which leveling things with my driveway living?

[BrianD.]

Hello,

I am a newbie to the forum and to owning an Airstream.

I plan to live in my newly acquired 1976, 26' Argosy trailer for a year or so on a friends old horse farm. I will live on a concrete driveway in front of an old house that isn't being used.

Initially I was thinking I didn't need any kind of leveling blocks...just maybe a couple of those wheel chocks. Then I read somewhere that if I don't get this old Airstream very level then the fridge won't work.

I won't actually be doing the leveling, I will just give whatever I buy to the restoration guy who will be towing and setting up the trailer in the driveway. I'll help and/or watch of course. But he will be backing and re backing the rv not me.

Anyway, I'm wondering if I will have this trailer sitting all the time on concrete, then what is the best combo of leveling things I should buy and how many sets of those things should I buy?

I don't know if I should also buy things for all four wheels or just a set of two, or three.... because I can't imagine how many tires I will have to 'level' or do something with.

I read on the forums about the Lynx leveling blocks. I have also read that once one uses these kind of blocks, you have to then put some of those triangular style blocks under....um all the wheels? or just the wheels that are up on the blocks? I dunno. I don't want to fool with wood and cutting them since I don't have a saw and I don't want them to get eat up with termites, etc. I think I would prefer other materials.

I also don't know if one can use the leveling blocks and those 'in between tire chocks' at the same time on the same side(s) of the tires which are using the leveling blocks?

So, what combo of things should I buy for my situation? The driveway seems fairly level to me.

Thanks,
Brian

[Jammer]

The Lynx blocks are great for traveling because they are light and are set up so they assemble together in the right shape but don't take up much room in a compartment.

For your situation you can use lumber, plywood scraps, 2" thick concrete pavers, whatever's handy for side-to-side leveling. For front-to-back, use the tongue jack if it works, with a piece of plywood or something under it if need be for stability.

[bobfowler]

Originally Posted by Jammer

The Lynx blocks are great for traveling because they are light and are set up so they assemble together in the right shape but don't take up much room in a compartment.

For your situation you can use lumber, plywood scraps, 2" thick concrete pavers, whatever's handy for side-to-side leveling. For front-to-back, use the tongue jack if it works, with a piece of plywood or something under it if need be for stability.

I'm with Jammer - Lynx Leveler blocks are great. We use them at home and on the road.

[BrianD.]

Well, thanks. I think those paving stones might do the trick. I'll see if I can get some at lowes.

However, how many to buy....one for each wheel....4?

How wide should those stones be?

Brian

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by BrianD.

Well, thanks. I think those paving stones might do the trick. I'll see if I can get some at lowes.

However, how many to buy....one for each wheel....4?

How wide should those stones be?

Brian

Depends on the site. Might not need any at all.. You only lift up the low side so you'll just want enough to make a five-foot long area for the two wheels. 6" wide is enough.

You might want to have some thinner stuff on hand, 3/4" plywood for example. 1" out of level side to side is a lot.

[clancy_boy]

Brian,

I think you may have some confusion on what the term leveling means. You only need something under the wheels if from right to left (one side to the other) is not level where you will be parking the trailer. If there is a height difference then you will need to have something under the low side to bring it up to the height of the high side. Whatever you use will be fine. Wood will last a year or longer, concrete blocks are better and the lynx levels are great as you can fine tune the exact height and can be used if you travel.

Front to back leveling can be done using the front jack, but some people don't like to extend it to far and will place a stand or blocks to limit the travel of the front jack.

The wheel chocks you mention are great to keep the trailer from shimming on the wheels and locks them in place. The stabilizer stands mounted to your trailer (if you have them) are only to be deployed once the trailer is level by the tires - NOT to jack up one side. Place something under each touch point (lynx level, wood, concrete pad) if you are parking on asphalt so as not to dig into it on hot Atlanta days. If concrete then this will not be necessary.

Getting the trailer level makes you feel more comfortable inside, makes the drains work correctly and keeps the fridge operating correctly.

Mike

[BrianD.]

Thanks for that further helpful info y'all.
"The wheel chocks you mention are great to keep the trailer from shimming on the wheels and locks them in place."

Which ones were you referring to clancy, the triangular ones I spoke of or the ones that go between the wheels. I'm still wondering if one can put those in between the wheel chocks on the wheels that are being raised up.

[BrianD.]

Also,

If I were to get those lynx levels would I need to get two packs of 10, one for each of the wheels that were being raised?

[garry]

Brian you may not even need any Lynx levelers have you looked at the pad to see how level it is?
Even if off one set should be plenty you only need them on one side (low side).

You can chock the tires with most anything just to keep the RV from rolling forward or backward. There should be 4 screw down stabilizers one on each corner of the RV they are STABILIZERS and not to be used for leveling. They help in reducing any motion in the RV as you wander around inside just do not put to much tension on them.

[BrianD.]

Thanks garry and others for the thoughts. I have not yet tried putting a level onto the portion of the concrete driveway where the rv will be staying.

Good point about the chocking of tires I guess. I was just thinking that I MIGHT take this rv camping to camping festivals out in fields a few times a year with my girlfriend and so I would want these kind of lynx blocks and proper chocks. However, that's a WHOLE 'nother logistical thing to think about in preparing to go camping!

Brian

[Action]

Also know that long term storage will be hard on your tires and axles. Even though the tread looks good, the tire has a service life that is about 6 to 10 years. The service life will be shorter the longer the trailer sits. The rubber will take a set and become less flexible the longer it sits.

Covering your tires from the sun once the trailer is set up will help with degrading from UV.

I post this because you stated you are a newbie and this is often an over looked area just because there is good tread left. Taking off on a trip with your girlfriend after the trailer sat for a year on six year old tires might be a good way to make an impression with your girlfriend on the side of the interstate. The rubber in your axles will be the same way except it should last more than 10 years. And they are 34 years old now.

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[fotochop]

ditto, Old tires are so much more likely to blow out on the highway..in fact, not-so-old tires that have sat in one spot are also highly suspicious. I had one go bang at 60 mph but we all survived, including the wheel wells, so I consider myself VERY lucky.. I was carrying a $75 HF floor jack and had the rig rolling again in ten minutes but that was a VERY HAIRY ten minutes on side of I-10!! be suspicious of old tires, use tire covers in any kind of sunlight exposure.. my nephew said it best:
"tires are your weakest link" in towing an rv/trailer... I now religiously check my tire pressure before going anywhere, even from one day to the next on a trip...

leveling should be a piece of cake on concrete, I'd just get a few lengths of 1x6 and 2x6 from a job site trash pile and go to it, then chock and lower the stab jacks

you're right, the fridge won't work right unless you're level..

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by fotochop

..., the fridge won't work right unless you're level..

And I'll add...if you use the fridge off of level for very long...there is a good chance it won't ever work again!

[BrianD.]

Thanks everyone!

These are some great points! I actually got a call from the restoration guy last week telling me that we were lucky the trailer even made it to his place as the tires were all dry rotted! I did see that on the spare when walking around the trailer before it was towed.

So, I guess it's better that I got the tires replaced now.

I would have never thought about the UV rays on the tires and needing to have them covered up. Good point!

Where is the rubber in the axels?

I had the person working on the trailer look at the brakes and re-pack the bearings.

[Action]

Originally Posted by BrianD.

Where is the rubber in the axels?

Inside the metal axle tube.

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[BrianD.]

Originally Posted by Action

Inside the metal axle tube.

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You mean all the way across the whole tube, from one tire to the other is all filled with rubber?

That would be a lot of rubber then to replace! I guess that would be expensive!

[Mikethefixit]

Brian
I could stand to be corrected but the rubber inside the axle tube does NOT go all the way across from arm to arm. I have never seen them in person but I have seen pictures and they appear to be 24 to 36 inches long each,I think there are 4 on each end.
Because of liability no one rebuilds torsion axles anymore to my knowledge.
Andy from Inland RV at one time had a link to a group of pictures from Henshen Axle which did show the axle rubber in thier frozen state before they were inserted inside the tube. Maybe 2Air or Andy will chime in here and help you find them.
GOOD LUCK
Roger

[richinny]

axle info page:

Inland RV Center - The Nations Leading Expert in Airstream Innovations

[Action]

Replacing the rubber in the tube is not an option, unless you have a manufacturing plant.

Replacement of the entire axle assembly is the fix.

The maintenance for it ....... go camping! Take the trailer out for a drive once or twice a year. It keeps the rubber inside the tube flexible.

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