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12-14-2018, 08:08 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 10
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Levelers vs Plastic Tire Blocks
Lately we've been camping/rving in Texas and quite a few of the sites are purposely sloped to handle the extreme amount of rain these areas get. We are new to idea of having our front tires (or even one whole side) of our 38' rig in the air when using the automatic levelers. We have even tried to run the tires up onto plastic blocks (as we did in our smaller unit) to achieve some sort of leveling. We like having rubber touching a solid surface.
Question: Can you use blocks under the tires that need to be raised and then use your automatic leveling system to work from there? Do we do damage to anything?
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12-14-2018, 08:13 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 531
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I do it all the time. If you're really off level to begin with I think it's a good idea to use pads or blocks to get as level as possible before using the levelers. Chances are the levelers may not be able to level the coach if it's too far out of whack. I carry a few 4x6 pieces to put under the jack pads as well to get a few more inches out of the jacks.
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12-14-2018, 08:18 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Cookeville, TN
Posts: 296
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seghitravels
Lately we've been camping/rving in Texas and quite a few of the sites are purposely sloped to handle the extreme amount of rain these areas get. We are new to idea of having our front tires (or even one whole side) of our 38' rig in the air when using the automatic levelers. We have even tried to run the tires up onto plastic blocks (as we did in our smaller unit) to achieve some sort of leveling. We like having rubber touching a solid surface.
Question: Can you use blocks under the tires that need to be raised and then use your automatic leveling system to work from there? Do we do damage to anything?
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Yes you can and also place same thickness of blocks under the jack for that corner.
__________________
1995 Gulfstream Sun Voyager MX 34' DP with 2011 Silverado in tow.
Dennis & Sherry.
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12-14-2018, 09:28 AM
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#4
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,578
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Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!
I can't see any problem with using blocks under the hydraulic jacks as long as they are large enough to support the weight without slipping.
Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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12-14-2018, 02:04 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,909
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seghitravels-
On level ground I can get 4 to 5 inches of blocks under the levelers. That is sometimes too few to level the coach. To put more blocks under the levelers requires raising the coach by putting blocks under the wheels. So, yes, we use both.
This past October we had one site in Maine that was so far off left-to-right that I had to put 3 inches under the tires and eight inches under the levelers. It leveled right up, and was more solid than I expected. In that case, all of the tires were on the ground or on blocks.
One of the advantages of blocking under the wheels is that I'm less worried about the coach shifting.
Our coach is a gasser, so it probably maintains more ground clearance than your diesel Tuscany if you've dumped the airbags. I mention that because sometimes it's easier to remove some material from the high end of a site and replace it when you leave. It depends on the campground rules, site peculiarities and need for utility access below the coach.
I had to look up your coach in your profile. You should add a signature; it saves you having to type that information into each post. Instructions are here.
__________________
Mark
2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30PDD (Ford F-53 chassis)
2009 Honda Fit Sport
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12-14-2018, 02:15 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 316
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Do it all the time. Found that the camco yellow plastic blocks do not support the weight of my rv. The yellow ones get flattened but the orange lynx ones seem to work.
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12-14-2018, 02:24 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Pick it up higher then needed, slide the blocks under the tires, and let it down.
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12-14-2018, 03:26 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 10
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Oh Thank you, Deep Water ... I think I get the idea ... we could roll up onto the blocks ... let the air out of the airbags, then drop the levelers ... we've even tried to put blocks under the levelers that seem to need to really lift but haven't done both at the same time ... blocks under the wheels as well as levelers ... sounds good!
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12-14-2018, 03:27 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 10
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I love it ... makes sense ... same number of blocks used for the tire to be placed under the leveler on that same corner ... thank you!!! We've tried one method or the other but not both combined
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12-14-2018, 03:31 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Manhattan (Little Apple) Kansas
Posts: 2,476
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I agree with the yellow lego type blocks. We had some exploded under the weight of our 5er and piece put a big cut in my leg. We called Camco and they said that only report they have ever received of there blocks not supporting the weight. Yea Right!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by netjam
Do it all the time. Found that the camco yellow plastic blocks do not support the weight of my rv. The yellow ones get flattened but the orange lynx ones seem to work.
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__________________
2020 Newmar Baystar 3005 Gas V10 - 2020 Jeep Rubicon
1280 Watts Solar - Victron MultiPlus-II 12/3000/120-50 120V Inverter
300 Amp Lithium Battery
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12-14-2018, 05:03 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Posts: 1,660
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Never raise a brake tire off the ground or off of blocks, either end of that axle.
Yes, use blocks under the tires to get "kinda close." Then you can use the levelers (you probably will need blocks under them also so they don't hyper-extend).
__________________
2008 Phaeton 36QSH, Safe-t-Plus, Quadra Bigfoot
2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk w/ flat tow wiring mod.
Blue ox, BrakeMaster + BrakeAway, diode lights and charge.
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12-15-2018, 06:47 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 10
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Quick "stupid" question ... that was one of my concerns ... not having the brakes engaged if you have tires in the air ... which tires are the brake tires on a DP? Back ones?
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12-15-2018, 07:46 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seghitravels
Quick "stupid" question ... that was one of my concerns ... not having the brakes engaged if you have tires in the air ... which tires are the brake tires on a DP? Back ones?
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The rear tires have the parking brakes.
Of course the jacks, planted on the ground with the weight of the MH, are not going to slide, unless your on a cliff. Then the tires would slide also.
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12-15-2018, 07:56 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Manhattan (Little Apple) Kansas
Posts: 2,476
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I try to keep all my tires on the ground if possible. If not possible I don't feel unsafe if they are off the ground. If my 38,000-pound coach is on steep enough hill that going to slide down the hill while suspending on 4 jacks I probably not going to get it level anyway. The jacks on my coach are designed to lift the coach, when you lower the suspension the airbags deflate and weight of the coach is setting on stops. During the leveling process, you lift the coach off the stops, the tires may be on the ground by most of the weight minus the tries and axles are on the jacks. I have to ask for another's site when I felt the level was too far off or I would have to use an excessive amount of blocks to level.
Putting blocks down to decrease the extensions of the jacks is a good idea. If just overnight I don't bother unless its soft surface or absolute must to leveling. If going to stay a while then it's a good idea to stack some blocks to reduce the extension. Be careful of those lego type blocks since some them are not rated to hold the weight of large coach.
Just my thoughts and I know others don't agree with me so you need to do what makes you feel safe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Domo
Never raise a brake tire off the ground or off of blocks, either end of that axle.
Yes, use blocks under the tires to get "kinda close." Then you can use the levelers (you probably will need blocks under them also so they don't hyper-extend).
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__________________
2020 Newmar Baystar 3005 Gas V10 - 2020 Jeep Rubicon
1280 Watts Solar - Victron MultiPlus-II 12/3000/120-50 120V Inverter
300 Amp Lithium Battery
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