When do YOU start to level?

I usually level up if staying a couple of nights .if possible I always raise the front as this makes rear door access easier Mutch prefer to be level if possible.
 
On my MH I have a small little 2 way level, don't always use it as my motor needs to be nose down alittle for shower to run away. It only has to be tail down slightly and water in shower tray hangs there. Even opening grey waste don,t get rid of it.
 
Obanboy666 said:
Level up every time, no particular reason just do it. What surprises me is the CS site I use near Penrith, all of the five hardstanding are level. I just park up and check with my level and to date have never had to use my ramps.
Numerous motorhomes park up and use levelling blocks. I would say nearly all Autocruise c class use them predominantly on the front end. Are they made with the front end low ?
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Noticed your comments ref AutoBruise and agree as I had one for years.
 
As I only wild camp we never lvl up. If there is a problem I like to be able to drive off immediately. Same as we don’t use outside screens.
 
It's more of an issue on longer wheelbased vehicles. Many years ago when I had a 6 berth Elddis, I had to level up on one site in Scotland because I realised, 2 days in, that the fridge wasn't working. I carried levelling blocks round for years and never used them again so I don't carry them now.

I like to park facing slightly downhill if there is a slope, that way my head is at the high end and there's less danger of getting stuck when I drive off, but with a SWB VW it would have to be pretty slopey (is that a real word?) to be a problem. I can't roll out of bed on either side and non-slip mats stop my wine or coffee from sliding off the cupboards.
 
I usually level before opening my first beer....
Yes its not life and death,
BUT I spent enough nights in a tent slowly sliding towards the end of the airbed to be arsed to be nice and level for the night....

As for needing to drive off in a rush....
I try to avoid stopping the night in Beirut type places.
 
I seldom use levelling blocks and try to get the front higher if there is any bit of a slope, as the fridge likes it that way.I use a cup of water sometimes if unsure where to level up, just as good as a spirit level.
 
Some interesting comments and lots of food for thought.
I have levelling blocks (via Campervanannie after I 'lost' the first set) but never actually used them to level a vehicle as yet - but have come in handy to raise the vehicle for working underneath.
So I would have to check just how to level a vehicle which slopes in two different directions. YOUTUBE beckons I guess :)

My van is 158" WB, so is probably one of the longest vans around in that respect before getting into the realms of Lorrys? I don't have to worry about showers but sink yes - and the waste was on the higher side but still drained fully so must have been a very slight slope in the scheme of things and too little to bother with (more trouble then worth).

Not actually checked how true the van actually is when on level ground. That would be interesting to know - I think I will take a long level and check it out. I would assume that in all non-self leveling vans, the angles will vary in use depending on fresh and waste water levels and locations as well?
 
hairydog said:
Yes, it would be at that length. However, I thought the longest wheelbase of VW LT 2.8TDi was "Super Long: 3650mm" which is less than 144 inches. Has yours been stretched?
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I think those dimensions are from the first generation VW LT?
My LT is 2nd Generation and based on the First Gen Sprinter, which had wheelbases of 140" and 158" (I remember the lengths in inches as it happens to coincidentally have a 158PS engine with a '158' Badge on the wings). Think there may have been a SWB as well which was shorter than the Transporter weirdly.

The LWB version of the 2nd Gen Sprinter (and so VW Crafter) went to 170" which is very long! (The extended XLWB models had same WB as the LWB confusingly but an ugly extension grafted on the rear)
 
wildebus said:
[...]
Not actually checked how true the van actually is when on level ground. That would be interesting to know - I think I will take a long level and check it out. I would assume that in all non-self leveling vans, the angles will vary in use depending on fresh and waste water levels and locations as well?
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If you have an Android phone or tablet, two apps that might help are:

The first is motorhome-specific and allows you to calibrate a second location (e.g. the dashboard) that you can see while driving and thus can help position your van so that it is level without having to repeatedly get out of the driving seat or get someone else to view a spirit level on the kitchen work surface etc. The second is a generic standard and 2D emulation of a spirit level.

HTH, Geoff
 
We need to be perfectly level.
Otherwise all the balls roll down the pool table.
We haven't got TV.
 
For us it's about feeling comfortable, if we are ok sleeping then no problem. We generally decide by the bed if that's ok we don't bother.
Prefer not to, can usually jiggle the van around to find something ok.
 
We don’t usually bother to level up, as long as the transverse bed is ‘head high’ then that will do.
Spirit level is with us in case of any disagreements 😂
 
As long as I don't roll out of bed then it will do, besides a slight slope makes it better for frying the eggs as they stay at one end of the pan
 
hairydog said:
If you need a spirit level or an app, you are getting carried away!

If a coffee mug slides across the table, it won't do. Otherwise, it's fine as far as I'm concerned.
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I hate it when the sink won't drain properly and I have to use a squeegee or similar to get washing-up dregs down the plughole. I also don't like to sleep "head down". So I'll spend a few seconds with a phone on my dash getting the van reasonably level. As I wrote upthread, within a couple of inches side-to-side and half a foot front-to-back is good enough -- and that app tells me when I've done that before I get out of the driving seat and without checking that coffee mugs don't slide across the table!
 
GeoffL said:
I hate it when the sink won't drain properly and I have to use a squeegee or similar to get washing-up dregs down the plughole. I also don't like to sleep "head down". So I'll spend a few seconds with a phone on my dash getting the van reasonably level. As I wrote upthread, within a couple of inches side-to-side and half a foot front-to-back is good enough -- and that app tells me when I've done that before I get out of the driving seat and without checking that coffee mugs don't slide across the table!
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Thinking about what is most annoying if on a tilt is for me:
Fridge door swings all the way open when you just want to take something out - or keeps closing when you are filling /rearranging.
Sliding door can't be left a little open.

I've downloaded one app but will try the camper leveller one as well (I actually have a flat area on the dash which might actually be totally level when the van is, which would be handy so will cross-check that against the kitchen worktop :) )
 
Its not so much the coffee cups sliding off the table but the gravy spilling off the plate that bothers me.
 
If I can level with you --- I never have.

We have been motorhoming for 30 years and we started out with levelling chocks only to give them away after a couple of years.

The Murvi is only 6.metres long and I have a two way spirit level bluetacked in a handy spot at the side of the steering wheel which does me fine.

On our recent trip we stayed overnight at Udine, a large level area. 46.081137, 13.222929

As you can see the van next to me has chocks, I do not - it was level.


So why do it ?



Dezi
 
Maybe his weight distribuition is different to yours and his motorhome is naturally nose-heavy? so a LEVEL area is not actually levelfor him?



(I doubt people will use levelling ramps just to show them off?)
 
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