soft pavement

[dad2aprincess]

What product / procedure do you guys use when camping on soft pavement? We stopped at a government-run park the other day that hadn't had any updates in decades. Our jacks made big holes in their pavement. (Their water and power didn't work either. It was a fun night.)

[xctraveler]

One other good reason for using pads under the jacks; camping in freezing weather. I have had the misfortune to be camped in our son's yard when there was winter weather and we needed to leave before there was a thaw. My jacks were frozen to the ground and it took some serious prying to break them loose. The next time we setup where there was the possibility of precipitation and freeze I used my pads. At departure time everything was frozen but the jacks lifted cleanly from the plastic pads! I pulled the coach clear and was able to use a pry bar to free the pads in a matter of seconds. It wouldn't have taken minutes because I would have gone without them.

[Flanz]

VinCee wrote:
I can't believe some of the posts that have actually dropped their jacks down on pavement with out any kind of board or bought jack pads! Incredible. I "always" put boards down no matter the surface beneath my rig. I carry a variety of sizes and thicknesses so I can match up un-even sites. If its pouring rain out when we are leaving our home for a weekend get away I'll throw a couple more lengths of rafter sandwich board in the basement just for insurance of a wet soft site. All scrap lumber cuts picked up from new home build sites, free.

I've been dropping my jacks for over 15yrs without ever putting anything down under them.....Never a problem!! Never sank, Never pushed through pavement, anything. Some have problems and others don't, so you really can't make a statement about what others do when they put down their jacks. The only time that I'll put anything under my jacks is if my coach is way out of being level.

-paul

[VinCee]

I can't believe some of the posts that have actually dropped their jacks down on pavement with out any kind of board or bought jack pads! Incredible. I "always" put boards down no matter the surface beneath my rig. I carry a variety of sizes and thicknesses so I can match up un-even sites. If its pouring rain out when we are leaving our home for a weekend get away I'll throw a couple more lengths of rafter sandwich board in the basement just for insurance of a wet soft site. All scrap lumber cuts picked up from new home build sites, free.

[Pogoil]

we were at a park where a large tag axle MH. pulled in and punched 4 7 inch deep holes in the asphalt. I remember watching his coach not even trying to lift just pushing deeper into the ground. The owner of the park was at his door asking for his insurance information. I remember the MH. owner was pissed but the campground owner was as calm as could be as he asked for the information.

Later that night I looked up the model and guesstimated the year of the motor home and the specs were a little under 50,000 pounds. That kind of weight placed on little round stands is huge.

Pogoil.

[ArchHoagland]

I carry four 2X12X18 boards with me at all times.

I don't need them very often but it's essential to have them sometimes.

[Executive45]

dad2aprincess wrote:
Thanks guys. I'm going to buy some of those trucker pads. After we sunk and there was no water or electric, we ended up staying in the park's visitor center parking lot. I walked in the office promptly at 8 the next morning and got a refund before we pulled out. I guess I'll start asking a lot more questions when making a reservation at government-run facilities. I told them I had a 40ft DP and needed a paved site with water, sewer, and electric. I suppose that wasn't specific enough. Next time I'll ask what decade the pavement was installed and whether the utilities are just present or actually work.

You were fortunate they didn't charge you for the damage. Some parks do just that.....Dennis

[GrandpaLarry777]

You can do what I did for jack pads. I took a 12 foot long 2x12 and cut it into 12 one foot pieces. I then put a large screw eye in one edge of each pad and attached a three foot length of rope to each screw eye.

Having 12 pads gives me the ability to arrange them to help level out uneven parking spaces. If the space is level I just use one pad under each jack. If the space is un-level to one side, I'll stack multiple pads on the low side so that I don't have to extend the jacks too far.

It's an inexpensive way to build multiple jack pads instead of the paying an arm and a leg for the plastic pads. Also, if I ever bury one to the point I can't get it out off the ground it's no big deal.

[Bigdog]

chuckftboy wrote:
I carry 4, orange plastic pads that I bought at Camping World. About 1 inch thick with a waffle pattern on one side, flat on the other. They are about 14" square and smooth side down for soft pavement. They work just fine but if one ever gets stuck, I'll just have a set of 3. I think I paid around 12 dollers per pair.

X2
I have used mine numerous times in mud,soft dirt and soft pavement and never had a problem. Dropped the jacks once on an asphalt pad once and they started to sink, so I moved about a foot, put my pads down and dropped the jacks again with no sinking. The owner wandered by and thanked me for putting the pads down and was upset about the holes that were there. OOppss.

[dad2aprincess]

Thanks guys. I'm going to buy some of those trucker pads. After we sunk and there was no water or electric, we ended up staying in the park's visitor center parking lot. I walked in the office promptly at 8 the next morning and got a refund before we pulled out. I guess I'll start asking a lot more questions when making a reservation at government-run facilities. I told them I had a 40ft DP and needed a paved site with water, sewer, and electric. I suppose that wasn't specific enough. Next time I'll ask what decade the pavement was installed and whether the utilities are just present or actually work.

[Pogoil]

Use jack pads. You are over 30,000 pounds.

Pogoil.

[noteven]

Landing gear - jack pad ideas here.

[DSDP_Don]

My coach has two very large rear jack pads (12") and the front has two medium size pads, about 8". On a recent trip, one of the front pads blew a hole through an asphalt campsite. I looked for a premade plastic block that would support the weight of a DP. I found some nice blocks from this place. They're pricey, but I only needed two. They're very well made.

Campers Friend

[navegator]

Place boards under the jacks to spread the weight, the bigger the area covered by the wood the less it sinks, soft pavement, sand, dirt with grass is what you are trying to avoid, the joke is to distribute the load and if the wood sinks to far, leave the wood in place, you can always purchase more.

navegator

[lunch_surfer]

I try to avoid such places. We camped in similar facility years ago for family funeral. I try not to to do it again, had to dig jacks out and then patch holes in paving.

Ask on this sit, chances are someone has been there and done that and can help find better place with better facilities.