Extreme RV Leveling

[RVMichael]

I will be parking in my daughters driveway this Christmas and it has a relatively steep angle, ergo I will need to do some serious leveling. I was doing some reading and one of the items said to never raise the rear wheels. This means I will have to back in off a slightly busy street, oh joy. Anyway, instead of using large numbers of leveling blocks, I was thinking some kind of 12" ramp or thereabouts. Also, it seems to me I would need to put wheel jacks under the backwheels (the front wheels are the one I will be raising.

Recommendations needed:

1. If it exists, approximately 12" RV lifting ramps for front wheels

2. Very good blocking ramps for rear wheels

[Bob Denman]

You need her to reconfigure her driveway!
I don't know about sources for the ramps; but any decent auto supply store should be able to point you in the right direction.

Oh! You'll probably need to add some sort of extra step also. You don't want to have to jump out of your rig!

[JamieGeek]

I have a set of these (Amazon) that I use for our driveway.

Back it in and put them under the front wheels. Works great (don't trust them enough, however, to crawl underneath when its on the ramps but they will work for your purpose). I use them simply to keep it level enough for the refer to cool off--when the refer is off the RV isn't on the ramps.

I don't put anything on the rear wheels, even chocks--just use the parking brake to make sure it doesn't move.

Note that our front end scaled out to 4700 lbs or 2350 lbs each ramp (which is within their capacity of 3000 lbs per ramp).

[Bob Denman]

I'd want something with a bit extra capacity: it's far better to have more ramp than you need: than not enough!

[Long & Winding road]

Yeah but he is looking 12 inches of lift. Most of the ramps like that are like 7 or 8 inches tall where the tire sits.

That might be "close enough" but if you plan on sleeping in the RV and your bed is not facing forward (north to south) it might make it hard to sleep.

My driveway is not very level. I have used up to 8 leveling blocks (Lego type) and Still not level (that was Before I purchased my Big Foot Levelers - but I have not tired to level 100% yet).

Saftey note: I dont think the recommend over 6 bock stacked for the lego type levelers.

[JamieGeek]

I believe those give us about 10" of lift. Its enough to get the Axis close to level on our driveway.

[Miramar Owner]

My driveway requires quite a lift as well. I don't level it often in the drive unless I need to extend the slides. I have done it 2 different ways, both of which raise the rear.

First, when I need to level for a length of time I drive up onto ramps I have made from 2x12's I have screwed together. They are of different lengths and I can unscrew them to stack the boards where I keep them in the garage.

Secondly, I use the boards from the ramps and place under the jacks to give me more lift. I chock the front wheels and use the levelers. This lifts the rear completely off the ground. I only use this method when I need to extend the slides and only for a short period of time.

[The Gritz Carlton]

As long as the rear wheels are solid on the ground and the parking brake is applied, I don't think it matters how high you raise the front (within reason). Put blocks under the jacks and raise her where you need it. You may have to set the front tires back down on something and re-block the jacks to get it higher but...sleep with one eye open and leave the door unlocked!

[RVMichael]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

I have a set of these (Amazon) that I use for our driveway.

Back it in and put them under the front wheels. Works great (don't trust them enough, however, to crawl underneath when its on the ramps but they will work for your purpose). I use them simply to keep it level enough for the refer to cool off--when the refer is off the RV isn't on the ramps.

I don't put anything on the rear wheels, even chocks--just use the parking brake to make sure it doesn't move.

Note that our front end scaled out to 4700 lbs or 2350 lbs each ramp (which is within their capacity of 3000 lbs per ramp).

I think this is what I'll do. I feel fairly confident that the parking brake will hold. I mean if it doesn't, then what's it for anyway. Just to make sure I don't roll out into traffic during the night (I'm picturing Clark Griswold), I'll probably have my daughter park her car in back of the RV at night.

[skiptut]

Talk about living on the edge!! I would find a camp ground before I tried any of these tricks. That is a big box your playing with!

[BandG]

My brother-in-law and I have differing views on this, but I always try to chalk the wheels, even if I'm on level ground.

I definitely want to chalk if I'm on un-even terrain.

I'm probably just overly cautious, but if that big old box starts moving, it's gonna be tough to stop her quickly.

[tenbear]

I am not sure I agree with your interpretation of "never raise the rear wheels". To me that means don't let the rear wheels go unweighted, or much reduced weight bearing.


To me that means you can have have the rear wheels higher than the front but still supporting the weight of the unit, like parking on a steep hill, facing down the hill. Seems to me you could drive up on a ramp in the driveway to raise the rear end.


If I misunderstood your post, just ignore this. Sorry.

[Pete'sMH]

I won’t let the back tires get off the ground so as not to lose the value of the transmission/parking brake. Obviously that would only happen on a hill and I’d be concerned about the coach rolling even with front wheel chocks. I try not to let the front tires off the ground either if I can help it. It’s not a weight or roll-away issue but I want to avoid lateral stress on the jacks since they’ll be quite extended if the tires are going to be that high. Stout blocks under the jacks should work but as others have said I’d sleep with one eye open. If it was me, I think I’d see if I could park on the street or in a nearby parking lot.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Note that our front end scaled out to 4700 lbs or 2350 lbs each ramp (which is within their capacity of 3000 lbs per ramp).

I just got a Harbor Freight Catalog, and they list of set of ramps with over a 12,000 pound combined capacity, for just thirty bucks.

[tenbear]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I just got a Harbor Freight Catalog, and they list of set of ramps with over a 12,000 pound combined capacity, for just thirty bucks.

I think I saw the same ramps. It was a set of 2 ramps with a rise of 12" and a limit of 3000 lbs per ramp. Since you probably have dual rear wheels, you would need 4 ramps, total capacity of 12,000 lbs, plenty to support the rear of an RV. It would make the RV level and the rear wheels would always be supporting the RV weight.


Of course, it probably would do nothing to put your mind at ease. Better to park so you feel comfortable with the situation.

[SuperD]

Suck it up and back in! You should NEVER, raise your rear wheels off the ground, blocked or not! I know someone is going to say they do it all the time but it’s still dangerous. The only brakes you have when parked are on your rear wheels, chocks are good, but not enough. The metal feet on your jacks will slide on concrete, you risk personal injury and damage to your coach. Just not worth it! Just my humble opinion, along with around 40 years of experience.

[Bobstoy2]

Made these and they fit in side compartment below the outside compartment. Not screwed together as can't lift heavy things anymore. Works great in my driveway with a 12inch lift. I've attached photo. Enjoy the RV.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by Bobstoy2

Made these and they fit in side compartment below the outside compartment. Not screwed together as can't lift heavy things anymore. Works great in my driveway with a 12inch lift. I've attached photo. Enjoy the RV.

Thats is an awesome set homemade blocks. I never seen one made this way. Looks like you can just stack them to get your desired height and each block locks together as you go up. Plus its smooths out the ramp part to make it easy to climb to the top.

Thanks for sharing.

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Thats is an awesome set homemade blocks. I never seen one made this way. Looks like you can just stack them to get your desired height and each block locks together as you go up. Plus its smooths out the ramp part to make it easy to climb to the top.

Thanks for sharing.

Not only that there is an indentation at the top so you don't need a 2nd person telling you you're in the middle of the blocks.

[Bobstoy2]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Not only that there is an indentation at the top so you don't need a 2nd person telling you you're in the middle of the blocks.

The hardest part of making these was slicing the 2x4 diagonally and I do stack them and only use what I need to get the correct height. Used pressure treated wood and they got lighter as the wood dried out.