How do you level your rig?

[MountainSufi]

Howdy from Jackson Hole!

I've been leveling my camper with a shovel (in desert sand) & rocks if I can find'em (God invented rocks to level FWCs). Been hankering for something more accessible & convenient. A solution I can throw into a storage box on the roof.

The crescent shaped Beech Lane leveler seems best suited for pavement, but not the front & rear wheel setups we need.

Interlocking blocks are a good idea for rv parks, but I can't imagine the hassle in preparing flat surfaces

Also, the above 2 plastic "fixes" have grids with a lot of open air underneath them...

Ahhhh, we're down to affordable wooden boards. 3 varying lengths for stacking, chop cut to 45 degrees for driving up. 6 planks total for front & rear. Can I get by with 2X4's instead of 2X6's? What are the minimum lengths I can get by with?

Thankx for saving me a crap load of time!

 

[MarkBC]

FWIW: I used to use 2x6s in a range of lengths (in order to build a pyramid).
But I switched to Lynx Levelers (2 sets of 10) many years ago -- which are MUCH lighter than wood, and I've never looked back.

 

[BBZ]

rocks.. always rocks.. don't need another thing to carry around..

 

[MarkBC]

I've used rocks, too, and it was kinda fun. Rustic charm. But not always reliable.





Here's a link to a post I made that includes drawings of lumber levelers.
LINK

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

..

Ahhhh, we're down to affordable wooden boards. 3 varying lengths for stacking, chop cut to 45 degrees for driving up. 6 planks total for front & rear. Can I get by with 2X4's instead of 2X6's? What are the minimum lengths I can get by with?

Thankx for saving me a crap load of time!


I use 2x6s 8" long.I have a space along the rear outside of the camper that they slide into.
Easy to store and retrieve to use. Also have shorter pieces stored inside the camper but usually don't need them

They work well just drive up on them.

Rocks also work but sometimes can be hard to find and drive up on.

Frank

 

[DanoT]

I do a lot of winter camping in ski area parking lots and whatever I use often gets frozen to the ground so several 2x6s per ski trip with some getting left behind.

Even with a 4x4 truck, driving up onto leveling blocks can be difficult on a frozen parking lot, so sometimes I use a 6 ton hydraulic jack to lift the axle and then slide a 2x6 (or several) in place.

 

[fish more]

Rocks have never failed me for leveling truck and camper, and when your finished, leave there, one less thing to pack.

 

[camper rich]

I have found that a shovel works best in most situations unless I am on pavement, for which I carry a few pieces of 2 x 6. I have broken plastic levelers, especially if the surface isn't flat. I have a crescent leveler that I use for my trailer, but, if you think about it, it is like parking on a hill or a wedge. You need to chock it or chock your wheels because your wheel wants to roll off of it. I also use rock if they are convient.

I have found that, no matter what leveler I use, putting my truck into 4 Low makes it much easier and more controlled when driving up onto my leveling device (or into a hole I've dug).

 

[Lighthawk]

I have found that, no matter what leveler I use, putting my truck into 4 Low makes it much easier and more controlled when driving up onto my leveling device (or into a hole I've dug).

4 low and the truck just walks up. Love it.

I use short pieces of LVL / OSB lumber for ramping up. I think my scraps are 1 1/4" thick. They are tough enough to be a jack base in the mud. I chose them because they won't crack. They do weigh a few pounds.

We prefer to park backing into the hill, so the rear end is closer to the ground. Digging a hole on the high side tire(s) can also help keep the camper lower to the ground. It's not for us, it's for the dog

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

MaxTrax and the airbags.

 

[Ronin]

I use two 4x6s & two 2x6s about 15" long. I stow them behind the drivers seat of my Tundra.

 

[eyemgh]

I carry Beach Lanes and Camco Legos and use them everywhere. I only use the Beach Lanes if I can get away with it because they're so easy to use, even if I need asymmetric lifting. Had I known about them prior to owning the Camco blocks, I wouldn't have bought the Camcos. I'd just use rocks when the Beach Lanes weren't sufficient.

 

[ckent323]

After cracking several 2x8 boards over the years on uneven ground I bought a 3/4" thick stalll mat from Tractor Supply and cut two 8" wide by 36" strips out of it. I now put them down first and then stack 24" and 18" long 2x8s, each having 45 degree cut on one end, as needed. No cracking problem since. The stall mat was chwaper than buying an 8" wide composites board. A bonus is that the stall mat pads have knobs on one side that make them usable as poor mans sand mats.

There is a space between the side wall of the cargo bed and the exterior of the floor pack of the camper, between the wheel well hump and the corner of the bed where the tail gate latches, where I stash these stacked on an angle that wedges them in while underway. Easy in and easy out. The additional weight is minimal compared to everything else we carry and the convenience value is high.

 

[Beach]

I carry 4 2x10x15" boards and 4 4x4x8" blocks. If the 2x10 thickness isn't enough, i build a ramp using the 4x4 block in conjunction with the 2x10. The 2x10s are yellow pine but I made the 4x4s out of cedar which greatly reduces their weight. Thinking of switching the 2x10s to cedar as well or plane them down to reduce weight.

 

[BFH4N]

I use pieces of 1" thick plastic "boards", 5 1/2" wide. Previously, I used pieces of 5/4x6 pressure treated decking, but they split and could get quite heavy when waterlogged. Plastic decking boards are pretty heavy but these are cut from boards intended for trim and are much lighter. They don't absorb water and are a bit lighter than pressure treated wood.

I carry a set of several pieces each of three lemgths: 12", 18" and 24". The truck tires can easily climb up a 2" or even 3" step, so I didn't bevel the ends. I put the truck in 4-wheel-low, so I can drive slowly up onto the stacked boards and avoid the tendency to overshoot.

The boards are stored on edge in a custom wooden crate on the floor behind the passenger seat.

I have a LevelMate Pro installed in the camper, which communicates with my phone (through Bluetooth) and shows me how much each wheel needs to be raised. I just try to get within and inch or two of level.

All in all, it's a very workable system.

 

[desertmtn]

I use two 4x6s & two 2x6s about 15" long. I stow them behind the drivers seat of my Tundra.

Ronin, what brand of steps are those??

 

[lqhikers]

What ever mother nature has left, rocks,limbs,dirt.
I'm always overloaded so do not need more weight!
Les,lqikers

 

[Ronin]

Ronin, what brand of steps are those??

It's a Little Giant. I removed the hand rail. I've tried other steps but found this one to be extremely stable.

 

[ckent323]

+1 on the Little Giant folding step.

We use a Little Giant 3 step, 3 foot model. While a little heavier than I prefer it is very stable and works great. I just fold it up with a small tarp wrapped around it to protect the cabinet faces and slide it into the entry aisle of the camper. Wendie has no problem getting it in or out by herself.

 

[Swaff1]

Little lynx levelers work perfect and surprisingly well with just one little bag... I can level in a variety of situations