Safety chocks (not ramps)

Seeking a recommendation for suitable chocks, please:

Because the swivelling driver's seat on my Nuevo tends to foul the handbrake lever (although I have effected Gromit's suggestion to offset the lever by inserting washers) if possible I leave the handbrake off when on site, but in reverse gear. Most gravel hardstanding sites are sufficiently level that the van finds its equilibrium when parking, so it doesn't roll. Having then left the handbrake off, and the van in gear, I usually wind down the rear steadies and put a stone or brick (if I can find one) behind or in front of each wheel. I carry some chunks of wood, and some small, lightweight plastic collapsible chocks (80mm wide) which I can also use if no stones can be found.

But I'd rather have a good set of proper chocks, designed for the job. I don't want levelling ramps as I never use them. I suspect that they ought to be full width of tyres - say 200mm. I've looked on the web, and some which are available look good but weigh up to 5 Kg each.  Rubber ones seem beefier than plastic. Is there a compromise between weight and sturdiness?

Does anyone have any recommendations, please, based on their experience?

Cymro

From experience don't buy the cheap hard plastic type. Some years ago we parked up on a lovely aire right by a canal in France. The surface was concrete and on a slight slope down to the canal ten metres from the rear of the van, but due to the nose down attitude, the van was almost perfectly level.
I placed my chocks behind the rear wheels and released the handbrake, immediately the chocks were spat out at an alarming velocity straight into the canal, luckily no one was walking along the towpath... I've never used chocks since.
Al.

I don't have this specific type (mine are metal) but the folding type works well for me. These are by Kampa, and should be about £5 a set:



And yes - on concrete most types of chock don't dig in well - but in that respect I think it helps to have the type with a curve on the side that meets the tyre.

Thanks, Roopert, for going to the double of finding those and posting a photo. They are the ones I currently use. They're OK, but not as wide as the tyre, and the metal hinge bar (held in place by the yellow plug which is visible in the photo) drops out because the plugs aren't secure. I've fixed that with Araldite, but I don't think those chocks would hold my van were there much force on them - certainly not on concrete, brick or asphalt. That said, they are lightweight and take little space. I won't be discarding my pair, but will use in conjunction with bigger and better brethren, if I can find a suitable set.

Cymro

Ah, Ok! The ones I have are steel, so they are a lot stronger - but not the full width of the tyre. SGS make a slightly wider one (at 85mm wide) in steel and that looks strongly made.

I quite like the look of the ones described variously on Ebay as Porsche or Mercedes type, which have a run-in of steel that the wheel sits on - so that they can't be spat out on concrete - but they are a bit more expensive...

For example the used pair here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164850936441/

These have good reviews

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HOMCOM-Rubber-Vehicles-Caravan-Trailer/dp/B083TBJMHF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=103150453385&dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwp86EBhD7ARIsAFkgakhxamJGuGBRuBW91jXMhT69DvfvUrRwg-Ht60odiFuqBvE4BGhfh20aAn5LEALw_wcB&hvadid=446114924530&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9044859&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1603993992354674197&hvtargid=kwd-54125387&hydadcr=28147_1724764&keywords=wheel+chocks&qid=1620307241&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRUNQQVY0Sjk4U09MJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjg1OTU3RFIzMFBMV0VNU04zJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0OTQ1NTQxQjBCOVU3TlUwSDVTJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I've been using these Fiamma chocks for many years on all sorts of surfaces with no problems.  They don't need to be any wider.  Th important thing to remember is that once you have placed them, let the van rock onto them (by releasing the handbrake) to lock them in place.

I use these and would recommend them. They are available from other retailers at less than the price shown here.

https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637206754/rubber-wheel-chocks-18kg---pair

Thank you all for taking the trouble to offer your helpful suggestions. It's not so easy to decide!

Plastic: cheap; lightweight; less grippy than rubber.
Rubber: more expensive; heavy; best grip.
Metal: middle cost; heavy; less grippy; 
Folding: compact; cheap; modest grip; will it collapse under strain?

Hmmmmm!!! 

Can't find a link to those Fiamma plastic chocks, Peter.
Like the look of the rubber ones, Sally, esp as they are widest I've seen. Any details of cheaper supplier for them?

Many thanks to you all,
Cymro

Cymro wrote:Thank you all for taking the trouble to offer your helpful suggestions. It's not so easy to decide!

Plastic: cheap; lightweight; less grippy than rubber.
Rubber: more expensive; heavy; best grip.
Metal: middle cost; heavy; less grippy; 
Folding: compact; cheap; modest grip; will it collapse under strain?

Hmmmmm!!! 

Can't find a link to those Fiamma plastic chocks, Peter.
Like the look of the rubber ones, Sally, esp as they are widest I've seen. Any details of cheaper supplier for them?

Many thanks to you all,
Cymro

The Amazon ones I linked to are DIMENSIONS: 19H x 25L x 16Wcm. MAXIMUM LOAD 15 TONNES are larger than the searly ones listed which are Dimensions (W x D x H):100 x 195 x 150mm

Cymro wrote:Thank you all for taking the trouble to offer your helpful suggestions. It's not so easy to decide!

Plastic: cheap; lightweight; less grippy than rubber.
Rubber: more expensive; heavy; best grip.
Metal: middle cost; heavy; less grippy; 
Folding: compact; cheap; modest grip; will it collapse under strain?

Hmmmmm!!! 

Can't find a link to those Fiamma plastic chocks, Peter.
Like the look of the rubber ones, Sally, esp as they are widest I've seen. Any details of cheaper supplier for them?

Many thanks to you all,
Cymro

They are slightly cheaper on Amazon. Plus they also list very similar ones of different makes.  Check it out and see what you think.
Sally x

Cymro wrote:

Can't find a link to those Fiamma plastic chocks, Peter.

Cymro

I can't find anything either - I bought them in an accessory shop (possibly Brownhills) many years ago.

I think a block of wood 2 x 4 is as good as anything, that's what they use to choc artic trailers.

Peter Brown wrote:I think a block of wood 2 x 4 is as good as anything, that's what they use to choc artic trailers.

Ha!  I also carry 2 chunks of wood which I shaped myself: they are made from 8" x 3" pine, about a foot long, with one end tapered so as to permit me to drive up on to it when I need to raise a wheel. Maybe they would suffice as chocks. 

I bet they must be amongst the oldest chunks of wood carried by motorhomes: our house was incendiary bombed in 1942 (the only house in the village) and rebuilt in 1948. The wood comes from central vertical beams in the attic, which were removed in 1992 when we re-instated the top floor in the attic. Nice chunks of wood!

Cymro

Cymro wrote:

Peter Brown wrote:I think a block of wood 2 x 4 is as good as anything, that's what they use to choc artic trailers.

Ha!  I also carry 2 chunks of wood which I shaped myself: 


Cymro

Same here, looks a bit redneck though but ..........

To conclude this thread which I started: first, my thanks to all of you who've kindly helped me.

In the event, after much head scratching, I've ordered a set of Sealey WC01 rubber chocks.  

Cymro