Does anyone have Caravan Pads

ALeesLLD
ALeesLLD Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited February 2020 in Parts & Accessories #1

So I've been looking at Caravan Pads and not sure what I'm looking for. Advice anyone for what you use to stablise your caravan. 

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  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited February 2020 #2

    Pads attached to the corner steadies,help to stop sinking into soft ground by spreading the load

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #3

    Or a few bits of wood. Use whatever takes your fancy, any will do the job.

    They don’t so much stabilise but stop the corner steadies sinking into soft ground.

  • ALeesLLD
    ALeesLLD Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited February 2020 #4

    I've heard about wood and then I heard about these Caravan Pads. As I plan to travel around the UK a lot, sinking is a massive fear of mine due to the amount of rain. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #5

    We've used both, we've got pads on our M/H steadies but some pieces of wood are also handy...be prepared! wink

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #6

    I would say those pads are over the top. They’re mainly intended for use with hydraulic self levelling rams.

    Most people fit the type pictured below and you can, of course, add a plank if conditions are very bad. 

    If you stick to hard standings, sinking isn’t a problem.

  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,810
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    edited February 2020 #7

    I’ve used similar in the past. They wouldn’t though fit the rear steadies, because of the profile. We just use a few pieces of stout wood.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #8

    We use basic pads, they sometimes fall off so not worth too much expense.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #9

    Yes, I didn’t think you had the other type fitted😀. 

    They do deteriorate with age but, there again, they’re cheap as chips and can be found in any accessory shop.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited February 2020 #10

    The advantage of pads is that they just dangle on the ends of your steadies. I always carried a few blocks as well mind, to account for any significant slope on a pitch.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #11

    The ones the OP has linked to won’t dangle!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #12

    Us too, brue. Helps to ensure that the pads don't get covered in mud, and spreads the load a bit too.

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited February 2020 #13

    I`ve used Milenco Pads for a while never lost any unlike one make I tried. They have an intergrated spring to reduce movement when towing, saves time faffing around positioning bits of wood.

  • Amesford
    Amesford Club Member Posts: 685 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #14

    As already stated they stop the feet from sinking plus stop wear and tear on the corner steadies feet when using hard standings ours has a set of interlocking plastic blocks for use on sloping pitches, they are quite cheap easy to fit and no digging around the front locker for bits of wood 

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #15

    they’re cheap as chips and can be found in any accessory shop.

    And lying about on many camp sites!

    The pads help spread the weight of the caravan onto a larger area of ground.  Even on a gravel hard standing the weight will compact the ground over a few days allowing the caravan to rock slightly, which then compacts the ground further - especially in the recent windy spell. The steadys then will need "tightening" if they are to steady the caravan at all.

    I have fitted pads, but also almost always use blocks as well to distribute the load a bit more.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #16

    I don't think anyone, so far, has used or recommended the type of pad the OP linked to. That speaks volumes.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #17

    I've just had a closer look at the link and it has got me wondering if the OP is concerned about wheels sinking rather than corner steadies?

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #18

    Has the OP got a caravan yet? First get your van...wink

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #19

    I use them and also take blocks.  Mind you, they can 'disappear' undecided or become brittle and break up so I use inexpensive ones.  Note to self, need to get some more  as I am missing one, pity they only seem to come in packs of 4.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #20

    You have three spares for when next you loose one.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited February 2020 #21

    I have exactly that 😄

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited February 2020 #22

    I thought they came in little plastic packs, of groups of five or ten...

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited February 2020 #23

    Just socool

  • KeithL
    KeithL Forum Participant Posts: 114
    edited February 2020 #24

    Ouch to the price of those.

    Just use the cheaper plastic ones that dangle from the corner steadies like others have posted. Used them on many vans over the years, never had a problem sinking in and only ever lost one en route a few years ago.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited February 2020 #25

    At those prices, offcut blocks of wood look very attractive.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,303 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #26

    We used the same set of jack pads for 14 years and two caravans. Never actually bothered fitting them on to steadies, just positioned them each time. We also had two sets of the stack jacks, although didn't often use them. Very useful when required though and much lighter than great chunks of wood.