Norcold says that fridges should be no more than 3 degrees off-level side-to-side and 6 degrees off-level front-to-back (facing the front of the fridge). A short time parked somewhat off-level would be no problem. The longer you park and/or the more off-level the RV is, the more likely that you should have it running on shore power or the generator (the flame on LP mode is the biggest problem), or just shut it off. It will stay cool all night if you leave the door closed.
The old plastic ones we used to use come in packs of 4 to 10, typically for around $40, or sometimes you can find them for a bit less. The Utility Blocks were $69.95 for four (but you only need four.... so it's not that much more expensive). And the difference in quality is light years. We've had ours for quite a while now and are very happy with them.
I don't even have an RV and love to watch your videos. They are so well done!! But I did purchase one of the awnings you showed on a previous show for my race trailer. I do forward your shows to friends that do have RV's. Keep up the very nice work!
The cheap plastic blocks run about $40. Other than those, all of the good quality jack pads we found run between about $150 to just over $300, which we thought was crazy. At $69.95, these pads were priced closer to the cheap plastic ones than anything else we could find, and turned out to be much better. I know there's shipping too, but most of the others charge that too, and at least there's no tax (unless you live in NC). Our relationship with this company is "happy customer."
As someone new to motorhoming, I am SO glad I checked out your site! I almost purchase a set of very heavy pads for my 43' Mountain Aire. Just couldn't seem to find any online that'd be sturdy enough. These look perfect! So very handy features! Thanks!
Those type of homemade blocks are great. We had a set just like it, which we built before we hit the road. After they wore out (split and cracked after a few years), we didn't have an easy way top make another set, since we're full-time and don't have woodworking equipment on board. lol
I think my original comment to the size of UB pads reflects my experience that I have yet to use pads under my wheels but always under my levelers. While the UB pads are a bit larger than the foot print of my front pads, I'm guessing they are probably the same size as the rear pads. I would love to ditch my larger boards and I could certainly replace my front boards with UB pads. I would still feel the need to use a longer board under a pad on softer ground. That goes for ANY of the currently available pads so that is not specific to UB's product.
We think that 4 is good to start, but if you are on very un-level campsites, you might need more (or just use two stacked together on one side and none on the other side).
Ours have been around for maybe ten years or so. We just used them on our last RV expedition several times. (When I said strapped, I meant screwed. lol)
Plywood is of course cheaper, but also heavier, prone to rotting or cracking over time and requires a saw to make. Nothing that can't be overcome, and we were happy with wood jack pads during our first year on the road, but after they cracked we wanted something nicer.
Hey guys we were wondering if you have a must have list for people who are just starting out in the full time Rv life. There are so many products its a bit overwhelming to try and figure out what we need and what is just fancy lol. We figure when were ready we will buy things as we go along and figure out what is truly needed but what about for the first few nights or even first week. Thanks for all of your videos and help.
We don't have a video about it, but here's a quick list of the bare minimum that we wouldn't hit the road without (in our humble opinion): Sewer hose Clear sewer elbow Black tank treatment Gloves for dumping Fresh water hose Water regulator Dog bone electrical adapters Tire pressure gauge Barbecue grill OPTIONAL: Sewer hose support 30-amp extension cord Leveling blocks/pads Wheel chocks You can find links to the brand and type of each of the above that we use ourselves on our Favorite Gear page: www.thervgeeks.com/our-favorite-gear/ Every single item listed is something we use ourselves and have found to be high-quality and worthwhile in our 13+ years on the road. Hope this helps! Be sure to let us know if you have any questions about any of this, or anything else that you see in our listings (like knowing which dog bones to buy for your rig). ;-)
We spent the winter in San Carlos about 7 years ago, but our personal opinion is that Mexican travel is no longer advisable, other than on the Baja or in an organized caravan. A solo trip all the way down to the Yucatan is something we would not do at this time. Others may disagree.
Funny, I've been using the same 4X6 pieces of wood, about 16' long for the last 20yrs to augment my hydraulic jacks when needed. I have three of them, which takes little space. That's usually enough for all situations, and never use more than one block per jack. About $10 in material at Home Depot. However, I only need to use them a few times a year. I use them more as wind weights, to hold down the happy grass so the wind doesn't blow it away.
thanks! I'm checking out your other video , they are just great!!! Newbies here! Our first RV (Leisure Travel Vans Unity Murphy bed) should be ready in a month :) Cant wait!!!
Is it an A&E awning (like ours) and has this been going on long? We had the same problem a couple of times and it went away by itself. It might be a loose connection, but without having hands on, it's hard to diagnose for sure. Sorry, but you're probably going to have to have a professional RV tech look at it, unless you know someone who is pretty good at trouble-shooting electrical problems. Best of luck, and please let us know how you make out and what you find out.
I assume you're referring to wobbling while parked vs driving. Does your camper have crank-down stabilizers/levelers at each corner? That's a pretty standard way to stabilize. You might want to check out the RV forums at irv2.com for alternative ideas. There are tons of knowledgeable RVers (and even RV technicians) who post there. It's free to join the forums and post a question.
we love watching people use blocks. So funny to watch them pull on and pull off to get the correct height when all you need is a simple ramp and just pull up till level and chock
Not sure what you mean by a ramp. One for each wheel? Wouldn't you still have to make adjustments to get each wheel the right height. How would you use the ramp with a motorhome? How high would the ramps be? Isn't stacking blocks like an adjustable ramp?
+Ralph Terry Hi Ralph and Jerdel! We have a video being released next week all about this topic. And it will not only include a demonstration of driving up onto ramps to get level, but we'll be giving away $280 in prizes that are specifically geared toward leveling. If you haven't already subscribed to our website, our subscribers will be the first to be notified about the video and giveaway one week from today! TheRVgeeks.com
no messing around with a ramp, get out, put it on the low side, pull up on the ramp till level and chock. Blocks...get out put some blocks down pull onto blocks, if its not level, get back in and pull off blocks, get out, stack more blocks, get back in and pull back on. Ive watched people do this as many a 4 times and taking up to 30 minutes trying to level their rv. When all you have to do with a ramp is pull further up or down ramp and done. All it takes is one 2x10 about 40" long and couple short 4 x 4 cut to fit the angle under it for bracing, screw it all together and you got yourself a ramp. Take it out set it down, no putting anything together, so simple and easy.
Amazon is out of Stock, no excepted re-stock, found them on E-Bay - Pack of 4 $70 plus shipping. Hope their worth the money (no Returns) LoL Thanks for the outstanding Video
Hi Nick! Thanks for letting us know. We just e-mailed the manufacturer to see if we can find out when they'll be back in stock on Amazon. Glad you found them in the meantime. We still love ours and hope you will, too!
thanks. we will start with 4...have you used these with balance stabilizer jacks before...will they slip around much still...im thinking some smaller pieces of plywood may be better for that use than these pads due to slipping on hard plastic?
how many will you need for a 30' travel trailer though? We will be getting our very first travel trailer in 2 months :D - we live in Alabama - seems like opinions vary about how many levelers are neeeded.....guess it depends on locations camping? will the pack of 4 suffice in most situations for starters im guessing?
Great video. Thank you. I have a question. I have a 38 Ft Class A DP Fleetwood Expedition. If I put my automatic leveling jacks down and my tires come up off the ground in order for us to be level....Why is is bad to leave my tires up off the ground with no leveling blocks underneath them? I understand the need for the blocks under my leveling jacks but why do i need them under my tires if my tires are in the air but supported by my leveling jacks. I hope this makes sense, Thanx so much
We jack our front tires off the ground all the time, and have never had a problem. Might be a good idea to ask your chassis manufacturer if they have a problem with it (we have a Spartan chassis, and they didn't seem to care when we asked about it). Be careful about lifting off rear tires the ground, because they're the only wheels with parking brakes on them. Good idea to use good wheel chocks either way.
Can I ask a question about my awning. Opens and closes with a press of a button. Lately, it opens a little bit and stops. I wait a few seconds and press the button again and it opens a little more. Few seconds later I press and it opens a little more. Same thing happens when I close it. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.
Is there any news that perhaps UB will come out in a slightly larger size? I like the concept but have some concern about the dimensions. My 2006, 43' DSDP is much like your MADP and especially on the rear jacks there is a lot of weight.
+Donald Moore We've never heard of any plans for a larger size, but we're never had any issues with the weight of our motorhome on them, even in the rear.
+Donald Moore I noticed that also but looking at the one view of it with a tire on it I am almost ok with the size. We need to remember the tire should not be hanging over any edge. It is not good for the tire. They do have a set life. Another 1 inch in both directions isn't a bad idea OR sell them in a size that fits the tire sizes for different classes of RVs. Class C's tires do not have the foot print an A or a trailer has. Fit them to the class you own or the tire size as I know the New Thor Super C on that Ford 550 has a bigger tire and would need a larger pad over a 21' especially if they do a 4x4 model which I would fall on in a NY minute, and I love the solidness of these pads! That weight is negligible because of the features and apparent lifetime over molded thin plastics. Cost does play into being "cheap" If you spend $10-20 more and get at least 1 year over the other products life then the money was worth the extra you pay. Cheap has you buying before the better product and note "better product" if it does last loner and performs better over cheap. Oh the 12' wide treated wood "ramps' stay in front of the garage! Not in our '83 wood framed Honey! LOL! Just back in and on and go take a LONG hot shower! Termites not invited! Blue Sky's and Safe Journeys!
+rolloverriderpgr Larger pads are definitely desirable in soft ground situations. One thing to keep in mind on the issue of tires hanging over the edge. You are absolutely right that it is very bad for tires to do that. But keep a couple of things in mind. First, we have huge 295/80R/22.5 tires, and Utility Blocks are large enough to cover their entire footprint. Second, the larger the tire (and therefore, in general, the larger the RV) the more likely that there will be jacks available. So the larger the tires, the less likely it is that tires will ever be rolled onto them. The ONLY time in nearly 13 years that we have ever rolled onto our pads is to shoot video showing that they can be used that way! lol
I agree with the jacks and A's. I have seen "youngsters" put larger tires on smaller C and Bs for the off road driving they like to do. Tires hanging over pads like my stomach used to do with my belt! AND we know that larger lugged tires do cost that small fortune but 2 or 4 of them and even 6? LOL! If they live their average of 7 years with that abuse it'll be a miracle! Especially one rig with large off road duals on chrome rims! Looked pretty but not so much when they came out of the trees!
+Keith Smith They are indeed large enough for 22.5 (that's what we have actually) and yes, if you're driving rear dual wheels up, you'll want to support both tires.
They'll work with any RV, but you might need more than four for raising tandem wheels very far. If you need interlocking levelers, where you want to use a lot of them to make an interlocking ramp, the cheap plastic ones might be better, since they come 8 or 10 in a pack, and many can be had for very little money. These pads will interlock into a single stack, but cannot be offset from each other to create an interlocking ramp.
Are there products that can get you "unstuck" in wet slick sand or snow, something to put under your tires to give them enough traction to get out of the need for towing services? I was watching a video of somebody missing their turn and backing up....big mistake. Back Tires go buried in sand...the harder she stepped on the gas, the deeper the hole became. Once my car got stuck in icy snow covered surface, so I found some cardboard and put it under my back tire...and I got out. Is there a product like that for RV's to get unstuck?
WOW those are really nice but very expensive, 4 pads shipped right at $100.00. I thought my $20.00 2x8x20 cut to 18" is a much more cost effective solution here in 2018 considering you would want no less then 8 but to be safe 16. No clue what they cost back in 2013
Going with these more expensive pads are indeed a premium choice, but after going through 2 sets of pretty-seriously-built homemade wood blocks, we decided to go for it on this one. They're practically indestructible, so after all the years we've been using them, they're still in perfect shape. We would love to see a slightly larger size available, but these still do the job in the vast majority of cases. They originally ran about $69 a set as we recall.
The "Official" and "Correct" answer is "Never Jack Your RV Tires Off The Ground." We're going to get slammed for this, but the reality is that sometimes you end up jacking a tire or two up in the air to get even close to level. Our tires have hung on the suspension more times than we can count, and no problem after 12 years. That said... keep in mind that the rear tires are the only ones that have a parking brake on them. If you jack them off the ground, you could risk sliding on wet grass or other unstable surface (which is of course sloped, by definition, if you have to jack so high that your tires are coming off the ground). Use large, good-quality wheel chocks, and be aware of what you're doing. Even though we've had to jack a tire many times, we're careful to keep an eye on what the situation is.
Hello gentlemen, question: I'm contemplating a purchase and wonder, since ur f/t and ever exposed to the elements do you see the need for an Rv cover? Thank u as always! happy holidays
Hi Shelley! Being full-time, we've never needed a cover, since we live here. A cover can help preserve the RV when not in use for long periods, especially in very wet or very hot climates (like Vegas in the summer). Very important to buy a cover made for an RV, not a blue tarp type of thing, which will damage the paint when it's windy and also not breathe. Keep in mind that covers are not mandatory, and they can be very hard to take on and off and good ones are pretty expensive. Might be better to just find covered storage. You'll probably find a lot of differing opinions on the irv2.com forums.
Unless you need to build them up for more clearance I don't really understand why they are needed...they have a large metal pad in the bottom of the jacks! I just drop mine and have NEVER had an issue. Unless yours are really small...doubt you need them unless in sand.
Many jacks have small-ish landing gear that will easily sink into a soft surface when the weight of the RV presses down on such a small area (you’ve never camped on a grass campsite?) Even with larger landing gear, it’s hard to imagine having never experienced a camping location that’s off-level enough to exceed the maximum extension of the jacks. Unless camping exclusively in very level commercial RV parks, considerably off-level locations are not uncommon and require some additional height on one or two corners. Almost every RVer we know carries jack pads for these two reasons (soft surfaces and off-level campsite). We can’t imagine traveling without them.
Hi Jim. We have no experience with Lippert systems or Big Country RVs, but we'd suggest posting your question on the user forums at iRV2.com, possibly in an owner's forum about your brand of RV. There are tons of RVers there who are eager to help. It's free to sign up and post questions at irv2.com/forums. Sorry we couldn't be of more help on this one.
I just took a look to see what the Trek system was like, and it looks like they're designed to lock together, so I assume you mean that the bottom pad actually slides on the pavement? Is the driveway very smooth or slick?
Thanks for the quick response. I will wait for a 20% Northern Tool coupon and place an order. I have four leveling jacks so I will have to think about quantity. And I liked your review. Very helpful.
Since we have hydraulic jacks, neither set of tires get pads under them. The pads go only under the jacks. I would think in a drive-on scenario, without jacks, that you'd want to put pads under both tires.
Oh, ok, cause i find the site a little hard to incohesive and difficult to follow. Maybe you could get in there and clean it up for them, haha. I don't see if one can sign up for automatic feedback, if i ask a question i have to check back for replies, unless i missed it. thanks again.oh will u be cooking up a big bird in ur Rv home this week?
Yeah, it can be a little confusing! When you post a question or a reply use the "Advanced" option instead of the "Quick post" option. In "Advanced" mode, there's a drop down box that lets you control how you'll be notified about responses. And if there's an entire FORUM you want to subscribe to, view the forum (like the manufacturer-specific forum for your brand of coach) and then in the upper right look for the "Forum Tools" link... in there is a "Subscribe To This Forum" option that will let you get a message about ALL posts to that forum. It's actually pretty handy... we get daily email digests of all of the activity from a bunch of forums on there. It's a great way to stay informed and learn all sorts of tips and tricks from people! Hope that helps!
This video shows an rv rolling up on one of these with the sidewalls of the tire spilling over the edge of the pad.That's dangerous, because it could damage the sidewall and tread belts leading to a blowout on the road. Not smart.
You are correct that a tire hanging over the side of anything is bad for the tire. But regardless of what it may have looked like in the video, the tires were completely on the pads with nothing hanging over. Utility blocks are large enough for even our large motorhome tires to fit on. They simply need to be centered so that one side will not hang off, and that is how they were. Sorry if it didn't look that way in the video.
We started off with very robust homemade wooden stacker blocks. They were heavy to carry around, and lasted all of 6 months before the first one cracked in half, followed by the others, all within the first year. Utility Blocks are lighter and practically indestructible. Been subjecting these to heavy use for years and they're still like new.
Mark Busha That's true Mark! But for full-timers with limited space, and limited tools to make new stackers, the huge amount of use we get out of these makes it worth the investment. :)
Hi David! Horse stall mats are a great option, too, and less expensive. But just curious... is your determination that they're "much better" based on having used Utility Blocks, too? They're excellent... and very light by the way. Many ways to skin this cat. Great to hear that you're as happy with your solution as we are with ours.
If you're gping to make a video, know what you are talking about. The pads with the "waffle" side do NOT go face down towards the dirt, they face upward so they don't sink into the ground. You put the flat side towards the ground. 🙄
Norcold says that fridges should be no more than 3 degrees off-level side-to-side and 6 degrees off-level front-to-back (facing the front of the fridge). A short time parked somewhat off-level would be no problem. The longer you park and/or the more off-level the RV is, the more likely that you should have it running on shore power or the generator (the flame on LP mode is the biggest problem), or just shut it off. It will stay cool all night if you leave the door closed.
The old plastic ones we used to use come in packs of 4 to 10, typically for around $40, or sometimes you can find them for a bit less. The Utility Blocks were $69.95 for four (but you only need four.... so it's not that much more expensive). And the difference in quality is light years. We've had ours for quite a while now and are very happy with them.
We just traded in our truck camper and go pick up our new travel trailer on Monday, this is timely show & tell. Thanks!
+David Knapp Congratulations on your new rig! Have fun. 😊
I don't even have an RV and love to watch your videos. They are so well done!! But I did purchase one of the awnings you showed on a previous show for my race trailer. I do forward your shows to friends that do have RV's. Keep up the very nice work!
Hi Sandy! Thanks for the nice note. So happy to know that you're here with us :)
The cheap plastic blocks run about $40. Other than those, all of the good quality jack pads we found run between about $150 to just over $300, which we thought was crazy. At $69.95, these pads were priced closer to the cheap plastic ones than anything else we could find, and turned out to be much better. I know there's shipping too, but most of the others charge that too, and at least there's no tax (unless you live in NC). Our relationship with this company is "happy customer."
As someone new to motorhoming, I am SO glad I checked out your site! I almost purchase a set of very heavy pads for my 43' Mountain Aire. Just couldn't seem to find any online that'd be sturdy enough. These look perfect! So very handy features! Thanks!
+MIke Cole We've done plenty of testing of Utility Blocks on a 43' Mountain Aire... so you must be good to go! Congrats on a wise choice of RV. ;-)
I appreciate your brief, yet thorough, videos that you share with us. You have helped us with your information. Thanks.
Those type of homemade blocks are great. We had a set just like it, which we built before we hit the road. After they wore out (split and cracked after a few years), we didn't have an easy way top make another set, since we're full-time and don't have woodworking equipment on board. lol
My family's leveling blocks are pieces of wood set on top of each other and strapped together by my dad. They do the job and don't look too bad.
It only started happening yesterday. I will let you know what the problem is with the awning. Thanks for your help.
I think my original comment to the size of UB pads reflects my experience that I have yet to use pads under my wheels but always under my levelers. While the UB pads are a bit larger than the foot print of my front pads, I'm guessing they are probably the same size as the rear pads. I would love to ditch my larger boards and I could certainly replace my front boards with UB pads. I would still feel the need to use a longer board under a pad on softer ground. That goes for ANY of the currently available pads so that is not specific to UB's product.
We think that 4 is good to start, but if you are on very un-level campsites, you might need more (or just use two stacked together on one side and none on the other side).
We know Leisure Travel's Murphy Bed model. Awesome unit and we LOVE the Sprinter chassis. Congratulations!
Thanx guys prompt responses as always. You guys are the best!!!!!!!!
***** Utility Blocks are a bargain compared to other high-end pads, which can range in price from $100 to $300.
well darn, this post answered my question about if 4 is enough :) - thanks
Excellent video but where do you purchase them
Thanks for the information! Helps out the newbie!!! Also thanks again for your response of knowing the height of your RV!
Ours have been around for maybe ten years or so. We just used them on our last RV expedition several times.
(When I said strapped, I meant screwed. lol)
Plywood is of course cheaper, but also heavier, prone to rotting or cracking over time and requires a saw to make. Nothing that can't be overcome, and we were happy with wood jack pads during our first year on the road, but after they cracked we wanted something nicer.
Hey guys we were wondering if you have a must have list for people who are just starting out in the full time Rv life. There are so many products its a bit overwhelming to try and figure out what we need and what is just fancy lol. We figure when were ready we will buy things as we go along and figure out what is truly needed but what about for the first few nights or even first week. Thanks for all of your videos and help.
We don't have a video about it, but here's a quick list of the bare minimum that we wouldn't hit the road without (in our humble opinion):
Sewer hose
Clear sewer elbow
Black tank treatment
Gloves for dumping
Fresh water hose
Water regulator
Dog bone electrical adapters
Tire pressure gauge
Barbecue grill
OPTIONAL:
Sewer hose support
30-amp extension cord
Leveling blocks/pads
Wheel chocks
You can find links to the brand and type of each of the above that we use ourselves on our Favorite Gear page:
www.thervgeeks.com/our-favorite-gear/
Every single item listed is something we use ourselves and have found to be high-quality and worthwhile in our 13+ years on the road.
Hope this helps! Be sure to let us know if you have any questions about any of this, or anything else that you see in our listings (like knowing which dog bones to buy for your rig). ;-)
Awesome! This is exactly the kind of list that we were looking for. Thanks so much, you guys are the best!
We spent the winter in San Carlos about 7 years ago, but our personal opinion is that Mexican travel is no longer advisable, other than on the Baja or in an organized caravan. A solo trip all the way down to the Yucatan is something we would not do at this time. Others may disagree.
silly. i am a single woman and drive down to the tip every year still with no issues.
Funny, I've been using the same 4X6 pieces of wood, about 16' long for the last 20yrs to augment my hydraulic jacks when needed. I have three of them, which takes little space. That's usually enough for all situations, and never use more than one block per jack. About $10 in material at Home Depot. However, I only need to use them a few times a year. I use them more as wind weights, to hold down the happy grass so the wind doesn't blow it away.
thanks! I'm checking out your other video , they are just great!!! Newbies here! Our first RV (Leisure Travel Vans Unity Murphy bed) should be ready in a month :) Cant wait!!!
Is it an A&E awning (like ours) and has this been going on long? We had the same problem a couple of times and it went away by itself. It might be a loose connection, but without having hands on, it's hard to diagnose for sure. Sorry, but you're probably going to have to have a professional RV tech look at it, unless you know someone who is pretty good at trouble-shooting electrical problems. Best of luck, and please let us know how you make out and what you find out.
Excellent Product...Try them You'll like them for sure...
Thanks for the vids. great blocks. I appreciate all of your videos. I learn something new with each video. thanks for the info.
+Rodney Browning Thanks so much, Rodney! Great to hear. 😊
I have these and blocks and love them.
We've only used these with our hydraulic stabilizers, but we've never experienced any slipping.
the Anderson leveler is by far the best leveler on the market now
+kiel brooks Those do look very clever, but we have jacks, so we don't drive onto our jack pads.
I assume you're referring to wobbling while parked vs driving. Does your camper have crank-down stabilizers/levelers at each corner? That's a pretty standard way to stabilize. You might want to check out the RV forums at irv2.com for alternative ideas. There are tons of knowledgeable RVers (and even RV technicians) who post there. It's free to join the forums and post a question.
we love watching people use blocks. So funny to watch them pull on and pull off to get the correct height when all you need is a simple ramp and just pull up till level and chock
+Jerdel D True, but of course those of us with hydraulic or electric jacks don't need to worry about driving on.
Not sure what you mean by a ramp. One for each wheel? Wouldn't you still have to make adjustments to get each wheel the right height. How would you use the ramp with a motorhome? How high would the ramps be? Isn't stacking blocks like an adjustable ramp?
+Ralph Terry Hi Ralph and Jerdel! We have a video being released next week all about this topic. And it will not only include a demonstration of driving up onto ramps to get level, but we'll be giving away $280 in prizes that are specifically geared toward leveling. If you haven't already subscribed to our website, our subscribers will be the first to be notified about the video and giveaway one week from today! TheRVgeeks.com
no messing around with a ramp, get out, put it on the low side, pull up on the ramp till level and chock. Blocks...get out put some blocks down pull onto blocks, if its not level, get back in and pull off blocks, get out, stack more blocks, get back in and pull back on. Ive watched people do this as many a 4 times and taking up to 30 minutes trying to level their rv. When all you have to do with a ramp is pull further up or down ramp and done. All it takes is one 2x10 about 40" long and couple short 4 x 4 cut to fit the angle under it for bracing, screw it all together and you got yourself a ramp. Take it out set it down, no putting anything together, so simple and easy.
yup, I have hydraulics on my new rv so its even easier now.
is parking 5-6 hours for a trek ,for exemple, in a unlevel parking lot will damage the fridge?
As always Great vid!!!
Amazon is out of Stock, no excepted re-stock, found them on E-Bay - Pack of 4 $70 plus shipping. Hope their worth the money (no Returns) LoL Thanks for the outstanding Video
Hi Nick! Thanks for letting us know. We just e-mailed the manufacturer to see if we can find out when they'll be back in stock on Amazon. Glad you found them in the meantime. We still love ours and hope you will, too!
Wow! They look great. How did they hold up over time? Do you still have the same set?
We sure do. They're practically indestructible!
I am purchasing these blocks, thank you!
The yellow Camco Jack Pads don't go Gridside down. They go the other way and don't sink.
thanks. we will start with 4...have you used these with balance stabilizer jacks before...will they slip around much still...im thinking some smaller pieces of plywood may be better for that use than these pads due to slipping on hard plastic?
What are the size measurements? Thank you
how many will you need for a 30' travel trailer though? We will be getting our very first travel trailer in 2 months :D - we live in Alabama - seems like opinions vary about how many levelers are neeeded.....guess it depends on locations camping? will the pack of 4 suffice in most situations for starters im guessing?
Great video. Thank you. I have a question. I have a 38 Ft Class A DP Fleetwood Expedition. If I put my automatic leveling jacks down and my tires come up off the ground in order for us to be level....Why is is bad to leave my tires up off the ground with no leveling blocks underneath them? I understand the need for the blocks under my leveling jacks but why do i need them under my tires if my tires are in the air but supported by my leveling jacks. I hope this makes sense, Thanx so much
We jack our front tires off the ground all the time, and have never had a problem. Might be a good idea to ask your chassis manufacturer if they have a problem with it (we have a Spartan chassis, and they didn't seem to care when we asked about it). Be careful about lifting off rear tires the ground, because they're the only wheels with parking brakes on them. Good idea to use good wheel chocks either way.
Can I ask a question about my awning. Opens and closes with a press of a button. Lately, it opens a little bit and stops. I wait a few seconds and press the button again and it opens a little more. Few seconds later I press and it opens a little more. Same thing happens when I close it. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.
Great idea! Thanks for the hint.
what is the best way to stop wobbling in a travel trailer
What is the price range on these? Vs the older ones you showed.
Great information and great video!! Thanks!!!!
Is there any news that perhaps UB will come out in a slightly larger size? I like the concept but have some concern about the dimensions. My 2006, 43' DSDP is much like your MADP and especially on the rear jacks there is a lot of weight.
+Donald Moore We've never heard of any plans for a larger size, but we're never had any issues with the weight of our motorhome on them, even in the rear.
+Donald Moore I noticed that also but looking at the one view of it with a tire on it I am almost ok with the size.
We need to remember the tire should not be hanging over any edge.
It is not good for the tire.
They do have a set life.
Another 1 inch in both directions isn't a bad idea OR sell them in a size that fits the tire sizes for different classes of RVs. Class C's tires do not have the foot print an A or a trailer has. Fit them to the class you own or the tire size as I know the New Thor Super C on that Ford 550 has a bigger tire and would need a larger pad over a 21' especially if they do a 4x4 model which I would fall on in a NY minute, and I love the solidness of these pads! That weight is negligible because of the features and apparent lifetime over molded thin plastics. Cost does play into being "cheap" If you spend $10-20 more and get at least 1 year over the other products life then the money was worth the extra you pay. Cheap has you buying before the better product and note "better product" if it does last loner and performs better over cheap.
Oh the 12' wide treated wood "ramps' stay in front of the garage! Not in our '83 wood framed Honey! LOL! Just back in and on and go take a LONG hot shower! Termites not invited!
Blue Sky's and Safe Journeys!
+rolloverriderpgr Larger pads are definitely desirable in soft ground situations. One thing to keep in mind on the issue of tires hanging over the edge. You are absolutely right that it is very bad for tires to do that. But keep a couple of things in mind. First, we have huge 295/80R/22.5 tires, and Utility Blocks are large enough to cover their entire footprint. Second, the larger the tire (and therefore, in general, the larger the RV) the more likely that there will be jacks available. So the larger the tires, the less likely it is that tires will ever be rolled onto them. The ONLY time in nearly 13 years that we have ever rolled onto our pads is to shoot video showing that they can be used that way! lol
I agree with the jacks and A's. I have seen "youngsters" put larger tires on smaller C and Bs for the off road driving they like to do. Tires hanging over pads like my stomach used to do with my belt! AND we know that larger lugged tires do cost that small fortune but 2 or 4 of them and even 6? LOL! If they live their average of 7 years with that abuse it'll be a miracle!
Especially one rig with large off road duals on chrome rims! Looked pretty but not so much when they came out of the trees!
Great video. Will these work for our 40ft Class A motorhome?
+Marty Adle They sure will. They work great for our 43' class A! 😊
RVgeeks are they large enough for 22.5 tires? Do you have to have two sets side by side?
+Keith Smith They are indeed large enough for 22.5 (that's what we have actually) and yes, if you're driving rear dual wheels up, you'll want to support both tires.
Are these blocks designed more for single axle motor coaches, or do they work to level a tandem axle 5 wheel trailer?
They'll work with any RV, but you might need more than four for raising tandem wheels very far. If you need interlocking levelers, where you want to use a lot of them to make an interlocking ramp, the cheap plastic ones might be better, since they come 8 or 10 in a pack, and many can be had for very little money. These pads will interlock into a single stack, but cannot be offset from each other to create an interlocking ramp.
do you have any suggestions on dehumidifiers for rvs?
Sorry Richard, but other than those little Damp-Rid type of desiccants, we’re not sure what to recommend.
Are there products that can get you "unstuck" in wet slick sand or snow, something to put under your tires to give them enough traction to get out of the need for towing services? I was watching a video of somebody missing their turn and backing up....big mistake. Back Tires go buried in sand...the harder she stepped on the gas, the deeper the hole became.
Once my car got stuck in icy snow covered surface, so I found some cardboard and put it under my back tire...and I got out. Is there a product like that for RV's to get unstuck?
There are a number of traction devices on the market that go under the tires, like this one: amzn.to/2JukKvP
WOW those are really nice but very expensive, 4 pads shipped right at $100.00. I thought my $20.00 2x8x20 cut to 18" is a much more cost effective solution here in 2018 considering you would want no less then 8 but to be safe 16. No clue what they cost back in 2013
Going with these more expensive pads are indeed a premium choice, but after going through 2 sets of pretty-seriously-built homemade wood blocks, we decided to go for it on this one. They're practically indestructible, so after all the years we've been using them, they're still in perfect shape. We would love to see a slightly larger size available, but these still do the job in the vast majority of cases. They originally ran about $69 a set as we recall.
When leveling the RV - is it ok for some of the tires to go off the ground? I have seen some various responses on this and being new - not quite sure.
The "Official" and "Correct" answer is "Never Jack Your RV Tires Off The Ground." We're going to get slammed for this, but the reality is that sometimes you end up jacking a tire or two up in the air to get even close to level. Our tires have hung on the suspension more times than we can count, and no problem after 12 years. That said... keep in mind that the rear tires are the only ones that have a parking brake on them. If you jack them off the ground, you could risk sliding on wet grass or other unstable surface (which is of course sloped, by definition, if you have to jack so high that your tires are coming off the ground). Use large, good-quality wheel chocks, and be aware of what you're doing. Even though we've had to jack a tire many times, we're careful to keep an eye on what the situation is.
RVgeeks
Thank you for the information/reply! Love your videos and reference them often.
Hello gentlemen, question: I'm contemplating a purchase and wonder, since ur f/t and ever exposed to the elements do you see the need for an Rv cover? Thank u as always! happy holidays
Hi Shelley! Being full-time, we've never needed a cover, since we live here. A cover can help preserve the RV when not in use for long periods, especially in very wet or very hot climates (like Vegas in the summer). Very important to buy a cover made for an RV, not a blue tarp type of thing, which will damage the paint when it's windy and also not breathe. Keep in mind that covers are not mandatory, and they can be very hard to take on and off and good ones are pretty expensive. Might be better to just find covered storage. You'll probably find a lot of differing opinions on the irv2.com forums.
When you have dually's on a class +B RV, do you need pads under both wheels? Thank you
Yes, 2badger2... it's a good idea, to make sure that you're properly supporting the RV, tires & axle.
Unless you need to build them up for more clearance I don't really understand why they are needed...they have a large metal pad in the bottom of the jacks! I just drop mine and have NEVER had an issue. Unless yours are really small...doubt you need them unless in sand.
Many jacks have small-ish landing gear that will easily sink into a soft surface when the weight of the RV presses down on such a small area (you’ve never camped on a grass campsite?) Even with larger landing gear, it’s hard to imagine having never experienced a camping location that’s off-level enough to exceed the maximum extension of the jacks. Unless camping exclusively in very level commercial RV parks, considerably off-level locations are not uncommon and require some additional height on one or two corners. Almost every RVer we know carries jack pads for these two reasons (soft surfaces and off-level campsite). We can’t imagine traveling without them.
Anyone have any idea what a Lippert Auto Reset Breaker looks like for Lippert Hydraulic Jacks and Slideouts? This would be for a 2014 BigCountry?
Hi Jim. We have no experience with Lippert systems or Big Country RVs, but we'd suggest posting your question on the user forums at iRV2.com, possibly in an owner's forum about your brand of RV. There are tons of RVers there who are eager to help. It's free to sign up and post questions at irv2.com/forums. Sorry we couldn't be of more help on this one.
First time I tried to use the Trek interlocking system on a slanted driveway they just kept moving forward, slipping. How do you stop that.
I just took a look to see what the Trek system was like, and it looks like they're designed to lock together, so I assume you mean that the bottom pad actually slides on the pavement? Is the driveway very smooth or slick?
Standard driveway, not very slick and the bottom pad did slide down the driveway. Good that I brought the old wood 2x8's with me.
I have a double axle. How many do you recommend I buy. I am thinking 3 sets minimum.
We ordered two sets (8 pads), and have never needed more than that. But we have 4 hydraulic jacks, so we don't roll tires up onto them.
Thanks for the quick response. I will wait for a 20% Northern Tool coupon and place an order.
I have four leveling jacks so I will have to think about quantity. And I liked your review. Very helpful.
Do you still use these blocks?
We sure do! They’re indestructible !
For tandem wheels, do you level both tires or just one?
Since we have hydraulic jacks, neither set of tires get pads under them. The pads go only under the jacks. I would think in a drive-on scenario, without jacks, that you'd want to put pads under both tires.
I personally do both tires so there's equal weight on each one. Not much but like to keep it even.
Wish I had them when I was traveling I had to use wooden blocks
$259 for a 4pk in Canada. That's a lot of lumber folks. You can keep them :)
They’re 80 bucks in the US. Not sure what Amazon.ca is smoking.
How do they work on dual back wheels ...class c
Excellent. Just be sure to put them under. Both dual tires.
where can you find the Utility Bock?
On Amazon: amzn.to/2GtsAUQ
Cool
If the RV is rockin' don't come knockin' Just kidding- we bought 4 scissor jacks and had them installed permanently
those seem like they would work great but why dont you just put 1 inch piece of plywood and use that
Thanks!!
How to order?
Right here, Diane! amzn.to/2GtsAUQ
not bad!
These are really nice but expensive in my book. I'll settle for the cheap ones besides it's for our TT not a big motor home.
Oh, ok, cause i find the site a little hard to incohesive and difficult to follow. Maybe you could get in there and clean it up for them, haha. I don't see if one can sign up for automatic feedback, if i ask a question i have to check back for replies, unless i missed it. thanks again.oh will u be cooking up a big bird in ur Rv home this week?
Yeah, it can be a little confusing! When you post a question or a reply use the "Advanced" option instead of the "Quick post" option. In "Advanced" mode, there's a drop down box that lets you control how you'll be notified about responses.
And if there's an entire FORUM you want to subscribe to, view the forum (like the manufacturer-specific forum for your brand of coach) and then in the upper right look for the "Forum Tools" link... in there is a "Subscribe To This Forum" option that will let you get a message about ALL posts to that forum. It's actually pretty handy... we get daily email digests of all of the activity from a bunch of forums on there. It's a great way to stay informed and learn all sorts of tips and tricks from people!
Hope that helps!
$70? LOL
This video shows an rv rolling up on one of these with the sidewalls of the tire spilling over the edge of the pad.That's dangerous, because it could damage the sidewall and tread belts leading to a blowout on the road. Not smart.
You are correct that a tire hanging over the side of anything is bad for the tire. But regardless of what it may have looked like in the video, the tires were completely on the pads with nothing hanging over. Utility blocks are large enough for even our large motorhome tires to fit on. They simply need to be centered so that one side will not hang off, and that is how they were. Sorry if it didn't look that way in the video.
2x4's are $2.97 at home depot. Weepin' Jeezus.
We started off with very robust homemade wooden stacker blocks. They were heavy to carry around, and lasted all of 6 months before the first one cracked in half, followed by the others, all within the first year. Utility Blocks are lighter and practically indestructible. Been subjecting these to heavy use for years and they're still like new.
RVgeeks 6 months for 3 bucks worth of scrap wood or almost $80 for.... To each his own. 😁
Mark Busha That's true Mark! But for full-timers with limited space, and limited tools to make new stackers, the huge amount of use we get out of these makes it worth the investment. :)
Mark Busha I personally use 2 x 12's. They work just fine and cost me $15!
+Mike Minnala We did the same thing, but they only lasted through about 6 months of full time use. So we invested in these and never looked back. 😊
J7
Nope. My horse stall mats are much better, less expensive, custom sized, lighter, and will last longer than I'll live.
Hi David! Horse stall mats are a great option, too, and less expensive. But just curious... is your determination that they're "much better" based on having used Utility Blocks, too? They're excellent... and very light by the way. Many ways to skin this cat. Great to hear that you're as happy with your solution as we are with ours.
:)
If you're gping to make a video, know what you are talking about. The pads with the "waffle" side do NOT go face down towards the dirt, they face upward so they don't sink into the ground. You put the flat side towards the ground. 🙄
If you’re going to make a comment, know what you are talking about.