Levelling blocks for camper on driveway with 2 degree grade

happycamper1942 wrote:
If you don't want to use the jacks to level it up (which to me would be the preferred way), and assuming the grade is accurately measured at 2% and assuming the front and back jacks are 10 feet apart, then you could level it up using packing blocks 2.5 inches thick. 2.5 inches would be close enough.

I think it’s time for folks to stop sharing their “wisdom” here. Packing blocks? Huh?
Not sure why but sooo many posts on here, I just picture the words coming out of my mother in laws mouth. She knows everything….just ask her!
What on earth are you even alluding to here? “If you don’t want to use the jacks to level it up.”
Mkirsch was right. Stop overthinking this. But to be fair he should have addressed the REST of the peanut gallery. Not the OP. (Although the OP definitely needs some guidance with basic stuff.)

If you don't want to use the jacks to level it up (which to me would be the preferred way), and assuming the grade is accurately measured at 2% and assuming the front and back jacks are 10 feet apart, then you could level it up using packing blocks 2.5 inches thick. 2.5 inches would be close enough.

You are overthinking this whole thing to the point where camping is going to feel more like a chore than an an enjoyable activity.

Sounds like you are getting the camper delivered. Presumably by the previous owner. The guy who delivers it knows what he needs to get it on and off of his truck and store it. Let him handle unloading it and use the opportunity to pick up some tips on storing the camper on its legs.

Once the camper is on the ground you can get a better idea of the situation and come up with a solution, if one is even needed. The camper setting on its jacks on a concrete pad is certainly not something that will need immediate attention.

I did the same thing with my old camper when I stored it on my sloped driveway. I would lift the camper, pull the truck forward so the front of the camper was over the back end of the pickup bed. I would then lower it enough to take the weight off the front jacks and let them straighten out. I'd then lift it again and drive the truck away. I stored it on a wedge shaped platform so the whole thing was level and supported.
The wood ramps were heavy and a pain to deal with.

I'm storing my Host on ground that's fairly level.

gregchambers wrote:
Unfortunately I don’t have pictures and I no longer need to unload on a slopped driveway but I once did. I found that lifting the camper off the slopped truck bed was challenging, especially when reloading and it placed a lot of stress on the jacks. I would back part way, get out and slide ramps under my front tires and then using 4x4 low range back up the ramps. I made a set of 10” tall wheel ramps from pressure treated lumber that allowed me to back up the driveway and be level. I made four blocks from the same lumber that compensated for the slope so my jack bottoms were level and could not “walk” down my driveway. Using the side of my driveway as a guide and placing small paint marks to show where the ramps should be placed the loading and unloading process was relatively easy.

PS, I’ve had the same 30 orange Lego blocks i use for leveling the truck and placing under the jacks for over eight years with no breakage. Lumber is fine but heavy!

I have a 3 jack Stabile Lift on the old Lance. Works great. The camper has been leveled both still sitting in the truck bed and free standing in a campsite. Haven't used any blocks except to support the steps that I relocated to the rear deck that I added on to the camper.

gregchambers wrote:


PS, I’ve had the same 30 orange Lego blocks i use for leveling the truck and placing under the jacks for over eight years with no breakage. Lumber is fine but heavy!

I carry a bunch of the "legos" for leveling camper, and many other things around the campsite. But at home, I have 4X4s bolted to end of mudflap. Other side of flap, spaced right, I bolted a 2X4. Back in, tire goes over 2X, hits 4X. Trailer is chocked. Plus the rubber keeps weeds growing thru gravel far enough from tire for weed-eater string not to hit tire. Have been in place for 20+ years, so don't much worry about how heavy they are.

gregchambers wrote:
Unfortunately I don’t have pictures and I no longer need to unload on a slopped driveway but I once did. I found that lifting the camper off the slopped truck bed was challenging, especially when reloading and it placed a lot of stress on the jacks. I would back part way, get out and slide ramps under my front tires and then using 4x4 low range back up the ramps. I made a set of 10” tall wheel ramps from pressure treated lumber that allowed me to back up the driveway and be level. I made four blocks from the same lumber that compensated for the slope so my jack bottoms were level and could not “walk” down my driveway. Using the side of my driveway as a guide and placing small paint marks to show where the ramps should be placed the loading and unloading process was relatively easy.

PS, I’ve had the same 30 orange Lego blocks i use for leveling the truck and placing under the jacks for over eight years with no breakage. Lumber is fine but heavy!

Lego levelers, no problem under the jacks, if you only use one and don't stack them. I was referring to what the OP may have purchased, based on what he said, albeit sort of vague.
Regarding unloading on a steeper hardscaped slope, yes, having a tapered base plate under each jack is advisable/necessary. But the rest of the process you describe sounds wholly unnecessary, especially if 10" tall ramps leveled up the truck, your driveway was at about a 3.5 deg or 7% slope. Wort case you'd run out of jack travel on the front jacks and maybe need to block those up compared to the rear.

Regarding loading and unloading, especially in a known set of conditions, it's just too easy to figure out where the jacks need to be to get out from under the camper the first time and then just run the jacks back to the same position each time.
I'd do that all the time if we were camping and unloaded on very uneven ground. Get the camper up to where the truck will pull out. Mark the jacks and then just run them back up to those marks when loading back up. It did take all the fun and suspense out of it though...lol.

Unfortunately I don’t have pictures and I no longer need to unload on a slopped driveway but I once did. I found that lifting the camper off the slopped truck bed was challenging, especially when reloading and it placed a lot of stress on the jacks. I would back part way, get out and slide ramps under my front tires and then using 4x4 low range back up the ramps. I made a set of 10” tall wheel ramps from pressure treated lumber that allowed me to back up the driveway and be level. I made four blocks from the same lumber that compensated for the slope so my jack bottoms were level and could not “walk” down my driveway. Using the side of my driveway as a guide and placing small paint marks to show where the ramps should be placed the loading and unloading process was relatively easy.

PS, I’ve had the same 30 orange Lego blocks i use for leveling the truck and placing under the jacks for over eight years with no breakage. Lumber is fine but heavy!

covered wagon wrote:
Depending on how high your truck bed is sometimes it's easy to over extend the jacks and cause damage to them so putting wood 2x6's under the foot adds some lea way making it less likely to over extend them.

My 15 year old plastic ones, two packages of them, sometimes don't go high enough for level. They do get damaged sometimes without a pad or sink without a pad. If I was to do it over I would appreciate the wood blocks more since they have greater leveling ability/ more lift with each block.

You pretend like the plastic blocks are a life decision that you can’t reverse? Lol

MORSNOW wrote:

JRscooby wrote:

BeMurda wrote:

Ok since sliding is a concern should I use typical plastic blocks then? The truck camper is also going to be unloaded during winter and there may be some frozen moisture though I will clean it best I can.

If anyone can recommend a product I would appreciate it! Thanks!

Not sure plastic would be best idea, think I would want rubber. In my life, I would use mud flap or belting. Maybe floor mat. Grab a alligator off highway, cut to length.

Semi mudflaps are pretty inexpensive and can be cut with a razor knife or saw. I bought a couple for around $23.00 ea

Watch, You don't want plastic mudflaps. But if you stop by where dump trucks park you can normally pick up torn ones for a thank you.