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Material to use under jacks


BGRD3

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We are looking for suggestions on what to use under our jacks.   Where we park a lot, the site is slightly unlevel so the front jacks are open a little farther than rear jacks.   The ground is gravel and our jacks sink a half inch or so, depressing the gravel a little.   We tried a couple of things, even a 4 inch thick  concrete landscaping square.  The weight cracked the concrete.  Any suggestions?  What about a square of 2x12 lumber?  

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We have bought jack pads that bend  but do the job. There are different ones out there.hink there are more solid "plastic" ones than we bought that would work better. I saw this week in some ad(did not pay attention) a set of jack pads that are permanently attached to the jacks. Might take some hunting to find as I think they were a new product.

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I went into one of the large box hardware stores and asked them to cut up a thick piece of ply into 12" x 12" squares.

The layers in the ply help prevent splitting. And you can stack as many as you like under each jack.

 

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Welcome to the Escapee forums! It sounds like your RV is pretty heavy so you may need more than a 2" thick plank to put under them but it might work as long as you place the planks such that the grain at 90 degrees to the long way of the jack's foot.

I would put an eye screw in the edge of each of each block so that you can locate them using the awning rod.

 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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1 hour ago, bruce t said:

I went into one of the large box hardware stores and asked them to cut up a thick piece of ply into 12" x 12" squares.

The layers in the ply help prevent splitting. And you can stack as many as you like under each jack.

 

I too use plywood. I got mine at a used lumberyard; 1" thick sheet 4'x4', cut 4 16" sq pieces. It's interior plywood so I don't expect it to last forever. I did paint/soak it with some excess concrete sealer I had left over from building the garage.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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https://www.google.ca/#q=elephaant+foot+rv+jacck+pads&spf=1495159175917

This is one way.  2 others are 1, a rubber 1" thick and the other is a hard plastic cut out by a CNC, 12" square.  I also got two /3/8" thick pads because the ground is often not level.

 

If interested, I could search out the info.  Got them at the Tampa RV show last year but they weren't there this year.

They are also great for leveling the rig.

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I purchased a 4"x6" 8 or 10 foot long treated lumber post.  I cut it into 8 equal length sections, drilled 2 holes in each section and bolted 2 sections together with long bolts.  I then attached a metal handle to each of the 4 and carry them in a milk crate in the truck bed when traveling.  They are indestructible and have worked for years.      Greg  

Greg & Judy Bahnmiller
Class of 2007
2014 F350
2007 HitchHiker Champagne

Both sold 2/19, settled in Foley, AL after 12 years on the road

http://bahnmilleradventure.blogspot.com/

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That would work but I saw someone at the WCR Rally last year with stacked up blocks to support the landing gear. So I improved on it by making  8" x 12" x 3" thick" blocks .

Instead of bolting them together I routed out a recess on both sides big enough to take the rv landing gear foot.  I then made a 1" thick block to fit into the top of one and the bottom of the other to lock them together and the landing gear sat in the same size cutout on the top of the top one.

The idea behind this is to prevent the landing gear from slipping off the blocks when doing a tug test.

Rather like big Leggo.

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I used 6 x 5/4 decking. I laid 2 pieces down and laid 2 more pieces on top rotated 90 degrees. I screwed them together. They have lasted 3 years so far.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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15 hours ago, BGRD3 said:

 What about a square of 2x12 lumber?  

I bought a couple 2x12x8' pressure treated planks, then cut them into 2x12x12 squares and glued/screwed 2 of them together, stacked on top of each other.  Next, I screwed handles to them (from Lowes, your choice of style) to make it easier to pick them up from the ground/basement.  Have had them for many (5, I think) years.  

I prefer them over direct contact to concrete/asphalt.  When retracting the 6-pt Level Up on my coach, I think the wood has less "grab", so there is less chance of any damage to the pistons.  They also spread the load a little more on grass/gravel/whatever.  I stow 3 on each side of the basement.

I have been at a couple RV parks with VERY unlevel sites, front to back.  If the front is too high, the Level Up wouldn't auto level with the blocks under the front landing gear.  So, I hooked back up and adjusted accordingly.  Only a slight PITA.  

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Lynx Levelers work well for me.  I have two sets and find them very versitle.  They do wear out, and every couple of years I get a new set and throw out the worst of the old ones.  They are also lighter than many other solutions.

2019 Airstream Flying Cloud 27FB
2011 Ford F350 CC SRW
 

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for."       Will Rogers        

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On ‎5‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 10:09 PM, rdickinson said:

 

The idea behind this is to prevent the landing gear from slipping off the blocks when doing a tug test.

Rather like big Leggo.

Don't you raise your legs up when you do your tug test?

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I'm sure Roger does lift his landing gear a little when doing the tug test but since he stacks his blocks two or three high he doesn't want the trailer coming down six or nine inches if he fails the test.  

Nigel

2006 Volvo VNL 430, 2006 smart cabrio cdi, 2000 Triple E Topaz 30'

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6 hours ago, chevy3500 said:

Don't you raise your legs up when you do your tug test?

I may air the truck suspension up which raises the rear 4" but the hitch has to be aired up to get the landing gear out of the recess on the top block.  Tomorrow my computer guru comes and posting pics on the forum is a priority, regardless of what program.  So if able I'll post pics of the blocks.

If the truck isn't hooked up properly, locked,and I pull away the trailer landing gear stays in the recess.  Pulling the landing gear and dropping  it 6 or 8" will shear off landing gear pins and distort the holes and perhaps strip gears in the electric gear mechanism.  Let alone crushing airlines, denting pin box and other hitch components.  I've made some mistakes but don't post them all over the place.  I'd rather come up with a good fix to eliminate this same issue from rearing it's ugly head again.

Stan told me over a decade ago, don't block up more than 7".  Using my 3" or 5" blocks, I don't use the electric jack,  I stack the blocks as much as will fit then drop the adjustable legs down to the closest hole, deflate the hitch and with the trans in gear, foot on both the brake and throttle, deflate the suspension.  After a few seconds, I drive out from under the hitch.

Hopefully tomorrow, I can post some pics.

The most important thing is to tie the blocks together and cut a recess out in the top to lock in the landing gear foot.

Others out there may not chime in but I can pretty much guarantee some have had the hitch crash down onto their deck, smashing it or the tailgate.

Another good reason to pack this lumber around is they make good blocks to get an adjacent axle up if you get a flat....even with IS.

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FIrMV4Yl.jpg

3" and 5" thick blocks

LE6OSPkl.jpg

Block showing 3/4" pocket routed out and 1.25" locking block

ndTlzNjl.jpg

Locking block in place

 

cpOgQU2l.jpg

2 blocks locked together with top pocket open for landing gear

OEZT8yal.jpg

 

KtyF7ABl.jpg

2 blocks , total of 8" high.  Foot in pocket.  I can drag this around  with the truck and landing gear won't slide off the blocks.

Blocks can also be used to get good axle up if adjacent one has a flat.

More of an exercise in posting pics.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 9:03 PM, rdickinson said:

FIrMV4Yl.jpg

3" and 5" thick blocks

LE6OSPkl.jpg

Block showing 3/4" pocket routed out and 1.25" locking block

ndTlzNjl.jpg

Locking block in place

 

cpOgQU2l.jpg

2 blocks locked together with top pocket open for landing gear

OEZT8yal.jpg

 

KtyF7ABl.jpg

2 blocks , total of 8" high.  Foot in pocket.  I can drag this around  with the truck and landing gear won't slide off the blocks.

Blocks can also be used to get good axle up if adjacent one has a flat.

More of an exercise in posting pics.

I like it!  I know all about coming on hitched and crashing down! X 2  :<(

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