Loading/Unloading on a slope

Mike@Asheville wrote:
Thanks guys, I'm new to TCs so this is good info for me. When leveling your truck prior to unloading/loading, do you drive the appropriate tires on to blocks or some other type leveler?

How do you judge if it's level? Do you just do a visual observation or do you actually use a level. I'm not sure how close it needs to be being a newbie here.

Thanks

To preserve the refer (my priority), I use a torpedo bubble level on the TC interior floor when at a campsite, then level rig using Lego blocks under the tires. As far as unloading goes (storage scenario), I find this mostly a judgment call and can usually just eyeball it followed by Lego's beneath the TC jacks...When unloading, side to side slopes I'll generally try to avoid...Remember too, that IF you use blocks or ramps beneath the tires when unloading (I don't) you may then run out of jack length, so will have to block jacks by an equal amount.

Mike@Asheville wrote:
Thanks guys, I'm new to TCs so this is good info for me. When leveling your truck prior to unloading/loading, do you drive the appropriate tires on to blocks or some other type leveler?

How do you judge if it's level? Do you just do a visual observation or do you actually use a level. I'm not sure how close it needs to be being a newbie here.

Thanks

I use a bubble app on my phone, and set it on the center console of the truck. When it's perfectly level...my truck bed is very close to level, and when the camper is loaded...generally it's close enough that I can level the camper with my rear suspension airbags.

So when leveling the truck....I use my phone app.

This is very similiar to what I use to level my truck when around the house.

Ramp

Mike, get yourself some RV adhesive backed levels that you can stick on the corners of the camper.

Thanks guys, I'm new to TCs so this is good info for me. When leveling your truck prior to unloading/loading, do you drive the appropriate tires on to blocks or some other type leveler?

How do you judge if it's level? Do you just do a visual observation or do you actually use a level. I'm not sure how close it needs to be being a newbie here.

Thanks

AKSuperDually wrote:
I winter over on a sidehill. The one thing I've learned is....level the truck, then block under the jacks, and raise the camper level. You have to raise higher than usual....drive the truck out and lower the camper to your leveled platform/blocks. When loading back onto the truck, level the truck under the camper...then lower the camper on.

I did some damage trying to lower the camper onto the truck which was not level (not even close). The jacks bind, it's almost impossible to get on straight, and the stresses it puts on the camper is too much.

(Not all applicable to the OP, but might be for others who see this thread in the future)

Yep I well concur, I'd much rather have a North & South slope than an East to West, due to the TC side to side pendulum effect...

I winter over on a sidehill. The one thing I've learned is....level the truck, then block under the jacks, and raise the camper level. You have to raise higher than usual....drive the truck out and lower the camper to your leveled platform/blocks. When loading back onto the truck, level the truck under the camper...then lower the camper on.

I did some damage trying to lower the camper onto the truck which was not level (not even close). The jacks bind, it's almost impossible to get on straight, and the stresses it puts on the camper is too much.

(Not all applicable to the OP, but might be for others who see this thread in the future)

Mine is the reverse of yours, it is lower in the back then the front. I would rather have your way then mine because as you pull forward the truck is falling away from the camper, meaning it is getting lower. When I pull away mine it is getting higher in relation to the camper so I have to raise mine higher than normal. I drop about 8" in 26'. I still don't really have any problems with it just have to be careful when unloading/loading.

The slope you describe is slight so not any real problem...As Superdave said, just cut some blocks or use lego's...My 4x4 truck sits up high (2 added leafs), so I use 3 lego's in the front and 2 in the back...Either way, what you want to be sure to avoid is over extending the jacks - this can damage or weaken shear pin in the jack. Lego blocks (or equiv) are cheap insurance.

3 tons

It's a lot more of an issue than was interpreted by your first post. Using your 2 x 4 with a level on it, make some wedge blocks for your jacks so that they are lifting and lowering in a true vertical.