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Leveling Blocks vs jack pads

garmp
Explorer II
Explorer II
Upgrading to a larger RV with leveling jacks this time. We carried with us leveling blocks like this.
Can I use these blocks as jack pads? Will they hold up? If not how about pads made from a 2x10? need some advice please.
thanks
Our 2351D Phoenix Cruiser, Jack, has turned us from campers into RVers and loving it!
54 REPLIES 54

Super_Dave
Explorer
Explorer
cummins2014 wrote:
Super_Dave wrote:
We are in a very uneven site this year and the high points have a single 2" X 10" capped with a piece of plywood and the lowest spots have multiple 2" X 10"'s and a chunk of 6" X 6" on top. I'm guessing that there is close to a foot difference between high and low spots at the jacks.



With having 6 point level-up now, my concern is being on a unlevel site. I have no idea when they have to extend further then they can, I have to assume you just don't get leveled up until they can't make solid contact. I need to read the fine print on that.

I know a friend of mine mention he likes to use blocks regardless of level, just so he doesn't have them extended any further then needed .

That happened this trip for us. The auto level started flashing red and the low point jack didn’t deploy. I stacked several blocks under that jack, reset auto level and did it again. The second time everything worked fine.
Truck: 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually
Rig: 2018 Big Country 3155 RLK
Boat: 21' North River Seahawk

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
Super_Dave wrote:
We are in a very uneven site this year and the high points have a single 2" X 10" capped with a piece of plywood and the lowest spots have multiple 2" X 10"'s and a chunk of 6" X 6" on top. I'm guessing that there is close to a foot difference between high and low spots at the jacks.



With having 6 point level-up now, my concern is being on a unlevel site. I have no idea when they have to extend further then they can, I have to assume you just don't get leveled up until they can't make solid contact. I need to read the fine print on that.

I know a friend of mine mention he likes to use blocks regardless of level, just so he doesn't have them extended any further then needed .

Super_Dave
Explorer
Explorer
We are in a very uneven site this year and the high points have a single 2" X 10" capped with a piece of plywood and the lowest spots have multiple 2" X 10"'s and a chunk of 6" X 6" on top. I'm guessing that there is close to a foot difference between high and low spots at the jacks.
Truck: 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually
Rig: 2018 Big Country 3155 RLK
Boat: 21' North River Seahawk

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
dedmiston wrote:
I learned the same thing about the 5er vortex when I lost an empty race fuel jug. It was a good one too. I hope someone put it to use.


I nearly had a electric trolling motor in a bag behind the hitch, thinking it was heavy enough, and it was starting to come out, laying part way on top of the tailgate. Now nothing goes back there unless its tied down securely .

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
I learned the same thing about the 5er vortex when I lost an empty race fuel jug. It was a good one too. I hope someone put it to use.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
RCMAN46 wrote:
garmp wrote:
Well finally got them done. Since I'm still in lock down wasn't in any hurry. It was what I call a rummage project. I rummaged through my assortment of junk and found a little of this and a little of that.
Found some nice nylon cord, but it wasn't thick enough to suite me, so I braided 3 strands together for my pulls/handles. Cut the boards 10" along with scrap plywood, glued & screwed, as suggested. Drilled a 1/4' hole into a 9/16 hole. slide the twine into the 1/4" hole & up through the top. Tied a knot in the twine and pulled back into the larger hole. Did this on both sided then filled the holes with Gorilla glue.
This should do the trick.



I made a similar set of blocks with a 12 inch square 3/4 outdoor plywood and two pieces of 2x6 pressure treated wood. Mine are not as pretty but yours look very nice.

One thing I learned that caught me totally off guard. I was in a hurry and did not put the blocks in the 5th wheel basement but instead set them in the bed of my truck.

As I was going down the highway at about 55 mph I heard a noise and looked in my mirror to see one of the blocks fly out of the bed and go under my trailer.

The block ripped a hole in my trailer belly and a semi truck following me hit and destroyed the block.

I am sure the trucker was not happy and fortunately for me did no harm to the semi.


Had something similar happen , small cooler behind the fifth wheel hitch , out it flew , never knew it, a car passed us pointing , thought it was low tire or something . Pulled over couldn’t see anything wrong continued on until we got camped for the night and no cooler . That was a lesson learned early on towing a fifth wheel.

n0arp
Explorer
Explorer
SnapPads. Keep the leveling blocks in case you are at a really unlevel site, and the hydraulics want to pull tires off the ground. When that happens, we make sure there are blocks under them.
2000 Country Coach Magna 40',
4380W solar, 22.8kWh LiFePO4@48V, 450AH AGM@12V
2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 2.0T, cloaked on 37x13.5s

RCMAN46
Explorer
Explorer
garmp wrote:
Well finally got them done. Since I'm still in lock down wasn't in any hurry. It was what I call a rummage project. I rummaged through my assortment of junk and found a little of this and a little of that.
Found some nice nylon cord, but it wasn't thick enough to suite me, so I braided 3 strands together for my pulls/handles. Cut the boards 10" along with scrap plywood, glued & screwed, as suggested. Drilled a 1/4' hole into a 9/16 hole. slide the twine into the 1/4" hole & up through the top. Tied a knot in the twine and pulled back into the larger hole. Did this on both sided then filled the holes with Gorilla glue.
This should do the trick.



I made a similar set of blocks with a 12 inch square 3/4 outdoor plywood and two pieces of 2x6 pressure treated wood. Mine are not as pretty but yours look very nice.

One thing I learned that caught me totally off guard. I was in a hurry and did not put the blocks in the 5th wheel basement but instead set them in the bed of my truck.

As I was going down the highway at about 55 mph I heard a noise and looked in my mirror to see one of the blocks fly out of the bed and go under my trailer.

The block ripped a hole in my trailer belly and a semi truck following me hit and destroyed the block.

I am sure the trucker was not happy and fortunately for me did no harm to the semi.

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
garmp wrote:
Well finally got them done. Since I'm still in lock down wasn't in any hurry. It was what I call a rummage project. I rummaged through my assortment of junk and found a little of this and a little of that.
Found some nice nylon cord, but it wasn't thick enough to suite me, so I braided 3 strands together for my pulls/handles. Cut the boards 10" along with scrap plywood, glued & screwed, as suggested. Drilled a 1/4' hole into a 9/16 hole. slide the twine into the 1/4" hole & up through the top. Tied a knot in the twine and pulled back into the larger hole. Did this on both sided then filled the holes with Gorilla glue.
This should do the trick.



Very nice job, made some similar out of 2x4's ,and 2x6's. Making them 3" high. I used some black 1" wide nylon straps screwed to the side for handles. I made four a few years back , have held up well. Made four more now that I have a fifth wheel with level -up. I used treated lumber, then stained them with a water proofing.

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
That's right. You're both just victims of circumstances. :R

Such a weird coincidence that you both have such similar member names and neither one of you can leave the other one alone. It still feels to me like a domestic quarrel that rolled out into the streets. I guess it's too late to hug it out though.

Take a break. Walk away from the keyboard. Go toss a tennis ball to the dog for a while. I know we're all cooped up, but there are still outlets to blow off some steam.

For the time being though, both of you are going to have all your future posts deleted until you can post like civil adults again.

Good luck. And apologies to everyone else for the drama.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
dedmiston wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
dedmiston wrote:
When two kids on the playground behave this way, it usually means they have a crush on each other.

I don't know what y'all's story is, but cut it out.


Maybe you should look at who is constantly hounding me on every thread I post. I have the same issue on the TDR with him.


Neither of you are innocent.

I agree that it's weird how he stalks you though. Don't take the bait.

Same message to both of you though: cut it out.


I disagree on the innocent part as I will not simply let lies or hounding go un rebutted. I will certainly give it a go!

Thanks!!!
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
dedmiston wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
dedmiston wrote:
When two kids on the playground behave this way, it usually means they have a crush on each other.

I don't know what y'all's story is, but cut it out.


Maybe you should look at who is constantly hounding me on every thread I post. I have the same issue on the TDR with him.


Neither of you are innocent.

I agree that it's weird how he stalks you though. Don't take the bait.

Same message to both of you though: cut it out.


The innocent part , yes . Not true on the stalking , I chose not to ignore his nonsense , yes I’m the guilty one taking the bait .

PA12DRVR
Explorer
Explorer
FWIW, when I pulled my 16000# fifth wheel, the lynx levelers were OK, but (living in then booming Houston), I found it easier to swing by the scrap pile of the nearest multi-home development site and pickup a variety of 2 x 10's and 2 x 8's...always some available and I'd just cut them to about 16 - 18" lengths; would carry about 10 pieces.
CRL
My RV is a 1946 PA-12
Back in the GWN

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
Cummins12V98 wrote:
dedmiston wrote:
When two kids on the playground behave this way, it usually means they have a crush on each other.

I don't know what y'all's story is, but cut it out.


Maybe you should look at who is constantly hounding me on every thread I post. I have the same issue on the TDR with him.


Neither of you are innocent.

I agree that it's weird how he stalks you though. Don't take the bait.

Same message to both of you though: cut it out.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230