Dropping camper on a lawn.

Artum Snowbird wrote:
I would consider a few things. Your rig is likely about 2200 pounds on each front leg. You would likely want to use plywood, two layers or even three, sandwiched together. Solid wood can split easily, but plywood will not.

You want to be on level ground, and be sure your front supports are wide enough the rear wheels will not contact them as you pull straight out.

I would likely build front supports three layers thick, two feet long by six inches wide, and rear supports three layers thick and one foot by one foot.

Yah, Ditto that on splitting and rear tires driving over the front... it's a close call on the front ones to keep the rear tires from driving/cracking wood over it...

I need height more than stability, but in soft ground need the wider pads.. I got some yellow jack pads, but little a little too small. so put them on the woods ones..
Sigh, a learning curve indeed, heheheh, fun..

I know my experience with my motorhome is a little different, but it's all about weight distribution. If you spread the load enough it is less likely to sink. I recently moved my motorhome to my new house and there's nowhere to put it except on the grass/woods. Since we're on a mountaintop with ledge/rocks popping out of the ground I figured it couldn't sink much before it hit something solid. Wrong. It pretty much began to sink immediately to the point I could only see the tops of the leveling ramps. It's a pretty decent slope so I'd never be able to get it out.

I pulled it back out and put pressure treated 2x12s under all 6 tires. That was enough to keep it from sinking. The lumber is barely visible but it seems to have stabilized - situation hasn't changed in a couple of weeks with a few rains.

I have a couple of 14x14 squares of 3/4 CDX with a 2x8 along one middle axis. PT would have been preferable, but these were just some scraps laying around. The 2x keeps the point load of the jacks from post-holing through the ply.

Bearing capacity of soil surfaces are relatively good... just need to spread the load.

I would consider a few things. Your rig is likely about 2200 pounds on each front leg. You would likely want to use plywood, two layers or even three, sandwiched together. Solid wood can split easily, but plywood will not.

You want to be on level ground, and be sure your front supports are wide enough the rear wheels will not contact them as you pull straight out.

I would likely build front supports three layers thick, two feet long by six inches wide, and rear supports three layers thick and one foot by one foot.

Go to your local Tractor Supply and pick up some "horse stall mats" to put under your jacks and tires. Inexpensive, works, they come in all sizes you might need, easy to pick up and store away, AND you will be able to pull your RV out no matter what happens to the ground!



Utility Rubber Mat, Black, 4 ft. x 3 ft.
Rubber Mat, Black, 4 ft. x 6 ft. x 3/4 in.

I unload mine on the farm all the time. I put 2x6, about a foot long under the jacks. On a dually, you can't put anything too big under the fronts (where the weight is) or your wheels will roll over it on the way out.

Yah, I got caught on that one time... soft ground and the Front Right jack sank in enough that I was just barely able to load it...

Now I use a 12"x12" wood squares... Had them cut at the hardware store, like Lowes just took a 1x12" and made 8 squares, 2 for each jack cause my Flat bed is high...

Not fun trying to figure out how to load it.
I was going to just put one corner on the bed to raise the one jack enough to put something under it... luckily it just cleared by about an inch or so..

My jacks have about 5" diameter footing, what is good even on wet ground, but not for mud.
For extra safety I would cut 2x6 planks under, about a foot long.