How important are levelling ramps.

[Kevin0]

We are new to this and plan on booking our first sites. A space is limited, we were wondering how important are levelling ramps for our campervan. when staying on sites.
We have a Toyota Alphard ( about the same size as a Volkswagen T5). Appreciate you comments.

 

[mikebeaches]

Personally, I reckon it would be worth carrying a couple of small ones.

Some folk manage without, but you'd have more parking options and comfort if you can get something close to level.

These are small and lightweight, but others are available: https://www.milenco.com/products/levelling/mgi-t1-mini-levels

 

[AndyPK]

As mikebeaches says, worth carrying a couple as it does increase your pitch options…..

 

[arkwright]

As space is so limited in an Alphard, we never carried them. Would have used them about 5 times in 5 years. Try and find out if you need them before you go.

 

[David and Sally]

Essential for us. I like things on the level

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[Puddleduck]

Wouldn't be without ours but will soon (hopefully) be having a self leveling system fitted so won't need them in future.

 

[glenn2926]

I have the quatros. Probably had them for about five years and used them about five times. When I have used them though they have been needed.
So long as the beer glass doesn't slide off the table and the fridge works then we're near enough.

 

[kevenh]

I use a pair of Fiammi levellers. I don't always use them. It will only be for if we're worse than a couple of degrees off level. That's mainly for the fridge operation.
On our last pitch we were 4deg off but the pitch was damp and with the wheel spin & how - with hindsight - I was approaching from the wrong direction*, we gave up when our gauge said we'd got to 2 deg out

*- "the wrong direction" means later I realised instead of driving up the slope to the levellers I should've reversed down on to them.

 

[Badknee]

With a big girl like our Bobbie I decided very quickly that ramps weren’t for us.
Today at Castleton.

 

[David and Sally]

Wouldn't be without ours but will soon (hopefully) be having a self leveling system fitted so won't need them in future.

Barmy money - but the luxury!!

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[royandsharont]

I may be wrong in this assumption but unless you have a gas fridge, which you may not in your van, then the actual levelling is only important for how you feel & personally cope with the slope. Even with a gas fridge there is some tolerance but I’m not sure how many degrees.

I think an all electric fridge does not need to be level.

Someone will come along & correct me if I’m wrong & answer the tolerance part I’m sure

 

[Guigsy]

We used to use our levelling ramps all the time. Then when we went for an extended trip around Europe and used Aires and car parks most of the time, we got used to having to do without. Turns out that we're not as sensitive about sleeping on the wonk as we thought we were. If we're parked up for a few days, we'll still bother.

 

[Eggs]

Not very in my opinion, I gave mine away.

 

[Kevin0]

Thanks for all your replys. Answers are mixed. As we havery an electric fridge being level would be for our own comfort
I could always check before booking a site. Apart from that I might have the beer option. If you're had enough it won't matter which way up you are. Many thanks for you comments

 

[Podney]

It depends on whether you like sleeping on a slope,and how well your fridge works when it’s not level……some don’t.

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[David and Sally]

Many vans are nose-down so if the pitch is slightly sloping you can park pointing uphill which might make you level inside.

 

[Mikeco]

With your van you should not have a problem and could well managed without. We had a Burstner a few years ago and due to a recall it was fitted with helper springs on the back end, this meant that on any reasonably level site you were always nose down so unless we could park uphill on a slope we had to use the ramps.

 

[Stealaway]

As we havery an electric fridge being level would be for our own comfort
I could always check before booking a site.

Try it without for a few trips.
We have needed our maybe 5 times in 10 years. I like to park so me head is higher than my feet in bed - but that's all

 

[poppycamper]

Answers are mixed

Yep... Afraid you will have to get used to that..

 

[bigwood]

As others have said I would try without for a couple of trips. We needed them when we had a van conversion because it sat down at the front making it uncomfortable at night with our heads lower than our feet. We managed to store them upright fastened to the inside of one of the rear doors.
Since we swapped to the coach build we have only needed the ramps once in six years. We have the space to store them so they are there if the need arises.

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[Slippymurphy]

Use ours all the time, the van sits lower at the front and for some reason the kitchen sink drains really slowly if van not levelled by being on the ramps.

 

[RobbyMClark]

Thanks for all your replys. Answers are mixed. As we havery an electric fridge being level would be for our own comfort
I could always check before booking a site. Apart from that I might have the beer option. If you're had enough it won't matter which way up you are. Many thanks for you comments

Not all sites bother to say if level or not as even different pitches on a site can vary.
Just had 3 nights in Clithero, drove onto pitch, spirit level out, spot on, no need for the ramps. Quite a few other pitches the vans had some form of ramps out even though the site looked level.

By the way I have a little set you can have if you change your mind.

 

[poppycamper]

As already mentioned even on a billiard table flat pitch levels may be required for vans that are naturally nose down and some would appear to be nose down by quite a margin

 

[SpeedyDux]

When you need levelling you need ramps*. I might not use them more than once or twice each year but I wouldn't be without them.

[*except if you have posh hydraulic wossnames]

 

[Kevin0]

Not all sites bother to say if level or not as even different pitches on a site can vary.
Just had 3 nights in Clithero, drove onto pitch, spirit level out, spot on, no need for the ramps. Quite a few other pitches the vans had some form of ramps out even though the site looked level.

By the way I have a little set you can have if you change your mind.
View attachment 559917

Thanks for your kind offer. It looks like we are not going to get away until about March April next year, and give it a go without ramps as they are all quite bulky. You should put them up for sale on this site I'm sure they will sell quickly.

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[Minxy]

With such a short wheelbase you probably won't need them, the longer the wheelbase the more likely even a slight slope will affect the MH.

 

[Gromett]

For the first few years of motorhoming I used them regularly. But after fulltiming for a few years stopped using them. Too much faff. You soon get used to parking off level

 

[the1andonly]

I understand SPace is of an at absolute premium. you can use the small levellers not the huge things most people here have to use. We used our Bongo with various external storage solutions. where Levelers were kept. From Roof box to trailer and two as 2 pictures. The first is a bike rack reassembled to form a V , we used to carry an awning and other bits here. The Platfom is a Thule on a towbar.

 

[bobandjanie]

Most of the time you can get away without them, It depends where you park, if your just free parking or have lots of options on a campsite, it's not a problem but if your told to park on a certain pitch it could be. Bob.