Driveway slope and levelers

standerson · 06-30-2021, 04:35 PM

Our driveway slopes down 8" in 30 feet and 2" to the left.

If we use our new levelers, the front wheels are off the ground, not comforting.

Prior to this, I had ramps 5 and 6" high we drove the Chateau on. She wasn't completely level, but close. That evolution caused some consternation.

What I'm thinking is lifting the front end with the levelers, sliding the rebuilt ramps under the front tires and lowering her onto them.

Should work.

DavidEM · 06-30-2021, 05:14 PM

How have your leveling ramps held up. Presumably you used them before you had hydraulic levelers installed.

I searched for heavy truck ramps and found these on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They lift about 6-1/2" and have a rated capacity of 10,000 lbs per ramp. Even though they are well built I backed into one too far and cracked the back plastic. Filled the back compartment with concrete to reinforce that area and it seems fine.

My driveway slopes downward like yours but isn't out of level crosswise. Using these levelers results in a 1-1/2 degree out of level situation which is well within the Dometic absorption fridge spec of +/- 3 degrees.

So far I have no plans to install hydraulic levelers. The $150 pair of these ramps seems to be doing fine.

David

standerson · 06-30-2021, 05:18 PM

Built them out of pressure treated 2X10's. I don't want to keep it on the levelers in the driveway. I stair stepped the ramps to make it easier to get up.

Probably had $50 in materials.

Harmsy · 10-10-2021, 04:33 PM

Can anybody reassure me?...today I found that the Fridge is not performing well...Dometic N61X it's warm and freezer is just about cold at the back lower left...(me and the wife are having a melt down)...it's in a Citation 24SJ and has been parked on a 4* to 5* slope at 5150 ft...no fault codes or blinking lights...moved it to level ground about a hour ago...I will be able to get it to about 4900 in about 3 hours...
Is any body put there experienced this before?...will it recover eventually?

DavidEM · 10-10-2021, 05:25 PM

Dometic's spec for out of level is +/- 6 degrees front to back (of the fridge) and +/- 3 degrees side to side. Assuming your fridge is located along a side of your RV as most are, you definitely exceed the spec at 4-5 degrees.

Level it out and see how it works. Long term operation exceeding those specs can permanently damage a fridge.

David

sportcoupe · 10-10-2021, 10:21 PM

I see no problem with the front tires off the ground at times when using levelers.

abjbrtd · 10-10-2021, 11:57 PM

When we auto level our front tires are almost always off the ground, E450.

I build a ramp out of these, usually 3 or 4 high.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Levelin...s%2C427&sr=8-7

You could build one 4 high and one 2 high for the low corners.

Harmsy · 10-11-2021, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidEM

Dometic's spec for out of level is +/- 6 degrees front to back (of the fridge) and +/- 3 degrees side to side. Assuming your fridge is located along a side of your RV as most are, you definitely exceed the spec at 4-5 degrees.

Level it out and see how it works. Long term operation exceeding those specs can permanently damage a fridge.

David

David…thank you sooo much for your response…I read it while I was driving to the RV park at 4900 feet and at that time we could see the fridge was definitely getting colder and close to normal…it may not be just as cold as is was…let’s hope it gets back to the normal level of service tomorrow!…again thanks…hooray for the Forum!

chunker21 · 10-11-2021, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

I see no problem with the front tires off the ground at times when using levelers.

Not sure which leveling system you have but the ultra level on the omni has a warning NOT to raise a tire off the ground with the leveling system. Likely lawyer talk but lifting and leaving the suspension dangling can bend, twist, tweak the frame and body components. Damage slide comments and seals. Feel free to do what you wish with your RV but it's bad advice to give someone.

EDIT adding. I carry a variety of boards to place under tires if necessary to prevent that. I also carry built up wood blocks to put under the jack feet to reduce the extension and "spindly legs". Some parks require wood or equivalent blocks under jacks.

Chateau_Nomad · 10-11-2021, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunker21

...EDIT adding. I carry a variety of boards to place under tires if necessary to prevent that. I also carry built up wood blocks to put under the jack feet to reduce the extension and "spindly legs". Some parks require wood or equivalent blocks under jacks.
...

OR use "cut down" rubber stall mats from Tractor Supply.

**16ACE27** · 10-11-2021, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunker21

Not sure which leveling system you have but the ultra level on the omni has a warning NOT to raise a tire off the ground with the leveling system. Likely lawyer talk but lifting and leaving the suspension dangling can bend, twist, tweak the frame and body components. Damage slide comments and seals. Feel free to do what you wish with your RV but it's bad advice to give someone.

WOW! Better not put any RV's on a lift.

That would lift all 4 wheels of the ground.

How much damage is done changing a flat tire??

Chateau_Nomad · 10-11-2021, 01:31 PM

I think a more accurate statement would be "IMPROPER lifting of the frame MAY cause damage." For instance, dropping a SINGLE hydraulic leveling jack to full extension COULD cause flexing of the frame.

I have read it is SUGGESTED to lift either an entire end of the RV (front or rear), or entire side of the RV (left or right), NOT just a single corner.

There are documented cases of RV structural damage which caused doors and windows to not open/close properly - likely caused by excessive diagonal cross-frame torque applied.

My Big Foot leveling system will drop in PAIRS - both front OR both rear - when using the preset "start" button. You can also adjust each jack individually - but you're on your own using COMMON SENSE with the intent to LEVEL the RV... not excessive lifting of a SINGLE corner.

P.S. This has nothing to do with letting the suspension "dangle". I actually asked my mechanic (a supervisor at the city bus garage) about this. He stated they leave bus frames up on support jacks for days in the city bus garage while replacing chassis/engine components - built on the same Ford E-450 chassis used for motorhomes.

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