How to end up nice and level !

[JohnI.Stephen]

OK I admit it, in our one year's caravanning we have always pitched on a hand standing save once - our first trip! On that trip I was definitely 'banked over' and I WRONGLY used the side steadies to try to lever up one side. It didn't work and I learnt my lesson. I have since purchased a pair of RED (hard) plastic ramps which slot together; one to give the level of ramp and the other to 'shock' the ramped-up tyre from slipping back down.

Question. How should I drive onto the red ramp? Should I drive forwards onto it, or should I reverse onto it; or doesn't it make any difference?

Thanks !

John

 

[NorfolkMike]

I have an alco stabaliser and with them it does make a difference. If you reverce on you end up with compression on the brakeing unit, this inturn puts pressure onto the tow ball and therefor makes for a difficult disengage.

If this does happen I have found that releaseing the handbrake on the tow car helps (as long as the car is not facing uphill.

I do not know if the same condition applies to other heads.

ttfn

 

[DavidW1]

I concur with Norfolk Mike on the coupling problem but I really don't think it makes a lot of difference back or forward otherwise.

The problem is you dont usually know you are not level untill you stop, and sus the spirit level. Whether you then go forward or back to achieve left or righthand up usually depends on how close you are to a fence or boundary with the van or the vehicle and the geography of the immediate surroundings.

I reverse into a pitch on most sites and get as close to the hedge as I can if I see an obvious slope - pulling forward up a ramp then is then relatively easy and kinder to the clutch too if you have a manual transmission.

 

[ThePlotter]

You must always drive on and never reverse on,the reason is when you reverse your brakes disengage to allow you to go backwards therefore if you have it on the ramp and uncouple unless chocked it will roll away.

 

[DavidW1]

Granted you have to chock it before uncoupling as John already knows.

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Many thanks friends. I shall put your sound advice into practice this Saturday afternoon!

John

 

[vi]

We bought a Lockloy to level the caravan. We have found it extremely useful.

Vi

 

[Joyce_5063910]

If you used a Trail-A-Mate, all you would need to do is lift the side of the caravan to a convenient height and place the levelling block under the wheel, lower and there would be no need to either reverse or pull forward and so no effect to the brake mechanism.

When leaving put caravan onto car and either lift remove block or drive off......easy!