First time I’ve used a levelling ramp with a caravan tonight, we couldn’t release from the tow hitch, do you have to use the motor mover .
Levelling ramps
- Thread starter Madtaffy
- Start date
Yes it can happen at times. Have you made sure the car is relaxed away from the hitch. The bellows should be extended but not so far that it is “pulling” the van. If not just move the car forward a smidgeon. Also when trying to free the hitch even with the bellows extended release car handbrake when trying to unhitch. But do have someone in the car if there is a risk that it could roll away.
Another approach is car and van handbrakes on full. Lift tow hitch handle, lower nose wheel to ground open rear hatch or boot and sit on it. Then bounce hard trying hard not to damage car. Tow ball should free.
Stabiliser arm must be fully retracted off of the ball. Failing that try readjusting on the ramp back and forth with mover.
It’s a good idea before you hitch up to ensure the stabiliser pads and ball are clean.
Another approach is car and van handbrakes on full. Lift tow hitch handle, lower nose wheel to ground open rear hatch or boot and sit on it. Then bounce hard trying hard not to damage car. Tow ball should free.
Stabiliser arm must be fully retracted off of the ball. Failing that try readjusting on the ramp back and forth with mover.
It’s a good idea before you hitch up to ensure the stabiliser pads and ball are clean.
Its a sensible idea to have some chocks to help keep the caravan wheel from trying to roll down the ramp. This can also allow the hitch to relax before releasing
Thingy said:
Precisely Thingy , we have never used a leveling ramp in 5 years , like you I have a few bits of chocks in my front locker which I use one each for the steadies and a 2 foot long bit for the wheel just to give it a bit elevation if needed .
As OCsays, , reverse the van up the ramp until the other half say its just too much, then put a chock in front of the ramp wheel, caravan brake on and just ease forward until the hitch bellow relax, then wind the jockey wheel down until released from the car. Unhook the brake cable and relax a bit. Level the caravan front and back, hook up the electrics, stabilizers down, make a cup of tea or in my case have a beer. Then do the rest.
Another learning curve.
Another learning curve.
Never used levelling ramps,I use flat pieces of wood,you can make them yourself very cheaply also they are much less difficult to use than ramps.
bertieboy1 said:
I don't agree, one piece of wood , not high enough,, drive offf reverse back on , still not high enough, off , on too much faffing around. . . Reverse onto a ramp until the Boss says its correct. Jobs done.
With a spirit level you can make a guesstmate, one board, two or three. No shunting. If the pitch is that cockeyed that you need more, pick another pitch.
Thingy said:Aye, and it gets more and more level the more I drink.
You and me Daft "burgers, "
Don't want to upset "The Moderator" . :woohoo:
bertieboy1 said:
Each to our own, I still have a Millenco wind up thing, I found that useful to compact the ground ready for the next Folk to put their planks down. :woohoo: note to myself, have to put it on E bay.
Hutch.
Parksy
Moderator
I use a pair of yellow Milenco levelling ramps and the ground conditions determine how I use them.
On a sloping pitch if the ground is soft I place a ramp behind each wheel when the (twin axle) caravan is almost in position, and reverse up the ramps with the Alko stabiliser released until the front window line looks fairly level. I apply the caravan brake and release the towcar handbrake to ease forward, thus taking reverse pressure off the hitch to release it more easily.
I keep a short crowbar in the back of the 4x4 if the hitch needs a slight persuasion to separate from the towball. :evil:
If the ground is reasonably firm I simply place the ramps back to back to create a bridge which I can tow with the stabiliser released up and over until the caravan is level.
The ramps weigh very little, there are (rarely used) wheel chocks and the ramps fit nicely on top of each other into the gas locker to wedge my fire bucket (where I keep the wheel chocks) into the corner where they take up very little space.
This has taken longer to write than it does to level the caravan :lol:
On a sloping pitch if the ground is soft I place a ramp behind each wheel when the (twin axle) caravan is almost in position, and reverse up the ramps with the Alko stabiliser released until the front window line looks fairly level. I apply the caravan brake and release the towcar handbrake to ease forward, thus taking reverse pressure off the hitch to release it more easily.
I keep a short crowbar in the back of the 4x4 if the hitch needs a slight persuasion to separate from the towball. :evil:
If the ground is reasonably firm I simply place the ramps back to back to create a bridge which I can tow with the stabiliser released up and over until the caravan is level.
The ramps weigh very little, there are (rarely used) wheel chocks and the ramps fit nicely on top of each other into the gas locker to wedge my fire bucket (where I keep the wheel chocks) into the corner where they take up very little space.
This has taken longer to write than it does to level the caravan :lol:
I never seem to do well with ramps, which is why I have tried the Milenco Wind up, ( and it was a windup, Im sure), the Lock n Level, and the Fiamma Yellows, but I always feet the van is trying to twist the floor in the way that I always end up with a creaky floor. Not so much with this van as the floor is a different composition altogether. It does seem to me though that the van always sits better on flat boards.
As we mainly use club sites, there is usually very little levelling needed and for us, a couple of boards suffices. The boards are lighter than even the Fiamma Ramps, I thought the Lock N Level quite heavy and the Milenco too bulky. As we are, or at least most of us are going back to steel gas bottles, the less weight in the locker is to be desired.
I have to say I wouldnt want all the faff with a twin axle for levelling and wheel locks.
As we mainly use club sites, there is usually very little levelling needed and for us, a couple of boards suffices. The boards are lighter than even the Fiamma Ramps, I thought the Lock N Level quite heavy and the Milenco too bulky. As we are, or at least most of us are going back to steel gas bottles, the less weight in the locker is to be desired.
I have to say I wouldnt want all the faff with a twin axle for levelling and wheel locks.
Thingy said:
Like a lot of you I have four 1” boards about 1 metre long. Edges have been bevelled.all four give me as much if not more than my yellow milenco levellers. Attaching the two wheel locks is also easy. Either jack up and fix or where possible ‘drag’ a few inches until all lined up.
When I got a twin LNL, I weighed it, and compared this to the combined weight of the ramps, ALKO jack and 4 brackets and bolts that comprise the jacking points, and it proved to be lighter by a few Kgs, so That's a win for me..
I use a whisky glass, preferably one with a ring pattern round it. Fill with whisky up to the line. If it's not level, drink some of the whisky. Keep doing this and you won't care if it's level! hic!
BTw, I use yellow ramps, only one, as my van is a single axle, but I won a pair of black Milencos which cracked the first time I used them. The yellow one is about twenty years old, used right way up on hard ground and upside down on soft.
BTw, I use yellow ramps, only one, as my van is a single axle, but I won a pair of black Milencos which cracked the first time I used them. The yellow one is about twenty years old, used right way up on hard ground and upside down on soft.
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