What ramps/levelers are you using?

Hello all,

My 3-level Fiamma ramps are showing their age and cracking now. Time to replace them and wondering what others are using and would recommend.
I need them for my Broadway, which may limit whether I go 3/4 levels, because I still want them to fit in the outside locker.

These are what I have:
https://fiammastore.com/product/fiamma-kit-level-up-with-or-without-carry-bag/

I'm tempted with these Milenco 3:
https://www.milenco.com/imager/uploads/products/833/4923-Trident-Level-Main-Image_a9155f63c9481decd720fe4654ee0d31.jpg

Any recommendations please?

I have Milenco Triples but if the Tridents had been around back then, I'd have bought those.

I started off with the Milenco Triple 2 but unfortunately on their first outing I spun the front wheels which broke off some of the lattice.  I think the problem was I was trying to do a hill start and hadn't quite got the rear wheel parking brake off.  I also found that my R15 wheels didn't sit comfortably in the pocket and so generally chocked the other wheels as well as applying the parking brake.

I then bought the Fiamma Level Up Jumbo.  It only had two flat levels and the second level wasn't quite as high as the Milenco's 3rd level but like the Milenco it fitted into the skirt wet locker.  I used them for a while but found on at least one occasion that the drive wheels lost grip on them and I nearly always had to secure them so that they didn't shoot out from under the wheel which is quite alarming when it happens.  They also became cracked so I reverted to the Milencos which on balance I think were best.

We are fussy about having a completely level van and being able to park the van on a pitch for the best view looking forward.  As a result we nearly always used ramps and often had to experiment with them to get the van level.  As I couldn't see the ramps whilst driving onto them I had to rely on my wife to guide me which didn't always work and was stressful for her.  So we splashed out on an automatic levelling system and haven't looked back since.

The fit of the tyres in the Milenco ramp was something I had wonered about. I'm sure mine are also 15".

On my travels I've seen some self-levellers and been tempted, but for now they're something I can live without on this MH.

We have the same Fiamma Level-Up kit as you, with bag.  The wife and I have got into a good routine now when using them, finding it better to reverse onto them, than go forward.  With the 16" tyres however, we find that the flat parts are not always big enough, and the tyre overhangs the drops between the levels.  Not the best, but we manage when necessary.

the van is nose down, so we do look for pitches with a slight slope so that we don't have to always use the ramps.  We have considered self-levelling - we had it on a previous A Class - but we are close to maximum weight now and can't afford to go over.

Now I’ve measured the storage, Milenco is out of the options, it has a small 20.5cm high opening.
I think it’ll go for the Fiamma again.

Thank you all for your comments.

After re-checking the storage space, Milenco it is. I bought the 3 level. They’re much more robust than the grey Fiamma, the extra rise is also better for my cab-low Broadway.

And here they are in use…

Hmmm, can’t add photos today

I was needing to get under the van to look at the options for re-wiring my step, so thought it was time to get some ramps. The shed produced a length of scaffold plank, and with a bit of glue, a few screws and a slap of old varnish I ended up with a pair of these.

That's funny! We had some just like that 

I've just gone over the top of my Triples. I was having to use them on rear wheels and couldn't see them as I reversed. Always been worried I'd do that, one is now broken so now considering quattros , the 3rd level on those is the same height as top level of triples so I hopefully will never have to go on the top level.

Oh dear. No damage to the van, I hope?

Cymro

Cymro wrote:Oh dear. No damage to the van, I hope?

Cymro

Not that I can see , it's too flipping wet to look underneath.

At last worked out how to post images.
FYI these are my 3-step Milenco Triple 3 ramps.

Those are the ones I drove over the top and broke, apparently they are designed to break when you go over the top.

I don't like the look of the way Triples seem to dig into the tyre surface, they look like they could damage it, especially if you have 16" tyres where the circumference is bigger than the arc on the triples.  I prefer my Fiamma ramps which have a raised end to help you detect when you are close to the edge 

Milenco Tridents are as long as Quattros but only have 3 levels instead of 4 giving wider arcs at each level and are the highest ramps available.

When I drive up there, I'm aware of which level I'm on.
High revs., creep up., 1..2..3.
Tyres are rubber and pneumatic, they can cope with the likely variation between their and the pre-determined  radius.
The only concern I have had is using ramps on gravel rather than a smoother grasss/mud surface. If a pebble underneath the ramp is a bit proud, will the ramp's rigid/hard plastic tolerate that pressure point? So far the Milenco are vastly superior and much more resilient than my previous Thule flat-level ramps.

We use the Fiamma Level Up heavy duty ramps, ours are the older yellow ones, which also have matching chocks.

We use them in conjunction with Monster Mats, either to prevent sinking in on soft grass/sand pitches or else the other way up to stop them slipping on hard standing/gravel. We had some cheaper levellers years ago before these and one shot out once and nearly had my leg off whilst I was guiding Mrs B up them.

The mats can also be used without the ramps to prevent bogging down on soft surfaces.

https://motorhomeessentials.com/product/monster-mat/

Rocky wrote:We have the same Fiamma Level-Up kit as you, with bag.  The wife and I have got into a good routine now when using them, finding it better to reverse onto them, than go forward.  With the 16" tyres however, we find that the flat parts are not always big enough, and the tyre overhangs the drops between the levels.  Not the best, but we manage when necessary.

the van is nose down, so we do look for pitches with a slight slope so that we don't have to always use the ramps.  We have considered self-levelling - we had it on a previous A Class - but we are close to maximum weight now and can't afford to go over.

Update:
Since posting this I have noticed that these Fiamma ramps have become warped at the narrow end, such that it has become difficult to attach the non-slip bits that click on (on don't click on now).  Will need to replace soon, but not with Fiamma.

This is my solution.  Although not apparent from the photo, I don't think either my Milenco Triple or Fiamma Jumbo ramps could have elevated the van as high as this and therefore levelled the van. I would probably have had to turn the van around so the front cab faced into a high hedge away from the view.  My habitation door would then have faced my neighbour's.  Part of the problem is that the van isn't level to start with, it's high at the back.  I don't know if this is deliberate or whether over time the rear springs will sag and it will become level.

...... or kill two birds with one stone: level the van and see the view!

Sorry, couldn't resist!