Chocking Question

[AuBug]

I am fulltiming in a '97 Holiday Rambler Vacationer.  16,500 lbs on the Chevy chassis.  It has the AutoPark that is much maligned.  I am currently in a park with fairly level gravel.  I have built 4 inch platforms to keep the tires off the ground, large enough to spread the weight.  It occurs to me that I should chock it well.  I do use the levelers to stabilize it, but they aren't extended much.  

My question is How many tires should be chocked, and which end?  I am thinking that one very well chocked tire would be sufficient to prevent movement.  Two might be better, but only a few percentage points better.  Because of the hose and cable connections, I don't want to chock the rear.  Would one front tire being very well chocked keep you from lying awake at night?

Bruce

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the forums! You pose and interesting question. If I understand correctly, you have the tires all on 4" platforms but also are using leveling jacks to bring the coach into level, lifting part of the weight from the suspension as you do so. When we were fulltime in a class A (99 Ford chassis) and had a leveling system, I did put pads under the tires if parking for an extended period just to prevent them sitting in moisture or directly on concrete but I only used the cutting boards that were less than 1" thick in most cases so using chocks was less difficult. Only if leveling would lift a wheel clear of the ground did I add additional blocking under the wheels. 

As long as both rear wheels are solidly on the blocks and the blocks are such that they will never move, you should be safe enough as the auto-park only locks the rear wheels. If you are on a lever pad, which seems to be the case since your jacks are only extended a little, you aren't likely to need more but as a precaution it sure wouldn't hurt to chock a front wheel just to be more secure or to sleep better. If you were on a steep slope I might be more inclined to chock 2 or even 4 wheels, but if near level it is probably unnecessary. 

[Dutch_12078]

I've never found a need to chock any of our motorhomes for anything other than some service work. Between the transmission being in park and the extended leveling jacks, the coach isn't going anywhere, even on grades within the limits of the jacks. Trailers definitely need chocking, but motorized RV's not so much in my opinion and many years of experience. Do you chock your car's wheels when you park on a grade?

[Kirk W]

25 minutes ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Do you chock your car's wheels when you park on a grade?

No, but I don't sleep in it either.  ☺️

[Dutch_12078]

34 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

No, but I don't sleep in it either.  ☺️

Over the years, the only RV rollaways I've heard about were either parked trailers or motorized driver error. The majority of the trailers had just been unhooked. The OP is on "fairly level gravel" with autopark engaged and the leveling jacks deployed. Would you chock your previous motorhome in those conditions? He already has a "belt and suspenders" on.  

[Barbaraok]

Our diesel motorhome doesn't have a "Park" in the transmission, just drive, neutral, reverse.   To shut down and drop air, level, we have to be in neutral.  If on any kind of an incline we put a chock or two out.  We had our parking brake develop a problem and started to role forward while we were in the coach, had just arrived.   Had to replace the parking brake.   Even though it now works correctly, we just chock when on an incline.   Just feels better.     

[Dutch_12078]

I agree that a malfunctioning parking brake system can certainly cause problems. I have held a DP in place with the service brakes while extending the jacks to hold it in place. Of course with air only leveling, that doesn't work. In this case though, the OP has a gasser, so it's a different situation. The only time I've had to hold a gasser with the brakes while setting the jacks was one with a snapped universal joint stopped on a grade. I used the jacks to hold it while I hooked it up to my tow truck.

[sandsys]

Our motorhomes always had either a shift into park ability or a parking brake or both. We never chocked any wheels. We did try to keep the drive wheels on the ground, though, even if that meant pulling in the other way around. Even when we lived all summer in one park we didn't insulate the tires from the ground as so many here recommend doing. But, we also drove for at least 30 minutes at least once a month to keep things working well. 

Linda

[Kirk W]

4 hours ago, sandsys said:

Even when we lived all summer in one park we didn't insulate the tires from the ground as so many here recommend doing.

Actually, that comes from the tire manufacturers. The purpose is to be sure that they never sit in long term moisture.

[Dutch_12078]

2 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Actually, that comes from the tire manufacturers. The purpose is to be sure that they never sit in long term moisture.

I have to chuckle a little at that. Several weeks ago I helped a neighbor at our lakeside cottage in upstate NY pull his wheeled dock out of the water for the winter. I helped build the dock in 1976 and the same axle, wheels, and 13" tires are on it that I donated to the project back then. The tires looked pretty good once the scum was rinsed off, and they're still holding air. I don't think I'd want to put them on a car and run 65 MPH on an Interstate, but they do seem to be in surprisingly good shape given all the summers they've spent submerged and winters exposed to the elements.

[AuBug]

Thanks for all the inputs.  I guess I'm just conditioned to chock something, even if it's wrong   I spent many a year as a volunteer firefighter, and it was SOP to chock first and ask questions later.  

I did get the tires on the platforms, and, with the tranny in Neutral, let off the brakes.  The Rambler creeped just a bit.  So I engaged the AutoPark and got out.  I did chock both rear tires to the rear, and one on the front side.  

Overkill?  Almost certainly.  But I'll snore better.

 

Thanks Again!

Bruce

[Barbaraok]

When it comes to safety, doing more to satisfy that little voice inside you is always a good idea!

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, AuBug said:

But I'll snore better.

I consider that to be reason enough. 

[Ray,IN]

Using chocks was a good choice. Steel footed jacks WILL slide on concrete or blacktop, been there done that. I once watched our new $65K 5er slide out of our campsite, across the road, into the next row of pull-throughs, which thankfully was empty.

[kb0zke]

Several years ago an individual purchased a new-to-him Wanderlodge. As he was bringing it home he stopped to use the facilities and have lunch. Came out of the rest stop and didn't see his coach. He did see a crowd all looking down. Yes, they were looking at what was left of his coach. Whether the parking brake failed or he didn't get it engaged properly, the result was the same. I've always chocked the tires as soon as I get out.