Leveling question

K

Kathy & Johnny

Newbie
How do you prefer to level your trailer, trailer jacks or leveling blocks?
We are familiar with Anderson leveling blocks and the orange lego looking square blocks.
If you prefer blocks, what type do you like?
If you prefer the jacks, what drill do you use to operate?
Thanks!
 
I've only leveled with the Anderson but I also have the orange legos which were bought mainly for possible issues with getting out of wet sloppy ground and a need for more traction.

But it probably has a lot to do on when and where you travel as well as the actual place you set up camp. Situations can vary greatly.
 
I use all three. I always set the jacks for a solid base. I use a milwaukee m18 driver. If one wheel is off the ground I put leveling blocks under it, sometimes the Legos, sometimes the wedges.

Using the jacks to lift two wheels off the ground is strictly forbidden, the jacks are very weak in the side to side direction, at least one wheel must be solidly on the ground, both for safety, using blocks as the terrain requires.

Another note, be sure the jacks are well lubricated if using a power driver, it's easy to cause damage without realizing.
 
I've carried three 1'x1' pieces of 3/4" marine ply and a couple of home-made 4"x4" blocks about 8" long to use as bases and chocks for jacks and wheel on muddy or soft sand, and along with curved wedges (anderson?) I can get level most anywhere with one wheel on ground , even a pretty sloped tent site.

When the wood gets soggy or old I just make replacements. The lego style pads you can stack up probably are easier and make more sense.
I use a closed end ratcheting hand wrench if its too awkward for OEM hand crank.

Good tip @rotus8 on the drill. Reminds me to grease mine up.
 
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For my money, the Andersons are the way to go - with the build-a-block systems, while they work, they are just fiddly. YOu need to stack levels to give a 'ramp' to climb -- the anderson, you jsut throw it under the tire.

Most of the sites I stay at are level enough that the stabilizer will give me the couple of inches I need, but I know that is also my experience. I'm not a fan of lifting so much; the wheels get light or lift off the ground entirely (no pun) -- though I have seen that done for tire changes. In fact, I think both tires were replaced at CICO 2 years ago that way by one of us.

This doesn't apply to single axle trailers, but I"ve used one called a "Trailer Aid" that is particulary helpful with dual axle trailers -- Drive up on 1, and the otehr tire comes off the ground safely enough to do tire changes and wheel bearing service - of course using jackstands.
 
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