Levelling blocks for camper on driveway with 2 degree grade

[BeMurda]

Hi, is there a product I can buy or do I need to build truck camper blocks to level my camper on my driveway that has a 2 degree grade? Unfortunately I don’t have a truck yet and may be buying a used 2010 lance 950s, so I need to place it correctly the first time because I won’t be able to move it until the truck I ordered comes in. Thank you.

[LMHS]

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.

[JRscooby]

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.

[Grit_dog]

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.

[gregchambers]

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!

[Grit_dog]

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

[JRscooby]

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.

[covered_wagon]

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.

[Grit_dog]

BeMurda wrote:
I ordered the camco yellow block and shelled out for the rubber base.

Not the 7” tall one meant for trailer stab jacks I hope. That would be a good recipe for jack damage or camper tipping.

[MORSNOW]

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

[BeMurda]

I ordered the camco yellow block and shelled out for the rubber base.

[WarrenS65]

I put one of the stackable yellow plastic blocks under each jack. It flexes a bit so the entire jack foot can be in contact with the block and the block in contact with the concrete.
A 2% grade is pretty minimal. Just use the jacks to level it or have the front a bit higher than the back.
If you're storing it for a long time, I would support the belly as well, but it's not really necessary.

[Grit_dog]

BeMurda wrote:
It's funny you all say that you n need to support the base with something under it when the 2010 Lance instruction manual specifically says not to do that?

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!

You don’t need to support the bottom of the camper, in general. Only thing to watch for is if full tanks look pregnant under the camper. In which case supporting them or fixing the existing installation is a good idea.
If it’s going to sit there for a while it’s far more convenient and also more stable to just lower it down close to the ground. But again not totally necessary unless very nasty winds or actually “camping” in it.
Merry Christmas! And congrats on the belated Xmas present!

[Grit_dog]

BeMurda wrote:
It's funny you all say that you n need to support the base with something under it when the 2010 Lance instruction manual specifically says not to do that?

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!

I wouldn’t put a single thing down. Maybe use some boards or little pieces of plywood. You’ll want something anyway for later if you’re unloading it on dirt somewhere while camping. But on the driveway the only thing they will do is prevent rust stains on the concrete.
Provided your driveway is actually only about 2deg or 4% grade.
If much steeper or the feet don’t appear to sit flat, then I’d consider wedging the feet to not point load one end of each foot.
Once you’re camping you’ll want some blocks to level up the truck when you’re camping w camper on the truck. But unlike some, I realize that was not your current question.
I’ve never bought the plastic Lego blocks for any of our campers. Guess it’s just too easy to cut up some scrap lumber. And if you lose them, crack the boards or just need some kindling wood for a campfire, they burn much nicer than plastic! Lol

You have to weed through some of the responses here as you’re finding out. Apparently there’s a lot of weird theories, paranoia and superstition surrounding campers as evidenced by some of the conversations even just in your threads you’ve started.

[JRscooby]

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.

[JimK-NY]

BeMurda wrote:
It's funny you all say that you n need to support the base with something under it when the 2010 Lance instruction manual specifically says not to do that?

Read the manual again. It says not to use "tall" supports to store the camper in the "raised" position. The camper should be lowered close to the ground. In theory it is not necessary to use any supports since the jacks should carry the load. I still think it is a good idea to further support the camper. Then there is no issue if a jack fails or Spring rolls around and you find it necessary to replace or work on jack that is no longer working. Maybe I am just extra cautious because I have had jacks fail.