Levelling up

[John_5101260]

Hi all,

basic question but what tips do people have for levelling up.

Is it best to reverse onto blocks?, pull onto blocks? I have heard people mention about using planks instead of blocks. Also how do you realy decide when you are level. I bought a small spirit level and to be honest it is worse than useless, when it says we are level we are nowhere near (i realise this is probably down to where I am putting the level). So far my best method has been to put a glass of water on the table and see when that looks level.

You can probably tell I am pretty new to all of this so words of one sylable would be appriciated.

Kind Regards

John

 

[Lol1]

You don't have to be absolutely level, John. Today's caravan equipment will run fine if you're a few degrees out. I personally try to level my van so that any water from the shower runs towards the plug end of the shower tray. A glass of water on the table is quite adequate when setting up, as too is the cheap spirit level (but buy an expensive bubble first). The main thing is that once you have set up, any fine tuning can be done later if you run into any problems.

 

[Steve L]

Hi John.

I use a freebie 8 inch spirit level from screw fix, placed on any window edge available as they are usually hung upright and at least oneat the front is square. I also use the method below for leveling using the ramps. The van doesn't have to be inch perfect as small deviations can be adjusted out with the corner steadies.

steve in Leo

30 Apr 2006 08:59 AM We have a very rare Link 575 twin axle van, which as the name suggests has the axles linked together simlar to those on six wheel trucks. This means that as the front axle goes up over a speed ramp for instance, the rear axlegoes down to compensate. thus no weigth transfer on the car. The down side to this is no matter how high you raise the van, with the jockey wheel, the wheels are firmly on the ground. So levelling the front axle is out of the question.

All I do is back the van about 4 feet past where I want to end up. Then place two plastic ramps, the first at the front of the front wheel of the side to go up, and the second infront of the first but with a gap wetween the top of the ramps (pitch) equal to the distance between the axles on the van (41 inches in my case. Then I drive the van up and over the first ramp and then both wheels climb up the two ramps to the height required. Chock the wheels and then level front to back as normal.

Sounds a little complicated but this only takes about two mins to do.

It's true to say with a longer van you have less height adjustment front to back, as such I try to pitch my van on a sloping (mountain side, traslation from the brochures)pitch, so that the min adjustment is across the axles, which is the shortest distance between pivot point and elevating end.

It's not always possible and I have ended up with the door so low I didn't need a step to get in which was a bonus. But two milk crates and neumerous planks of wood under the front steadies looked quite precarious. Not to mention time consuming.

Steve Ll