Levelling blocks/ramps

Any advice? We need to buy a set of levelling blocks. Are they all much the same or are there recommendations? Cheers.

We use the Fiamma Jumbo Level Up ones, in conjunction with Monster Mats* which prevents sinking in on grass or levellers skidding out on gravel/hardstanding. We use the mats on soft pitches even if we don't need the Levels.

We started many years ago with the level ramps you fill up with sand or water - they were useless; the Fiamma's we replaced them with then have done well ever since so easily worth the cost.

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With a long wheelbase vehicle you need more lift for the same slope of site. So you need to balance that against the bigger space needed for storing them en route.

A little science can help here!!

Park the van on a level surface, it must be level, my launching pad where it lives is so level builders come round to calibrate their spirit levels!!

Now put a long spirit level on the hab floor. It'll then tell you whether the floor is level and, if not, by how much.

Now raise the front wheels on a couple of planks until the floor is truly level.

Therefore, the van is now level fore/aft at least.

Fit a dual spirit level somewhere in the front of the van, visible from the driver seat, mine is in the cup holder. Fit it so it shows true level.

When parking on a site, observe this. Most vans are nose low, tail high, mine certainly is. If approaching a sloping pitch, nose in, the further in you go the better it'll self level, this can be seen on the built in level. Mine, in the pic, for example shows it to be tail high, nose low.

So, if approaching a sloping pitch, simply driving a wee bit further will level the van, within reason, of course.

If that isn't enough, then, and only then are the ramps actually needed.

Using this we only have to use our ramps perhaps 5 or 6 times per year. 
Still need ramps, of course, but rarely needed, so one less chore before opening the red!!!

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thanks all. all noted!

Beware those little spirit levels - like the one shown in IanH's post. We've had a couple and they're not accurate! I'm sure Ian's is, but if we rotate ours through 180° the bubble moves!  Worth checking in the shop before you buy to make sure you get an accurate one.

Mine is bedded in filler, then set to show level when the van was also dead level. So it is always accurate as it is never moved.....

I have the same level as Ian, fitted to the drivers seat frame so all I have to do is look down. We use milenco quattro ramps, do what they say on the tin but a bit bulky if you are short of storage. I also have a set of inclinometers and compass from a 4X4 but have never got round to fitting them, probably just something else to go wrong though.

As IanH points out, most vans are high at the back and low the front.  From reading this Forum it appear that many take advantage of this by positioning their van on a sloping pitch so that the front wheels are on the highest point of the pitch.  This does mean that you may end up facing away from the best view/aspect and/or having your habitation door / awning on the same side as your neighbour.  This doesn't really work if the slope is side to side unless you're able to position your van across the pitch.  We like to position our van for the best view and used levelling ramps more often than not, favouring the Milenco over the Fiamma.  However, I've given up on both now in favour of self-levelling jacks which are great improvement if a tad expensive!

Levelling....? there's an app for that. I only leveled when the fridge wouldn't work. 
Rich..

RML wrote:Levelling....? there's an app for that. I only leveled when the fridge wouldn't work. 
Rich..

That’s a good point.  As motorhomes are much harder to level than caravans, they are more likely not to be level.  As an ex caravaner we like it to be level.

If we're not level the fridge still works but the washroom door doesn't stay open properly. As we use the area behind as a dressing area it's a bit of a pain! So, we probably use ramps more than most in a Symbol (having an auto doesn't help as it is definitely nose down). We use Thule ramps which are a bit smaller and easier to store.

Milenco Triples for me,  not as big as quattros and sufficient lift for all but the worst slopes.

Thanks Paul. Had my eye on those and space tends to be at a bit of a premium.