Levelling Ramps: Yay or Nay

[tobydog]

Nay, cut the crap, just get on with using the van. It's all part of getting away, if I want to sleep absolutely horizontal I book a Travelodge. Why worry?

[bigherb]

I use them, I like my eggs to fry in the centre of the pan and my gravy to stay on the plate.

[itchyfeet]

Its a bit like asking about lowering or sqare headlamps, some people prefer them some dont, no right or wrong just different people value different things

personally id rather have my home brew camper with its full size double bed on the level with my chocks ( which fit easy as i have no sink or cooker unit ) and cook outside than have a factory install with a small bed on the pi55 because of no chocks and a cooker and sink in the way but not everybody wants that.

To me cooking outside is what campings about (and a good night sleep)

[CovKid]

Aye. I discovered that my toeball cycle rack, with the arms down, was the perfect width to pop on a two-ring burner. I have an interior cooker (and oven!!!) but unless weather is really bad, I only ever use it for tea and toast first thing. Not sure about levelling. I just drive around until I find a 'sweet spot' and if everything looks right by eye, thats good enough for me.

As for gravy, just add more flour I definately won't fry inside - you end up with grease everywhere.

[sarran1955]

Hello,

2 faded yellow plastic levellers for me...

Worked well for our visitors last week:



Except they are on the far side....

I also have a pair of sand/snow mats that fit between the mattress and the engine hatch..more often used to get others out of the snow..

As I usually wild camp..the levellers are worth that extra 2 minutes...pan is straight on cooker.. water drains from sink..

Cordialement,

[dirtygertie]

Yay for levelling the van! We camped on a cliff side spot above polzeath last week and it would've been a very uncomfortable rxperience without levelling the van

[phil_b]

Yay for us, homemade and designed to store inverted in passenger footwell, where they also make it more comfortable for my short legged gf (swivel seat). We wouldn't be without them, they just make van life, cooking, sleeping, sitting etc so much more comfortable, and the fridge more efficient. Probably less important if you only camp for the odd night or weekend but last year we travelled and lived in the van for 6 months in southern Europe over the winter. It only takes 30 sec to level up and we also use a phone app bubble level.

[Marmalade67]

Yay, nearly every camp whether on a site or a rough camp. Except last weekend in Anglesey when in Rhosneiger and a really hilly site parked dead flat first time. store them under the seat just inside the sliding door on our Autosleeper Trooper fit in neatly with the step and toolkits and leisure battery.

[Ralf85]

Hello,

2 faded yellow plastic levellers for me...

Worked well for our visitors last week:



Except they are on the far side....

ICordialement,

Arrived home today from hols. That's my camper that is and the photo does not do justice to the view of the village but the camper's looking good. Cheers John and see you again next year and hopefully as I'm retired by then, I can spend a bit more time with you. Thanks for your hospitality once more.

[keith]

Critical item

[garrytheskate]

'84 T25 1.9 Petrol

If I have the van parked on my drive which has a slope do I need to have it level or only when I am using the fridge on gas?
Thanks

[keith]

'84 T25 1.9 Petrol

If I have the van parked on my drive which has a slope do I need to have it level or only when I am using the fridge on gas?
Thanks

Its quite safe to park on a slope. Youre right that the van needs to be fairly level for the fridge to work best.

[Ralf85]

Took mine away for only the second time in 4 years and didn't need them. Won't need them next week at Busfest either!

[silverbullet]

Defo. I have the larger Fiamma stepped ones, used them daily while we were away this August. I think we are all conditioned to sleeping on the level when lying down, slumped on the sofa is another matter but constantly fighting an incline through the night is unacceptable.
Find space for them!

[California Dreamin]

As I said in a very early reply to this post..we brought our van back in 2007 & aquired some large Fiamma levelling blocks within a few weeks. We used them maybe twice that year and then removed them preferring to have the space for other more useful things.
In the 7 years since, we have literally camped on at least 150 different sites in the UK & abroad. I can recall only one time feeling the need to level the van. This was at a camp site half way up the valley in Grindelwald Switzerland. The 'slope' was so dramatic that ramps would have made little difference.
We cannot ever recall 'fighting against a slope' where the heck are you guys camping?

I keep reading all the 'Yay's' but just can't understand where you guys are coming from with this..

The Fiamma ramps are buried somewhere at the back of the shed, its not as if I've sold them or anything. We are not in the least tempted to use them again. As far as we are concerned they were a complete waste of money.

Definitely NAY.

PS....and I haven't even touched on the fun & games you can have using these bloomin things: SEE

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=134740" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Martin