Which self levelling system?
We have a new Ford Chausson 640 and are looking to get an automatic self levelling system installed. I know that Club sites are level, but we use CLs more.
I'm looking at MA-EV, EPC which are both hydraulic and TESA which is elecromechanical.
Please does anyone have experience of any of these systems?
Many thanks
Joan
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A typical E&P system costs from £5k upwards and removes 40-60kg from your payload..std payload is only 470kg before extras, water, passenger etc.
yes, it's nice to have, but we use plenty of CLs and tour for 30 weeks a year and haven't had a problem with levelling up that a bit of savvy parking and a pair of simple levelling blocks could sort out.
£5k buys lots of fuel, loads of site nights, masses of ferry crossings, many (also useful) extras like lightweight batteries, decent stack of solar to let you roam anywhere, a good inverter to ensure your van runs just like on EHU when it isn't.
im not saying levelling systems aren't good, but sticking it on a 8-9m tag axle (that's hard to level by other means) might be just the job, but on a van of under 7m like the 640....I'd put the cash somewhere else.
just a personal opinion.... sorry if it's not what you wanted to hear.
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"I know that Club sites are level, but we use CLs more."
Hmmm - I thought that as well - until we arrived at Sandringham before Christmas and used our E&P system for the first time there. Got all these flashing lights on the handset and didn't know what was wrong until I twigged that perhaps the levelling was beyond the limits of the system. Had to chock the nearside ram and ended up with the nearside wheels two inches clear of the ground to get it level. The chap on the pitch opposite us, had exactly the same problem!
If you'd asked me beforehand, I would have said that the pitch looked reasonably level.
My Compact caravan system was just over £2k which I justified because of mobility problems - but as BB says, the motorhome system is a different ball game.
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I'd wondered about a system but, as BB says, it gobbles up your payload. I decided the convenience wasn't worth £5K and 50-60Kg.
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I had a >Gliderite< system fitted to my motorhome 7 years ago. It cost £3k and has performed faultlessly and has been worth every penny. While pitches might be level motorhomes usually are not. they slope forward and while you can compensate by using a slope to level, it is not always possible and of course you might favour parking for the best view rather than for the best level. I no longer have to worry about the slope of a pitch and have used ones that you would struggle to level up just using ramps. I need no guidance to drive up blocks and love the convenience it has given me.
peedee
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I completely agree with CY. I suppose if money was absolutely no object I might go for it (payload is not really an issue for me I think). I looked into it quite thoroughly a few years ago and I was looking at the best part of £5k then. I decided that it just wasn't worth it and I have never had any problem with not being level by just using blocks - and often I don't need them with this van. It hardly takes more than a few minutes work to use my blocks.
Mind you, I am not sure why the OP draws the conclusion that club sites are level. They are often not remotely level. I very rarely use CLs, but I wonder why CLs should be any more prone to unlevel pitches than anywhere else. If that's is generally true then it is another good reason to avoid them for me.
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Thinking about it, pitches will never be completely level as, if they were, there would be no run off for water. Generally, they slope slightly towards the roadway.
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Lots of advantages but, as I have said, at a price and weight penalty probably involving a C1 licence for most.
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The thing is, many drivers are constrained by their license to 3500kg, and with MH getting larger, and with more kit, the pinch point is undoubtedly payload.
an average 7m 3.5t van (as with the OP) has well under 500kg...he has 470, before adding his OH, filling his tank and adding other extras...that's down to 300kg before any other kit/clothes/food/bedding etc is placed in the van...
many folk (whether they know it or not) just won't have the spare capacity to ditch 50+ kg on a levelling system....and remain legal.
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"another good reason to avoid them for me"....
there are myriad types of CL and to 'find reasons to avoid them' means you're missing out on a whole world of terrific camping spots...
go on, give one a try....you never know, you might like it.👍
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I agree, we have a 7.5m MH and have 2 large dogs and before having the E&P system fitted any movement by us or the dogs caused movement in the MH, now with the system fitted it is rock solid.I also agree that leveling systems are not for everybody, be that because of cost or weight etc. but once you have had one fitted I didn't think that you would want to be without it.
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Del Boy had one like that....😉
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The last caravan I owned had a payload of 230Kg. By the time a motor mover, leisure battery, gas bottle were added, quite apart from a spare wheel, sundry cables, wastemaster, awning, wheel clamp, hitchlock, there was little leeway for clothes, food and a couple of chairs. After all that there was no way you could carry 100L of water to make you self-sufficient. Not many caravans with a sensible payload these days either. I wonder what percentage of caravans are overweight compared to motorhomes. Answers on a postcard...
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Cyber....why would you want to carry 100 litres of instability?. My caravan a Lunar Delta has facilities i.e. fresh water holding tank situated at the back of the caravan in the wardrobe to carry large quantities of water. However the instability it would cause would be dangerous. Remember you are talking about a Caravan not a Campervan or Motorhome. The need to carry a lake around with me has never arisen, drinking bottles in the car and sufficient in the flushing tank in the toilet and we have toured Scotland in comfort.
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I think the point is that MH are self sufficient and this tends to involve being able to carry water, we often carry 100 ltr plus.
JVB was suggesting that MH don't need a decent payload and that caravaners were well 'able to manage' to car all they need....but they can't, not in the caravan... no passengers, no several days worth of water etc...
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I thought it was a Supervan III
This thread is going really well, 4 pages in and hardly any reference to the question asked by the OP.
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It's disappointing to see so many threads being diverted by irrelevant comments (I made one myself recently, just to correct some info, I'm saying that just in case I get a challenge!!...
)However I think self levelling systems are good and it's interesting to hear about them.
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. Del boy did not have a Robin it was a Regal
