How much weight can you put on drop jacks

bigman0510

bigman0510

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Apr 9, 2011
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  1. Yes, if you get the chocks suited to the ramps they have grooves in them that line up with groves in the ramps and different locations.
  2. Can't comment on non independent suspension caravans, but with both the vans I had/have it works better if you lift both, I can lift one and the van barely moves.
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jeff

jeff

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Mar 4, 2013
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Only ever used one of the pair of levelling ramps I bought. I find it's always better to stop on a slope with the car lower than the van.
I sometimes wonder how people sleep in the bed with some of the angles I have seen
 
Paul

Paul

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Jun 10, 2013
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mrhappi said:
Legs aren't for levelling. I use a ramp, but it's one of the great rorts that they're sold as pair 'cause I only ever use one at a time :violin:
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Hahaha. I thought the same. Searched eBay and gumtree thinking someone would be selling one but no joy.
Must be allot of people with one brand new ramp in the shed!
 
Paul

Paul

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Jun 10, 2013
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bigman0510 said:
  1. Yes, if you get the chocks suited to the ramps they have grooves in them that line up with groves in the ramps and different locations.
  2. Can't comment on non independent suspension caravans, but with both the vans I had/have it works better if you lift both, I can lift one and the van barely moves.
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Has anyone noticed the grooves never seem to line up?
Also glad I came across this thread. I always had the weight on the jacks. I thought they were levelling not just stabilising.
What a clown!
 
brookes2622

brookes2622

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Jun 24, 2012
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Bywong NSW
I bought a set of Fiamma blocks that I use for leveling that I really like sort of like Lego. The missus used the van once and swears she didn't lose one of them :(. I really like them but have been unable to buy more. I have also changed tyre pressure on one side on occasion for leveling as I carry a compressor.

I do put quite a bit of pressure on the drop downs because I like a stable van and it's not uncommon for me to make the final adjustments for leveling with them. I have some wood chocks I use underneath the feet as I have already broken 2 of them and vow to break no more!
 
Brad

Brad

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Jan 2, 2012
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So for the people leveling with drop jacks, are you noticing if the locking pin does not clip into place as smoothly as it used to?
 
Paul

Paul

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Brad said:
So for the people leveling with drop jacks, are you noticing if the locking pin does not clip into place as smoothly as it used to?
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No but I had suspissions with my last van. Jayco eagle. Door was tight one trip then realised it was the stabilisers. Oops
 
Walks

Walks

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Sep 15, 2013
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How do people level vertically when free camping?

We were parked on the weekend on what I thought was pretty level ground but the front needed to be jacked up. I jacked it up the full level of the jockey wheel and then needed to move to the next groove to get extra height. I used the corner steadies to support the weight while I changed it to the next groove. Is there a better way to do this?

When winding it up the second time the jockey wheel started to bend and twist out to the side, I'm assuming the wheel was rolling under the weight of the van and that's what went wrong. I didn't realize until it was to late though. I'm thinking a shovel and a paver to have a hard level surface will fix this problem. Any other suggestions/recommendations?
 
JASA

JASA

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Mar 15, 2013
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Melbourne Vic.
Walks said:
How do people level vertically when free camping?

We were parked on the weekend on what I thought was pretty level ground but the front needed to be jacked up. I jacked it up the full level of the jockey wheel and then needed to move to the next groove to get extra height. I used the corner steadies to support the weight while I changed it to the next groove. Is there a better way to do this?

When winding it up the second time the jockey wheel started to bend and twist out to the side, I'm assuming the wheel was rolling under the weight of the van and that's what went wrong. I didn't realize until it was to late though. I'm thinking a shovel and a paver to have a hard level surface will fix this problem. Any other suggestions/recommendations?
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I've done the same @Walks when changing the jockey wheel from one position to the other, but never had any issue with jockey wheel bending! Would be interesting to see if anyone else does it differently
 
Xpandafan

Xpandafan

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Aug 24, 2012
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JASA said:
I've done the same @Walks when changing the jockey wheel from one position to the other, but never had any issue with jockey wheel bending! Would be interesting to see if anyone else does it differently
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I use a second jockey wheel (bolt on) on opposite side. I need to get my van tow ball to ground level after unhitching at my annual camp site. Reckon stabilizers are best used as that, not caravan jacks.
 
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JASA

JASA

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Mar 15, 2013
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Xpandafan said:
I use a second jockey wheel (bolt on) on opposite side. I need to get my van tow ball to ground level after unhitching at my annual camp site. Reckon stabilizers are best used as that, not caravan jacks.
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I agree with you @Xpandafan ...it's interesting though that Jayco still call them "Drop Jacks" in their brochure. I know it says not to use them as jacks in the manual. But you'd think they change the brochure...! especially for those people who get a new van and take off before reading the manual!! :oops:
 
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