Leveling on a Slope

[Islander]

Well I got my 'new to me' 2007 Wildcat 30RLBS home today.

Proud of my trusty 2000 F350 7.3 pulling it up some steep hills along the way.

I am fortunate to have a nice RV parking spot at my home, however, it does have a slope.
Never had a problem with my 26 ft. 5th wheel getting it level on the slope with the front power level legs and blocking securely etc..
Now, with the extra length of my Wildcat the power leveling legs are further down the slope and I run out of length with the extension on the legs that I need to lift....and yes, I do lower the adjustable leg extensions first.
I need to extend an additional approximate 1/2 of the extension of the leveling legs to achieve level.
Question: would it be ok to place a supported beam across the frame work just behind the leveling legs and lower the weight onto that, then re-block the legs to a new starting point and raise the required amount ??
I do hope I made my problem understandable enough for someone to help me.
Is it possible that I am raising the front end too high to achieve level due to the slope?...re the suspension?
Thank you to anybody willing to help.
Need the Wildcat to be level so I can put the slides out.
Also... I'm a newbie to this great site but not to rv'ing.
Dennis
Vancouver Island B.C.

[donanddona]

I would review a set of railroad ties and X-chocks.

[OldCoot]

A picture would be helpful.

[Twisty]

You can't level the site?
Would it be worth it in the long run to set it up for the longer unit?

[Islander]

I will try and post a picture of the site today.
I could possibly try a level out the site a little more but it has hard rock under the gravel at the high end and comes off the street at the entrance.
I know I could not get it very close to level but I could raise the area where the landing gear touches down .

Question: After I have lowered the landing gear to max.... if I were to support the pin box vertically with an 8x8 post and secure it well with bracing to prevent slipping..... could I then raise the gear and place secure raised blocking and then lower the gear to gain the extra height I need to level ? Knowing that all 4 wheels have been well blocked to prevent rolling.

Also... I think if I do that I would place a well supported 'short' ramp under the forward wheels to raise the front axel a little...would that help ?

Thanks all for the replies so far.
Dennis
(got to work on my signature)

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by Islander

I will try and post a picture of the site today.
I could possibly try a level out the site a little more but it has hard rock under the gravel at the high end and comes off the street at the entrance.
I know I could not get it very close to level but I could raise the area where the landing gear touches down .

Question: After I have lowered the landing gear to max.... if I were to support the pin box vertically with an 8x8 post and secure it well with bracing to prevent slipping..... could I then raise the gear and place secure raised blocking and then lower the gear to gain the extra height I need to level ? Knowing that all 4 wheels have been well blocked to prevent rolling.

Also... I think if I do that I would place a well supported 'short' ramp under the forward wheels to raise the front axel a little...would that help ?

Thanks all for the replies so far.
Dennis
(got to work on my signature)

That should work. Be sure to take pics to post.

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Here's a light hearted solution...!

[Islander]

Now that is Funny!!

Thankfully....My problem isn't quite that bad.

[TGR]

Raising a rolling load on a sloped parking area is very hazardous.

I might consider doing something unorthodox in an emergency one-time situation but I wouldn’t jack the unit higher and higher to overcome the parking area’s slope as a way of storing my 5th wheel. Using an 8”x8” post to support the pin during this jacking up is too dangerous to consider, as outside forces would add non-vertical loads that could cause things to move and the bracing to fail.

Like the cartoon in the earlier post so aptly shows, unless you go to great lengths to assemble a stable cribbing under your jacks, leaving your 5th wheel teetering high off the ground isn’t safe. For cribbing to be safe for any length of time, it needs to be built level with a large footprint and safe from kids or vandalism. Even parking on a steep slope, while secured only with chocks that can be kicked away, is unsafe. All this is compounded when additional forces, e.g., wind, extending the slide and walking around inside the 5th wheel, are added to the mix. Imagine the added safety issues you’ll face if it were windy and raining when you need to take your rig back down.

Leveling the parking space will save you a lot of time and be much safer than overcoming the slope by jacking your 5th wheel beyond its normal range.

[vinmaker]

I am in the same boat as you. I am moving to a larger camper and will have the same problem.

My solution is going to be to pour concrete pads for me to back onto when I back it into my yard. I plan on raising the tires up about 8" at the end. You might need more height. The pad will be level so the back of course will be higher than the front. Might need a board in front of it to get up depending on how the level works out. I think something along these lines will work better for you over the long run.

I am basically just building a thick sidewalk to park on . The pad(s) I pour will be about 16" wide X 30" long X 16" thick. Just two large cinder blocks. lol. Should not be too bad to dig out and block out for the concrete pour.

Vin.

[Islander]

Thanks again to all the replies.
Forums are the best way to seek the knowledge of the more experienced.

I have always (joked) about Vancouver Island being comprised of Rock & Ants.
I have posted a picture of my RV parking spot....it really isn't as steep as some might have thought ...and yes, flat would be best.

In my case, my house is built on solid rock and my RV parking spot has solid rock under the top half portion of the back in parking spot.
If I were to try and raise the front with more fill or whatever it would be near impossible to back up onto that hump coming off the roadway.
I only have to go up another 9 inches to be level form here...see picture.
I don't have the landing gear fully extended but as I do not know this rig yet (3 days new to me) I didn't want to over extend them either.

However, I really don't like leaving the rig with the landing gear extended out too far either on the flat or on a slope.
So,... I have built some large based cribbing ..16 inch squares out of 2x4's to place under the landing gear and then only use the landing gear to raise up the last 9 inches or so.
I have owned, lived on, built and worked on large sailboats... many years...and believe me...when it comes to paying attention to keeping something "upright"...especially a boat on the hard (out of the water) ....secure -safe- blocking...is your best friend when the wind blows.

I am also building some custom huge wheel chocks that I will place securely ahead of the wheels ....plus I am shopping for a set of " X-Chocks"
to add more 'anti-roll'.
Next house will have a 'flat RV parking spot'...priority #1.
Dennis
Nanaimo B.C.

[Islander]

OK....so my picture did not stick.... How do I do it?????

[Ford Idaho]

Are you using a IMG hosting site or are you uploading to an album on this site?

[Islander]

Here we go....
This is my 'sloped' RV Parking spot from the road entrance.

[WFD]

Is it sitting level as we view it in this picture? If so, it doesn't seem that bad...or is it an optical illusion?

I should also add...good on you for getting it backed into what appears to be a pretty narrow spot.

[Islander]

WFD.... I would never leave my rig with the landing gear stretched out that far for any period of time. It still has a ways to go but I don't know what happens if I hit the max limit.
It still needs to be raised up another 9 inches to be level...then we can put the slides out .
.....and I have planned it all out.... using strong secure cribbing in two stages.

Anyway.... I am used to my RV parking spot after using it for my 26 footer.Son to be ready for sale.
It is a bit tricky in that I have to back across a road and into the spot and it is not possible to line up in a straight line as there is not enough room across the road for the rig and truck .... usually takes a line up ..then a go for it.
Always with the GW as a spotter for traffic coming up and down the road way....thank heaven for 2 way handheld radios.
I don't think I could get a set of X-chocks between the tires.... they are quite close together.
As I said in my above post , I plan on making some Large chocks from plywood layered up, I use them all the time ..will post a picture after I make them.
I wonder if anyone would be interested in the 'cribbing / blocking' that I am almost done making?...it would help anyone else having to do the same.
Dennis
Nanaimo B.C.

[camper1999]

Here is my solution I do not look using wood. I had it crack and rot.

[Timex]

Originally Posted by Islander

Here we go....
This is my 'sloped' RV Parking spot from the road entrance.

From looking at the pic, great job backing it in!

As far as the cribbing you are referring to, (out of my understanding) but for the front landing gear, I would not extend them any more than half way out(due to the slope). Since you need to make up the difference, some sort of pyramid blocking under the jacks. You just don't want any wobble to start.

I'd also invest in those large rubber chocks(that big trucks use) and I would drive a stake or something in the ground in front of the chock to keep it from slipping. X-chocks should fit between the tires. Heck, I'd even go as far as hooking a chain to the frame and the other end to a tree or a driven stake in the ground.

At any slope, all it takes is a little roll to get things moving.

Sure is a pretty place to park though!

[Islander]

TMEX..... I hope to post some pictures soon now that it is perfectly leveled up.
You have also touched on something that I have forgotten about, and that was anchoring it to something behind.
When I built this house I placed a large 'steel eye' well anchored in the foundation footing and it is right behind the RV.
I placed it in case some day I would have a boat to lock to it.
So I will hook a chain through the tow hitch that is welded on the back of the frame and connect it to the eye once all the dust settles.
Dennis
Nanaimo B.C.

[Islander]

TIMEX....PS I like the concrete block idea... but my height restricted that idea.
Sure wish I had a nice "level" concrete pad to park on.