caravan levelling

[Ewan_5130997]

After my first succesful season in a caravan, I have decided I will have to look at some kind of leveller for next season. The bulldog ratchet type is pretty self explanitary (but costly). I see there are many of the plastic ramp type available, but I am unsure how easy it will be to manouver the van onto these without a motor mover.

Any advice from all you experienced 'vanners' out there would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Steve L]

Ewan, the best way to use leelling ramps is to leave the van hitched to the car. Place the ramp in front of the wheel on the low side, then drive up the ramp until the van is level across the width.

Then chock the wheels and apply the brake. Un-hitch as normal and level front to back with the jockey wheel. Then lower the steadies.

If you have a twin axle like me, just back onto the pitch about 4 feet further than you want to stop at. Place two ramps at the low side as before but spaced in-line and apart by the distance between the two wheel centers, in my case about 36 inches.

Just drive forward up and over the first ramp with the front wheel of the van and then drive the two wheels up their respective ramps to obtain your level across the axle.

Chock and brake as before and level front to back as previously described.

Pulling off is just a case of hooking up and driving forward away from the pitch and walking back to collect the ramps.

Simplicity my friend, it just takes a bit of planning.

I do it like this as I have little to no pulling power in my arms/shoulders due to arthritic problems and also having a 1365Kg caravan.

Steve.

 

[milliesdad]

Ewan, the best way to use leelling ramps is to leave the van hitched to the car. Place the ramp in front of the wheel on the low side, then drive up the ramp until the van is level across the width.

Then chock the wheels and apply the brake. Un-hitch as normal and level front to back with the jockey wheel. Then lower the steadies.

If you have a twin axle like me, just back onto the pitch about 4 feet further than you want to stop at. Place two ramps at the low side as before but spaced in-line and apart by the distance between the two wheel centers, in my case about 36 inches.

Just drive forward up and over the first ramp with the front wheel of the van and then drive the two wheels up their respective ramps to obtain your level across the axle.

Chock and brake as before and level front to back as previously described.

Pulling off is just a case of hooking up and driving forward away from the pitch and walking back to collect the ramps.

Simplicity my friend, it just takes a bit of planning.

I do it like this as I have little to no pulling power in my arms/shoulders due to arthritic problems and also having a 1365Kg caravan.

Steve.

Hi Steve, i concur with all you say, however i too have a twin axle and have only ever used a single ramp to level side to side. I have never had any problems, just pop it in front of the low side front wheel and drive up until the misses screams at me that it's level.

You are not the first person to advise using 2 ramps on TA's so am i missing something?

Cheers

Stewart.

 

[Val & Frank]

Thanks Steve, nice easy and clear instructions in fact I just copied them !!!

Val & Frank

 

[Ewan_5130997]

Steve in Leo

Thanks for the info. You make it sound so easy. Are there any particular types of ramp better than others...ie do they sink into soft ground more than others or do they all require a bit of board underneath?

 

[chrisn7]

Ewan

Like Steve, I also have a T/A van and use the same method. It is essential to chock the wheels, especially those on the ramp side. However, there can be a tendency for the van to slew sideways slightly when taken off the hitch, and I would now go for the type of ramp where the chock locks onto the ramp in various places and therefore retains the levelled position.

 

[DavidS1]

Page 86 of the 2006 Towsure brochure. Go on their web site and they will send you one. Middle of the page "caravan leveller & chock". I've used them for 3 years now without a problem.

 

[Steve L]

I'd go for as wider ramp as possible for stability.

I use those bright orange recycled resin ramps mainly for their compact length and the fact that the black chocks interloc very well. The ramp also has a built in chock design at the top end which means it can be used as either.

Because of the wedge and chock design they are less prone to kicking up as you drive over the top.

Being made of recycled materials also goes some way to satisfying my eco-friendly side too.

Also they happen to be cheaper than most.

Steve.

 

[Steve L]

Message for Millies dad.

HI Stewart.

My twin axle is a little different to most in that the axles are linked to each other so that as the front axle rises up a ramp the back one drops to compensate. Thus, you get non of the load transfer or yawing up and down when towing. This is a simlar design to what is used on the back axle set up of 6/8 wheeler lorries.

You may well also be inadvertantly over loading the front suspension unit by only using one ramp. another benifit of two ramps isa little more stability, by having all four wheels in contact with the ground with the same weight distribution.

Steve.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

An important point in Steve's posting:drive forward on to any ramps as reversing on may leave the brakes inoperative.

So drive on and chock both wheels before unhitching.

 

[james108_374227417]

I bought a Bulldog leveller off the Caravan Club site for

 

[bertie1]

Ewan, the best way to use leelling ramps is to leave the van hitched to the car. Place the ramp in front of the wheel on the low side, then drive up the ramp until the van is level across the width.

Then chock the wheels and apply the brake. Un-hitch as normal and level front to back with the jockey wheel. Then lower the steadies.

If you have a twin axle like me, just back onto the pitch about 4 feet further than you want to stop at. Place two ramps at the low side as before but spaced in-line and apart by the distance between the two wheel centers, in my case about 36 inches.

Just drive forward up and over the first ramp with the front wheel of the van and then drive the two wheels up their respective ramps to obtain your level across the axle.

Chock and brake as before and level front to back as previously described.

Pulling off is just a case of hooking up and driving forward away from the pitch and walking back to collect the ramps.

Simplicity my friend, it just takes a bit of planning.

I do it like this as I have little to no pulling power in my arms/shoulders due to arthritic problems and also having a 1365Kg caravan.

Steve.

If you pull van onto ramps with car to pitch, then hitch up to leave and drive straight off, doesn't that mean the van wheels go off the high ends of ramps? Isn't there also a risk of ramps "kicking up" and hitting underside of van?

I'm having difficulty visualising the situation.