lowering jacks onto pads

[Ubetcha]

Go to a big truck dealer who sells pads for semi trailers they are cheaper than cw and way heavier.they also have little holes in them already so you can use your awning rod to put them in place. This are the best I have seen and there heavy plastic and can be washed off easy.

[TdogKing]

Originally Posted by redbaron73

Ok so reading this an idea struck me. What would be the downside to removing the "small" disc and permanently attaching a pad to the disc?

I am sure not all discs are like mine, but I have cotter pin to keep my disc in the shaft. Of course the pad would need to have "some" provision for wind deflection, but that would not be hard.

The advantage is that it would always be there. I am thinking that a good bolt thru the center of disc and pad would keep it in place.

The pad I use often is a cheap orange pad similar to the blocks for leveling only much thinner and wider.

This could be used as is in most cases, and if you need even more support, provides a larger target for centering?

Now tell me what I am missing, because I am sure there is a very good reason not to do this.

You dont want to attached a pad to the jack pad. The pad you put down needs to follow the angle of the ground, its might be slight but that lets it "seek it own level "so to speak. When you think you need pads under your jacks isnt that big of a deal to put them under there anyway. I carry enough to have one for each jack and then extra to help level the coach. We boondock alot and camp where the ground isnt level like in a private park.

[PDR John]

I carry 8 4X6 three foot long boards.

Long enough I can put both duals on a pair if I need to, or place them under the jacks on soft ground. They don't sink or warp.

[elang]

Originally Posted by daveshan

I got some 2x12 treated lumber and cut it into 11 1/4 lengths to make squares. My Jacks are at a slight angle so instead of placing pads then using the auto level I first do a manual dump of the air, this lowers the coach enough that it's a bit easier to estimate just where the jacks will touchdown.

After placing pads I do an auto level and get out to watch and ensure the jacks are going to be centered. The jacks come down slowly 2 at a time so it's easy to adjust the pads if necessary. After the first couple of times the eyeball got trained and no adjustment was necessary.

EDIT: If you do 2x12s use 2 layers and place the grain crossways so they don't split as easily.

I made mine out of 3/4 pt plywood with the grain going the oppisit way 12x12 work great even on sand

[PyrateSilly]

Horse stall mat cut up to the size you want. I believe the one we got was 3/4 inch think.
I found this idea on one of the forums. This is the site that has the info on what to cut with and all: RV Leveling Blocks Built for Indestructibility

[chuydog]

Most semi-trailers have steel pads on the landing gear feet and might work on a MH instead of wood blocks? Not sure about clearance under the coach when retracted.