Hydraulic Leveling

[Steve Wilson]

Hi
I have read many post on the forum regarding hydraulic leveling system. What I gleam is that in general people think they are over priced but once they do purchase a system they would not be without it for all the benefits it brings.
I also read that like with all things in life a number of peaople are not happy with the company that installed there system or the service was not to there liking and I accept that this will always be the situation. Not everyone will be happy all of the time.

Having looked at the the various systems I am favouring the MA-VE system as a well priced reasonably low weight solution with enough programability for my needs.
My question is forget the installation forget the service have any members had any mechanical failures with there system. Like leaks, not operating properly fron the control pad, valve/pump issues. These are the thing that worry me I can deal with the poor instal/service myself. I just want to know if the mechanical bits have a good reputation/reliability or not.

Steve

 

[Hettie's Crew]

I have heard nothing good about the app

We have an app to operate our HPC system which is brilliant, I think anyone describing it as “a faff” clearly hasn’t used it. Though obviously we can’t speak for MaVe one. We both have it on our phones so can both operate the jacks from anywhere, inside or out.
It connects in seconds and all the functionality is available through the app.
There is great support on here for the E&P system, a lot of people went with it because of Mick at SAP. He is very knowledgeable and skilled in this area. We nearly chose the E&P fitted by SAP until we did further research and found the HPC system fitted by AS in Warrington.
It’s lighter, has less components and more modern electronics, plus it came with the app long before E&P offered it, they had a so called remote that was cable attached at the time.
HPC are well worth looking at before you decide.

 

[Midnightflyer]

Would NOT be without my E & P Hydraulics System. So quick and easy no more chasing the plastic ramps on hard standings.

 

[Chipster]

If full air suspension is fitted, the E&P system can be linked to it to drop the suspension before deploying jacks giving more scope for auto leveling and tends to keep the van lower.

 

[Littlewheels]

E&P are the best and the original levelling system every other brand followed and is by definition a
copy.
SAP being Mick Leightley and his team are go to people in the UK for E&P and more or less offer a 24/7 after sales service which means if you have a problem you won't have it for long they deal with matters rapidly.
I am on my fourth system Levelling and Suspension and l would dream of going to another brand or another company.

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[Wee Bold Davy]

Had our E&P system fitted by SAP in Doncaster almost 18 months ago. Our van sits quite severely nose down and would struggle on many of the pitches we've been on to get the van level using ramps. Our water runs down the drain in the sink and shower every time, no stress trying to get the van onto ramps, no matter the weather and not feeling that you're going to roll out of bed!
When getting it fitted Mick arranged a lift to the nearby railway station as we'd decided to spend the night in York, they also collected us from the station on our return. All in all from first contact to having them fitted it was a pleasant experience. After 18 months we're very happy with the system, couldn't imagine not having it.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Another vote for SAP Doncaster excellent service and as already said 24/7 customer service

 

[Mick Kennedy]

And yet another vote for Mick and his team at SAP, Doncaster. They fitted our E&P levelling and, later, full VB air suspension and you can't fault them - i.e., the systems or the SAP team. Great service which inspires confidence.

 

[Martin Stacey]

Had HPC fitted by LNB in Bristol over a year ago and very happy with it.

 

[Wellington]

I agree. It’s crazy expensive, but having fitted it, I would not be without it. Bit heavy, too, so I’m tight against payload, but still worth travelling with a half full water tank and filling up on arrival if need be. Saves on tyre wear, too, as you can keep it up on them when not in use. (In theory, I didn’t get round to trying it, myself and forked our £500 for new ones. Idiot that I am)

E and P fitted mine, but the dealer organised it, so don’t know how they were about it.The only problem I’ve had is initially I didn’t realise you needed the handbrake on to deploy and thought it was temperamental on some slopes, and that I’m now so spoilt by it, I’m limited to fiat ducato vans so I can keep it (S and P will swap from van to van for about £1500 including storing it, as long as it’s the same chassis)

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[Wools]

We had Gliderite levelling fitted in 2016. Their own system I think. No auto, just a remote and a manual control panel. They now offer MAVE I think.
On our 5 tonne Sprinter chassis it works a treat. The van suspension is very soft so we get a lot of movement when parked due to our movement or the weather. The levellers take care of that. Only problem has been a non return valve failed on a ram. Caused it to creep under load. Took it to a local hydraulic specialist, they fitted a new valve and tested it for £80. As others have said, expensive but would not be without it now.

 

[68c]

How much lift do these hydraulic levelers have? It is easy to get a six inch raise when on sloping ground using conventional ramps. On some sites it would nice to go higher, do these hydraulic devices do that or are they only to stop the van rocking so all wheels still on ground.

 

[Lanerboy]

How much lift do these hydraulic levelers have? It is easy to get a six inch raise when on sloping ground using conventional ramps. On some sites it would nice to go higher, do these hydraulic devices do that or are they only to stop the van rocking so all wheels still on ground.

Mine lifts the wheels off the floor about 6 inches, you can increase this by putting blocks under the jacks first.

 

[Two on Tour]

How much lift do these hydraulic levelers have? It is easy to get a six inch raise when on sloping ground using conventional ramps. On some sites it would nice to go higher, do these hydraulic devices do that or are they only to stop the van rocking so all wheels still on ground.

I can get 180mm or a little over 7" of available lift on our E&P system.

 

[Clarky]

How much lift do these hydraulic levelers have? It is easy to get a six inch raise when on sloping ground using conventional ramps. On some sites it would nice to go higher, do these hydraulic devices do that or are they only to stop the van rocking so all wheels still on ground.

Is this enough?

Great for wheel changing and getting the last drop out of the grey waste tank.
Richard.

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[cmcardle75]

There are mechanical systems for about £3500. No idea if any good. However, I would guess screwjacks have less to go wrong than hydraulics. (Probably not as fast, though).

 

[Wellington]

Is this enough?

View attachment 414570
Great for wheel changing and getting the last drop out of the grey waste tank.
Richard.

either I haven’t read the manual properly, or I’ve been diddled. Mine would just squeak at me there. (I haven’t read the manual. I just press the button. It’s only failed a couple of times. Once, when I moved pitches and it was fine on Mark 2, and once on the drive. I don’t give a monkeys about the drive. I can sleep in the house. And when the house isn’t there level, I’ll start worrying!) But I feel I should find out how to make it level when it says it’s too steep for it to level. I mean, even slightly less on the pi55 is something, given that I paid 5k for it!

 

[Two on Tour]

Just had a laugh this morning.

Our MH is normally parked down our driveway at the back of our house, but as there was only going to be a short time from us coming back and going away again I left it out the front of the house up on the fully extended jacks which means all four wheels are off the ground.

It's bin day today, and as the bin lorry draws up to our house, the driver calls across one of the bin men and they both stare towards our house. At this point I had not twigged until the bin man yells to his mate at the back of the lorry " have you seen that bloody motorhome, it's floating in mid air "

 

[Kev and Ju]

Great to hear such a lot of positive comments over these systems. Yes it is quite an expense and a considered purchase. My first few months of MH'ing were not happy ones as my pitch required concrete slabs / wooden blocks and those yellow ramps to get my van 'levelish' to say nothing of scrambling under the van in the rain getting covered in mud and skinning my knuckles. Then there's the messing about with the spirit level!!This was NOT the way its was supposed to be.

So after considerable research we went for the HPC system fitted by Cath and Phil of AS in Warrington. The system is only approx 40 kg all in and its transformed my experience no longer dreading pitching up on return to my site. A press of a button and 30 secs later job done. Cupboards fit properly, doors close properly sinks / shower drains correctly / fridge works better and with both front wheels 7" off the ground is quite an anti theft deterant. The service Cath & Phil provided went far above expectations. Cath went out of her way to ferry us to Warrington / train station from where we caught a 30 min train to Liverpool where we spent a great day.

Getting back to the kit. You can even swap it from van to van and even have it removed and sell it on should you wish to thus recovering a large proportion of your investment. I would never be without this system.

 

[Oscar]

Could we ask what the cost of the HPC system as fitted at AS at Warrington was please?

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[Hettie's Crew]

Could we ask what the cost of the HPC system as fitted at AS at Warrington was please?

Ours was a smidging under 5k for our Hymer B544 but that was just over two years ago. We too did considerable research, prior to committing to all that money.
We live an hour away from SAP (E&P) in Doncaster and two and a half hours away, if lucky with traffic, from AS (HPC) in Warrington.
SAP have a brilliant reputation for their work but so do AS, it was the weight (40-50kg for HPC/50-70kg for E&P) plus the more modern, less complicated (less components to go wrong) electronics of the HPC that swayed it for us. We discounted other systems because of poor reliability reports, plus some just had one stage jacks that looked very thin.
We use our jacks every time we park up regardless of level, the steadiness, the fridge working better because it’s always level, the tyres being saved by not having weight constantly on them.
It can be set perfectly level, slightly tilted forward, over to one side for emptying the tank, just taking the weight off the tyres for storage or any combination when done manually. I recently had all four wheels off whilst they were being painted and it just sat there on the jacks over night.
All easily and simply controlled from the very simple, no faff phone app.
A big initial expense but not one to regret.
Phil and Cath at AS are brilliant to deal with, very nice people who will look after you well.

 

[Oscar]

Hettie's Crew - thanks for that, we're of the same mind, the weight of the system being a big plus for us

 

[Wellington]

I recently had all four wheels off whilst they were being painted and it just sat there on the jacks over night.

Forgive my off-topic nosiness, but why would one paint one’s wheels? I’m interested to see a lot of people cover their wheels here and I’m wondering if the sun degrades them, so it’s on my mind a little just at the moment.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Forgive my off-topic nosiness, but why would one paint one’s wheels? I’m interested to see a lot of people cover their wheels here and I’m wondering if the sun degrades them, so it’s on my mind a little just at the moment.

Our‘s were replaced at two years old due to the lacquer peeling off and the replacement wheels did exactly the same. Out of warranty we decided to have them redone our selves by an alloy wheel refurb company in gloss black.

 

[Speve]

either I haven’t read the manual properly, or I’ve been diddled. Mine would just squeak at me there. (I haven’t read the manual. I just press the button. It’s only failed a couple of times. Once, when I moved pitches and it was fine on Mark 2, and once on the drive. I don’t give a monkeys about the drive. I can sleep in the house. And when the house isn’t there level, I’ll start worrying!) But I feel I should find out how to make it level when it says it’s too steep for it to level. I mean, even slightly less on the pi55 is something, given that I paid 5k for it!

To manually level is very easy you just press manual and you can then level in pairs either side or front or rear if you raise a jack a little high you get a warning. Simples

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[karalal]

Currently on a lovely site in oirschot in the netherlands pitches are perfectly level.
A cathargo pvc was here yesterday with e&p levelling his 4 wheels were 6 inches off the ground
Wish I took a picture before he left I asked him why so high he did not know that you could calibrate the levelling with the remote and a spirit level
In the picture is my van there is no need to have it off the ground to get level when I gently pushed the side of his van you could see the body move .
He is not the only one I have seen off the ground

 

[JockandRita]

We inherited the E&P system on our Flair, as fitted by Mick at SAP Doncaster. It is our first experience of hydraulic levellers, and I have to say that I am very pleased with them. I did wonder though, why a fully automated levelling system............. wouldn't automatically level. It was due to the nose down level from the start, but I have now mastered the manual operation.

I nearly gave away our 4 x strong surface ribbed plastic ramps, however this weekend just gone, I was on quite a nose down slope, and didn't have any blocks to help raise the front of the MH to the height needed. By inverting one ramp on top of the other (under each side of the MH), and interlocking the ribs, I found my self with two safe and substantial blocks to help me raise the front end.
When on overnight stops at Aires or Stelplatz, if we need to level, I'll use the ramps still, in case a quick emergency getaway is required, whereupon I can just drive off and leave them behind.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Steve Wilson]

I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to post on this subject, I have learned many things.

All the best stay safe and see you all around.

Steve

 

[PeteH]

I had Jack`s on My Americans, all 3. They came with the Bus`, But £5.5K, is I am afraid an awful lot a wine!. So I doubt they will ever get fitted to the Rapido. The ability though to park, level, and put the kettle on/open bottle is tempting?.

 

[David and Sally]

Booked in at A&S in two weeks.

That's on the level!!!!

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[David and Sally]

and skinning my knuckles.

What the hell were you and Ju doing to skin your knuckles?.............don't answer that!