Alf Stonehouse Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 :-S Last night another large camper arrive & parked in the corner closed their door and that was that,later another arrived this time they spent a good half hour getting their camper leval (?) Why do some bother but not others?? This aire is quite flat but that dosnt seem to matter flat of sloping some chock others dont? Why chock up?? *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 With our last van the bed was length ways and providing my head was up hill I didn't bother leveling but in our new van the bed is cross ways and above a garage. When the garage is not 'over loaded' the van slopes and results in me rolling out of bed, unless I can park facing uphill. Others are probably under direct instructions from you know who! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alf Stonehouse Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Oh yes that sounds very reasonable :-D So far ive been lucky,being off season i have been able to choose my place and like you my campers bed is accros the width of the camper so ive been able to park in a way the slope isnt bad & slopes down to my feet :-) I was curious why some leval their vans even on the flattest aire?Where im now parked you wouldnt think there was any slope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Please don't discourage folks from using ramps and blocks as it is a great entertainment watching them drive up and down until the van is finally less level than when they started! Most vans are higher one end than t'other and a good enough level can often be found by just turning the van around! On the other hand we prefer to park facing the way out just in case the ground gets soggy and we need a clean getaway but even that can be overcome by using flat load spreading boards - or liberated bread trays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooks Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Tracker - 2011-02-02 10:39 AM Please don't discourage folks from using ramps and blocks as it is a great entertainment watching them drive up and down until the van is finally less level than when they started! agree Rich - it helps pass the time :D :D even better if you've a glass of wine in your hand it sometimes seems to be nearly as complicated as setting up a caravan in fact as for original question bed needs to be either level or at least side to side level fridge - not sure if this is still a problem - but it used to be necessary for the fridge to be reasonably level else it wouldn't work I think part of the problem with levelling the van is that just as you think you've got it level the suspension system cuts in and you have to start all over again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alf Stonehouse Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thats a relief as my camper came with the "yellow ramps" which are still under the drivers seat :-S Yes it dosnt look really easy;often one or the other ramp shoots forward & they have to start again *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 twooks - 2011-02-02 2:08 PM even better if you've a glass of wine in your hand it sometimes seems to be nearly as complicated as setting up a caravan Getting a glass of wine to your hand is only complicated if you have already had too many of 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooks Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Tracker - 2011-02-02 3:10 PM twooks - 2011-02-02 2:08 PM even better if you've a glass of wine in your hand it sometimes seems to be nearly as complicated as setting up a caravan Getting a glass of wine to your hand is only complicated if you have already had too many of 'em! oops - one too many at that time of day :$ :$ :$ :$ really must learn to either engage brain or preview post before hitting the submit button :-> :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Alf, to save you reading a lot more unhelpful waffle, the answer to your question is: to get their vans level. Simples! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Tracker - 2011-02-02 3:10 PM twooks - 2011-02-02 2:08 PM even better if you've a glass of wine in your hand it sometimes seems to be nearly as complicated as setting up a caravan Getting a glass of wine to your hand is only complicated if you have already had too many of 'em! And if you are then at a slight incline, you stand on a leveling ramp. :-DDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I don't often use levelling ramps simply because I often park on level ground so don't often need to use them. I do carry a pair though and when required I can usually deploy them and drive onto them and get level in a few minutes. Why do I bother? Simple really and for the same reason I deploy corner steadies, my house doesn't lean or wobble when I move around so I don't see why my camper should. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 We have a set, don't often use them, but have had to at times when the ground has quite a slope on it. We prefer to sleep level but are okay with our heads slightly raised, but one thing that can be a pain the bum is to try cooking when on a slope - not fun and can be quite dangerous. If the pans are likely to slide about then the ramps come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Is addiction to the smell of burning clutch linings a medically recognised condition? There is a lot of it about. Dumplings like myself get twitchy if left horizontal very long so the yellow wedges only come out if a hard pull on the handbrake is needed. On site clutch toasting can be entertaining but is not in the same league as the presumably newbies we watched with a folding caravan who took the best part of 36 hours to master the beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Brian Kirby - 2011-02-02 6:03 PM Alf, to save you reading a lot more unhelpful waffle, the answer to your question is: to get their vans level. Simples! OOh - Brian has got his pedantic hat on today - hope it stop the glare on top when the sun shines Brian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 We only use ours if our heads are looking to be definitely lower than our feet when sleeping and our fridge does work more efficiently when level. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alf Stonehouse Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 OK I always try & so far succeeded in finding aires that are not to sloping with one exception & in that case i drove on Thanks all now im off to Toulous dont know when ill have the next connection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 If I arrive late & it's dark I don't bother if early often use them as it only takes a couple of minutes to get them out and drive on. Main reason for using them is the shower drains better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Dave Newell - 2011-02-02 6:52 PM I don't often use levelling ramps simply because I often park on level ground so don't often need to use them. I do carry a pair though and when required I can usually deploy them and drive onto them and get level in a few minutes. Why do I bother? Simple really and for the same reason I deploy corner steadies, my house doesn't lean or wobble when I move around so I don't see why my camper should. D. After seeing your steadies deployed I did think of upgrading our road crane to same spec :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 colin - 2011-02-03 7:46 PM Dave Newell - 2011-02-02 6:52 PM I don't often use levelling ramps simply because I often park on level ground so don't often need to use them. I do carry a pair though and when required I can usually deploy them and drive onto them and get level in a few minutes. Why do I bother? Simple really and for the same reason I deploy corner steadies, my house doesn't lean or wobble when I move around so I don't see why my camper should. D. After seeing your steadies deployed I did think of upgrading our road crane to same spec :D I've actually down graded the corner steadies by removing the rear pair simply because I found them un-necessary. The side mounted pair just behind the rear axle have proved to be perfectly adequate for stabilising the van. :D D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Tracker - 2011-02-02 10:20 PM Brian Kirby - 2011-02-02 6:03 PM Alf, to save you reading a lot more unhelpful waffle, the answer to your question is: to get their vans level. Simples! OOh - Brian has got his pedantic hat on today - hope it stop the glare on top when the sun shines Brian! Well, at least I answered the question! :-DAs to why some people prefer to get their vans level, it is because, as your strapline says, "There are no right or wrong ways - just different!". For some, it is because sinks, or shower trays, don't drain unless level, for others because they find sleeping out of level uncomfortable, for others again because they find a van on the tilt mildly disorienting - or in extreme cases because their cuppa slides off the table - and for yet others, because they just like it that way. So, all human life is there, as they say. Not really so complicated, was it? :-)BTW, if you do use ramps, forget trying to get level as you drive up, that is just a way of destroying the clutch. Line things up, firm revs and clutch, straight to the top in one hit, with partner to call "STOP" at the critical moment. Then check level, and allow van to roll back down ramp until satisfied. Much kinder to everything mechanical, and so much easier to achieve. Hope this helps. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alf Stonehouse Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 As it seems optional i think ill leave the chocks where they are B-) I did try the first few trys the chokes shot forward 8-) Later one moved & i was less leval than without I dont think my gas fridge setting works? If the gas would work how level should the camper be? Ive seen several with spirit levels which rather put me off a gas fridge *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The fridge issue is not only when working on gas but all power modes because if its off level it affects the coolant circuit and flow. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 We prefer to get the van slightly off level, especially if we're going to use the shower (so that the water flows to the drain). This also serves to get the bed at the preferred level (?). If we arrive late, after dark or are just a bit unsure about security, we don't bother as long as we're not too far off level, don't want to do the cake-walk do we? As others have said, it's easier to pick a more level pitch if possible. Brian's method of levelling is by far the easiest and best but does need a competent 2nd in command! A MH driver arrived bact to the pitch next to us and because it was raining quite heavily the passenger wouldn't get out (quite rightly IMO, why bother?) The driver decided that he would still get the van onto the levels that had been left in place. He overshot and spent a good hour trying to extracate the level from his undercarriage, all the while berating his OH because of course it was 'her fault'! (I've just deleted the last line because my personal opinion of this man is not relevant to the forum.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Simple. My wife likes the motorhome to be level so that's what we do. In order to prevent having to entertain watchers we use Menenco Quatro blocks. I have marks on the spirit level we use which tell me on which step we need to stop and since the steps are quite marked I can feel each one as we go up. Simple, quick and nearly full-proof. I believe Melenco make a level that is already marked for this now assuming you have a standard wheel base. When I say nearly full-proof I'm recalling one pitched we stopped on that was so far out of level even the quatros could not get the unit level so I did the best I could then settled down for a cold beer only to see the wet glass slide gently down the surface of the table! Fortunately I caught it before it went over the edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.