blocks, boards or legos - poll

[Janet H]

I have been wondering how folks level their rigs. We travel with few 2 x 6 and 1x6 scraps of lumber for leveling but I've seen all kinds of stuff used at campgrounds to level.

We tried some of those lego-esque plastic leveling blocks but found that they scooted around when we tried to back over them and came away with big clods of dirt when it was time to pack them up - very messy.

I've seen some very cool aluminum cresecent shaped chocks that can be driven up on to level... anyone use those?

Last year I watched a lady drive her SOB up onto a bag of ice to level. It worked - for a while....

So what do you use to even up those less than perfect parking places?

[klattu]

Scrap treated lumber works for me.
But I don't spend all day getting it level, just as long as I don't roll out of bed is good enough

[overlander63]

We use the plastic leveling blocks. I just knock them together to get rid of the dirt. They're also handy to raise a tire off the ground to change a flat, and a lot easier to handle than a 2x6.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by Janet

I have been wondering how folks level their rigs. We travel with few 2 x 6 and 1x6 scraps of lumber for leveling but I've seen all kinds of stuff used at campgrounds to level.

We tried some of those lego-esque plastic leveling blocks but found that they scooted around when we tried to back over them and came away with big clods of dirt when it was time to pack them up - very messy.

I've seen some very cool aluminum cresecent shaped chocks that can be driven up on to level... anyone use those?

Last year I watched a lady drive her SOB up onto a bag of ice to level. It worked - for a while....

So what do you use to even up those less than perfect parking places?

We bought two sets of the "Lego" blocks and I'm pleased with them.

I would have thought that smooth bits of wood would scoot around much more than the lego blocks as the latter do interlock & cannot shift on one another, and I would think the many sharp edges on the bottom layer should dig into the earth more than smooth wood.

They have worked fine for us so far in any case.

We haven't encountered them getting plugged with dirt, but I guess that might happen under muddy conditions - should be easy to rinse with a hose though, and non-absorbent.

I used them last to make a pyramid under one wheel on one axle in order to get the wheel on the other axle up in the air in order to remove and check wheel bearings - worked very well and better than messing with jacks.

With such a high pyramid of interlocking blocks, and with this being done on asphalt in front of our home, I really expected to have problems with the blocks sliding on the smooth asphalt as I tried to back onto the blocks - but they held firm.

I'm happy with them & would buy again!


Brian

PS I think I read another thread talking about those aluminium crescent shaped gadgets that I believe are intended to lift the wheel off the ground for wheel changing.

If we are talking the same thing, I'm not sure they would be good for leveling as I don't imagine you can stop with them part way up - not 100% sure, never used them.

Also I think some folks said they could damage the newer AS axles with rubber suspension and were really meant for older round axles with conventional leaf springs.

[CanoeStream]

Our legos haven't scooted excessively. They are convenient to store and usually clean enough to put right back into a roadside storage compartment. Like Terry says, stuff knocks off fairly easily if there's a decent pad under the trailer. That doesn't always happen on turf. The outside shower works to clean them off then and there, at our next campsite or at home.

Best legos I saw were orange ones cosmotini had. There even was a chock that meshed with the blocks.

[Stefrobrts]

Other - we use the BAL single axle leveler. Best accessory ever! You slide it under the tire on the low side after you're parked and use the provided ratcheting wrench to turn the big screw and it lifts the tire until you're happy with it.

The only problem is that if we're on uneven ground (and we often are) sometimes I have to slide a little piece of board under the tire as we park to lift it enough to slide the leveler under there. But it works great when parked on paved spots, and most dirt/grass campsites, and if we happen to get a level spot to start with we just use it as an extra chock.

BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler - Item - Camping World

[Foiled Again]

Camping World sells the yellow legos, but WalMart and many independent stores sell the orange ones. And I have seen that the yellow ones tend to pick up more dirt. The integrated chocks are handy too. Very sturdy. When I started out I bought the cheap yellow plastic chocks, and promptly forgot I had them and drove right over them while leaving the campground. They might have convincingly stopped a wheelbarrow, but a heavy trailer smashed them flat with NO hesitation that could be felt from the cab.

One thing you shouldn't use the legos for is to put down the front jack, it's too much pressure on a small area. (Or you just sacrifice one lego and use it until every inch of the surface has been maimed.)

Paula

[mistral blue]

2 sets of orange legos and some scrap wood in case I need it for the jack.

[memgrove2000]

We have a set of Four cast aluminum triangles. There are two of each size, one small triangle about 5 inches at the base and 4 inches tall, the outer size is about 14 inches long and 4 or 5 inches tall. with interlocking ridges all over them. they can be used in many different ways. to level the trailer, change a tire or as a tire chock (or all of these at the same time). I thought that I had an old Wally store catalog here with a picture but I cant find it now. I will take a picture when we get over to the trailer next time. They are really cool!

[Royce]

We use the Lynx levelers Tri Lynx Corporation Lynx Levelers. Find they are light weight, strong and work great on any surface we have tried them on. Also bought one of the Lynx chocks to use with the levelers. Lynx has the bonus of being made right here in the good old USA.

[3 Dog Nite]

2 x 6 lumber with beveled ends are what I use. The beveled ends allow the tire to roll up easier. This is important when stacking like a pyramid for a higher lift. I use regular wood as the ramps will crack over time. The cracked wood then goes into the campfire. If you use pressure treated wood, you can't burn it when they crack.

I'm not sure if plastic legos would support my MH over time. They would be used almost daily as we fulltime. Don't want to put those in the fire either.

Ricky

[Isadora]

We use plastic leveling blocks and have never had a problem with scooting--but we back up, put the blocks down and then pull forward onto them. Seems to work really well. So far have not had a problem with dirt getting into them. I do wish they were some other color than bright orange, tho....maybe a nice dark green, or brown.

[Mikethefixit]

We actually have both. It depends on the circumstance. But I mostly use the lumber and although my tongue jack has a sand shoe I always carry a rough cut 2x8x3 that I set the tongue on, I have never had the jack sink yet. It also protects the asphalt under the tongue jack,if that's what we are parked on.

[Kevin245]

We're camping this weekend, and I forgot the 5/4 deck board scraps we use for this purpose. We were high on the curb side, and I had one board for two tires, I was sweating my tail off, and rather disgusted.

So I'm fiddle farting around when finally had a "Forest for the Trees" moment and used the single board to dig two holes to drop the curb side tires into.

Problem solved...No chocks required... and my reward was Beer.

We have the orange legos too, but never have used them.

[Boondocker]

I have both but prefer the wood. The plastic lego things scoot a lot for me.

[FreshAir]

I got 2 set's of the orange legos. With tandem axles I figgered that I'd wish that I had 2 sets but one set is still like new. Ditto on not using them under the tongue jack. I had been placing a board between the jack and legos. With new axles I decided on a tongue jack extension tube. I just made a riser for the stool in front of the step too. New axles raised our coach near 3". That don't sound like much but with Lynn and I suffering with arthritic knees it's a lot. I have a 'reacher' to pick up and place the legos.....and a lot of other stuff. Gotta keep going/Streaming.....or you die.
Neil.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by FreshAir

I got 2 set's of the orange legos. With tandem axles I figgered that I'd wish that I had 2 sets but one set is still like new. Ditto on not using them under the tongue jack. I had been placing a board between the jack and legos. With new axles I decided on a tongue jack extension tube. I just made a riser for the stool in front of the step too. New axles raised our coach near 3". That don't sound like much but with Lynn and I suffering with arthritic knees it's a lot. I have a 'reacher' to pick up and place the legos.....and a lot of other stuff. Gotta keep going/Streaming.....or you die.
Neil.

Having two sets is handy if you want to get one side of the trailer high enough to pull wheels & repack bearings. I don't know that you could do it with one set.

Brian.

[mello mike]

I use old 2x6's to level mine and to act as a base for my stab jacks. The cresent shaped contraption you mentioned is for changing tires on a twin axle trailer. It eliminates the need to jack your trailer up to change the tire.

[Gene]

We have used both. Most of the time the legos get used—they fit in the utility compartment and are light. One already has a crack in it, so they aren't made very well.

If the site is very bad (more than 2" out of level), there's an assortment of wood scraps in the pickup bed. They are heavy, hard to get as they migrate to the front of the bed behind all the other stuff that accumulates there, and have splinters. But if I have to remove a wheel for any reason, a couple of pieces of 2 x 10 are the best to raise the other axle. And I did bevel the ends of the 2 x.

Gene

[purman]

I have 2 4x6 treated timbers cut into wedges. I can drive the wheels up them and if I need higher I can use the lego blocks. never have had too.