Motorhome Leveling with Blocks

[Jopopsy]

For those of you that pre-level your rig with blocks before deploying your auto-levelers, let me ask you a question.

I’m trying to figure out exactly how many bags of legos (Lynx or Camco take your pick) are really needed. It was much easier to figure out when you had 3 points to level (trailer) vs. 4 points (motorhome).

So - 1 bag of legos gives you a 4” rise max. If the coach is uniformly nose down, you could use 2 bags of legos to bring the nose up.

So we’re at 2 bags. However, if you use one bag under each front wheel, you may now need to add some under the front jacks to accomodate the 4” of height you just added to the equation. 4”, 8 more legos. 3 bags for the front.

Now, if you’re off side to side, you ‘could’ need one bag for the front tire, and 2 bags for the back dualies. Plus an additional bag for the levelers. 4 bags.

If its a compound correction, meaning you’re going down front to back AND side to side, I actually think that’s the easiest to solve. Raise the lowest tire and call it a day. 2 bags if its one of the back corners, another bag for that rear jack (with some to spare). So 3 bags still.

And we didn’t even account for the minimum 1 lego for a jack to land on to give some support. *full disclosure I put 1 hosspad minimum under each leveling jack to give a good solid base*

That’s a lot of legos ! Anybody else as OCD about this as I am?

Helpful tip of the day - Camco makes a nice double sized lego - works great for rear dualies on a Class ‘C’. https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Levelin...42&sr=8-6&th=1

[RetiredOne]

Kinda not the same, but I would think it first depends on how level your site is.

I don't have auto levelers on my rig (I'm the leveler), and I have 2 bags of Lynx. I have yet had to use all of them all at one time, even with putting them under 3 corners.

[Jopopsy]

I guess I’ve been on some really unlevel sites. I’ve had full leveler throw with my tires hanging in the air and STILL not level. Though now I tend to pay for the premium sites to avoid things like that.

[SloPoke]

Even when the site is not level... Blocks always work

Leveling jacks not needed

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Though now I tend to pay for the premium sites to avoid things like that.

Now that you've got your Top Shelf rig, it's time to up your game with the premium sites... After all, you've got a image to maintain!!

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

Now that you've got your Top Shelf rig, it's time to up your game with the premium sites... After all, you've got a image to maintain!!

[hoppers4]

I use two bags of singles and 1 bag of dual blocks. I also put blocks under my levelers to reduce the amount of extension necessary. There have been times when I've used most of the blocks so as to keep the wheels from losing contact.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Even when the site is not level... Blocks always work

Leveling jacks not needed

Leveling jacks are still a desirable feature to reduce house movement.

[EA37TS]

Maybe I'm the odd ball here.

When we had the class c a number of years back I had 2 packs of the Lynx blocks. One pack of them is still in the box and has never been used.

When we got the Class A with leveling jacks I never needed the blocks. All the blocks did for me was take up storage space.

Now that we have the Super C with leveling jacks, once again I have not needed the blocks so I gave my SIL and daughter a pack to use with their new trailer and one pack is still unopened and never used in the garage. I will more than likely give those to the SIL to get them out of the garage.

I have never been on a site that was so bad the leveling jacks couldn't handle the terrain and if it looked like a site was that far out of level I asked for a different site. RV Park Reviews is a good way to get info on how bad parks may be as far as leveling goes.

[memphis02]

My Seneca has a bad reputation for squishing the legos and the plastic wheel chocks. I keep a bag of them with us, but I tend to use them for leveling picnic tables and letting the kids play with them more than for their intended purpose. I bought a treated 2x12 and cut up planks for the wheels and a treated 6x6 for the jacks. I noticed a bit of a wiggle when my jacks were stroked out over 50% and having them tucked in closer seems to eliminate that sensation. Some may not wish to deal with the heft and inconvenience of the boards, but I like them better.
This was at yellowstone where there was almost 10" difference between the front and rear wheels in the campsite. -We had to get creative on this one!! (and as you can see, the legos were relegated to shoring up the steps)

[gymracer]

I have a Super C and have never used anything but the jacks. I thought I read in my manual never to get the wheels completely off the ground. My jacks will do that, so I don't see how you would need blocks under the jacks. I would not park where it was that unlevel. Of course most places we park are race tracks and are mostly level.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by gymracer

I have a Super C and have never used anything but the jacks. I thought I read in my manual never to get the wheels completely off the ground. My jacks will do that, so I don't see how you would need blocks under the jacks. I would not park where it was that unlevel. Of course most places we park are race tracks and are mostly level.

The reason is mostly anal. I do it simply to reduce the workload of the leveling system by reducing the stroke it has to take. I always put as many blocks as I can under the jacks no matter how level the site. It's absolutely not necessary.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

the reason is mostly anal. I do it simply to reduce the workload of the leveling system by reducing the stroke it has to take. I always put as many blocks as i can under the jacks no matter how level the site. It's absolutely not necessary.

x2 !

[smt29camper]

We try to pick as level of a spot as we can, but the world is round and our RV fridge likes to be level. We have one set of lego blocks and 2 x 6 short blocks for the wheels, Jayco lists that the wheels should not be hanging. We also have 4 4x6-12" on a rope for the levelers. It is interesting that my Jayco owners manual states in two different places conflicting ways of putting out the slides. One spots states to level first then put out slides and in another spot that you put out the slides and then level. We try to level with the wheels, support with the jacks (not using the automatic system) and then put out the slides.

[memphis02]

Originally Posted by smt29camper

We try to pick as level of a spot as we can, but the world is round and our RV fridge likes to be level. We have one set of lego blocks and 2 x 6 short blocks for the wheels, Jayco lists that the wheels should not be hanging. We also have 4 4x6-12" on a rope for the levelers. It is interesting that my Jayco owners manual states in two different places conflicting ways of putting out the slides. One spots states to level first then put out slides and in another spot that you put out the slides and then level. We try to level with the wheels, support with the jacks (not using the automatic system) and then put out the slides.

This is nearly the same procedure we follow and it has served us well. Until I get my dump valves installed, we also do the "up-down-up-down" maneuver to remove all the air out of the bags to accommodate a lower leveling height.

[cherv]

premium sites relieve the hassle. regular sites seem to be getting worse lately???

[Click_here]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

The reason is mostly anal. I do it simply to reduce the workload of the leveling system by reducing the stroke it has to take. I always put as many blocks as I can under the jacks no matter how level the site. It's absolutely not necessary.

Same reasoning for us. However I took a 4x4 pressure treated piece of lumber, cut it into two 18" sections and notched it so I could lay one over the other in a flat X, drilled a hole in one end and strung a heavy nylon cord that I knotted into a loop.

I use two of them at a time, typically, under the rear. In my driveway at home, backed in, the slope would mean my jacks were completely extended for a few weeks at time and I preferred to not expose/extend them that far, since the drive is not level at all.

And I carry one of those gaffing hooks like you might have on a boat to grab a life jacket that fell overboard, in order to drag them from under the rig when putting them away in the back right storage bin. Also sometimes use those flat orange pads that are smooth on one side and a hex pattern on the other for rough surfaces.

[SloPoke]

Wha??? Help me understand what this "Premium Site" stuff is all about. I Googled it... found zip. Searched KOA and found a Premium pull thru vs a standard pull thru with the difference in 18ft of total length. So then I called the KOA reservation line... she laughed at my question.

Seriously now... what are "Premium sites" in a RV park????

[cherv]

Premium sites are level either cement or stone and have a small patio with a garden block fire place and some have out door furniture.

[Click_here]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Wha??? Help me understand what this "Premium Site" stuff is all about. I Googled it... found zip. Searched KOA and found a Premium pull thru vs a standard pull thru with the difference in 18ft of total length. So then I called the KOA reservation line... she laughed at my question.

Seriously now... what are "Premium sites" in a RV park????

Pretty sure they come with a margarita machine and an outdoor projector, but you will need to supply your own big screen, like a white sheet hanging down from the awning...

Or more likely, longer parking spot with 50amp and a good cable connection!