Self levelling

[ozzyhufc]

Hi what do people think of having self levelling fitted to your motor home
What are the pros and cons, yes I see very high price, but look a good thing to have
What do you all think. And have many of you had it done.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jev88]

Never seen anyone say they regretted adding self levelling

 

[TerryReis]

We are quite happy with rear air suspension can get quite a bit of adjustment out of that. Only used wheel wedges once in the last 18 months. A lot cheaper and a lot less weight. Worth considering.

 

[Vic]

Love mine. Pull up, press button, van level and stable.

 

[TinaLes]

Very convienient but at a high price, you pays yer money, ye takes yer choice come to mind.
As mentioned those that have had them fitted don't regret it.
I don't have them, only used ramps a few times as I try and park in flat spots or slightly higher at the front, saved me 6K in dosh, and 60 kilos in payload weight which on some vans can be a problem.
LES

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[DavidG58]

Our motorhome rocked when we moved and entered / exited via step, and similar when very windy

Fitted 10 years ago, no regrets here at all

E&P BTW

 

[Conal]

Have had steadies for six years. Strangely, it was a trip to the Netherlands that made us chose them all the pitches were concrete with quite large slopes. Ours take one minute (timed) to descend and, even if they can not completely “flatten” a steep slope, they make it more manageable. In fact we will use a trick we saw recently to solve that problem - a number of discs of of different thicknesses to place under the steadies.
As other have said, you probably can’t justify the cost but, but then we probably can’t justify the cost of the motorhome

 

[Just smiffy]

I’ve got two small ramps in my van I’ve only used them once in the six weeks I’ve been in Europe… it’s a lot of money for once in a while….

 

[Whippet93]

Our last motorhome had EP system and current one we had Ma-Ve system fitted. Gives a steady van, even if the dog moved about during the night there was movement but with levelling it's always steady. The one thing I've found with both systems is that on a fairly level pitch they say it can't do it automatically so it has to be done manually. But all in all glad we have it.

 

[ManTheVan]

One of the best additions to our MH. Arrive, level, swing the seats around and we’re there. The stability and lack of rocking, especially in a breeze, is wonderful. The shower always drains properly. The fridge always works properly. The bed is level.

If you have a Ducato/Boxer/Relay like us, they’re all designed to sit slightly front down, so even on a level surface, you’re not…level. As someone has already said, this sometimes leads to the system reporting that it can’t complete the levelling. I made some jack pads out of tanalised blocks, with a rope incorporated, that I can put under the jacks if they need a bit of extra height. Problem solved.

Can’t recommend hydraulic levelling highly enough…

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[TCG]

E&P jacks and rear suspension… best purchases for the MH … no regrets

 

[Nanniemate]

Just let the air out of each tyre until it sits level
No so convenient but far less expensive

 

[stewartwebr]

We have had a fair few E&P systems over the years. Some factory fitted and some fitted at SAP in Doncaster and the first fitted by Eric at his home at Schipol, Amsterdam. Eric being the “E” in E&P. The only disadvantage I could see would be the extra weight the system would steal from vehicles with limited payload. I also feel the quality and reliability of E&P has gone downhill, of course Eric and Pierre sold the business a few years back and I think quality and reliability is starting to become an issue. Speaking with someone who I consider to be a subject matter expert on levelling systems was saying that if he was selecting a system to be installed he would opt for HPC due to it being of better quality and it’s self diagnostic system. Morelo surprisingly changed from E&P to HPC a few years back but think that probably had more to do with contracts and chassis converter than quality and reliability.

 

[Wh05apk]

Ours were already specced on the van when we bought it.
They are brilliant as saves all of the arguments and shouting when leveling, and when cold/wet no need to go outside. They do make the van rock solid.
...but...we had a leak on ours in Spain, and one of the jacks got stuck down with no way of releasing, in the end, breakdown came out and managed to release a valve and force back up, as it was still under warranty we ended up driving back through Germany to get repaired, in the end it needed a new sensor and new pump (as following the leek it had been run dry) fortunately covered by warranty, otherwise it would have been €3,000+;

Would we have them again? Not sure, fortunately it was only an inconvenience, had we been leaving for a ferry it could have been a bigger problem, sometimes it's best to keep things simple.

 

[Two on Tour]

We hummed and harred for a while about the cost of fitting a levelling system, but finally got cheesed off with the MH rocking about when moving about inside, and killing the clutch driving up on ramps to avoid sleeping at silly angles, but it turned out that in our view, that it was money well spend as having the levelling system has enhanced the enjoyment of motorhomeing, and we will never have a MH again that does not have a levelling system.

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[Cavs]

Don't overlook the benefit of being able to jack up the van for wheel-changing without any risk of twisting the body.

 

[Mr porky]

An essential part of any motorhome, in my honest opinion.
Arrive, press button, swivel seats around and beer in hand before the levellers have finished.
Perfect day. Also prevents partner screeching STOP STOP FORWARD NO NO NO DO IT AGAIN.

 

[Happy Jack]

An essential part of any motorhome, in my honest opinion.
Arrive, press button, swivel seats around and beer in hand before the levellers have finished.
Perfect day. Also prevents partner screeching STOP STOP FORWARD NO NO NO DO IT AGAIN.

My wife always wants me to do it again.I
Either I'm very lucky or not very good.

 

[Jewellbags]

What puts me off , in the main , is that I hear regularly on this forum when people have issues with them , with stuck legs down etc . Another thing to go wrong - and don’t we have enough of those ?

 

[Barchetta47]

If you have the money available why not? We don’t and are quite happy with our £1 dual action spirit level and ramps. Usually I put the level on the table manipulate it to level, after 7 years experience I know if it’s one ramp or two and how high. Up on ramps all done in less than 5 mins. We use the ramps quite often and have manual steadies if needed.

Now for entertainment at other people’s expense I’d say both are good value. Couples often can’t place ramps or drive on to them, have no comms on what’s happening, all great fun. Similarly we had great fun last trip when two MHs with levellers eventually ended up with three wooden blocks under the levellers and the front wheels over a foot off the ground. No system is perfect but they are all good fun in their own way!!!

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[enark]

So many advantages, only negative is cost (some will say weight too). If you can afford it get them fitted.

Always snooker table level
Taps, fridge, sink and shower all work and drain as designed.
No rocking, when moving in van or when its windy.
Keeps tyres and suspension at ease, whilst parked up
Good for access to change wheels or oil changes etc (but use axle stands too)
Good for ensuring tanks are empty
Good for ensuring all oil drains
Prevents pooling on roof as can be adjusted to run off

No fannying around with ramps when pitching up
No need to carry cumbersome ramps

But, levelers, ramps or none - nose into the incline…

 

[Sideshow Bob]

Don't overlook the benefit of being able to jack up the van for wheel-changing without any risk of twisting the body.

We love our E&P levellers, and they make things so much easier and as you point out changing a wheel in the event of a puncture etc is an added bonus also when jacked right up on manual it’s great for doing maintenance work on the van, been really useful for us, also don’t need to take the heavy vehicle jack away with us saves some weight along ramps etc that we don’t need

 

[Shrimp]

We hummed and harred for a while about the cost of fitting a levelling system, but finally got cheesed off with the MH rocking about when moving about inside, and killing the clutch driving up on ramps to avoid sleeping at silly angles, but it turned out that in our view, that it was money well spend as having the levelling system has enhanced the enjoyment of motorhomeing, and we will never have a MH again that does not have a levelling system.

Helps to get you out of sticky muddy fields too (the Bash-couple of years ago)
Love your avatar!

 

[PaulW2]

Hi what do people think of having self levelling fitted to your motor home
What are the pros and cons, yes I see very high price, but look a good thing to have
What do you all think. And have many of you had it done.
Thanks in advance.

Had it on a large motorhome and it was well worth having. Very expensive and probably best not to do the 'cost per night' calculation.

Wouldn't consider if for my 6 metre PVC. In fact, I've even stopped carrying levelling ramps - they take up space and I almost never use them.

 

[CazPaul]

I say go for it because if people don’t have a super expensive system fitted we wouldn’t have had these given for nowt.

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[Kups]

Don't overlook the benefit of being able to jack up the van for wheel-changing without any risk of twisting the body.

Also the motorhome can be stored with tyres raised partially off the ground. Good theft prevention and reduces tyre wear.
No need for the wheel jack or heavy ramps either.
We have Amplo levellers, best investment ever.

 

[haganap]

Pros- to many to mention....

Cons- expensive and weight if your on a dieting motorhome.

I've had many vans without, then when I had a van with, i wouldn't be without.

We have full air and self levelling. The full air can level but we always use the self levelling as its able to stop rocking if we're frisky... saves embarrassing the neighbours in the morning.

 

[monzer]

If you can afford them go for it. If you can't (like me) pretend you don't want them (like me).

Still waiting for the MHF competition for a self levelling kit!

 

[Hettie's Crew]

We’ve had the HPC system on our B544 since 2018, it’s used every time we pitch up or park in storage, saving the tyres. We even use it if just parked up in a lay by or car park for lunch.
It certainly isn’t for ‘occasional use’ as was mentioned in a previous comment.
Extremely easy to use from the phone app, no remote. Both Liz and I have the app on our phones so it can be operated from the drivers seat or anywhere inside or outside. There’s also a panel to operate it from that we never use.
Stability rather than levelling is the main like.
Initially expensive but absolutely no regrets whatsoever and would without hesitation have it again if we ever swap vans.
I would highly recommend AS Suspension near Warrington for fitting as they have far more years experience of the HPC system than any other fitter in the UK. They are nowhere near us, across the Pennines, other side of the country but we chose them over other systems/fitters.
We returned to AS a couple of weeks back for an oil change of the system and made a little break of it, stopping overnight at The Stretton Fox pub, free in their car park the night before and another free overnight on the return journey.
Definitely a motorhome ‘must have’ for us.

 

[Millcourt]

………..as its able to stop rocking if we're frisky... saves embarrassing the neighbours in the morning.

Yes…..but you can no longer say “Don’t come a Knocking when the van’s a Rocking”.