Levelling ramps

[Deesider]

I use Milenco levelling ramps and have always driven forward onto them as most people seem to. I have noticed recently a number of people placing them behind their wheels and reversing onto them. Is there any advantage in reversing onto them?

[colin]

I always drive down hill onto ramps, be that forward or reverse.

[keninpalamos]

We

colin - 2017-07-03 9:49 PM

 

I always drive down hill onto ramps, be that forward or reverse.

:D

[blaven]

Deesider - 2017-07-03 9:34 PM

 

I use Milenco levelling ramps and have always driven forward onto them as most people seem to. I have noticed recently a number of people placing them behind their wheels and reversing onto them. Is there any advantage in reversing onto them?

If I can, I always reverse onto mine because,by leaving your door open, you can see exactly where your wheels are on the ramps.

[flyboyprowler]

Reverse on to them, and on the occasion that you have to leave in a hurry, (trouble when wild camping?) then you can drive straight off and away!!

[Tall_Mike]

Millenco ramps.

 

I generally reverse on - particularly if the ramps are under the front wheels because I can open the door / lean out of the window and see what's going on.

 

We have the comfortmatic gear box - think reverse is a lower ratio than 1st and feel more in control, - less likely to go too far and drive off the back of them - which I have seen done.

 

I think if you open the drivers door while manoeuvring the box will automatically drop into neutral - which is clearly sensible, but also a pain at times such as this

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

Levelling ramps are availble in diffrent heights. On a two axle you have four.They can be placed any where under your axle tyres depending on your level. Most of them just move on two of them forward. Not an idea what they are doing.Never in in the right position and parrallel to the ramp over stressing your tyres and the handbrake block on the rearaxle.In case off mud wet ground it can be a take- off tool.

[StuartO]

Must confess that I've never really mastered levelling ramps; I certainly cannot seem to get myself onto the highest level on my Milenco set and stay there.  The MH always slips backwards down the ramps quite a bit and I never seem to achieve more than about a thrid or a half of their potential.  I can't "feel" the steps on the Milencos and my OH is somehow not a natural at telling me where I am - she tends to wave her arms around and then clash them to her face at the moment critique!

 

Logically you should only ever need three ramps to level a vehicle and I managed to buy a single leftover Milenco ramp at a show once, so in combination with another pair of Milencos, my outfit should meet the need.  More practice needed I suspect.

 

[Brian Kirby]

flyboyprowler - 2017-07-04 3:41 PM

 

Reverse on to them, and on the occasion that you have to leave in a hurry, (trouble when wild camping?) then you can drive straight off and away!!

Leaving your ramps behind. Choice of stopping places? :-)

[Brian Kirby]

StuartO - 2017-07-04 4:55 PMMust confess that I've never really mastered levelling ramps; I certainly cannot seem to get myself onto the highest level on my Milenco set and stay there.  The MH always slips backwards down the ramps quite a bit and I never seem to achieve more than about a thrid or a half of their potential.  I can't "feel" the steps on the Milencos and my OH is somehow not a natural at telling me where I am - she tends to wave her arms around and then clash them to her face at the moment critique!

 

Logically you should only ever need three ramps to level a vehicle and I managed to buy a single leftover Milenco ramp at a show once, so in combination with another pair of Milencos, my outfit should meet the need.  More practice needed I suspect.

The trick, I think, is to drive straight to the top of the ramp - when one's banksman only has to shout STOP before one goes over the edge. Then, just use the brake to descend the ramp until satisfied. Apply handbrake, and engage first/reverse as appropriate, stop engine and release clutch. Seeking level by inching up the ramp, as so many seem to, is a great recipe for cooking the clutch.

[Derek Uzzell]

In principle, reversing up levelling ramps seems like a good idea as, when the motorhome rolls off the ramps, it will roll forwards (which is almost certainly the direction the driver wants to go. ;-) )

 

In practice, it’s trickier to drive a vehicle backwards than forwards (which is one reason why there was trouble with ‘juddering’ Ducatos) and it’s also commonplace (and seemingly inexplicable) for modern vehicles to have a higher reverse-gear ratio than 1st gear.

 

Another potential complication is when the levelling ramps being used have a highish ‘lift’ and the motorhome has mud-flaps. My Rapido has front mud-flaps and I use these levellers

 

http://www.milenco.com/products/levelling/mgi-t2-midi-levels

 

but if I put the levellers behind the front wheels, the top of the leveller contacts the mud-flap.

 

How difficult it is to put the motorhome on the levellers will largely depend on the vehicle and the levellers themselves.

 

My 2005 Ford Transit-based Hobby motorhome was high-geared in 1st and reverse and I used Milenco “Quattro” levellers (Horrid things!) Employing Brian’s suggested technique invited a precipitous ‘drop’ if one drove over the highest platform of the Quattros (easy enough to do) largely negating their advertised high-lift capability. I did it once, but not twice! The Hobby/Quattros combination was bad enough going forwards, never mind attempting to reverse up the Quattros.

 

The Milenco T2 Midi ramps I now use are much less ‘aggressive’ in profile than the Quattros but, equally important, my 2015 Ducato-based Rapido’s gearing is much lower than the Hobby’s and the Fiat motor’s power-delivery is far ’softer’ than the Ford’s. I can easily drive the Rapido up the ramps without stressing the clutch in any way, whereas with the Hobby I used to use a technique similar to that described by Brian to avoid clutch-slipping (except I always fought shy of attaining the ramps’ top level).

[Robbo]

Reversed onto my Milenco triple at the NEC camping ground (gravel surface). Must have overcooked it slightly, because one shot forward about 5 metres like a bullet. Fortunately, nobody was passing by.

 

I dread to think what the insurers would have make of the 3rd party injury claim *-) Still, it might have made the top 10 in the league of the most bizarre insurance claims :-D

[keninpalamos]

Robbo - 2017-07-05 1:35 PM

 

Reversed onto my Milenco triple at the NEC camping ground (gravel surface). Must have overcooked it slightly, because one shot forward about 5 metres like a bullet. Fortunately, nobody was passing by.

 

I dread to think what the insurers would have make of the 3rd party injury claim *-) Still, it might have made the top 10 in the league of the most bizarre insurance claims :-D

Would have made a great "outake " video. Just a couple of points. I,m trying to think of a situation where you would drive uphill onto your ramps, 8-) and you should always use the driving wheels to mount leveling blocks, and car ramps if the ramps/blocks are not fixed to the ground some how. This will stop them becoming a missile and shooting off who knows where all things being equal. The reason being is that you are not pushing the vehicle up the ramps with the danger of the ramps being pushed away, but climbing the ramps with the driving wheels. Obviously I wouldn't recommend this approach if you own a 0 to 60mph in 2 seconds dragster :-D. Since having my front springs replaced (Goldschmitt) a couple of years ago I cant remember having to use the blocks. The ones I have come in 2 parts for each wheel so you can alter the height by placing the smaller block on top of the base block. Advantage being the tyre is on a flat surface and so not straining the h/brake. Disadvantage is you only get two levels.