Leveling blocks?

[rustytinbender]

I started with boards... then got rid of some of the boards and added the yellow stepped ramps from Camco.
Now i am moving towards carrying less and like to use a shovel to dig out rather than lift the other side. If you do need to lift the other side, wood, rocks, and shovel a little dirt or gravel on top if you need to.

 

[wuck]

I use these - the yellow stepped ramps from Camco. If I need a third wheel lifted, I use a red plastic hi-lift jack plate I carry for jacking.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Tri-Leveler-Capacity-Durable-44573/dp/B000BUQOFO/ref=sr_1_25?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541471126&sr=1-25&keywords=leveler+blocks

I also use the step blocks. I am going to add another step consisting of a 2x6 screwed to the bottom as they don't do well in sand or fine dirt.

Another thread on this subject!

 

[BFH4N]

I carry a big plastic storage container (tub) in the asile of my Fleet and take it out each day. It mostly contains a bunch of pieces of 1" thick pressure treated deck board. It's called 5/4 x 6. The pieces are 12", 18" and 24" long. I stack them up as needed and drive up onto them. This setup has worked fine, so far. Leveling to plus-or-minus a few inches is plenty good enough. The trick in driving up without shifting the stacks of boards is to put the truck in 4-wheel-drive-LOW. That way each wheel is actively climbing and I can go very slowly. A couple of the long boards have split, but I can still use them.

- Bernard

 

[Andy Douglass]

We bought Lynx Levelers recently and tried them out on a 12 day trip recently. I was pretty happy with them, but for severe terrain issued, you would need to get pretty elaborate with stacking and need more than one set. We were able to level our truck every time with them, but almost every site was close to level.

First time using them on asphalt with more than one block, they kept skidding along in front of the tire. We always keep 2-4 of those 20" square foam interlocking mats (people use them for home gym floors) on trips. Two of them wedge securely between the front of the camper and the front wall of the truck bed, so they basically take up a small amount of space that can't be used for anything else anyways. We always brought them along to make a door mat at the foot of our steps in case it is muddy. I put one under each stack of leveling blocks; when the truck tire contacts the blocks, it pushes them down into the soft mat and locks them into place.

 

[PackRat]

I posted this on the other thread....

 

[Flyfisher]

Had the Lynx. Wasn't satisfied with the way they worked. Wood is cheap but heavy. Got the Camcos and have been very satisfied.
I have levels in my cab and usually just drive around the camp site a bit until camper is level. I am surprised how often that works. If there is a handy slanted rock, I will try to use that. If those fail, or I know that there is no way that they will work, then out come the Camcos.
Gregg

 

[ntsqd]

We bought Lynx Levelers recently and tried them out on a 12 day trip recently. I was pretty happy with them, but for severe terrain issued, you would need to get pretty elaborate with stacking and need more than one set. We were able to level our truck every time with them, but almost every site was close to level.

First time using them on asphalt with more than one block, they kept skidding along in front of the tire. We always keep 2-4 of those 20" square foam interlocking mats (people use them for home gym floors) on trips. Two of them wedge securely between the front of the camper and the front wall of the truck bed, so they basically take up a small amount of space that can't be used for anything else anyways. We always brought them along to make a door mat at the foot of our steps in case it is muddy. I put one under each stack of leveling blocks; when the truck tire contacts the blocks, it pushes them down into the soft mat and locks them into place.

FWIW I always put the truck into 4WD Low Range when leveling onto blocks. Gives me more control over vehicle position and the blocks don't move when the fronts try to climb up onto them.

 

[PaulT]

FWIW I always put the truck into 4WD Low Range when leveling onto blocks. Gives me more control over vehicle position and the blocks don't move when the fronts try to climb up onto them.

+1

Paul

 

[Andy Douglass]

FWIW I always put the truck into 4WD Low Range when leveling onto blocks. Gives me more control over vehicle position and the blocks don't move when the fronts try to climb up onto them.

That makes sense. In our situation the rear needed to come up quite a bit more than the fronts, and they were the ones giving us trouble because the stack was so steep.

 

[Towboater]

TSC sells 1" thick rubber stall matts that I cut with a circular saw into 10" wide strips. They stack easily and don't slide around when rolling on them. U have 2 overcompensate on thickness since weight does compress them but not a big deal.

 

[PackRat]

Alaskans are VERY particular about leveling your rig before attempting to raise the top. The DESIGN is for level ground and owners of them carry a level or a round "dot" level and try to get the fore and aft level and the side to side level before attempting to raise the top. This may require some additional means of raising two wheels at the rear and perhaps one at the front on really slanted terrain.

I made my leveling blocks out of scrap. Digging in what may be very HARD or rocky ground ain't my idea of what to do after driving all day to get your rig level enough to raise the top!

I went with the K.I.S.S approach.

 

[klahanie]

Alaskans are VERY particular about leveling your rig before attempting to raise the top. The DESIGN is for level ground and owners of them carry a level or a round "dot" level and try to get the fore and aft level and the side to side level before attempting to raise the top.

Well that bites. I long suspected as much but always received vague, semi-assurances.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[PackRat]

Well, it does give you a good chance of not having the blood run to your head when you lay down because your rig is cock-eyed.

 

[klahanie]

LOL, yeah I hate getting up with that cock-eyed feeling . One reason I gave up drinking.

Actually I do try to park so I can sleep head higher but that's on account of cold feet and ... you know ... the acid reflex thing.

I guess air bags might be a help with an AK. I'm not giving up yet, they're still on my short list

 

[patrickkidd]

I use rocks, and climb up on them in four-low to have more control. It gets easy after practice.

 

[DavidinPhx]

Has anyone used the curved leveling ramps that have cropped up all over Amazon? Gimmick or innovation?
Just one example:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XTM5WY1?pf_rd_r=HRYDGTTE1YANWKP2X0WK&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=9fe7d360-e089-478c-bf5e-ad4c82794238&pd_rd_w=uQm8K&pd_rd_wg=YXjAq&ref_=pd_gw_unk

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I use full 2x8x12 hardwood,and some smaller 2x6 redwood.
The large blocks store well outside the camper and smaller ones inside.

Out of the way and easy to get to.
Frank

 

[michelle_east_county]

On a '97 Dodge Roadtrek 170 with a Domestic absorption refer that, of course, had to be level, we tried plastic interlocking blocks and they had warning about use on uneven surfaces so, sure enough, they cracked. Typical Douglas fir 2x8s split. Redwood 2x8s were softer and did not split. 'still hard to drive or back up the angle-cut stack without slippage and I was wary of anything screwed or nailed in case of a split leaving either in a spot to puncture a tire, and there wasn't storage space for a long wooden screwed or glued wood block pyramid or wedge, anyway.

The need for leveling for the absorption refer and little room for additional batteries to handle a compressor refer, along with limited ground clearance and exposed freshwater lines and tanks were some of the reasons for switching to a truck camper with a compressor refer (Hallmark build still pending).

I like Towboater's idea mentioned above of the cut up horse mat which solved slippage problems when stacked.

 

[2Z Bundok]

We don't drop jacks, DOES Anybody? Does slide out make a difference?

3- 2x8 beveled blocks screwed together and sealed grain with duct mastic to make ramp (2 each). I found a level spot in cab (equal to level floor in camper) to place torpedo level. True 1.5" is first step and we often park on the ramped portion of the other two pieces if we need more height. Gets us close enough for the night. Like others we prefer the back lower (short step) and sleeping heads slightly elevated. Never problem with tire traction. Love the idea of digging in and will try in sandy ground this weekend!
2Z Bundok