Leveling Trailer in Drive

[HangOutdoors]

My drive slants where I put the boat, and it is a couple-few inches sloping down or so from Starboard to Port. When I do oil and such I need to hook up the trailer and pull it up the drive or I have used my creeper jack to raise the engines are level. Also when I wash the boat out, the water pools a bit on the port side in the cockpit and under the bench a bit. Just enough to annoy. Wondering if something like this would work and I could just back up the trailer on them each time I bring the boat in.

BOYISEN Camper Levelers 2 Pack - RV Leveling System Ramp Kit, Improved Non-Slip Design, Support Two Axles, Up to 35,000lbs, RV Leveler for Travel Trailer Faster & Easier Than Camper Leveling Blocks (amazon.com)

Any one else use anything?

 

[fatboyroy]

Never tried with a boat cause I have a pretty leveled driveway but this is what I use for my camper Amazon.com: Tri-Lynx 00015 Lynx Levelers - 10 Pack , Orange : Automotive

 

[2kwik4u]

How do you guys figure out how many blocks you need? Like guess and check? Check level with something accurate and do the trig?

For a side to side level I think either would work just fine. Likely some scrap 2x6 screwed together to make a "ramp" might be just as easy if you have it sitting around. I suspect backing a trailer on to those curved ones might be more difficult than it looks. Stopping at just the right spot might be hard. Depends on how much slack there is in your hitch, trailer, truck parking brake system.

I'm fortunate in that my driveway only slants in one direction. So when I change the oil in the driveway, I only have to raise the tongue. For that just use the tongue jack and a jack stand. Move blocking from one to the other as I need to go up/down and it works OK. I check level on the valve covers, and stop when needed.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Maybe that is what I will do. Build a step ramp from some plywood in the garage to see how it works and to get the exact height first. Although I can make the plywood wider for more area to put the tire on. Perhaps just paint it with some exterior waterproof protection and call it good.

 

[HangOutdoors]

How do you guys figure out how many blocks you need? Like guess and check? Check level with something accurate and do the trig?

I checked level on the water on swim deck and gun whales and one other point for reference. I Marked my level accordingly. a 3ft' level. Marking where the bubble actually was, since bow to stern level on the water is a bit different than actual level.

Then when I am in my drive I use the same level to "In Water Level" the boat while on the trailer. I then marked the spot on the drive where I put my trailer jack and also marked it vertically. So basically I can put the boat on water level while in the drive if I need/want to. It just isn't great to wheel the jack out and jack up the trailer on the frame and put a jack stand on it, just to check the oil in the drive and to have all the water drain accordingly.

 

[biffdotorg]

If you are worried more about when washing or doing oil changes, and not storage, just drive into your garage with the boat still hooked up.

I used to do this on wash day when we lived in town. I would just drive my truck into the garage with the boat hooked up. It gave me the perfect slant for washing. Drive in further, until the engines were level for oil changes, or out in the street. The stereo would entertain the neighbors for a few hours.

Now I do my oil changes at the end of the season on the boat lift. Amazing how lowering it down and letting the lake level the boat perfectly.

 

[HangOutdoors]

If you are worried more about when washing or doing oil changes, and not storage, just drive into your garage with the boat still hooked up.

I used to do this on wash day when we lived in town. I would just drive my truck into the garage with the boat hooked up. It gave me the perfect slant for washing. Drive in further, until the engines were level for oil changes, or out in the street. The stereo would entertain the neighbors for a few hours.

Now I do my oil changes at the end of the season on the boat lift. Amazing how lowering it down and letting the lake level the boat perfectly.

Cant really drive into garage. Garage is a sharp L and I don't have the room easily to get it into there. Plus I have an older garage where the door is barely 7 feet, so I can see me banging my head pretty good.

 

[biffdotorg]

Cant really drive into garage. Garage is a sharp L and I don't have the room easily to get it into there. Plus I have an older garage where the door is barely 7 feet, so I can see me banging my head pretty good.

Sorry, saw the photo above and was thinking that was your boat. Obviously not (smile) I also meant driving the truck into the garage with the boat attached out in the driveway. but if you have an L going in, that won't work either.

Good luck!

 

[Coult45]

My drive slants where I put the boat, and it is a couple-few inches sloping down or so from Starboard to Port. When I do oil and such I need to hook up the trailer and pull it up the drive or I have used my creeper jack to raise the engines are level. Also when I wash the boat out, the water pools a bit on the port side in the cockpit and under the bench a bit. Just enough to annoy. Wondering if something like this would work and I could just back up the trailer on them each time I bring the boat in.

BOYISEN Camper Levelers 2 Pack - RV Leveling System Ramp Kit, Improved Non-Slip Design, Support Two Axles, Up to 35,000lbs, RV Leveler for Travel Trailer Faster & Easier Than Camper Leveling Blocks (amazon.com)

Any one else use anything?

I use a product very similar to those when I level my camper. they're really easy to use and double as chocks if you're not leveling.

 

[Beachcampin]

No matter which brand I chose, I always seemed to destroy the plastic ones. Not sure if it’s the Florida sun or the weight of my camper, almost 30k. I started using these which seem virtually indestructible, and made from recycled tires. For this application you’ll need to know exactly how many to use though. They also make a smaller one that could work as well called hush pads.

Hosspad Motorcoach Jack & Leveling Pads, 2-Pack

The Hosspad Motorcoach Jack & Leveling Pad is a "Made in America Green product" comprised of 100% recycled rubber tires.

www.campingworld.com

 

[dgfreeze]

My drive slants where I put the boat, and it is a couple-few inches sloping down or so from Starboard to Port. When I do oil and such I need to hook up the trailer and pull it up the drive or I have used my creeper jack to raise the engines are level. Also when I wash the boat out, the water pools a bit on the port side in the cockpit and under the bench a bit. Just enough to annoy. Wondering if something like this would work and I could just back up the trailer on them each time I bring the boat in.

BOYISEN Camper Levelers 2 Pack - RV Leveling System Ramp Kit, Improved Non-Slip Design, Support Two Axles, Up to 35,000lbs, RV Leveler for Travel Trailer Faster & Easier Than Camper Leveling Blocks (amazon.com)

Any one else use anything?

I've got a set of these (not these exact, but same design), and they work great for my fifth wheel camper. Where I think you might wish otherwise is getting it level each time. Easy with a camper when you have the large level bubble on the front. I can crank my head around, and see when it's level using the bubble on the camper. Without that bubble, I'm not sure you'd be happy. I think a product with a set height will serve you better in the long run. Will take some calculating to determine how thick a "ramp" you need, but from then on, all you need to do is drive onto it, and you know you're level. With the leveling system you posted, you'll have to "find" level each time you use it. It comes down to this - in your driveway, you need the same height every time to make it level. At that point, you're better off making a ramp or finding something you can duplicate that height on a repetitive basis.

 

[drewkaree]

 

[zipper]

No special purchase. I use the old method of “scrap wood” for building blocks to level and to chock the trailer on our gravel driveway.



We leave the boat uncovered in the yard, at times and rainwater needs to find it’s way to the bilge drain on the starboard side of the boat. The blocks raise the port side higher than starboard on the Whaler. I don't like water pooling in places it should not be...like under a cockpit sole and ski locker.

 

[anmut]

Why not just pull the boat into your driveway, truck first? put the truck half in the garage if you have to, wash it or change oil, then back it out again?

 

[HangOutdoors]

Why not just pull the boat into your driveway, truck first? put the truck half in the garage if you have to, wash it or change oil, then back it out again?

that is more of a hassle, at least for me. I would just rather get it level and in the drive with a bow up slope that way I can take my time and continually do what I need to do without taking up garage space and not having it hooked up to the truck. Also rain does get in a bit through the mooring cover seams, so it is nice that it would all drain out without pooling on the one side under the passenger seat.