Community Forums

VH1982 · 07-19-2022, 10:23 AM

When using spacer blocks etc to level, do both tires in a dual setup need to be supported, or is just one ok?

Skip426 · 07-19-2022, 10:29 AM

Both tires need to be supported or your placing double the load on one tire.

FL420 · 07-19-2022, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip426

Both tires need to be supported or your placing double the load on one tire.

Concur.
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l1v3fr33ord1 · 07-19-2022, 10:56 AM

VH1982-

Everything I have read says you must support both tires in a dual set.

dizcom · 07-19-2022, 11:15 AM

Eh - maybe. I don't think there's anything out there definitively saying that it would hurt anything. It's more out of caution. Definitely driving on only one tire is bad, but just sitting there hasn't had a lot of study. I would be worried about the load being uneven on the tires in general and the extra weight on whatever is being used to lift the remaining tire, but there are a lot of situations where the load isn't even on the duals and no one can say whether that's hurting the contact tire or not. If you've ever had a single tire on a dual go flat while in winter storage you probably noticed that it didn't hurt the other one at all. I think the default is to be as safe as possible and that means lift both.

Dutch Star Don · 07-19-2022, 11:41 AM

I carry only three wooden ramps. If just one side of the coach needs some leveling before using my jacks, I put two under the duals and one under the front. If the front and one side needs leveling, I place one under each front and one under the INNER dual. You're not bouncing down the road when leveling in a site and I don't see it as critical to support both duals.

VH1982 · 07-19-2022, 01:55 PM

I think that from a technical standpoint, the static load is fine to support with one tire. But, I know it's not ideal. I would prefer to support both tires.

The situation is that I need to make a very large ramp (12" tall, ideally) and having to make it 14" wide vs 8" wide is a yuge difference in effort...

Sgt B · 09-14-2022, 01:35 PM

Place blocks under both duals. If you have ever attended a Freightliner seminar at a rally, they preach against only supporting one dual. Spartan preaches the same.

ArtJoyce · 09-14-2022, 01:40 PM

Both tires. I read something years ago to support both and to make sure the support go at least as wide as the sidewalls on each tire. I think it was tire company info.

VH1982 · 09-14-2022, 04:56 PM

I'm sure it's BEST to support both, and would never consider doing just a single for an extended period (say, over 1 week).

But as others have said/suggested, there's a huge safety factor built in, and static is way different than driving down the road at 70.

I will still try to avoid, but in our driveway we have a large discrepancy so I will try with singles next weekend when I want to use it. Will let you know (if you didn't hear it) if a tire blows.

Alpine36 · 09-14-2022, 05:18 PM

Blocks under each dual tire...unless your chaining up then just under the inner dual to lift the outer off the ground a couple inches.
Makes chaining up so much easier and you get a tighter initial fit.
Yes, winters going to be here before you know it. :(

Ray,IN · 09-14-2022, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sgt B

Place blocks under both duals. If you have ever attended a Freightliner seminar at a rally, they preach against only supporting one dual. Spartan preaches the same.

Although, load/inflation charts show a considerable difference in tire loading compared to steer tires.

bigb56 · 09-14-2022, 06:01 PM

I found that rubber pavers are great for duals and singles, it's all I use now, way easier and sturdier than legos and they conform to any surface, don't slip and the tire climbs up a stack of them very easily if you "stairstep" them against the curvature of the tire first. They are indestructible and if they get dirt in them you just smack them together and it falls out. I bought 16x16s and split them in half so about $3 for each 8x16 piece which is plenty big enough for my LT tires but you folks with bigger tires might need to use them whole or buy 24x24s and split them. When I place the inside duals I use one for a kneeling pad then place the outside last, very handy and fast which was nice on our NM trip this summer when it poured rain while setting up. I use the Truma Leveling app first which tells me how much to place under which wheels then just grab them and do it, literally a 30-60 second job outside.

If something is hard to do, like putting blocks under an inside dual, you are less likely to do it. But with my pavers it is so easy it's almost fun!

Dutch Star Don · 09-18-2022, 03:51 PM

Keep in mind that if you're ONLY using blocks to level the coach, you may want to use blocks under each dual, but probably not necessary. However, I think most here are talking about using blocks to get the coach close and then using your levelers to finish off the leveling. The levelers are carrying the bulk of the load, not the tire, so only the inner dual really needs support.