Whats your most useful & simple van addition or retro fit?

[Old Techo]

OT have a look at this if you can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-J1RwhXkvw

Thanks for that Smokey

I hope this is a fair summary. Please tell me if not or if wrong.


(1) With that gizmo one arrives at a site, get out to survey, then get back in to reverse roughly into position.

(2) Look at the gizmo to see which side needs lifting, get out of tug and place OBLIGATORY tapered lifting jiggers for the low side

(3) Get back in tug and move forward whilst watching gizmo. Driving blind hope that van wheels don’t roll off the high end of tapered lifting jigger

(4) Get out of tug to place wedges under tyres to stop rolling backwards off tapered jiggers, but can’t disconnect until the high pulling load is released on tow-ball coupling

(5) Get back in tug and roll back a little to allow van tyres to centralise in the now wedged tapered lifting jiggers

(6) Get out carrying gizmo to disconnect and adjust drawbar height whilst watching gizmo.

A total of 7 in/out of tug

Gizmo Cost $199 plus tapered lifting jiggers



This is what I do

(1) Arrive at a site, get out to survey, then get back in to reverse roughly into position.

(2) Get out of tug and look at A frame bubble judging how much to lift which side and place flat blocks accordingly

(3) Get back in tug, door left open, and while watching a spot on the ground move forward about 15 inches to centre tyres on blocks

(4) Get out of tug to disconnect and adjust drawbar height whilst watching A frame bubble.

A total of 5 in/out of tug

Note, if not able to judge (2) well enough then use my calibrated wedge… viewtopic.php?p=193040#p193040

Total cost, not much

I carry a number of flat oregon blocks 2″ and 4″ thick used in combinations up to 6 inches high. They are also handy for other tasks.


A frame bubble. Just a $2 bubble siliconed to some ally sheet. The triangular ally is attached by 1 fixed screw and 2 adjustable screws to calibrate it. The adjusting screws have a blob of silicone to stop them moving. They have recently gathered some Oodna Track red dust

van level 1.jpg

van level 2.jpg

[Cyclone]

I said earlier in this thread that my wife is the most useful thing in the van. She has many talents including Telling me when the van is level. No need for gizmo.
Sid

[glanyard]

I said earlier in this thread that my wife is the most useful thing in the van. She has many talents including Telling me when the van is level. No need for gizmo.
Sid

Lucky you! My wife is absolutely useless when it comes to which level is for which attitude the van is in. I have two levels; one is fitted on the longitudinal part of the draw bar and the other is on a cross member; she keeps getting them mixed up. So I get out and place my plastic leveling wedge either in front or behind the wheel on the low side, and ask her to tell me when the bubble on the cross member is in the middle. On a good day, I get out of the vehicle once to do the initial check of the bubble situation, brief her, then get out a second time to unhook (if necessary)and a third and final time after relocating the ute. That is 3 times in/out.
Cost: 1 x plastic wedge $21.00 and $7.00 for 10 bubbles from China via eBay.
glanyard

[Archer63]

Marine carpet glued to the steps.

[Cyclone]

Marine carpet glued to the steps.

I did similar with artificial turf

[Archer63]

Yep….those metal steps can get BLOODY hot !!

[Cyclone]

Yep….those metal steps can get BLOODY hot !!

I was afraid my dog would get his toes caught in the steps
Sid

[Smokeydk]

OT…….with the gizmo…….cause we bush camp…we find a spot…turn it on…..drive forward….to its level cross ways…..if its low at coupling I put jockey wheel on..wind it up till gizmo beeps and goes green…..we dont unhitch….just unplug the tug

number of times I get out is one…..to unplug simples

[Old Techo]

Smokey,

Sounds terrific for your use and no doubt many others who predominantly free or bush camp

For me it’s 98% van parks and very rarely is there the flexibility to move about even a metre or so and choose a more level patch. The first time we stayed at the very big and popular Lane Cove caravan park at North Ryde (Sydney) I had to run one pair of wheels up onto my 4″ x 4″ blocks sitting on 2″ flats to get the 6″ of lift needed for levelling, such was the restricted unevenness

My earlier summary was strictly the van park scenario.

[Engel]

Yep….those metal steps can get BLOODY hot !!

And slippery.