Using Levellers on Your Own (1 Viewer)

[JackieP]

If you can't see with the door open, maybe a mirror of some kind placed in the right position on the floor might be a option.

I deffo can't see with the door open. For one it's LHD and I only have one door on the other side and for the other the wheels are set right back under the chassis.

I'll just be doing it by 'feel'.

 

[JackieP]

Fun comes when you need to level in two directions-one ramp tight against wheel and one placed a certain distance in front of other wheel (this distance calculated by experience ) so that you end up on ,say,top of one and 2/3 up other one.
The feeling of satisfaction to see bubble dead centre of a cross level is huge

Yes, in the old days with Bill driving and me navigating and in charge of levelling I did love working it all out to get it just right. Even now I reckon I'd be able to know just where to place the chocks to get it right.

Possibly.

 

[JackieP]

Well, I'm making this up as I go along....

Broken Link Removed

Just fit a 12V cigarette plug on this, don't "install it" as such, prop the camera on the ground holding the TV, move to cab holding TV, go back and re-position coz you pulled the camera, get in cab and go up the ramp safely.

Looks like the camera could be used with a tent peg.

Then unplug and stuff it all in a shoebox.

That's quite inspired! Thanks for taking the effort to explain.

You know, somehow I think I will manage.

Next time I have a thought at 3am when I'm having a wee I'll just forget it.

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[robnchris]

Done it a few times just go carefully, I don't recommend reversing onto ramps, with the high reverse ratio modern vans have it's puts a hell of a loading on the clutch.
I don't bother with a level, if it feels level it is level.

Just curious that apart from the Fiat euro 4 engines with reverse judder problem why you think reversing up a ramp would be a problem, we are talking here about a distance of less than 3 feet.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I wouldn't use a level either. We don't even bother with the ramps if it's fairly close.

 

[Lenny HB]

Just curious that apart from the Fiat euro 4 engines with reverse judder problem why you think reversing up a ramp would be a problem, we are talking here about a distance of less than 3 feet.

Because the revers gear is still very high in both Fiats & Trannies (higher than 1st gear) , and the the ramp angle is very steep so you need to feather the clutch and if not done with extreme care it is easy to get a lovely burning clutch smell, 3Lt are worse they never modified the ratios on them, also happens with the Comformatic. It's just not worth the risk, better to use your lowest gear which is 1 st gear.
The ramp being only 2 or 3 feet long makes the problem worse, if if was 20ft long you would just fully engage the clutch, try doing that on a leveling ramp you will be over the top of it way before the clutch is fully engaged.

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[Lenny HB]

I deffo can't see with the door open. For one it's LHD and I only have one door on the other side and for the other the wheels are set right back under the chassis.

I'll just be doing it by 'feel'.

Same here you just have to be brave and go for it.

 

[robnchris]

Because the revers gear is still very high in both Fiats & Trannies (higher than 1st gear) , and the the ramp angle is very steep so you need to feather the clutch and if not done with extreme care it is easy to get a lovely burning clutch smell, 3Lt are worse they never modified the ratios on them, also happens with the Comformatic. It's just not worth the risk, better to use your lowest gear which is 1 st gear.
The ramp being only 2 or 3 feet long makes the problem worse, if if was 20ft long you would just fully engage the clutch, try doing that on a leveling ramp you will be over the top of it way before the clutch is fully engaged.

I take on board what you are saying about the 3ltr engines but that was in the older euro 4 engine, we owned such a vehicle and despite what others have written on here all those engines had the judder simply because they had such a small reduction reverse gear, Fiat did finally supply a fix for the 2.3 lt. engine but not for the 3ltr.

Have to say we always reverse up the level ramps and have never had a whiff of a burning clutch and that`s with a 2013 2,3ltr fiat engine which had been remapped.

 

[yodeli]

Hi Jackie!

Just one or two questions :
Are you wilding or do you always go to campsites?
What would you do in case of a " must leave right away?" with levellers under your (possibly) front wheels?
I never put levellers , i have none anyway.
If wilding i care more about facing the road in case of a sudden danger.
Next on the must list is : how is my bed?
I don t care if the shower drain is the other way round. I ll use the bathroom sink . Or will have a basin under my feet.
In both cases wilding or campsites i will try to make the best use of the natural bumps.

Frankie

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[DanielFord]

I always drive onto the levellers without assistance, largely because I have never been able to translate what my wife is trying to tell me with her wildly flailing arms when she does try to direct me!
All I do is, park on the pitch, then with the assistance of my pen of many things positioned on the kitchen table:

I work out if levellers are needed. If they are, I put them under the relevant wheels and drive up. Ours have three stages, so one can feel which step you are on on the ramps. Simples!

 

[JackieP]

Hi Jackie!

Just one or two questions :
Are you wilding or do you always go to campsites?
What would you do in case of a " must leave right away?" with levellers under your (possibly) front wheels?
I never put levellers , i have none anyway.
If wilding i care more about facing the road in case of a sudden danger.
Next on the must list is : how is my bed?
I don t care if the shower drain is the other way round. I ll use the bathroom sink . Or will have a basin under my feet.
In both cases wilding or campsites i will try to make the best use of the natural bumps.

Frankie

I wouldn't rule a campsite out but I haven't been on one for many years. I prefer aires and wild camping spots. I'm not overly particular about the van being perfectly level, I just need to fridge to light on gas and sometimes (depending on what mood she is on) that requires a certain amount of levelty. If there's a slight tilt to the van and my head is down then I just sleep the other way round. For an overnight stop it's not important.

If I'm wilding then, of course, I would not use levellers. I would always park for an easy escape and I don't go to bed until everything is stowed away. I've only ever had to move three times in the night - twice when the wind nearly had me over (ooer missus) and once when an over zealous car park attendant felt I was taking up too much space (at 3am when there were over a hundred empty spaces - but I'm over that now)

On our last three month trip I don't think we had the levellers out more than 3/4 times and only when we were staying somewhere for a while so it's not top of my list of things to do, I just wanted to know how people managed.

 

[JackieP]

I always drive onto the levellers without assistance, largely because I have never been able to translate what my wife is trying to tell me with her wildly flailing arms when she does try to direct me!

Ahhhhh. That's you is it? Well, thanks for the laughs. I've spent many an hour watching you through the lounge window.

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[Speve]

I always open door and lean out to see where wheels are as I saw brand new van overshoot the big milenco 4 level ramps ouch I couldn't bear to look at the damage that must have been done .

I did that with a Tracker luckily the only damage was the front of the Ramps broke off.

 

[mike mcglynn]

I did that with a Tracker luckily the only damage was the front of the Rams broke off.

Hi,Speve was that at the Wirral campsite ?

 

[Speve]

Hi there no it was at home first time I used them.I have to say they are nice and high but the rest points are to small for the 15" and 16 " wheels,we have just changed to a Hymer with 16" and you can't quite get them to sit truly on the ramp rests.

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