Parking Caravan at Home - Chock the wheels

EasyT
EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
1000 Comments
edited March 2017 in Caravans #1

A word of Caution. Our caravan is parked alongside the house on a bitmac drive. Legs down, chock behind wheels and handbrake off. I only chock the rear of the wheels as the wind is only likely to move the caravan in that direction and the drive slopes that way. A week ago I removed all contents in preparation for forthcoming service. 

I went out today to the caravan and idly pressed against the rear. The van swung lightly. As I have lightened the load by a considerable amount presumably the steadies barely touch. If it were chocked front and back it would not have moved. 

Just to reinforce the importance of wheel chocks in storage.

Comments

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2017 #2

    I use the factory fit handbrake wink I know they say that a drum brake can stick ..... they do sometimes on my Smart & that's only left a few days without use .... but I've never had problems with my caravans. Besides, I have enough room behind to reverse it ie the shoes will collapse. And I'd like to think the caravan is used regularly enough for them not to stick anyway.

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2017 #3

    The Alko lock stops the caravan moving very effectively.

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited March 2017 #4

    +1

    But good advice from Tony for anyone that either does not have or does not use them.

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited March 2017 #5

    Along the same kind of thread - don't put your steadies down if you are still attached to the vehicle and the weight of the vehicle is going to change (passengers in or out) and especially if you have self levelling suspension (like on land rovers) that wake up every now and again and do a little shimmy!

  • xtrailman
    xtrailman Forum Participant Posts: 559
    edited March 2017 #6

    I always chock both sides of my caravan wheels on my reasonably flat drive, handbrake off is no issue for me, I prefer things not to be under tension when its not required. wink