Leveling issues

[Donna D.]

But they ARE cow pastures. I attend hot rod shows and oftentimes they're held at County Fairgrounds. Good thing the cow pies are dry

[Byron Kinnaman]

[Steve L.]

Good thing the cow pies are dry

Have you ever played "Speckles"? You each take a rock and surround a fresh cow pie....

I don't find the tiles onerous, but I'm also a fan of gadgets. This week at lunch I went out and bought a BAL leveler. Worth a try. Lessee, I also have a small torpedo level that buzzes when it's level. Maybe I'll bring that, too, and crank until it buzzes the trailer is level side to side. Then I won't even have to walk back and forth to check the level bubble on the front of the trailer...

[Frederick L. Simson]

...the idea of backing onto a block, getting out of the tug, going to the trailer and looking at the bubble level to see if it's level, getting back in the tug, backing up onto the next block, getting out of the tug........

is more than I want to deal with.

My Dr. says I need more exercise. This counts, don't it?

[Lisa M.]

Thanks, everyone, for your valuable input. Bobbie showed her BAL Leveler off to me at the Lake Casita Rally a few weeks ago and I decided then and there I wanted one. Then, I got to thinking about it and decided I needed to hear different views. The BAL does sound like the right solution for me. Like Donna and Bobbie, I often camp alone and dealing with the blocks is a pain in the neck. Thanks again!

[Donna D.]

Found a very good set of pictures!
Flicr - Casita/Scamp - Mod - wheel leveler

[BobB]

These look like they might be worth a try.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Found a very good set of pictures!
Flicr - Casita/Scamp - Mod - wheel leveler

Check out the last picture for a unique location for the bubble level! I like it!

[ddayton]

Check out the last picture for a unique location for the bubble level! I like it!

Thank you and Donna for the kind words about my pictures ... I can attest that the BAL leveler works just as easily as the pictures seem to make it.
Don

[GeorgeR]

I just ordered dual axle Bigfoot 21RB. Is it possible to use two BAL levelers on dual axle trailer or this would be just too complex. My experiences with leveling legos were always hit and miss.

George

[Donna D.]

Thank you and Donna for the kind words about my pictures ... I can attest that the BAL leveler works just as easily as the pictures seem to make it.
Don

You're welcome Don. I would have given you credit, but there wasn't any "owner" information on the site. The BAL lever works as advertised (a very satisfied user)

[Frederick L. Simson]

Is it possible to use two BAL levelers on a dual axle trailer or this would be just too complex?

The only complexity I can think of: What is your tolerance level for alternately wrenching each leveler [b]one revolution at a time, so that they effectively lift the load together?

[Brian B-P]

I'm sure that this tandem axle issue came up in a previous discussion of the BAL Leveler; unfortunately, I don't remember the result.

The only complexity I can think of: What is your tolerance level for alternately wrenching each leveler [b]one revolution at a time, so that they effectively lift the load together?

I doubt that it would be necessary to bring the two wheels up in such close synchronism. As long as one isn't more than an inch or two ahead of the other, I would expect the equalizer between the springs will handle the difference, keeping the load reasonably distributed between the axles.

If they are too far out of synch, even if the load is okay, there might be an issue with the interaxle distance changing, and thus disagreeing with the leveler spacing, so I would not try to jack one wheel up a lot - like the four inches required for some camp sites - before even starting on the other.

If either keeping them in synch or the time to crank up twice are issues, then the "more power" solution would be to simultaneously use a power tool (presumably a cordless impact gun) on each leveler... one in each hand. It might be worth doing if only to see the reaction of the people in the next campsite. More seriously, I personally don't know how well these work with an impact tool, but someone must have tried it and can comment.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I know the Bal leveler has to have some weight limit. I wonder if any trailer with a tandem axle wouldn't over load the leveler. All the weight is directly on the threads of the lead screw and block.

[ddayton]

There is a BAL wheel leveler on EBAY for a 'buy it now' price of $52.00 plus shipping at
http://tinyurl.com/2fptzk
Item runs for another day and about 14 hours.
Don

[Bruce B.]

Post #18 on this thread said they contacted the company (BAL) and the leveler is rated for 1700 lbs.

Also, according to the information provided on the Camping World site, it says "Level your popup or lightweight single axle trailer from side to side in minutes."

Not sure if the BAL leveler will work for multiple axle applications, but more research certainly seems in order. I'm a newbie, so I certainly don't know.

I've been following this thread with mutual interest. Hope this helps.

[Brian B-P]

The possibility of overloading is the reason that reasonably even load distribution between the axles is important, as Frederick mentioned.

At 1700 lb of capacity per BAL leveler, that's 3400 lb per axle; for comparison, Bigfoot 2500-series tandem-axle trailers have 3500 lb axles, cannot reach that level without slightly exceeding GVWR, and would have to carry a ton (literally) of water and cargo to get there. I think I would be willing to give it a try with something like a Bigfoot 25B21, although of course the device would not be suitable for a four-ton box-on-wheels, and would be too awkward with a triple axle trailer... but there are no four-ton or triple-axle lightweight moulded fiberglass travel trailers.

Any trailer with only a single axle of less than 3500 lb capacity is "lightweight" by industry standards, so BAL's application note makes sense. On the Norco Industries product page for the BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler, the description starts with

Designed for single axle trailers only,

Has anyone asked them about application to tandems, such as what problems might be encountered?

[Brian B-P]

Here are some previous topics which discussed the BAL leveler (among other things), generally in chronological order (newest on top):

• Trailer level and chock
• Getting parked and set-up, Great View? Check! Walk Dog? Check. Set Brake? . . .
• BAL Wheel Leveler, Options for Twin Axles
• Will you Level with me?, In Campgrounds, Is one side more often lower?
• Leveling and stabilizing
• Stabilizing Jacks
• parked unlevel for extended time--is it ok?
• Great ideas..., ...that just didn't work

The third one is that previous discussion of tandem axles - it had no solution to the problem of lifting two axles together: we instead discussed lifting on the frame.

[GeorgeR]

The possibility of overloading is the reason that reasonably even load distribution between the axles is important, as Frederick mentioned.

At 1700 lb of capacity per BAL leveler, that's 3400 lb per axle; for comparison, Bigfoot 2500-series tandem-axle trailers have 3500 lb axles, cannot reach that level without slightly exceeding GVWR, and would have to carry a ton (literally) of water and cargo to get there. I think I would be willing to give it a try with something like a Bigfoot 25B21, although of course the device would not be suitable for a four-ton box-on-wheels, and would be too awkward with a triple axle trailer... but there are no four-ton or triple-axle lightweight moulded fiberglass travel trailers.

Any trailer with only a single axle of less than 3500 lb capacity is "lightweight" by industry standards, so BAL's application note makes sense. On the Norco Industries product page for the BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler, the description starts with

Has anyone asked them about application to tandems, such as what problems might be encountered?

Assuming that my 21’ Bigfoot trailer will weight 5,000 lb. loaded which is 2500 lb. per side and 1250 lb. per wheel. If I would use 2 BAL lifters per side this could be OK. The question is how cumbersome this would be versus using legos.

During ordering Bigfoot 21RB I was researching which style of BAL stabilizing jacks Bigfoot is putting on their 2500 on their trailers. My conclusion is that they are using T-type jacks not my preference of C-type jacks. C-type jacks are more robust and can accept BAL electric drive attachment. Bigfoot is welding vertical tabs to the frame and bolt jacks to these tabs. I am still weighting for Bigfoot response if they can attach C-type jacks which could require different tabs.

George.

[Brian B-P]

I sent this question to Customer Service at Norco Industries:

I realize that the BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler is intended for single-axle applications, but would it be workable for a light (less than 3400 lb/axle) tandem application, if I were willing to use two of them and alternate cranking them up a few turns at a time?

and promptly received this reply:

It would only work if they could go up simultaneously. They can't. We do not recommend it.

If I had two of these things and a light tandem trailer, I'd give it a try... but wouldn't blame Norco if they jammed or wouldn't go up properly. I suspect it can work, but the obvious choice would be to go with the experts - the people who make them - and assume that the BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler is viable only for single-axle applications. Too bad.