BAL leveler question?

[ClarkPeters]

We are going this wknd for the very first time and we are taking wood blocks to balance front to back and a wedge under the tires. Is there more that we need other than that?

I have had problems keeping the blocks in place while driving the pup onto them. I have had them shoot out from under the wheel (picture a 2x4 pumpkin seed).

When I replaced my softside popup with a Chalet, the first extra doodad I bought was a BAL leveler and I have never regretted it.

Pete.

[haroldPE]

Au contraire!  A 2x4"  is only about 1-1/2" or so thick.  So you will always be able to get within an inch with 2x4" 's.

me?  I have a Bal - hated and desspised it until I bought the 500 in-lb drill Friday.  Now I can put up with its weight, bulkiness and greasyness (also bough a foot long piece of 1" tubing to cover the threads when not in use).

Ah, hard to get within an inch if you go in 2" increments.
 And - do what works for you.
 
 Austin

[Nemesis56]

A lot of hard lessons have been learned that by not chocking the wheels and un-hitching the trailer, it will want to travel all by itself!(LOL).


Good luck


Fly

Yeah Buddy.  Thought we lucked out on the side to side on our maiden voyage.  Perfect bubble.  Thought .."Shoot, piece of cake".  Failed to  and look at the incline level.  Guess what got left at home? Cranked up the tounge jack and then the rodeo effect occured.  I jump on the tounge and try to dig me heels in...slide right off, finally the second attempt I get it stopped and throw some firewood under the wheel.  The whole time my kid's yelling to DW... " Mom.. Dad's riding the trailer again!".  We still argue wether I stayed on for the full 8 count.  All though I did get a standing ovation from the onlookers for keeping my cool and not letting things get out hand. Somehow they knew I was from Kentucky for some reason. Said .." We ain't had this much fun since Bufford found that yellow jacket in his sleeping bag."... Those little $2.99  yellow wheel cocks from Walmart are the first thing I see when I open the trailer door.  

Anyway that was my SPUT.

[Russinator]

Marcy, thanks for the link.

I've been wanting to get one of those for some time.

Now I have one ordered. Russ

[Dray]

I have a newbie question about the BAL Leveler.  It seems what this is doing is just jacking up one side of the camper.  Can I just use a regular car jack under one side?  

And come to think of it.  Why in heck can't I jack up the camper using the stabilizers?  It seems PU's would be a whole lot better if the manufacturers of these things made it so we could.

[fourgonefishn]

I have a newbie question about the BAL Leveler.  It seems what this is doing is just jacking up one side of the camper.  Can I just use a regular car jack under one side?  

And come to think of it.  Why in heck can't I jack up the camper using the stabilizers?  It seems PU's would be a whole lot better if the manufacturers of these things made it so we could.

 You can use a car jack (bottle jack) however I have never been in a camper as stable and firm as since we purchased our BAL. It's great to pull in, look to see what side to level with BAL and out wheel chocks on other side and be done. No more leveler blocks 2x4's back up pull forward..oops too far!

[i2like2camp]

I too purchased the BAL leveler and it worked great, until that really sloped campsite. It was outrageously slanted, and I had my doubts about getting the PU level. Having nothing else to use, I started cranking the BAL leveler up. As the jack continued to rise, I became nervous about the tire now being completely off the ground. Sure enough, the leveler stripped. As I hunted the campgrounds for any leftover firewood to drive onto, I vowed to purchase a leveling system with no moving parts. I purchased the Lynx levelers, with the chock that secures to it (the pieces lock together like Legos), and have had no further leveling problems.

The BAL leveler is a great product, I just think that I asked too much of it on that outing.

Rick

02 Trailblazer
04 Flagstaff 823D

[Dray]

I'm gonna go get one.  With two small kids it seems that when we first get to the cg they of course want to get out right away.  It's understandable.  Usually they've been in the car a couple hours.  So to keep them in the TV while I try go back and forth onto a dumb piece of wood can be stressful.  I could let them out but then DW gets distracted cause she's watching them and turns out that she doesn't help me that well.  

I also like the idea that this helps out with stabilizing the PU.  DW complained (jokingly) that when I turn over in bed the whole camper shakes!  I'm one of those who flops when I turn over at night!  HA HA

[ForestCreature]

I
 
 The BAL leveler is a great product, I just think that I asked too much of it on that outing.
 
 Rick
 

We have had ours cranked up darn near to the top of the threads more than once ...(really sucks when that happens on the door side) and not had issues.

There was a bad batch  a bit back, where either the threads were stripping or the plates broke off, I hope you contacted Norco and let them know, they will replace it.
http://www.norcoind.com/bal/contact.htm

[wavery]

I have a newbie question about the BAL Leveler.  It seems what this is doing is just jacking up one side of the camper.  Can I just use a regular car jack under one side?  

And come to think of it.  Why in heck can't I jack up the camper using the stabilizers?  It seems PU's would be a whole lot better if the manufacturers of these things made it so we could.

Using the car jack is not advisable for leveling. You could damage either the axle or the frame. It is best to lift the trailer with the tire only.

Using the stabilizers to level the camper is not a good idea either. You can easily bend the frame doing that. The stabilizer are meant only to stabilize the trailer and never lift it. Refer to your owner's manual.

When using the stabilizers you merely put them firmly on the ground.

If you use a drill motor with the Bal Leveler (as I do) you may want to consider using a swivel with the 3/4" socket that drives the screw. On mine, when the leveler gets to a certain height, the drill motor hits the side of the trailer if I don't use a swivel.

[haroldPE]

Congrats on your decision, Dray.  Do consider a drill and 3/4" socket to put it up and down - else you will not be saving any time with a a ratchet wrench (50 times) up AND down.

I'm gonna go get one.  With two small kids it seems that when we first get to the cg they of course want to get out right away.  It's understandable.  Usually they've been in the car a couple hours.  So to keep them in the TV while I try go back and forth onto a dumb piece of wood can be stressful.  I could let them out but then DW gets distracted cause she's watching them and turns out that she doesn't help me that well.  
 
 I also like the idea that this helps out with stabilizing the PU.  DW complained (jokingly) that when I turn over in bed the whole camper shakes!  I'm one of those who flops when I turn over at night!  HA HA