Raising motorhome

[bailey4141]

Hi,
My driveway is sloped downward from garage. If I were to back it in so that the rear tires were at the high level and the parking brake would apply to them. Then built up under the front levelers knowing that the front tires would leave the ground. Would that be ok/safe so that I could change the oil and let the slide out outs too?
Thanks!

 

[pconroy]

I guess it would depend on the slope as to how much it would bug me being under there. Blocked, chocked, in park and parking brake on... Moderate to small slope and I'd probably be willing to work under mine.

 

[dwaynebmsg]

DON"T! Too many potential problems. The rear of my motor home is higher than the front due to property slope. I got 2 x 8s and built ramps that I back my front tires up onto (stairsteps). Been using them for two years and I run my slide-outs in and out. I also built leveling jack pads, about 4" thick that I carry with me to keep from having to extend my jacks out so much.

 

[JFlightRisk]

I wouldn't do that on a bet. Something unknown could happen and hurt or kill you. The only way I'll get under anything is it's on level ground with proper chocks, jack, and jackstands. Please be safe about this. We don't want bad things to happen to our members.

 

[SmokeyBear-JAY]

As others have said, DON'T DO IT! The risk for harm or death is too great. Is it really worth it to save the cost of an oil change once in a while? NO!

 

[stu stoner]

Our driveway is on a slope, such that to level the RV I have to get a 11" block under each front tire. I do this by using the front levelers to lift the front end up until I can get the blocks under the tires and then retract the jacks. Of course, the e-brakes are on as well. I do this for 3 reasons, first I can fire up the fridge and my wife can stock it prior to a trip. Second, I can easily get under the RV to lube the front end and change the oil, and third I can operate the slides in and out, for cleaning, lubing, etc. The RV is as stable as it would be on level ground. Been doing this for years. Use basic geometry to determine how thick the blocks need to be for your situation.

 

[Glamper64]

Just take it in for an oil change...I don't think anybody is set up properly to change oil in their driveway...what do you do with the old dirty oil?
Just not worth saving the few bucks of doing it yourself and the risk of spilling oil or blood Imo

 

[stu stoner]

Most service stations/body shops around here in Central Pa will accept used oil.

 

[norty1]

I had a small pickup come off a ramp and ran over part of me. Ruptured my spleen and bruised my pancreas and kidneys and broke some ribs. I'm lucky to be alive. I would never recommend putting your self in danger under something that was not blocked up in more than one way.

Besides it hurt!

 

[Redhawk 26M]

Just take it in for an oil change...I don't think anybody is set up properly to change oil in their driveway...what do you do with the old dirty oil?
Just not worth saving the few bucks of doing it yourself and the risk of spilling oil or blood Imo

No setup needed to do an oil change in a driveway. I get under mine without any lifting of the RV. From the right side just behind the coach door. The oil drain plug and filter are easy access. The waste oil is taken by any shop or parts store. Save a few bucks? My neighbor took his RV in locally and paid $250 for an oil 'n filter change. Two jugs of Mobil 1 full synth and an OEM filter cost me $60.

 

[435-fht]

My driveways is sloped also. I haven't changed my oil, but I replaced the front sway bar and a lot of other under carriage work using wooden ramps out of some scrap 2x10" material. Six layers thick and the longest piece is 57".

When I drive up on the ramps, I have my wife as a second pair of eyes guiding me. I built mine after seeing this, but with fewer layers;

 

[pconroy]

Just take it in for an oil change...I don't think anybody is set up properly to change oil in their driveway...what do you do with the old dirty oil?
Just not worth saving the few bucks of doing it yourself and the risk of spilling oil or blood Imo

Oil changes on the E450 are insanely easy to do. As mentioned, just about any oil change place takes the used oil. So do most auto parts stores.

It's not a "few" bucks, it's "quite a few" saved.

 

[Glamper64]

If you're set up good and safe, sure go ahead and go to the store, buy the oil, come back home, crawl under the vehicle, do the change, crawl back out and take the dirty oil somewhere and save a few bucks
Don't forget the lube job, filters, and multi point check
It's not that I'm lazy, I change over the seasonal tires on two vehicles every year...it's the convivence of a one stop 15 minute oil change and the free coffee

 

[Redhawk 26M]

If you're set up good and safe, sure go ahead and go to the store, buy the oil, come back home, crawl under the vehicle, do the change, crawl back out and take the dirty oil somewhere and save a few bucks
Don't forget the lube job, filters, and multi point check
It's not that I'm lazy, I change over the seasonal tires on two vehicles every year...it's the convivence of a one stop 15 minute oil change and the free coffee

There's no "set up good and safe". Vehicle is parked in the driveway, no lifting. No going to the store, oil and filter delivered to the door. Drive two miles at my convenience to drop off the waste oil. Save a few bucks? Yeah, more than 150 of them. Multi point check? LOL! I don't drink coffee. Convenience is doing it right here and not making appointments.

 

[pconroy]

Convenience is doing it right here and not making appointments.

I'm someone who knows their limitations. There are a gazillion things on the beast that I won't do. I'm not doing the pads this time. And I'm not checking the wheel bearings. That's something I'm more than happy to pay Rush Truck Center to do.

But like you, doing my own O/C is not only convenient, it's knowing that some gorilla didn't overtighten the filter, didn't strip the drain plug. And knowing that exactly the right amount of oil that I want goes into the tummy.

Saving $150 is nice too.
And the coffee at my local Grease Monkey is bloody awful.

 

[jyh818]

I've done an oil change on a different vehicle once on a sloped driveway like the OP's. What I did was pull the car forward into the garage where only the front wheels are just inside the level garage floor. The vehicle is tilted nose up. Then I crawled under the vehicle from the front, NOT from the sides and did my oil change. This was on a Lexus E330. I've never done it on the E450 so I'm not sure if it's high enough. The ES330 is very low to the ground so with this technique, I didn't need to jack it up.

 

[Glamper64]

The coffee at my oil place is McDonalds Keurig and I'm lucky to finish it before my O/C is done...also no appointments needed and no gorilla's just efficient men/women doing only O/C's plus checking/topping up all fluids, check/add air to tires and I can watch it all while sipping my delicious coffee all for $149 full synthetic. And most important, no changing into oil soaked clothes and crawling under a vehicle with just enough room to catch the oil in a salad bowl you stole from the wife
Saving $150 is exaggerated not to mention the inconvenience/time lost and potential oil spill

 

[Redhawk 26M]

The coffee at my oil place is McDonalds Keurig and I'm lucky to finish it before my O/C is done...also no appointments needed and no gorilla's just efficient men/women doing only O/C's plus checking/topping up all fluids, check/add air to tires and I can watch it all while sipping my delicious coffee all for $149 full synthetic. And most important, no changing into oil soaked clothes and crawling under a vehicle with just enough room to catch the oil in a salad bowl you stole from the wife
Saving $150 is exaggerated not to mention the inconvenience/time lost and potential oil spill

If the local place charges $250 and I can do it for $60, that's $150 if my calculator is correct. Even if it's only $150, that's still a $90 savings (if my calculator is correct). And it's done in less time than it takes to drive to and from the shop. Inconvenience? None at all. I have an oil drain pan, no need for a salad bowl and never a drop spilled. Oil soaked clothes? C'mon...

 

[Glamper64]

I see you're not getting my attempts at humor, also you have yet to mention the super fun part...crawling under a vehicle and burning yourself on a hot manifold/muffler

 

[Bugzilla46310]

If the drain plug is at the front or rear of the oil pan, is there even a need to level it to change the oil? Just pull in or back in so the drain is on the low side. Park on level to check the oil.