These RV Leveling Blocks
Replace the Junk You've Had to Use
I'm sure you've already struggled with RV Leveling Blocks if you've hauled or pushed a rig for any distance, and set up an RV Boondocking camp more than twice.
They slide, they split, they slip and rock... Just a genuine pain in your sittin' parts. But what option have you got?
... If your wallet looks like mine... when you turn it sideways it looks like a sliver... you can't just run out and slap on one of those high dollar RV leveling systems.
You know the ones... those electric or hydraulic, push-one-button-and-the rig-levels-itself outfits you see on the 'Dream Rigs'.
To tell the truth... even if I could afford one, I'm not sure I want one more piece of high technology to maintain. Just a simple set of RV Leveling Blocks that don't disintegrate the second time you use 'em is all I ask for.
Well, you've got maybe three options that I can see for simple leveling blocks.
#1. The standard cut chunks of lumber, usually 2X6 or 2X8 cut into foot long pieces... I've seen some use plywood cut into squares rather than dimension lumber... Problems? They slide and slip backin' on to 'em and seem to fight you... Then to add insult to injury... the buggers start splittin' in two purty dang quickly.
...or ...
#2. The plastic, plug together like Leggos type... which are 'claimed' to be 'Tough'... You can see in the pictures, how tough I've found 'em to be... and one set, at $27 - $45 is rarely sufficient... so you're lookin' at $54 or better... and they break... no matter how 'tough' they're claimed to be.
So... what's the third option?
I believe I've come up with an option for RV Leveling Blocks that I think will be the primo option for indestructibility, ease of use and total, all-round, RV Boondocking function!
Barn Stall Mats!
Yup. That's right... My new RV Leveling Blocks are built from Stall Mats.
They come 3/4 of an inch thick... solid, tough, rubber, and 4'X6' dimension. If you cut 'em into 8"X12" leveling blocks you get 36 blocks from a single mat. That mat is going to cost you around $39... using every block, building an RV Leveling Ramp... (36) 3/4" blocks give you a whole heck of a lot of RV Leveling capability.
Don't know what lumber is costing in your neck of the woods... but replacing it all the time... the cost adds up... even if you do start off saving anything... and the plastic stuff costs from $28 to $45 for a set of 10 blocks... and usually you need 2 or 3 sets.
Truth is... you might even be able to get by with maybe 1/2 of these rubber blocks... so you could... if you wanted to be conservative about the whole thing... go partners with an RVin' buddy... and split a mat... otherwise... you'll have plenty of blocks for just about any situation.
Look just under here, and you can see how many blocks each of you would get! :-)
For those who are also trying to be 'Green' when they can... these Stall Mats are built from ground up, recycled, auto tires... so besides creating superior RV Leveling Blocks for your RV Boondocking... you get to save the planet a mite as well!
As I was doin' my cutting, I discovered another benefit. I don't know what's available in your area... but the mat I bought didn't come from china... this puppy was Made in Canada! :-) and that, as far as I'm concerned is 'keepin' it in the family'.
Canada has always been in the Top Two when it comes to standin' up for the Good Ol' USA when the world's taken it's pot shots...and this fella appreciates that.
So these RV Leveling Blocks are just turning out to be a good deal six ways to Sunday!
They're not difficult to split apart into the 36 blocks I got out of a mat. It took me maybe two hours of cuttin' and slashin' with a utility knife... I tried a hack saw ... and I suppose you might try a pruning saw... or something else with coarse teeth... but in the end I just worked at it with a utility knife.
First I stripped the mat into the 8" wide strips, and then sliced those into the 12" long blocks. I found that if you curl the strip over as you go, it helps keep the cut open. You'll have to make repeated cuts with your utility knife to get through that 3/4" thickness of tough tire rubber.
It ain't difficult... but it ain't easy either... I suppose if it was... they wouldn't be so indestructible.
For cutting the Stripped out, 6' sections into the 12" blocks, I found that if you let the block you're cutting off, hang over the edge of your work bench, the weight of the block makes it hang down and helps keep your cut open... easing the work.
One stack down... six more to go!
When you get done... You've got a purty good stack of the last RV
Leveling Blocks you're ever going to need! This stack is right at 13 1/2
inches tall... If you need more than that... you need to get better at
pickin' a camp site! :-)
You can see the different textures on the rubber in this pic. They really stick to each other pretty well... and should mostly eliminate that sliding problem you get with the wood blocks...
So... You Decide!
Wood? Plastic? or dang near bullet proof, genuine, unadulterated, double-rectified, hold up any rig... Rubber RV Leveling Blocks!
