I know that one should never use the steadies to jack the caravan up but: if the van is slightly tilting to one side, I normally jack it up from the axle then put the steadies down & leave the jack in place to take the weight.

A friend of mine with an old Sierra also jacks his up to level, puts the steadies down then removes the jack.

Twice I have driven off at the end of our stay forgetting about  the jack  and this last time left it at Tsendze. It has not been handed in.

Any advice on removing it when the steadies are in place?

Hi John,

The  Surfer is such a short and light van that you safely can lift it with the steadies however I would recommend taking 1x yellow plastic "step" with and pull the van on it to level it.

It is also advisable to always have a small spade in the nose for when you get to such a uneven place then you can dig the higher wheel in

Trust it make sense 

Hein

Bad advice Hein!

Thanks Hein but I did try the yellow ramp without success. Very seldom where we camp is it possible to find the exact spot to park the van, we nearly always have to unhitch & push it around a little, then we can't get it up onto the ramp.

As it is, there is quite a bit of flex in the chassis/frame as I have to adjust the steady nearest the door for it to close properly. I'm sure the steadies can pretty much take a portion of the weight but a little worried about bending the chassis.

steamer wrote:

I know that one should never use the steadies to jack the caravan up but: if the van is slightly tilting to one side, I normally jack it up from the axle then put the steadies down & leave the jack in place to take the weight.

A friend of mine with an old Sierra also jacks his up to level, puts the steadies down then removes the jack.

Twice I have driven off at the end of our stay forgetting about  the jack  and this last time left it at Tsendze. It has not been handed in.

Any advice on removing it when the steadies are in place?

Starting caravanning with our 1st Penta I found with using the corner steadies to level the caravan that I had trouble closing the door of the caravan.  I also saw that with some Fleetline, Penta and Palma caravans there was a crack above the door seen on the outside of the caravan and in some cases the crack were was covered with a piece of outside panel and sealed with Sikaflex.  

This was a clear indication to me that levelling the caravan with corner steadies is not a good thing and I started to use a wheel step and in the case of double axle caravans the jack between the two axles.

So I would never advise anyone to leave the caravan with full weight on the corner steadies, does not matter what size caravan they have.

I always store my caravan with wheels not touching the ground using the 12V jacks and only the corner steadies to steady the caravan.

My thoughts exactly Leon, but I thought I'd get more opinions. I also have that crack above the door & John at Kempton Caravans says it is quite a common problem. I must just make a reminder plan about the jack when we leave.

The same applies getting in & out of the van without the steady down, it must put quite a lot of stress on the frame. I also have the van on stands with the steadies down when not using it. I also spin the wheels every now & then, just to turn the bearings.

steamer wrote:

My thoughts exactly Leon, but I thought I'd get more opinions. I also have that crack above the door & John at Kempton Caravans says it is quite a common problem. I must just make a reminder plan about the jack when we leave.

I have two reminders about the jack when its used:

1.  The operating wire visible on the wheel when we are packing up. I have installed a 12V socket in the middle between and above the wheels on either side of the caravan

2.  The 12V Jacks comes in a plastic transport case.  When I pack the bakkie and the cases is still empty, it means the jacks are still under the caravan.

Corner steadies are only for that purpose. Steadying the caravan so that it does not wabble when you get in and walk around inside. I level with ramps that I made from wood or bricks found at the camp site.

I also do not use the hand brake to prevent the caravan from rolling when I unhitch. It has happened that the caravan roles backwards thus disengaging the brakes. I use either bricks or my wooden chocks that are in the nose cone. Once the steadies have been lowered the caravan goes nowhere. 

I was recently told by the chief technician at Stealth always to put the steadies down before getting into the caravan. I don’t know what the rationale is. In the past I’ve often not bothered with steadied when just overnighting

mulderpm wrote:

Corner steadies are only for that purpose. Steadying the caravan so that it does not wabble when you get in and walk around inside. I level with ramps that I made from wood or bricks found at the camp site.

I also do not use the hand brake to prevent the caravan from rolling when I unhitch. It has happened that the caravan roles backwards thus disengaging the brakes. I use either bricks or my wooden chocks that are in the nose cone. Once the steadies have been lowered the caravan goes nowhere. 

Do the brakes disengage when the caravan rolls backwards  ie do they only prevent the caravan from rolling forwards?

Now I’ve learnt something 

Louvan wrote:

Do the brakes disengage when the caravan rolls backwards  ie do they only prevent the caravan from rolling forwards?

Now I’ve learnt something 

Yip. They disengage when the wheels turn backwards so that you can reverse with the caravan. This is standard with over run brakes. You can re-engage them again while rolling backwards by pulling up the had brake lever even further...almost vertical and a very tricky manoever while the caravan is rolling backwards.

Also leaving the handbrake on when parked for a long time can cause the brake linings to bind with the drum in wet / humid conditions. This happened to me in Lower Sabie.

Die ouer karavane soos ons vorige Sprite 1984 kon gladnie rem as hy agteruit beweeg nie- die huidige Skipper werk wel soos Paul beskryf.  Dit was heel nuttig in die Sprite.  Die was moeilik en senutergend om in 'n besige straat die karavaan 90º agteruit te stoot met die sleepmotor om hom in die garage te kry. Wat ek gedoen het, was om die handrem op te trek en dan die disselkoom links en regs te swaar. Die wiel aan die kant waarheen hy swaai kan dan wel agteruit loop maar die andereen wat probeer vorentoe loop, kan nie. Dit het bietjie krag geneem maar ek kon wel so met baie minder senuwees hom in die garage kry.

Met die Skipper rem hy self as jy die handrem optrek en agteruit beweeg- ek kan dit nie keer nie.  Ek verstaan waarom dit so gemaak word.  Ek het eenmaal toe ons hom maar kort gehad het, amper die karavaan teen 'n afgrond agteruit laat loop omdat ek nie bewus was dat hy nie agteruit rem nie. As dit nie was dat twee fris kêrels vinnig kom help het nie, was die karavaan beslis kaput.

Soos Steamer sê, dis moeilik om karavaan op geel blokke te kry. Daar is n leveler te kry wat soos n jack op die wiel werk....sal probeer foto kry. Andersins karavaan lig met n jack onder as en dan iets onder wiel sit en karavaan laat sak

Relaxed Camper wrote:

Soos Steamer sê, dis moeilik om karavaan op geel blokke te kry. Daar is n leveler te kry wat soos n jack op die wiel werk....sal probeer foto kry. Andersins karavaan lig met n jack onder as en dan iets onder wiel sit en karavaan laat sak

Dankie Geert,

Please try & get a photo or a name for that dingus.

I looked at a scissor jack at Builders yesterday and at R 850 odd, I'll have another loer at Adendorffs.😁

My Gypsy Raven 1997 model moes ek agteruit teen n' afdraand in die garage instoot. Ons was altyd drie wat dit gedoen het. Twee agter en ek voor by die dissel boom met een hand op die hand rem. Ek het die hand rem op getrek en dan met die begin van die agteruit stoot en die rem dan vanself ontkoppel trek ek dan die hand rem weer verder op todat dit weer rem. Ek was altyd reg vir die gedrag. Met die Exclusive 747 gaan jy nie hom met die hand stop nie. Ek stoot ook nooit die Exclusive met die hand nie. Ek skuif hom of met die car of met die movers. Die gekoppelde movers werk soos n' rem.

Ek dink dit was Lennie wat in Balule sy Exclusive met die heining gestop het nadat dit agteruit weg gehardloop het.

As jy movers het, is dit makik om die karavaan op die geelblokke tekry .Ek stoot selfs die Classique wat swaar is met gemak op die blokke .

Willie54 wrote:

As jy movers het, is dit makik om die karavaan op die geelblokke tekry .Ek stoot selfs die Classique wat swaar is met gemak op die blokke .

Net so Willem. Ek ry ook party keer my woonwa op die leveling blokke met die movers. As ek sien ek gaan nie met die car die woonwa reg kan plaas nie dan is die koppeling van die movers die eerste ding wat ek doen. Dit is nou voor dat ek enigsins begin af haak.

Op my Exclusive is die volgorde van belangrikheid die lugreeling dan die movers en dan heel laaste die agterste camera.

Gaan daai jack wat I hak nie die rim beskadig op 'n swaar woonwa?

Lyk of dit maklik kan werk om iets onder die wiel in te skuif om dit te level, veral op 'n Trailer? 

Dis n interresante idee. Ek wonder of mens dit nie eerder in een van die gate haak nie, die boonste een. Dit sal dalk  gly as jy dit aan die naaf (rim) haak. Wie verskaf dit Geert en gebruik jy dit? Dit sal makliker werk as om n skerdomkrag onder die as te plaas om n driepoot in te kry as die wa lank gaan staan dink ek.