Leveling wedges
I have a couple of these in the front locker but hardly ever use them. We find that the vast majority of pitches are sufficiently level to manage without and we (or more importantly perhaps, the caravan and its equipment) are quite tolerant of being slightly out of level side to side.
We do make sure that it's level front to back, using the jockey wheel, because it's easy to do.
Do others tend to use them much?
A further thing that has always puzzles me is - why do most motorhomes need to have them under their front wheels? We often see them pull up on a pitch and then start the frantic revving of engine and waving of arms by the driver's partner, to leave the (often very expensive) vehicle perched teetering on the edge of an over-size pair of wedges.
Surely this is poor design? Why not just build the floor of the vehicle so that it's flat when the vehicle is on level ground?
Comments
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The front end of a motorhome is heavy because of all the gubbins that make up the mechanics and safety devices. The expectation of a commercial van is that the freight weight will be over the rear axle and this will make for a level van.
The layout determines the weight distribution in a motorhome and this can result in a nose down appearance. The solution when the layout is to blame is to beef up the springs on the front axle. Some manufacturers do this [mine did] or offer it as an option. Any motorhomer can have uprated springs retro-fitted. Beefing up the front suspension can lead to a harsher ride. It also costs more money. Some motorhomers do not think the additional cost/ride compromise is justified.
Rear axle sag on older motorhomes can also be treated by beefing up the suspension although the cost can be higher than the front.
Motorhomers can fit full air suspension on both axles but the cost is in the thousands. Liners [EU motorhomes that look like coaches and are rarely seen on campsites] usually have full air suspension as standard.
I can raise or drop the height of my rear suspension. So if the Club allowed me the flexibility to park without having to beg on bended knees, I probably wouldn't use levelling wedges at all [rarely do anyway].
To cap it all, motorhomers are people and people can do things that appear strange to others, including fellow motorhomers, whilst being totally sensible to themselves.
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A caravan or motorhome is either level fore and aft or it's not. If it's not you do something about it. Easy in a caravan as you just adjust the jockey wheel. On a motorhome you use levelling ramps. Simples! It's surprising how many hardstanding pitches on Club sites are not level.
David
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We have used our levelling wedge quite a few times, especially on CL'S, but also on club sites, like David says even hard standing pitches on sites are not always level.
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I do carry a levelling wedge in our caravan, so far unused but one day I know I shall need it.
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in part,its also to do with aerodynamics....most vehicles (including towcars ans MHs) lie slightly nose down to offset the effect of lift as speed increases.
if a pitch has a slight slope, its easy in a MH to reverse ordrive onto the pitch so as to negate the effect of the slope and not bother with wedges.
we do carry a set, they also help when parking on a damp pitch to give extra impetus when leaving and to offest the effect of wheels lieing in one spot for a period of time.
so, multifunctional for us.
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Carry them in both MH and caravan. Use them as well, but then we like locations off the beaten track, grass, sand, whatever. We are not fanatics for having things level, just prefer a level bed and for shower and sinks to drain properly. They give you the opportunity to choose your views as well (away from the regulation Club Site pitch up anyway!)
Being easy things to use, and having the required driving skills to benefit from them, your arm waving, engine revving, teetering description doesn't describe us Ian. We also have no motor mover on the caravan, relying upon driving skills alone to place van wheels on whatever wedges may be required.
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We rarely need to use our levelling wedges. Even on a grass pitch it's usually possible to eye up the ground and avoid the pits and bumps.
If the pitch is level, our MH will be level. It doesn't sit nose down. Maybe that trait is base vehicle specific.
As for arm waving, it beats me with caravanners how the arm waver cannot work out that, to be seen by the driver, it is necessary to stand so the driver can see him/her in the wing mirror.
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Spicy?
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Stopped carrying wedges 5 years ago when I started using the Alko wheel lock. Instead I have several 12'' long, 2'' thick timbers (probably 5'' wide) and several similar ones about 1.25'' thick I guess. Line up the lock with MM, place blocks alongside wheel, van forward, move blocks into wheel path and reverse van on. Makes it easier to align lock and, for me, easier to store.
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@ Tinwheeler As for arm waving, it beats me with caravanners how the arm waver cannot work out that, to be seen by the driver, it is necessary to stand so the driver can see him/her in the wing mirror.
I've give up telling SWMBO that .... I now phone her up from the car .... hands free if course,!
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One problem with mhomes that the shower trays are not drained in relation to the normal ride / parking position. Later versions have two drains which help.
Our Rapido needs to be parked level and a drop to the drivers side.(if that's not a contradiction in terms), to drain """"naturally""" !
otherwise, it's a game of chase the water around the shower and down the 'ole.
Rgds
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Really? No wonder I choose to use site facilities.
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But of course! You might be reported to the site warden otherwise.
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Tony, i guess it depends (to a degree) on the van and the positioning of waste tanks in relation to shower, kitchen etc.
a van with a rear washroom and a front/centre waste tank wont drain very well unless some care is taken to check levels and give the water a chance....it tends not to like 'uphill' too much.
fortunately (good design?) our central waste tank is not far from our central kitchen and central washroom, so drainage works pretty well.
levelling, while fairly easy to acheive, is something that im happy to take a bit of time over as we dont always use sites and, even when we do, dont always use the site facilities.....you wont catch me (nor definitely OH) venturing out of a nice warm van, into the rain and/or cold just to get wet
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We have levelling wedges used on occasions. We're not to fussy about spot on level but like a level bed or head slightly higher. Level-ness is great for getting waster water to run away and as our guide, hubby pretty good on eye levels to Windows, we put a small amount of water in the sink to check the level. Much easier and immediately on hand 😉.
We have a rear kitchen and bathroom the designer has placed sink drainer to the right hand side and shower drainer to the left hand side 😲😲. So it's always 'sweep' the water to the drain when we shower!
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Thick two short planks solve most issues.
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I have made my own levelling blocks out of scaffold planks. They have the advantage that the wheel is always on a flat surface rather than a sloping one. We tend only to use them if there is a pronounced slope.
David
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Not so easy on a Club site as you must pitch up to the colour coded peg. Be out a few inches and you will be spoken to. One good thing is that you can move the gravel from under one wheel or bank it on the other to stay level. Please note no gravel was hurt in this process and all returned to its original place.
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Tried semaphore?
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My Partner suffers from vertigo , and can Tell if the caravan is an inch out of level, We have a twin axle Swift and find it really easy to level.
Position one ramp in front of the first wheel to be levelled, Drive over it so it sits just touching the second wheel, Insert the second ramp in front of the wheel. Drive up and apply handbrake (Always level with bubble slightly up on the side where the ramp is as the caravan goes back slightly on the handbrake when disconnected from the car)
Perfect Side to side and front to back, Shower drains beautifully, as does the sink.
Love the challenge of getting the Van perfectly level, Makes for the perfect nights sleep lol
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We tend to avoid perfectly level pitches as our van naturally sits with the rear end 4 inches or so high on level ground. We tend to choose pitches with a suitable slope front to back so we can either reverse on or drive on as the case may be and avoid the use of ramps.... Sometimes this puts our side door on what some would call the "wrong" side, but is perfectly within the guidelines and suits us as we have a rear lounge.
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Our rather old van sits pretty level. Plus, I am not bothered if the van is not totally level.
We have yet to need ramps. I am sure I shall get caught out at the very next site I visit.
Panic purchase about to happen!0 -
My Fiat ( i.e. Sevel made ) van is always slightly down at the front on a level pitch, so if the pitch ain't dead level I aim the nose at the high spot.
However, I do have, & use, Milenco Quatro levellers for my regular pitching on Dorsetshire 'level' pitches I.E. 1 in 4 !!
Since they have curves at each level there is no distortion of the tyres.
A B M
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You just need to remember the late Bob Hope's signature tune - "planks for the memory"
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For our twin axle van we use two pieces of 4" x 2" timber 3' long
joined together so they hinge, allowing us to use one or two
depending on the level required. We have two of these but usually
only need to use one. We tried levelling ramps but of course they
only support one wheel.
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