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Old 04-20-2012, 08:27 PM   #1
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Learned some things about leveling

I have been fulltime for 11 months now but spent 8 of those months parked at various friend's and family homes that have a level spot for me. Traveling between I typically stay in a level parking lot. All that to say that I am rather late learning the tricks of how to manually level a motorhome. I use the orange plastic Lynx Levelers because they are so much lighter than lumber.

1) Site selection is THE most important factor. Trying to put levelers under 3 wheels without help is pretty much impossible.

2) Check the coach front to back and side to side with a spirit level before starting. The eyes can be tricked by the background. I usually can tell how many blocks I need before I start by how far I have to raise the spirit level.

3) Park with the dually wheels uphill. It is much simpler to add height to the single front wheels.

4) Make sure your front wheels are straight BEFORE getting out to put blocks under them.

I know y'all can add to my list. I need all the help I can get.
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Old 04-21-2012, 08:30 AM   #2
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Hi Barb,
I take it your RV does not have leveling jacks. Please don't try to use a spirit level in multiple places. You will never get it level as the "Old Craftsmen" that put your coach together did it on a factory assembly line and each item can be opposite to any other item in the RV. Find one spot and level by that one spot. Then, if you are comfortable walking, everything will run all right.

What I would do is get two of the "curved" spirit levels and find a very level parking lot or pad. Mount the curved levels somewhere you can see them from the drivers seat, preferably, or outside if you must. You would mount one for side to side and the other for back to front leveling. If you can see them from the driver seat, when you roll in you will see just what is going on with the RV and you may be able to position so that you are as near level as you have to be. However, after time you will be able to look at those levels and tell just how much block you will have to use.

Just remember that if you have to block the back wheels to block both duals on any one side if that side needs to be level. Blocking only one tire on a set of duals places all the weight on that tire and can lead to early failure. Also, the Lynx pads are the flat type (Yellow I think) and not the ones with the hexagonal patters on them. The hexagonal patterns do not support the whole foot print of the tire and there again can lead to early failure.

That's my 2cents.
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Old 04-21-2012, 09:10 AM   #3
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Thanks Wayne! No push button jacks here. Mi Casa is too small for that luxury. I do have the levelers with the hexagons -- 2 sets. There went another 65 bucks. I also have some of the stick on curved levels, but Sena thinks her mission in life is to remove anything not permanently attached. Life with a monkey has it's challenges. I check front to back level on the frig door and side to side on the counter next to the frig. That seems to work.

RVing is a never ending learning experience. My life is SO much richer, more exciting and more challenging now.
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Old 04-21-2012, 06:48 PM   #4
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Oh... I got some of the hexagonal levelers also... can we put something over them to make them hold the weight evenly on the tire or would that be unsafe? What about using them upside down so more surface contact with tire? Wonder if they make caps for the top ones... got those because they were light weight and compact....
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Old 04-21-2012, 07:07 PM   #5
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I don't know if I'm taking about the same leveling blocks - plastic orange grid type an inch or so thick? I found the bottom edges break when used on rock or gravel so I put them on a small piece of plywood before driving up on them.
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Old 04-21-2012, 09:20 PM   #6
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Those are the ones that are indicated by "tire Guru's" that can damage the tire. Hey, I have two sets of them, but I also have 2 x 8's cut about 16 inches long that I can use the plastic ones to drive up on. Yes, I would suppose a 1/4" piece of plywood on top of the hexagonal surfaces would work, or mama's cutting board cut to those sizes.

The object is to support the entire tire surface in contact with the ground/pad(s).

Maybe Tireman9 is still around and can shed some light on this subject.

Hello Roger, am I all wet.

Maybe there is something on Roger's web site: RV Tire Safety

It's time to resurface that link again anyhow for the new RV'ers.
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Old 04-22-2012, 04:10 AM   #7
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One tip that I've used with success:

Park your MH or trailer in the exact place you want it. Then figure out your best guess at the height the blocks needed at each wheel. Set up the blocks next to the CENTER of each wheel, but outboard of the wheel. Then move the coach backwards or forwards enough to slide all block sets STRAIGHT in from the position they were in, under the path of the wheel. This makes sure that when you climb onto the blocks with each wheel that you end up on the exact spot on the block you want to.

Assuming your front wheels are blocked more than your back wheels, they will want to push your blocks rather than climb them. Therefore, you will need blocks with a shallow climb angle rather than a steep one. Good luck!
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Old 04-23-2012, 11:36 AM   #8
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I went to that site and proposed the question since I didn't see it in any topic previous of his... told him on the forum it was a question.... don't know if he will get over here to answer or not, but plan to go back now and then and see what he says... should he say.
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Old 04-24-2012, 08:31 AM   #9
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Carry a couple of SUV screw jacks with you, the newer kind that has a hook on the screw arm vice a flat end.

After you level in the normal way, but need just a small adjustment, use a jack where needed. As it is just an adjustment, there will not be enough weight on the jack to over power the limits of the jack. the higher you have to raise the jack, the more weight will be transfered to the jack vice the suspension.

The screw jacks are easy to position because you can insert the hook in the eye before starting, and position the jack into place while standing alongside the rig.



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Old 04-25-2012, 06:30 PM   #10
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Does anyone use bottle jacks? I used them when I had a tt.
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Old 05-01-2012, 08:52 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MartySQ View Post
Wayne M
I went to that site and proposed the question since I didn't see it in any topic previous of his... told him on the forum it was a question.... don't know if he will get over here to answer or not, but plan to go back now and then and see what he says... should he say.
Sorry for slow reply. Got distracted with a couple of projects.

Rather than re-post I suggest you read my post HERE on the topic of Lynx levelers.
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Old 05-01-2012, 09:22 AM   #12
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I didn't know better , so when I had a jack problem last summer , I used them on one side for rear duals ( one for each tire ) and front for 9 weeks. So far , 5,000 miles later and no issues. I just called Lynx and of course they disputed the statement that they would harm tires. He gave the example of tires parked on gravel. To be safe , I will take Tireman 9's advice. My motto is. I wear a suspenders and a belt.
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Old 05-01-2012, 09:44 AM   #13
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We also have a couple of sets of the Lynx levelers, because they are lightweight and easy to transport. I don't recall using them...yet. However for short-term leveling situations we will not hesitate to use 'em. I like to live on the edge. (We did buy the smooth cap thingys, though.)
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Old 05-01-2012, 09:52 AM   #14
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Quote:
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We also have a couple of sets of the Lynx levelers, because they are lightweight and easy to transport. I don't recall using them...yet. However for short-term leveling situations we will not hesitate to use 'em. I like to live on the edge. (We did buy the smooth cap thingys, though.)
Look Ma. No cap thingy's.

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