not sure how successful he was. I do know he had some plastic mouldings done for them.

 

[MattR]

Or drive a couple of inches further up the ramps

That is what we do, aiming not to overshoot again.

 

[Puddleduck]

That is what we do, aiming not to overshoot again.

Again?????? It is one of my fears that I will overshoot as I usually drive the van onto the ramps.

Generally I do as @old-mo suggests...... letting the foot brake off ever so slowly

 

[Wildman]

the easiest answer is to select a site that makes you level in the first place. never used them in the last 45 years.

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[DuxDeluxe]

Again?????? It is one of my fears that I will overshoot as I usually drive the van onto the ramps.

Generally I do as @old-mo suggests...... letting the foot brake off ever so slowly

One of my greatest fears as well.......... apart from growing old and losing my feathers, that is

 

[DuxDeluxe]

the easiest answer is to select a site that makes you level in the first place. never used them in the last 45 years.

Not so easy when a lot of vehicles have a higher stance at the rear axle compared with the front, though

 

[Wildman]

well maybe I have just been lucky with my last 14 vans, depends how out of level you are prepared to put up with I suppose.

 

[pappajohn]

well maybe I have just been lucky with my last 14 vans, depends how out of level you are prepared to put up with I suppose.

You wouldn't accept your house not being level so why accept it in your van.

 

[MattR]

Again?????? It is one of my fears that I will overshoot as I usually drive the van onto the ramps.

Generally I do as @old-mo suggests...... letting the foot brake off ever so slowly

My ramps have the scars to prove that sometimes, co-pilots get distracted when guiding the driver up ramps. To be fair, we were trying to get three wheels onto ramps but hand signals to continue should stop once the top has been reached - not after.

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[Gromett]

You wouldn't accept your house not being level so why accept it in your van.

One and the same for me. I got rid of my levelling ramps donkeys years ago and will park at whatever angle the land says I must be at. Got a sponge for bailing the shower out and other than that I don't notice any slope.

I really hope no one else decides that having the van level is essential, I got rid of my TV at the same time as the levelling blocks went so the entertainment value of watching either motorhomers spend hours getting level or caravanners setting up is priceless

 

[MattR]

I prefer not to roll out of bed, crush swmbo or get scalded by kettles sliding off the hob when we are not level ish.

 

[irnbru]

Must admit I am too lazy to dig them out. I try to choose the most level I can get to save mum complaining the water isnt running away properly.
Unless the slope is bad then why bother.

 

[Allanm]

You could get someone to chock the rear wheels before you turn the engine off ( of course you need to buy decent chocks first)
We rarely use ours and have often seen vans on chocks on level sites when the van is clearly at an angle and wonder why.....

 

[Allanm]

You wouldn't accept your house not being level so why accept it in your van.

You haven't seen our house!

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[JJ]

Obviously motorhoming Masons need to be on the level...

Levelling blocks seem to be necessary sometimes if you use campsites with marked, regulated pitches.

We freedom loving Freeloaders are not restricted to parking on "allocated" spots and therefore are able to choose stopping spots where the kettle doesn't slide off the cooker...

With reference to the OP... I doubt a ridge in a plastic ramp will cause any damage to a modern vehicle tyre. If it did I would change my tyres!

JJ

 

[Cal54]

I use the same approach as Mo - leave in gear, apply handbrake and switch off, and then take foot off the brake.

 

[Wildbill]

I carry ramps but usually only use them when the van brakes down to give me a bit extra room to work on it
apart Frome that unless the kettle s sliding off the cooker we don't bother
we just sleep head up slope.
bill

 

[Nirvanauk]

I prefer not to roll out of bed, crush swmbo or get scalded by kettles sliding off the hob when we are not level ish.

Couldn't agree more. As previously posted by Popeye you wouldn't accept your house not being level so why accept your van?

 

[Abacist]

I had a set of Milenco 4 tier ramps and no longer use them.
First time I tried to drive onto them forwards on the front wheels - they scooted right underneath the tyres and ended up 10 yards away in front of the van - the surface was obviously too slippery.
Another time under the rear wheels one dug into the ground, tipped up and stove in the skirt around the base of the MoHo.
Lastly, having got on successfully, when I came to put them away again a load of the plastic honeycomb support was cracked and broken and that's with a 4.5 ton van when fully laden.
Got myself a pair of 3 tier german ramps that are man enough for the job.
Have to say that I like to be level enough not to have to bale out the shower because sod's law dictates that the drain hole will always be on the high side when we are not level leaving a big puddle of dirty shower water to have to be removed!

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[Puddleduck]

I'm not sure what the Milenco 4 tier ramps have as a rating... our van is 3.5tonnes max and is usually around 3.2. I wouldn't use them with a heavier van

Levellish is fine with me but we have used the ramps a few times and been grateful for them as ours is one of the "nose down" types. If you get a warden who insists you park nose out or hab door to one side or the other it isn't always possible to park on a slope as you would prefer.

 

[Gromett]

Have to say that I like to be level enough not to have to bale out the shower because sod's law dictates that the drain hole will always be on the high side when we are not level leaving a big puddle of dirty shower water to have to be removed!

That's very true. The hole is ALWAYS!!! at the wrong side no matter where I park .
I now have a jug and a sponge. Fill jug up using sponge, empty in sink. Only takes two minutes then I can dry shower so I don't get wet feet using toilet after.

As for kettle sliding off hob or falling out of bed. Never experienced that even on extreme slopes...
I do find it a little irksome when my pen, ciggy or other items start rolling aross the table. But I now have slots for everything anyway so not seen it in a while.

I think as a fulltimer you slowly become more tolerant of the tiny issues like this and give up fighting them. Once you accept things like this and learn to live with them life becomes a bit simpler. The thought of messing around with levelling blocks now is an absolute no no for me.

 

[DBK]

I think the different approaches aired here are between those who frequently "wild camp" and perhaps those who use more established MH parking. We use ramps where we have to and it is very quick and easy after a bit of practice, it certainly takes less time than bailing out the shower - which we have done when for one reason or another we couldn't get level.

 

[Popeye]

Couldn't agree more. As previously posted by Popeye you wouldn't accept your house not being level so why accept your van?

That was pappajohn not Popeye, can't take the credit for that I'm afraid, or the blame.

I have a set of Millenco Quattros but I have just bit the bullet and had the E&P Hydraulic leveling system fitted to Ruby, used twice now, once at Newbury and again down in West sussex last week. These.

They say you're level in under two minutes but I found that it is under 20 seconds.

 

[chaser]

Can't follow this, if the shower hole is at the wrong end of the slope, can't you just turn the van around

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