Leveling wood

[lynlou14760]

I do a fair amount of building, so I always have 2X's, & 1X'slaying around in various lengths that I use for the side to side levelling. I use 8"8" sections, if needed for the front landing gear and rear stabilizers. Not pretty, but efficient. I wind up giving some away every year to campers who come up short for their own trailers, so, cheaper is better.

[fhenn]

I carry two automobile safety jacks for the rear stabilizers this works real well.

[gtoguy1967]

I think I'm going to stick with the original idea of the 2 x 8 with 45's cut on the ends and the 2 x 8 12' long for the stab jacks in the back. I do have some of the lego type but have never used them. I might have to try them and see how they work.

[shoetravel]

I had thought about the Lynx Levelers a couple of years ago. But then I backed into a camp site and the gravel pad was covered with busted up pieces of one. Obviously someone found out how much weight they can handle. I decided on the spot my wood blocks were doing okay. I did use the wood blocks for about 3 years before they looked like they were going to split.That was when I added the plywood pieces to beef them up. They have been holding up ever since just fine. I have considered painting them "just 'cause". But haven't had any left over paint yet...

[ryeja]

After what shoetravel said I do agree the Lynx Levelers have there place. The first time I used them it was in loose gravel and they got beat up a bit. Most places we've stayed have fairly level pads, but I've found in the past if there's loose gravel you can scrape away or build up according to your needs that's why I carry a flat spade shovel. Hey, there's no right or wrong answer here, just to what you can pack in you storage compartments.

[fixit5561]

I use 4"X6" treatedblocks cut to 12" longfor my 6 jacks on the trailer (I added two jacks right in front of the tires to help with bounce because of the Equaflex I put on) and then have 2-2"X6" 6' long and 2- 5/4 decking 6' long for side leveling. It seems to work for me.

[fhenn]

Patrick,
You just got thru with a major remodeling of your stick built house, and do not have any surplus paint left over???? hmmm let me mull this over.

[shoetravel]

Frank, I don't think "pumpkin spice" or "burnt umber(?)"are appropriate colors to paint my leveling blocks (the wife picks the interior colors, not me). On the other hand, I'll finish painting the new patio roofnext weekend andif any left over paint I might use that. There is a fancy name for the color but to me it looks like battleship gray.

[swright]

I have three 2x6's and one 1x6. All have a 45 cut on the end to make it easier to drive up on.

Also have some holes drilled in all boards and I use a few tent stakes poked through the hole to keep them planted while I drive up on them.

We normally only have to use the 1x6 and one of the 2x6's

[calliopeguy]

I've been using scrap 2 x 6 pieces for many years with no problems. I never store them in the storage areas however.....more often than not they collect mud or something.....just throw them into the back of the truck. I did have a small piece fall thru the crack at the bottom of the tailgate once so now I always put them up next to the cab. The plastic (re-cycled?) decking material sounds interesting however. I have a gravel pad at home to store my rig and I've gone thru quite a few 2 x ? over the years. Never thought about plastic. anybody have any negatives using plastic or recycled planks?

[wayne]

I too once used treated wood blocks. Then some friends gave us a set of LYNX LEVELERS. Boy what an easy way to level. They interlock with each other and each block will give you about a 1 inch lift. Self storing in a zippered bag and lightweight. I'll never go back to wood blocks. Hope everyone enjoys a safe summer of camping.

[Cajun TBoy]

I have both wood and lynk and use them for jacks or under tires. I have two set of lynks and they work best for changing a blow out which it seams like I have had alot of experience lately. Three in four months that no fun. A lot easier than a jack.

[Kamper Dave]

We have a real combo:

Lynx Plastic.

(2) big blocks made of (2) 2"x 10" blocks glued and screwed together with the wood grain perpendicular.

Slabs of plywood 1/2"& 1/4".



Talked with a camper in Wyoming with 12" high solid wooden stands under his landing gear. The thought being that the less the gear is extended to more rigid and stable it is.

He may be correct....... I just don't have that kind of room in the basement.



Now, there is aman that could camp in 4 spoke sand and still pull out.

Kamper Dave

[BillF]

I got rid of the lumber eight years ago. I have 3 bags of linx levelers & use them for everything except under the front landing gear. There I use two 4X6 blocks with a rope between so I can pick them up together. The Linx Levers solve all my leveling problems and can even be used to hold up a sewer hoze so it drains properly. They are well worth the price.

[handyhank]

I took a 2x6x8ft piece of wood and cut it into 1 foot long pieces, screwed them togeather giving me 2 blocks 51/2"x 8"x12" and use them in the back for the rear stabilizing jacks. I also use my cordless dril to run the jack up or down.....handy hank

[calliopeguy]

I just use pieces of green treated 2 x 10 for everything. A word of caution however about using elevated block under the front jack stands. Unless you remember to block the wheels or use the brakes you could bounce the jacks stands off the blocks when hook/unhooking. I used sections of a green 6 x 6 with a door handle screwed on for about 10 years until one day I came as close as I ever want to be slipping off the blocks. I do not want to find out what a sudden 6" fall does to the landing gear. Now I just use a 2 x 6 pad.

[Kamper Dave]

calliopeguy,

Thanks for the safety tip. I never thought of falling off of the blocks.

We do leave the wheel chocks in place until the last. In fact, we just got those new between the wheel sissors type wheel chocks. We went to purchase a landing gear stabilizer and the salesman talked us into buying them. He said if the wheels are frozen in one spot then the RV will be stabilized on it's own. We will see in a few weeks if he is correct.

Kamper dave

[fhenn]

Patrick, Do not forget to post the pictures of your blocks, when you paint them that wonderful color

Edited by: fhenn

[papa2]

Originally Posted by Kamper Dave

calliopeguy,

Thanks for the safety tip. I never thought of falling off of the blocks.

We do leave the wheel chocks in place until the last. In fact, we just got those new between the wheel sissors type wheel chocks. We went to purchase a landing gear stabilizer and the salesman talked us into buying them. He said if the wheels are frozen in one spot then the RV will be stabilized on it's own. We will see in a few weeks if he is correct.

Kamper dave

Great safety point! The first thing I do when parking is chocking the wheels, and dechocking (is that a word?) is the last thing I do before pulling away. My brother-in-law learned this the hard way at Pokagon State Park in Indiana. He had just purchased his second travel trailer and was taking it out for the first time. Backed into the site, put down the front jack and got in the truck to pull forward away from the hitch. He looked into his rear view mirror just in time to see his new trailer go over the edge and roll into the ravine.



He was lucky, new electric jack and some minor dents. Even luckier that the park just happened to have some heavy construction equipment which they used to pull the trailer out of the ravine and put it on site. Needless to say he now follows my setup/take down procedure and blocks the wheels before unhooking and removing last thing before departing.

[gtoguy1967]

Wow, Al, Think what could have happened if there was a someone camped behind them with young kids. Some times it takes stories like this to realize what we are or are not doing.