10
Jan
There’s actually a very heated debate over the topic of whether campers should use levelling wedges or not. Levelling is done to help you place your vehicle in the right horizontal position so you don’t experience a number of inconveniences that may occur when the van isn’t positioned properly. Basically, you can’t just arrive on site, put the steadies down and get on with things; the fridge, shower drain and the sink are just some of the appliances that won’t work properly if the van isn’t in the perfectly horizontal position. Here’s a simple guide to the tools you need to have in your mechanic’s tool box when you go camping or caravanning.
These are actually two different types of elements: car (also known as floor, trailer and auto) ramps are ramps that serve for you to drive with the vehicle on them and elevate the front of rear wheels. You can find these either plastic or metal-made. Some people opt for making car ramps themselves, which is not very advisable since you can’t know just how safe and durable your creation would be. The ramps you buy are always tested for the amount of load they can support and how much they can endure.
Chocks on the other hand, are an additional element used for the purpose of levelling a vehicle. They’re known as vehicle or trailer chocks. You can find many types of trailer chocks online made of various materials with rubber being the most common one. They’re used together with the ramp and serve to stabilize the vehicle so it doesn’t roll in either direction.
When you want to raise the front part of your vehicle, without having to drag out a floor jack, you can simply use your ramp and chock duo. Also, when you need to load your vehicle on a platform for transport or display for sale or an exhibition, you’d also benefit in the process by using a ramp and a chock. Additionally, using the car ramp and chock system is very convenient; it is a lot easier to drive your vehicle on a set of ramps and chocks than it is on floor jacks and jack stands.
Ramps are pretty simple tools. However, when it comes to buying them, some things should be taken into consideration. For starters, you need to have in mind the ground clearance of your vehicle. Low models, such as sport, luxury or race cars have a low profile and they would need a rather specific ramp type. Other cars would work with any ramp. The next thing is the weight of the car; ramps are usually tested for the weight they can support. So, have in mind how much does your vehicle weigh: a Chevrolet Suburban is a lot heavier than a Mini Cooper, which means it would need a ramp designed to withstand a bigger weight capacity. When it comes to trailer chocks, the considerations are significantly fewer – you need at least two and they should be made of rubber. Soft rubber is best since the harder one tends to slide of specific floor surfaces, such as the garage. For extra slippery surfaces, get 4 chocks to provide extra safety.
