Levelling Wedges – To Level Or Not To Bother?
Spend a little time on campsites and aires around the UK and Europe and you’ll soon become familiar with the levelling phenomenon.
Soon after each motorhome arrives, its engine will restart and the revs will rise, clutch slipping frantically as the driver (usually the husband) attempts to drive up his wedges until the motorhome is horizontal, without driving off the top of the wedges. Normally, the driver’s wife will be standing outside watching and making helpful hand signals – it’s definitely a team sport…
So is it really worthwhile?
How Useful Are Levelling Wedges?
For the uninitiated, levelling wedges are wedge-shaped plastic ramps that you drive onto to enable you to lift up one or two wheels on your motorhome and get it horizontal.
Obviously they do have their uses – they allow you to park on a slope and but still enjoy having a horizontal motorhome! Many people also appear to have motorhomes that don’t actually sit horizontally, even on flat ground. (The main culprit here appears to be large Fiat coachbuilts which often appear to be ‘nose down’.)
On the other hand, in the last 18 months, we have spent a total of about 10 weeks away in our motorhome and have only seriously wished we had wedges two or three times. Despite this, some people appear to use them every day – perhaps our experience is partly due to us getting into the habit of choosing the flattest spaces to park in.
In truth, the main reason we don’t have them is that storage space is very tight in our small van. We probably would have a set if we had more storage space – but I still am pretty sure I’d only use them 50% of the time or less. The odd few degrees off the horizontal never causes us any noticeable difficulties with sleeping, cooking or washing – so we don’t bother that much.
Do you level or do you manage without?
I use them. But I use my motorhome extensively. But why?
Not always finding spaces that are remotely level. In fact the more extreme spaces still leave me tilting (less) but obviously tilting nevertheless.
More comfortable over the longer term.
Better for the fridge.
Easier for cooking when using oil or water.
I use a little instrument called a LEVEL O METER . This instrument calculates the lift reguired on any axcle or individual road wheel of a caravan with 1 or 2 axcles and motorhomes with 2 or 3 axcles.By following the east to use instructions you only need one attempt at levelling .Details are available from E & G Products. Email eg.products@hotmail.co.uk.
have you got a website address and pic for the product
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The easiest way to find out if your motorhome is level?
1) Buy one of those bullseye levels
2) Get your van perfectly level (use jacks if you have to).
3) Find a surface that you can attach the bullseye level to, within sight from the drivers seat. Fix level making sure that the bubble is dead centre.
Now it will be possible to level your motorhome easily. Most of the time without leaving the drivers seat.
I have saved hours using this method. I used to pull up onto a pitch that looked fairly flat, then find it needed leveling. Get the ramps out and them arse about for 10 mins to get it level.
Now I pull on a pitch and if it looks fairly level I can maneuver about while keeping an eye on the bullseye… and bingo, job done.
Even if the levels are needed it still only takes seconds.
Try it. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Mike