Steady Eddie

[Richtee180]

I bought these plates to stand the caravan steadies on our grass pitch, which way up should I place them, honeycomb side up or facing down?

 

[borderbilly]

Honeycomb down is my guess.

 

[otherclive]

Flat side down as the honeycomb will sink into wet grass. To be honest four cheap plastic chopping boards would have done the job just as well.

 

[IanB1485]

Old bit of Decking planking or wood 20mm thick , that way if you forget it not much lost. and definately honeycomb side up otherwise you will fill the holes with soil and grass which when you put them back in the gas locker and forget until next year you may introduce creepy crawlers or moulds and other organic lifeforms

 

[Beachball]

+1 honeycomb side up would be the way i would prefer on grass

 

[ProfJohnL]

Another product that aims to relieve the unsuspecting novice caravanner of their hard earned cash. when there are far simpler and cheaper solutions.

 

[RogerL]

I use foot pads attached to the steady legs - fit and forget!

Outdoor Revolution Caravan Jack Pad Feet - Plastic Pins (Set of 4)

These Caravan Jack Pad Feet from Outdoor Revolution are an essential and reliable addition to your caravan kit. Designed for your caravan corner steady legs to distribute the load over a wider surface and prevent soft ground sinking. A high quality, UK made construction boasts easier-than-ever...

www.winfieldsoutdoors.co.uk

 

[Richtee180]

Another product that aims to relieve the unsuspecting novice caravanner of their hard earned cash. when there are far simpler and cheaper solutions.

They were £18, I looked at other options, paving slabs, lumps of wood but there was little difference in the cost and they weigh like a few grams.
I used some pallet boards but they cracked when I lowered the steadies, but thanks for the slur.

 

[Hutch]

Looking at them, honeycomb side up as they have rubber inserts which looks like they should be fave down onto a hard surface.

 

[ProfJohnL]

They were £18, I looked at other options, paving slabs, lumps of wood but there was little difference in the cost and they weigh like a few grams.
I used some pallet boards but they cracked when I lowered the steadies, but thanks for the slur.

I consider you to be a victim, with no "slur " made or intended.

It is an unfortunate fact that when some hobbies become popular, it seems that some people seem to take great pleasure in marketing gadgets which are not really necessary, and tend to be over priced, and in many cases not really up to the job they claim to be for. Especially novice caravanners are often taken in by some of this hype, and I abhor to see people being taken for a ride.

The caravan steadies are called steadies because they are not Jacks expected to put a lot of force to the ground, They certainly should not be raising the caravan significantly, so in practice they should not be applying so much pressure as to crack a piece of 12mm thick wood.

 

[JTQ]

They are only honey combe to give the product enough strength, together with lightness, to function where it is constructed of a material with an inherent low strength. Plus of course to save the maker material and associated costs.
Its not a design attribute other than in those respects.
If used open side down it then partly defeats the load spreading using a pad at all aims to do and as already pointed out could so easily pick up soil debris, partly negating the weight saving.
Used, open side up then it is more likely to get water build up but that at least is more readily removed.
I suppose having them makes a different on site "statement" to those that use other things does.

I am in the use a bit of suitable wood camp. Certainly not a bit of pallet plank as these tend to be cut from the lowest quality wood with a high probability of having poor cross grain strength.
Decking though that inherently ought to be reasonably strong for its intended duty, or better still thick marine ply or even exterior [roofing or shuttering] ply make for a way better choice.
These can be made and finished neatly, doing that and using them, where they exhibit some neatness and finesse can also make its own "statement", plus for those into DIY for its own sake give making them some pleasure.