We have a 33 ft Jayco Precept class A with hydrolic levelers and will be making our first long trip cross country. We will be boondocking a good share of the way. Should we have a set of jack pads and/or camco blocks with us? Just pads or both? And, should the coach always be leveled before opening any slides?Thanks for any input :-)

I use the yellow/orange leveling blocks under my jacks. I carry about a dozen. I almost always use them under my jacks, on any surface. Just helps spread the weight...especially if you're on soft ground. But I've seen divots on asphalt and I've seen a jack foot get "glued" to asphalt on a really hot day (had to use a crowbar!) Also I think it's just courteous to RV parks to use them so there will hopefully be no problems. If I'm way off level, I put several under the place that is really low so I don't have to extend that jack to the max.As to your last question...different coaches, different instructions. Read your manual. On my coach, it instructs to level before extending the slides...then bring in the slides before retracting the jacks.

Pads are a good idea for hydraulic levelers.

sonbeau wrote:We have a 33 ft Jayco Precept class A with hydrolic levelers and will be making our first long trip cross country. We will be boondocking a good share of the way. Should we have a set of jack pads and/or camco blocks with us? Just pads or both? And, should the coach always be leveled before opening any slides?Thanks for any input :-)The subject of slide extension before or after leveling is debated on here and other RV forums weekly. About 98% of the time, the manufacturers of about 99% of the RVs out there, Class A or C, state in the owners manual to LEVEL FIRST then, extend any slides. The 1% that say the other way, is rare. As for leveling and using blocks for either tires and wheels or, the jacks, is also a debate. Most folks that want good stability and, know how leveling with jacks only will effect frame and body elements, will use ramps or blocks to drive up on, then, will use added blocks under the jacks so the jacks do not have an extended travel to help fine tune the leveling and, make things as stable as possible. But, that involves just a tiny amount of WORK and many don't have that kind of energy. Those plastic leggo type blocks seem to have quite a following. I have a set that I primarily use for step support. I've got a small lumber yard I carry for leveling. This is all a matter of choice and, how much one puts into a good, stable platform when you're done leveling. Good luck.Scott

You shouldn't need them for additional lift. If you need that much first try to reposition the coach.What many will use pads for is to make a bigger foot print and spread the weight of the coach out. You want to avoid leaving makes in hard surfaces of an improved campsite or have to climb under the coach to assist a jack that has sunk into the ground and won't retract.Simplest, lowest cost jack pad is to head on down to your local big box store and pick out a fairly straight 2" x 12" x 8' plank and have them cut it into 12" lengths. The wood might split with use but being dry makes for great kindling if you slit it some more. The more purpose made pads you can buy can cost anywhere from a few dollars to over $25 each.Long term low cost landing pads are 2" x 6" lumber sandwiched between 1/4" or so plywood. Even if the 2 x 6 splits the ply holds everything together. Saw one owner who actually urethane sealed the pads.And a little light reading - Motorhome Magazine

Dale.Traveling wrote:You shouldn't need them for additional lift. If you need that much first try to reposition the coach.What many will use pads for is to make a bigger foot print and spread the weight of the coach out. You want to avoid leaving makes in hard surfaces of an improved campsite or have to climb under the coach to assist a jack that has sunk into the ground and won't retract.Simplest, lowest cost jack pad is to head on down to your local big box store and pick out a fairly straight 2" x 12" x 8' plank and have them cut it into 12" lengths. The wood might split with use but being dry makes for great kindling if you slit it some more. The more purpose made pads you can buy can cost anywhere from a few dollars to over $25 each.Long term low cost landing pads are 2" x 6" lumber sandwiched between 1/4" or so plywood. Even if the 2 x 6 splits the ply holds everything together. Saw one owner who actually urethane sealed the pads.And a little light reading - Motorhome MagazineWell Sir, Not all campsites/RV spots are level. And some, are quite unlevel. "Repositioning" isn't gonna cut it if the entire site is unlevel. And, many folks say, "Well, if it's that unlevel, just move to another spot". Yeah sure you're going to do that, when every single campsite in the park is spoken for and, you've had reservations for months. We've camped all over the U.S. and, without a doubt, bringing along my small lumber yard which includes ramps, blocks, and more, has come very, very useful multiple times when the sites are less than desirable. You are right about "sandwiching" the 2x material though. I did it with twin 4"x6"x 11" blocks. I put 1/2" plywood on both sides. They're indestructible. I've also got ramps made from 1 1/8" in decking plywood. Those too are indestructible. Yep, they weight a little bit to haul around but, when you're driving on something with a heavy diesel rig, you want them to last. Scott

Need for pads/blocks with hydrolic levelers? | Good Sam Community

wannavolunteerF
Explorer
Apr 29, 2018
so I have just bought a gas class A, 24K pounds, and often stay in campgrounds that have gravel parking pads and just have grass at home. I have about 20+ yellow lego blocks, should I use them under my hydraulic leveling jacks? alone? or should I get some rubber type pads to put under them?
harley-dave
Explorer
Apr 29, 2018
A lot of parks require a pad under the leveler feet now, so we carry a pack of the yellow plastic leveler pads to cover that and an very out of level situation. Weighs much less than the 2x6's they replaced.

Dave
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Apr 29, 2018
“Should we have a set of jack pads“

Yes. Metal should rarely touch ground. Plastic is fine.
fred42
Explorer
Apr 20, 2018
STBRetired wrote:
Just remember, do NOT lift the rear wheels off the ground.

I am new to levelers but have some that can be used in manual or auto mode. If you are at a new site where you are unsure if the rear wheels would come off the ground, do you use manual mode to gradually try to level and keep checking the rear wheels?
CVD
Explorer
Apr 20, 2018
The return springs on my hydraulic leveling jacks have broken a couple times. I now use 12 x 12 pads to reduce how far those springs are stretched.
STBRetired
Explorer
Apr 20, 2018
Just remember, do NOT lift the rear wheels off the ground.
garyemunson
Explorer II
Apr 20, 2018
Lippert jack cylinders come with 9" feet. They sell optional 12". Would be nice if they just made the 12s standard....
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Apr 20, 2018
IN theory you do not.. However

Pads or blocks can be quite a bit bigger than the metal foot of the Jack, and I've been to a few campgrounds where the jacks "Sunk in" soft surface of the camp spot.

Also if you are jacks down in Winter I've had them freeze to the ground. But NOT to the blocks

THe block froze to the ground but once I had the RV off the spot a gentle tap with my 8 pound sledge and they came right loose.
NCC-1701
Explorer
Apr 20, 2018
Unless I'm on a cement pad, I use my jack pads. I have sunk jacks (especially the rear ones on a DP that have a LOT of weight on them) into what looked like solid gravel pads, so it's easier to just always use them than try to dig the jack feet back out.

I made my own out of 3/4" marine plywood topped with 3/8" diamond plate. They are about a foot by 2 ft. I also put a big fencing staple in one end so if it's rained overnight and I don't want to get on my knees to pull them out, I can use an old awning hook to just reach under, hook the awning hook into the fencing staple, and pull them right out.

I also made heavy duty ramps in case I encounter very unlevel ground, but frankly haven't carried them for some time now since I rarely used them and they took up a lot of space. But I have no doubt that a day will come that I will regret not having them with me.

All motorhomes I've had with slides had instructions to level first...then extend the slides. But as has been said, go by what YOUR owners manual says.
micpib1
Explorer
Apr 19, 2018
You might consider Snap Pads for your rig. I installed them on my 2015 Diesel Pusher after one of my jacks "pushed through" my Chip Sealed Driveway. I installed the Snap Pads and never had a problem on my driveway or anywhere else I stayed. I never had or left a "foot print" after the jack was retracted. I now have a 2018 Class A Gasser, my first modification was to install Snap Pads. https://rvsnappad.com/ And no, I don't have any affiliation with the Snap Pad People. :) JH