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Caravan levellers/wheel chocks


Hermit

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Hi all, before I pick-up my new 21' TE I need to get some wheel chocks and I'm also thinking of getting a pair of those levelling ramps.

Can anyone assist with any ideas etc.

I haven't had a good look yet, but, how do those long levelling ramps work when you have dual wheels?

I've seen wheel chock and leveller ramp sets (yellow) for around the $70 to $80 mark, are these ok to use with dual wheels.

Any ideas or thoughts appreciated.

7.5 weeks to the big day at Kedron!!!!

Rob

Townsville

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Hello Rob,

You must be excited. It is a great day taking delivery of a new Kedron! Good luck and happy travelling in it.

I have a set of those long yellow levelling chocks. I have never used them! They are in my garage in Cairns, just up the road from you, and you are welcome to them! I use my yellow wheel choks all the time to arrest any forward or backward movement when unhitching etc.

Yesterday was the very first occasion in almost three years that I actuallty lowered the corner stabilisers and I did that "cause they are there" and I must say I am quite impressed at having a rock steady parked van! Might use them again sometime!

I have not found any need for those long levellers but others might have a different experience.

Good luck and I wish you many great days in your Kedron.

Regards

Colin

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how do those long levelling ramps work when you have dual wheels?

I've seen wheel chock and leveller ramp sets (yellow) for around the $70 to $80 mark, are these ok to use with dual wheels.

Rob

Townsville

G'day Rob. You need to put a ramp under each wheel of the side you need to raise, otherwise the van will not alter its tilt. Also, you will need ramps that will fit between the wheels as the longer ones don't. If you can't get the ramp in the gap between the wheels, you can't level the van. I got a couple of shortish ones, about 400mm - 450mm long I think, made by Fiamma. They work a treat and can handle the weight of one side of the Keddy.

Basically I decide whether I am going to drive forward or reverse up the ramps and position them appropriately. I then drive until the van is slightly past the level point, because it always rolls down the ramp a poofteenth when the van is unhitched (van brake and chocks don't prevent this slight movement.) I've gotten quite good at judging how level the van is just by looking in the car mirrors. I'm usually pretty close. I'm a bit anal and actually carry a 250mm spirit level around so that I can set the van up perfectly.

Unlike Colin, I always wind the corner legs down coz Sue gets seasick if I don't.

Cheers

Russ

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I am not keen on rolling out of bed or having the fridge door swing shut or wide open and bang on the protruding section of wall just behind it in out van, so we do use ramps ... If needed. We either back on or drive on depending on the situation. As the one between the wheels is a wee bit long, years ago we trimmed the front off it (back a couple of inches). I cant recall what brand ours are, but they are really solid and not the 'stepped' ones that I think are the Fiamma brand. They are still yellow and are just shaped like a wedge. They came with small matching chocks that interlock with the notches in the 'ramps'. We also have two black solid rubber chocks bought from Super Cheap.

We do use our wind down legs, I also an not keen on the 'seasick' feeling. We do not however use the handbrake. Particularly when parked up for long periods. Had the experience a few years ago where we stayed in the same place for 3 months with the handbrake on, didn't realise that when we released it, it did not release on one wheel, and as we drove away it ripped the brake lining off and broke it into two pieces. Wondered why the van seemed to brake a little differently, it does not work well when there are two pieces of your brake lining rolling round in the bottom. Lucky we only went from FN Queensland to Hervey Bay where we did a service on the wheels/bearings and the problem was found. I think this could be more a problem in hot and humid areas, but we just don't do it any more.

This is not offered as an absolute on what to do. Just our thoughts and what we do.

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Hi

We also have the levellers - the small one for in between the tyres and the large for either the front or back of the tyres. We also have the large wheel chocks - the width of the tyres. Glen also puts the corner stabilisers down whenever we set up - i also object to being seasick:)

Good luck with it all and if time permits would love to catch up at the Lawnton showgrounds so you can show off the new van.

Cheers

Deb & Glen

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Hi there Rob and congratulations on your soon to be delivered TE.

We initially used the smallish Fiamma levellers but found that they often used to sink into the ground if conditions were wet. We also found we had to allow for the roll back as Russ said.

While in Perth last year we bought a pair of the larger Fiamma stepped ramps but unlike others we only use one and it works perfectly. I am also very fussy and always level the van if even slightly out. I can't stand the fridge or ensuite doors not staying put. We also use a small set of 4 of the yellow wheel chocks we initially had for our camper trailer.

Regards

John

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While in Perth last year we bought a pair of the larger Fiamma stepped ramps but unlike others we only use one and it works perfectly.

Regards

John

G'day John

I confess to knowing almost nothing about the ATV Kedrons so this may seem like a dumb question.....Do the ATV models have load-sharing suspension? Your comment about using just one ramp would suggest that they don't.

Cheers

Russ

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Hi all,

Good question Russ, can't answer it myself as our ATV has TE running gear which of course is load sharing, trying one wheel won't work unless something has gone wrong, I thought they were all load sharing, just different component types/ratings?

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Hi Russ and John

The suspension on our ATV was described on the Kedron leaflet at time of ordering in 2008 as "Cruisemaster independent suspension, military style leaf springs with shock absorbers".

We are definitely able to easily level the van using one ramp and like Russ I also use a spirit level.

Regards

John

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Hi to all

We have a 2006 ATV and also like to have it on the level. But rather than spend a heap of hard-earned on commercial products, experience has proven that some chocks cut from 100 x 80 mm treated pine, and levellers from 200 x 50 mm treated pine, and thinner ones from 20 mm waterproof ply, work very well. They are light and not bulky. And minor levelling adjustments can be made by putting something under only one wheel.

It is hard to understand why caravanners, like our van's former owner, never used the corner stands. One only has to wander around a van park to see that few people use a spirit level.

Doing all of this may take a few minutes more but it makes the on-site experience much more pleasant.

Barry and Carolyn

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