RiverkernB
California
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Joined: 05/17/2008
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Thanks for the info and links. Will call Northwest or RV Denver on Tuesday about the Fiamma ramps. Sounds like they might be easier to use for a couple of senior citizens (I mean mature travelers).
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jjson775
Texas
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Joined: 11/27/2005
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I would like to reinforce what Dick B says about making sure that the entire footprint of the tire is supported by the blocks or ramps. If you leave part of the tire unsupported overnight, it can seriously weaken the tire, potentially setting yourself up for trouble on the highway.
Jim
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krell
Salem, Oregon
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Joined: 04/14/2003
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We have been using our ramps bought at Camping World for five years now. One of the many poor quality and design issues we have suffered through in owning this RoadTrek is that the van is much higher at the rear, even when parking on a slight uphill. This makes it a necessity to run the front wheels up on the ramps so the shower water will drain to the rear. With the ramps, you don't have to get out and re-stack blocks. I just pull forward until my wife says the bubble level on the counter by the sink is about right. For left-right height adjustments, I just stagger the ramp positions fore-aft a few inches. The whole operation just takes half a minute. You do have to be very careful not to drive over the end to the ramp. The one time my wife tried to level the van when I was busy resulted in some broken fiberglas when the ramps flipped up and got wedged. Almost punctured the fresh water tank.
Steve
'03 RoadTrek 200P
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LVJJJ
NW WASHINGTON
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Joined: 12/29/2006
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I also agree with DickB, gotta support the whole tire. In fact, I don't use the orange Lynx levelors anymore because it looks to me like the 4 high bumps on them can also damage a tire, plus we used to break at least one per camping trip. Unstead, I use the yellow ones that look more like Legos. They have smooth tops, seem to be much stronger and stack and store easier (they don't have those high bumps that hang up on things when stuffing them in storage compartments). b4 the yellow ones came out, I cut little pieces of plywood to fit in between the bumps to make sure the tires wouldn't be stressed.
1965 CHEVY VAN, 292 "Big Block 6"
2005 ROADTREK 170 ('05 CHEVY VAN)
2006 RAINIER 20' TT
2008 HHR
L(Larry)V(Vicki)J(Jennifer)J(Jesse)J(Jason)
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Huck BB62
Alaska
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Joined: 08/03/2007
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krell wrote:We have been using our ramps bought at Camping World for five years now. One of the many poor quality and design issues we have suffered through in owning this RoadTrek is that the van is much higher at the rear, even when parking on a slight uphill. This makes it a necessity to run the front wheels up on the ramps so the shower water will drain to the rear. With the ramps, you don't have to get out and re-stack blocks. I just pull forward until my wife says the bubble level on the counter by the sink is about right. For left-right height adjustments, I just stagger the ramp positions fore-aft a few inches. The whole operation just takes half a minute. You do have to be very careful not to drive over the end to the ramp. The one time my wife tried to level the van when I was busy resulted in some broken fiberglas when the ramps flipped up and got wedged. Almost punctured the fresh water tank.
Krell, that's not a poor quality design flaw, that's a one ton chassis and they're built to one size fits all. To be able to build a heavy RV, the rear springs have to be able to accomodate varying needs. Some might tow with their RT and have a heavy tongue weight. If they built it to ride level from the factory, a trailer would have the hitch dragging in the road! If you want a customizeable ride height, have the heavy overload (the short stiff spring) taken completely out and install heavy duty air bags. You will then have a van that drives smoother and you can adjust the ride height to your load.
The ramps are dangerous. Your wife isn't the only one I've seen drive off the end of them! I've also seen ramps fail. I don't trust them. (well, the above listed ramps would hold a battleship, but you wouldn't want to take them camping either!)
I saw a picture of one of the posters on Roger's website that had a pretty darned nice idea, he used cheap screwjacks under the front end. This would accomplish two things, it would level the van, and it would make the van solid so as to minimize the van moving around while you're camping. Good idea!
'07 Roadtrek Popular 210
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Hallibagger
Picton, Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 01/09/2007
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Being cheap I made some blocks out of some scrap 2"x 8" lumber, tapered the front and rear and made them stackable, the lower one being longer so when they are stacked it looks like one block.
To prevent the top block from moving I countersunk 4 screws into the wood of the shorter blocks so that the points barely protruded and this stopped the top block from slipping off the lower one. I have two shorts and two longs. To give a max of 4" of lift on any two wheels! I just store them in the bottom of the outside storage compartments.
If 4" is not enough, I move!
If you want them wider go to 2" x 10". There are usually scraps long enough on most new house construction projects. Just ask the contractors to save you some.
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thriftydutch
Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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Hallibagger, you got to stop using that word CHEAP. It is thrifty. The wooden blocks that I have are 2" x 10" 1 long and 1 short screwed together. I have a pair and there is nothing on the market that is as good. Mine never sink into the ground and the tires are always on a solid surface. They take up no more space than the store bought plastic. Price ( 4 free pieces of wood )
1990 L.E.R. Dodge B 250 Class B 17'
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LVJJJ
NW WASHINGTON
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Joined: 12/29/2006
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I use yellow legoes because of weight, and easy storage.
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mmckell
Central Valley, CA
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Joined: 04/14/2008
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Levelling is still a challenge for me in my RT 170P. I hate getting in and out, in and out of the van to add more blocks. I haven't used a bubble level on top of my counter since I realized that the counter itself is a bit warped (especially right in front of the sink). I think I read in an earlier post here about an EZLevel by RV Innovations that is shaped like a plus sign and is placed on the floor in the center of the rig. It claims to allow you to level both axis.Lights flash at at each point red or green. I bought one but still have trouble getting them all green. I'm pretty frustrated! I realize it's important to get the refrig level but achieving front to back and side to side level hasn't been easy. My spare is inside the back of the van under right rear seat but often the EZ level tells me to raise the left side of van, which seems opposite of what should be, tho the regrig, etc are on the left side. Also I have a storage pod container mounted in the rear trailer hitch but I try to keep weight evenly distributed side to side. I've thought of opening the refrig door and putting bubble level on top of door but aren't I only levelling it front to back then?
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kking
Lowell, MA
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Joined: 02/18/2008
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rockhillmanor wrote:Leveling blocks are lightweight and easy to store in the bag they come in, they fit in my smallest bay.
Don't buy the open weave ones they break. Get the solid ones. 
A little square flat bubble level placed on the dog house between your cup holders when you start to park, can eliminate about 80% of the times you would have normally had to level the RV.
Just moving around a bit while you are still behind the wheel using the flat bubble level as a guide WILL find the level spot within most sites.
The best $3.00 I've spent so far for the MH. 
If you use the type of level in the above quoted post you'll be doing front to back and side to side at the same time. And it's my understanding that a level in the fridge is the best way to make sure it is level.
The map shows the states my wife and I have driven (or camped) in together.
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