Maintenance & Restoration

Lfoxmont · 09-25-2012, 05:16 PM

Carol H - are those curved stops purchased separately? So.......you just put a few of those block pads down and it self levels? Do you always put them down on both sides and the wheels come out balanced? Do you carry levels?

rabbit · 09-25-2012, 06:32 PM

"Curved stop" = wheel chock? Wheel chocks are pretty cheap. Small one at WallyMart about 5 bucks. Need one each wheel but one fore and one aft is better if you misjudge a slight slope so need 4.

As for block pads, I guess you mean the LEGGO type leveling pads or something similar. Self-leveling? Don't we wish? Gotta put what you think you need to make up the rise of slope between wheels behind the downslope wheel, back the trailer until the wheel is on top of the stack (or in the case of one "stair" type sytem sitting on the appropriate tread).

I suppose a stick-on vial level on the bumper might tell you which way is up and which downslope and you back onto whatever height stack you think will give you a full bubble. A 2' masonry or carpenter's level could be placed with one end on the bumper and when you've got a centered bubble you could measure the distance to bumper at the other end. That would be the rise in 2'. If the lateral wheelbase is roughly 6' you could multiply the rise in 2' by 3 to get the rise from the downslope tire to the upper and place the required height of blocks or nearest approximation. Lot of trouble and I expect most people take a SWAG at what elevation is necessary, put down the blocks, back on and call good enuf. With the BAL leveler, you can place a 2' or torpedo level on the floor inside the trailer and crank the elevation screw until you get a centered bubble and you're done. (If you use the BAL leveler, you will NOT also chock the wheel on the downslope side.)

To review, backing onto blocks requires a a flair for estimation or a love of cut and try. The BAL Leveler requires only the strength of a small ape and less brainpower. Occasionally you will camp on a site which is truly level athwartships or one with some sort of hump or crown which puts the wheels on a "sweet spot."

Linda, you will learn faster if you arrange to go camping with another small camper owner and go thru all the operations of setting up with his/her assistance. Maybe take your advisor to the store first to get what you need. Nome sane?

jack

Carol H · 09-25-2012, 07:00 PM

Linda yes the curved ones are sold separately but if you already have wheel chocks you can use them instead - just put an extra block on the top row so it sits flat.

It unfortunately not self leveling - dont think any of the options are. I have small stick on levels you get at rv stores - one under the belly band on the side of the trailer that gives me a reading of the front to back level and one on the front of the trailer for the side to side level. Also have a small bulls eye level on flat part of the tongue of the trailer that gives me a pretty good idea as to where its all at before I take the tongue off the tow.

All I do is put the trailer back about a foot or so from where I want to camp take a look at how level it is side to side and lay down the blocks in front of the tire on the low side and then pull the trailer up onto the blocks. Once you have used them a couple of times its pretty easy to tell how many levels you will need to get it level ... even if you get it wrong its not a big deal to back up a foot pop another block on and pull forward again.

I also often use the blocks stacked under the stabilizer jacks at the rear as well - if I used blocks under one of the tires ts a good bet the low side stabilizer isnt going to touch the ground either. Also come in hand to use stacked under the tongue jack in situations where the land sloops away sharply making it impossible to jack the tongue up high enough to clear the hitch ball.

Donna D. · 09-25-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

..........If you need to jack the trailer up to change a tire, put a jack close to the wheel... on the frame... not the axle.
........

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Donna, why is this? Is the axle tube wall thickness so thin that the jack would dent it? I've noticed that the frame adjacent to my axle is thin enough that a jack distorts it when I jack up my trailer.

Thomas, I pay attention to manufacturers suggestions. This is what Dexter axle says "Never jack up or place jack stands on the axle tube or on the equalizers."

Here: http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/...orage_1-12.pdf

Thomas G. · 09-25-2012, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

[/I]

Thomas, I pay attention to manufacturers suggestions. This is what Dexter axle says "Never jack up or place jack stands on the axle tube or on the equalizers."

Here: http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/...orage_1-12.pdf

I believe ya, I just always want to know why. It looks like that ain't a sayin.

rabbit · 09-25-2012, 08:42 PM

lJack Point 76 Sovereign 31'

Tom, review posts on link above. Will tell you why there's a recessed "cross" in the pad atop the piston on automobile bottle jacks. I use the edge of the vertical axle mounting plate which is welded to frame as a jack point. It is lower to the ground than the frame by a couple inches and gives a short jack a chance of getting the tire off the ground without pads under the base. I also trust the stability of the base on most bottle jacks a lot more than I trust the long and skinny footprint of cheap scissors jacks.

jack