Just wondering if anyone knows if the struts/legs(?) that you put down to stabilise/level a Jayco Starcraft 15ft Poptop would level it up on ground that had an approximate 12-15° slope? (back-end up the slope, front-end down)
Any idea what the maximum slope would be? (besides the obvious answer of 'when it starts to slide...'
Also, bad idea to park 'sideways' on a slope, or doable?
PeterD said
08:37 PM Feb 12, 2017
Chock the wheels well before uncoupling. Get some heavy timber that is sufficient to support the jockey wheel and also to place under the front stands. Build the jockey wheel support with timber pieces in pairs stacked alternately to form a skeleton pyramid.
If you park the van across the slope is it possible to dig an impression to take the high side wheel?
Delta18 said
09:25 PM Feb 12, 2017
NannyJam wrote:
Just wondering if anyone knows if the struts/legs(?) that you put down to stabilise/level a Jayco Starcraft 15ft Poptop would level it up on ground that had an approximate 12-15° slope? (back-end up the slope, front-end down)
Don't try to use the Stabilise Legs to level the van, they WILL bend/break.
Use the jockey wheel in conjunction with another jack to gradually raise the front, alternating between the two. Follow the lift with supports in case a jack slips.
As Peter said, make sure to carefully chock the wheels, don't rely on the handbrake.
Grubbygypsy said
09:29 PM Feb 12, 2017
IMO - legs/struts are only there to stop it swaying. They don't take any significant load. Maybe some flash ones might....but not on a jayco Starcraft.
Always chock your wheels (don't be distracted by old men coming out to 'help' lol).
I always put another jack under my chassis (A frame) as well....so if the proverbial hits the fan.....no dramas.
macka17 said
10:48 PM Feb 12, 2017
After umpteen yrs at it. I always carry a trolley jack to suit car and van.
Will change wheels (with a little help from myself chuckle) Jack up van front to back and side to side. easy no stress. Plus a coupla axle stands if staying any time.
Overnight. just take out the handle and leave till morning.
I got fed up carrying blocks timbers etc yrs ago. Just one piece of ply for under jack front wheels when it soft.
Chocking.
the cable brake. I check and adjust van brakes b4 every trip.
Full service for long ones.
My hand brake is a stainless cable and new marine sheaves
Adjusted so I can apply brake fully to my strength while still having a coupla notches left on plate.
4 wheels. 4 good brakes. it ain't going anywhere.
Not in the 50 odd yrs I've been doing it anyway.
I can always put axle stands between wheels on each side if necessary anyway.
With insert removed. Wheel stands on shaft, blocked by baseplate.
Can't trip over itself.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 12th of February 2017 11:05:52 PM
Delta18 said
10:56 PM Feb 12, 2017
macka17 wrote:
After umpteen yrs at it. I always carry a trolley jack to suit car and van.
Will change wheels (with a little help from myself chuckle) Jack up van front to back and side to side. easy no stress. Plus a coupla axle stands if staying any time. Overnight. just take out the handle and leave till morning.
I got fed up carrying blocks timbers etc yrs ago. Just one piece of ply for under jack front wheels when it soft.
Hardly helps the problem of parking on a steep slope, the plywood won't cut it.
macka17 said
11:48 PM Feb 12, 2017
Sorry mate.
But in all the yrs I've been vanning. I've yet to see anybody with any brain park on a STEEP slope.
Everybody I've seen or known. Goes elsewhere. and relaxes.
That "ply" is for UNDER the Jack front wheels when you placing it to use in sand etc. to take load.
A person CAN park anything anywhere. BUT who wants the hassles.
There is ALWAYS.... Somewhere else.
You should see my boat in front drive. If it had wings it would fly in next cyclone.
But it on concrete blocks and welded frames under trailer chassis.
For IT. There's nowhere else.
In that situation yes. Block it up, but for overnighters Nope. Go elsewhere. flatter.
If it steep enough to chock and block. Me personally wouldn't sleep much.
NannyJam said
03:03 AM Feb 13, 2017
Now see, this is why I ask my daft questions here... Rigggght... so, main points: the struts/legs just 'stabilise' but don't lift/raise a van. A jockey wheel can 'lift' the front of a van but a car jack (or 2) would be better. Chock the wheels & ensure the brake is on - got it!! lol
Thanks, that all helps :)
Grubbygypsy said
09:25 AM Feb 13, 2017
No question is daft NJ.
I can't envisage your slope (ie the degrees etc....but show me a pic and I'll tell you straight up if you could park it or not).
I just wanted to point out the importance of using good chocks too. Those little yellow plastic ones are not that good in some instances and can slide along with the van. I know you're not going to be dealing with the size/weight rig I am, but it's just handy to know that they're not the best. I have a big kuhuna for chocking dump trucks in the mines on board too.
I'm contemplating unhooking today and I'm not overly happy about the lay of the land, it'll probably make me not bother to be honest.
Delta18 said
10:29 AM Feb 13, 2017
macka17 wrote:
Sorry mate. But in all the yrs I've been vanning. I've yet to see anybody with any brain park on a STEEP slope. Everybody I've seen or known. Goes elsewhere. and relaxes.
That "ply" is for UNDER the Jack front wheels when you placing it to use in sand etc. to take load.
A person CAN park anything anywhere. BUT who wants the hassles. There is ALWAYS.... Somewhere else.
My impression was he was asking re: parking at home, perhaps on a concrete driveway. Could well be away though on re-reading.
I agree, when travelling that finding the levelest site is best.
patrol03 said
12:33 PM Feb 13, 2017
Level sites for me too Macka. Stabilizers just steady the beast.
Hylife said
09:21 PM Feb 13, 2017
Nannyjam, I am assuming that you are considering parking a van longer term on that slope. EG, your home property front yard is sloping or some longer term camp site.
15 degrees is not really much of a slope. if you need to sleep in it, so long as you can use the jockey wheel to wind up the front of the van to get it level and still have the back of the van NOT hitting the ground then all is good.
Chock under (in front of) both the wheels with a brick or two or something similar, apply the handbrake hard, then wind up that jockey wheel until level, next drop the front down two turns of the jockey wheel crank handle, wind down the rear stabiliser legs, wind back up the jockey wheel three turns, wind down the front stabiliser legs, wind down the jockey wheel one turn.
This process ensure all the legs have a good solid weight on them with no slop.
If you are on grass you will slowly sink in and need to make adjustments over a few days. Consider buying a jockey plate to use instead of the wheel. When travelling I hardly ever use the wheel which is useless in sand.
If this slope you speak of is your house block (front yard?) then pop down to Bunnings and buy two 400mm x 400mm pavers (wheel pads) and five 300mm x 300mm pavers (stabiliser & jockey pads). Wet the lawn with the hose and use a spade to dig out 50mm to sit the pads in. Now you have a nice solid place to park your van and it will never sink down or become unstable and you can mow it easy.
NannyJam said
10:52 PM Mar 3, 2017
Once again for the brilliant tips & advice!! Sooo much to learn!!
Yes, just in my driveway... but yayy me! I reversed my little van up the driveway, on a narrow street, in the rain, by myself and now have it parked for a while. I don't think my slope is as bad as my newbie stress levels imagine! lol
Just another daft question... I *could* park the van on the slightly sloping concrete driveway (where the car in the below pic is), as opposed to leaving it where it is on the grass.
So, would it be better/safer/more stable to park it on the concrete, or leave it where it is on the grass?
In my head I'm thinking grass gives more 'grip' for the wheels... but maybe the concrete gives more grip? Gah! I know nothing! :( lol
Just wondering if anyone knows if the struts/legs(?) that you put down to stabilise/level a Jayco Starcraft 15ft Poptop would level it up on ground that had an approximate 12-15° slope? (back-end up the slope, front-end down)
Any idea what the maximum slope would be? (besides the obvious answer of 'when it starts to slide...'
Also, bad idea to park 'sideways' on a slope, or doable?
If you park the van across the slope is it possible to dig an impression to take the high side wheel?
Don't try to use the Stabilise Legs to level the van, they WILL bend/break.
Use the jockey wheel in conjunction with another jack to gradually raise the front, alternating between the two. Follow the lift with supports in case a jack slips.
As Peter said, make sure to carefully chock the wheels, don't rely on the handbrake.
Always chock your wheels (don't be distracted by old men coming out to 'help' lol).
I always put another jack under my chassis (A frame) as well....so if the proverbial hits the fan.....no dramas.
After umpteen yrs at it.
I always carry a trolley jack to suit car and van.
Will change wheels (with a little help from myself chuckle)
Jack up van front to back and side to side. easy no stress.
Plus a coupla axle stands if staying any time.
Overnight.
just take out the handle and leave till morning.
I got fed up carrying blocks timbers etc yrs ago.
Just one piece of ply for under jack front wheels when it soft.
Chocking.
the cable brake. I check and adjust van brakes b4 every trip.
Full service for long ones.
My hand brake is a stainless cable and new marine sheaves
Adjusted so I can apply brake fully to my strength while still having a coupla notches left on plate.
4 wheels. 4 good brakes. it ain't going anywhere.
Not in the 50 odd yrs I've been doing it anyway.
I can always put axle stands between wheels on each side if necessary anyway.
With insert removed. Wheel stands on shaft, blocked by baseplate.
Can't trip over itself.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 12th of February 2017 11:05:52 PM
Hardly helps the problem of parking on a steep slope, the plywood won't cut it.
But in all the yrs I've been vanning. I've yet to see anybody with any brain park on a STEEP slope.
Everybody I've seen or known. Goes elsewhere. and relaxes.
That "ply" is for UNDER the Jack front wheels when you placing it to use in sand etc. to take load.
A person CAN park anything anywhere. BUT who wants the hassles.
There is ALWAYS.... Somewhere else.
You should see my boat in front drive. If it had wings it would fly in next cyclone.
But it on concrete blocks and welded frames under trailer chassis.
For IT. There's nowhere else.
In that situation yes. Block it up, but for overnighters Nope. Go elsewhere. flatter.
If it steep enough to chock and block. Me personally wouldn't sleep much.
I can't envisage your slope (ie the degrees etc....but show me a pic and I'll tell you straight up if you could park it or not).
I just wanted to point out the importance of using good chocks too. Those little yellow plastic ones are not that good in some instances and can slide along with the van. I know you're not going to be dealing with the size/weight rig I am, but it's just handy to know that they're not the best. I have a big kuhuna for chocking dump trucks in the mines on board too.
I'm contemplating unhooking today and I'm not overly happy about the lay of the land, it'll probably make me not bother to be honest.
Nannyjam, I am assuming that you are considering parking a van longer term on that slope. EG, your home property front yard is sloping or some longer term camp site.
15 degrees is not really much of a slope. if you need to sleep in it, so long as you can use the jockey wheel to wind up the front of the van to get it level and still have the back of the van NOT hitting the ground then all is good.
Chock under (in front of) both the wheels with a brick or two or something similar, apply the handbrake hard, then wind up that jockey wheel until level, next drop the front down two turns of the jockey wheel crank handle, wind down the rear stabiliser legs, wind back up the jockey wheel three turns, wind down the front stabiliser legs, wind down the jockey wheel one turn.
This process ensure all the legs have a good solid weight on them with no slop.
If you are on grass you will slowly sink in and need to make adjustments over a few days.
Consider buying a jockey plate to use instead of the wheel. When travelling I hardly ever use the wheel which is useless in sand.
If this slope you speak of is your house block (front yard?) then pop down to Bunnings and buy two 400mm x 400mm pavers (wheel pads) and five 300mm x 300mm pavers (stabiliser & jockey pads). Wet the lawn with the hose and use a spade to dig out 50mm to sit the pads in. Now you have a nice solid place to park your van and it will never sink down or become unstable and you can mow it easy.
Once again for the brilliant tips & advice!! Sooo much to learn!!
Yes, just in my driveway... but yayy me! I reversed my little van up the driveway, on a narrow street, in the rain, by myself and now have it parked for a while. I don't think my slope is as bad as my newbie stress levels imagine! lol
Thanks again!!
Just another daft question... I *could* park the van on the slightly sloping concrete driveway (where the car in the below pic is), as opposed to leaving it where it is on the grass.
So, would it be better/safer/more stable to park it on the concrete, or leave it where it is on the grass?
In my head I'm thinking grass gives more 'grip' for the wheels... but maybe the concrete gives more grip? Gah! I know nothing! :( lol