Leveling blocks? Size & how many?

[Timber Wolf]

Someday, sooner rather than later, I will complete enough of the repairs/refurbishment on my new-to-me Scamp 16 to take it on the road. With a view toward actually using it I am considering making some leveling blocks of various sizes. Being a reformed Construction Worker and unrepentant pack-rat I have a plethora of pressure treated wood scraps. Stuff such as 1X4, 5/4 (1” nominal) X6, 2X4, 2X6, & 4X4. Probably others but these are easy to lay hands on and I have plenty so don’t mind cutting them up. So the question is, what sizes & lengths is it worthwhile to carry (on average)? Some for the stabilizer legs, some to back a wheel up on, maybe a pad for the tongue jack? What are y’all using?

[mary and bob]

We just carry about 5 or 6 short pieces of 1 X 6. Might need one or two under a tire, one under each stabilizer. Also one of those folding camp shovels because rather than raise one wheel way up I prefer to make a small depression to lower a wheel. Of course if it's a paved campsite the shovel won't work, but those are usually close to level. Sometimes I've just scraped away some dirt with one of my boards. Like you I have all kinds of scrap lumber, so see no need to buy the plastic leveling blocks.

[captsteve2002]

I use 1 x 10 with 1/4" ply gluded to both sides, under the wheels. I find that the tires sit better on the slightly wider blocks. On the stabilizers and front jacks I use 1 x 6. I also have some scrap peices of plastic borads that I will trying on my next trip to San Diego.

[Carol H]

Just a caution in regards to using wood for blocks in damp/wet weather. Wood can and will get slippery and if your camped on a sloop and someone pushes on the trailer it can slide sideways off of the wood leaving the wheel chock & wood in place & if the tongue wheel isn't in a wheel holder the trailer might decide to take a little trip of its own. Even a light untended push off by someones feet while leaving the trailer may be all it takes. Learned that the hard way!

[Timber Wolf]

Good ideas, thanks. I have lots of 1/4", 5/16", & 3/8" plywood scraps. Whatever is still left over after I finish working inside the Scamp. I could nest a couple of PT boards side-by-side and laminate the top with the plywood. It would spread the load and help prevent splitting of the boards.

Thanks for the tip about the trailer sliding, I honestly had not thought about it. I was considering adding a wheel to my tongue jack but the little Scamp is so easy to move around as-is I decided it was not worth it. I was maneuvering it around the driveway by hand right after we got it home and my daughter (10 years old) said “Daddy we don’t even need a truck, you can just pull it!”

[floyd]

Those plastic "lego" blocks are worth buying. They are strong, compact, lightweight,and versatile.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

Thanks for the tip about the trailer sliding, I honestly had not thought about it.

Neither had I or the dozen or so people that watched it all unfold! I had been using the wood for levelling for a few years without incident. The good news was the tongue wheel was in a holder so the trailer only did a minor spin.... due to the site not being level any which way when the trailers wheel slipped off the wood levelling block the rear stabilizers came off the ground as well.... bad news was that small spin resulted in a minor contact with a tree....

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by floyd

Those plastic "lego" blocks are worth buying. They are strong, compact, lightweight,and versatile.

Ugly as sin and expensive for what you get too, BUT I broke down and bought a set. They sure are easy to use.

How many blocks you need depend on where you camp. Most campgrounds two or three under a tire is more than enough. If boondocking you may need more, as well as under the stabilizers on softer ground.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by floyd

Those plastic "lego" blocks are worth buying. They are strong, compact, lightweight,and versatile.

Yup and come with a case to stack them away neatly even when dirty. Cant own enough of them!

[Jon Vermilye]

I carry a set of "Leggo" blocks, but most of the time, for the wheels my Anderson Leveler is all I need. I try to avoid blocks under the tongue jack for the reason Carol mentioned - I had the trailer slip off 4" worth of tongue jack blocks - scary!

[RogerDat]

I like the Lego blocks, come in a bag, store as a cube or can be split up into a couple in the car and the rest in the camper storage.

On wood ones I have seen a staggered arrangement of 2 x 6's say a 3 ft. one with a 2 ft. one on top of it, then a 1 ft. one on top of that. The person had two and in travel the two sets of "steps" nested facing each other low end of one to high end of the other. Formed a compact "bar" of two sets of "steps".

Not sure if each "step" needs to be a foot, just used that dimension to explain.

[Raz]

A bevel on the end of the thicker wood blocks minimizes movement as you drive on to them. Raz