Ramps as opposed to adjusting legs.... (1 Viewer)

Touchwood

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Inspired by another post regarding ramps, I'm seeing that many modern motorhomes require ramps for levelling rather than having built in wind down legs.

My previous MH, a 1976 Ford Transit base Advantura, had (if my memory serves me correctly) wind down legs at the rear of the habitation - are these no longer fitted to coachbuilt motorhomes? Seems like a backward step to me. Something I'm missing?
 
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Hi Mike
(I won't answer ALL of your posts I promise:Smile:)
I Have rear steadies on my Autosleeper but have yet to use them as the rear of the van is slightly higher anyway and as I find most of the time I want to park looking down the hill:Doh:

Tim
 
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scotjimland

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Wind down legs on motorhomes are for steadying, not levelling ..

they are not jacks and not designed to take the full weight of the van.

Once level, you wind them down to stop the van swaying when walking around..

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Apr 18, 2009
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Wind down legs on motorhomes are for steadying, not levelling ..

they are not jacks and not designed to take the full weight of the van.

Once level, you wind them down to stop the van swaying when walking around..

Hi Jim
Surly it doesn't have to take the whole weight of the van to level a couple of inches:thumb:

Tim
 
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Touchwood

Touchwood

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Hi Mike
(I won't answer ALL of your posts I promise:Smile:)
I Have rear steadies on my Autosleeper but have yet to use them as the rear of the van is slightly higher anyway and as I find most of the time I want to park looking down the hill:Doh:

Tim

Tim, you are welcome to answer as many of my posts as you wish!

I, too, would prefer to park looking down the hill. My wife says that's inevitable as I'm over the hill anyway! :RollEyes:
 
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scotjimland

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Hi Jim
Surly it doesn't have to take the whole weight of the van to level a couple of inches:thumb:

Tim

yes, that is true .. if it's only lifting the weight slightly off the suspension, but it won't do much levelling ..

much the same as a caravan, the steadies are only there to stop it swaying not to jack it up.. that is done by either the jockey wheel and or levelling ramps.

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GJH

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Echoing what Jim said, steadies tend to be required more on vans with long rear overhangs.

Another factor might be the ground clearance height. We looked at the free standing supports a few years ago but found that they were too short, at their maximum height, to reach the underside of our van from the ground.

After 5 years plus we haven't found having no steadies a problem.
 
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Touchwood

Touchwood

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Wind down legs on motorhomes are for steadying, not levelling ..

they are not jacks and not designed to take the full weight of the van.

Once level, you wind them down to stop the van swaying when walking around..

Hmmm - I can see there is a diffenece between levelling and steadying - but surely it's just a matter of degree? (literally!) So long as you're not going to the point of lifting a wheel, the leg will take more and more weight the more you wind it down as the suspension lifts - taking enough weight to stop swaying isn't necessarily going to get the van level, but how do you know when you've reached the limit of the design of the leg?

Academic anyway as I gather my new acquisition has no levelling/steadying legs - just a couple of home-made ramps (very nicely done in chromed chequer plate, fully welded) Didn't notice the van swaying to any degree when moving around inside with it on his drive. Was only enquiring out of general interest as to why such devices were apparently often not fitted.
 
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scotjimland

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Was only enquiring out of general interest as to why such devices were apparently often not fitted.

I once drove off with rear steadies down.. thought I had left the handbrake on .. till I saw the two plough marks across the pitch .. :Doh:

To be honest, I seldom used them .. probably not fitted as few people actually use them, it saves cost and just as important .. pay load..

Mine were designed in such a manner that at maximum drop they only lifted the van off the suspension , you couldn't really do much levelling unless you carried a stack of wooden blocks..

When I got the RV never bothered much with levelling .. Fiama ramps couldn't take the weight .. and the vast majority of sites have reasonably level hard standing for vans .. aires are also normally pretty level..

I did carry 6 of 10" x 2" planks cut into three different lengths that could be used as ramps or to roll onto on soft ground .. but in three years full time only used them a couple of times..
 
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icantremember

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I once drove off with rear steadies down.. thought I had left the handbrake on .. till I saw the two plough marks across the pitch .. :Doh:

I was once given a useful tip which I try to adhere to .......................
After lowering the steadies put the handle across the brake/clutch/gas pedals as a reminder before moving the van.
 
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Douglas

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Hi Jim
Surly it doesn't have to take the whole weight of the van to level a couple of inches:thumb:

Tim

HI Tim,

On my MH, even the vehicle jack that comes with it won't get the rear wheels to lift of the ground, steadies would not lift even 1 inch on the suspension and its necessary to lift a wheel as much as 4 inch's to level even on a gentle slope.

Doug...

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motorhomer

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Re the comment about driving off with the steadies down, I have made 2 notices.

One says "LEGS", which I stick in front of the dash to remind me that the steadies are down. (so I don't drive off with the legs down)

The other says "ALARM" - which I stick on the door if we go to bed with the alarm on (so I dont open the door and set it off).

I used to have a memory but now I am not so sure!
 
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