Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: ROADSTAR04 on February 06, 2020, 01:38:03 am

Title: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: ROADSTAR04 on February 06, 2020, 01:38:03 am
 Hello to all.

 My driveway slopes down and to one side.
I have built ramps and leveled the front and rear axles.
Coach still slopes down in rear slightly.
Is there a way to block between chassis frame and the coach frame and then dump the air bags.
I have read about using 2x2  1/4 steel tubing for maintenance safety and storage but no info as to where to put it.
Just want to make sure when it is stored the frame or body is not twisted or torqued.
She's a beauty and I want to do the right thing and not cause any damage.
Any help from your experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Robert








Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: craneman on February 06, 2020, 08:34:52 am
If you block under the tires to get within 7" of level the auto level system will level the rest.
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on February 06, 2020, 08:47:33 am
Is there a way to block between chassis frame and the coach frame and then dump the air bags.
I have read about using 2x2  1/4 steel tubing for maintenance safety and storage but no info as to where to put it.
You are referring to what we call "Safety Stands" around the Forum.  They can be made from a variety of materials, but most prefer to use steel tubing.  One source of "already cut and powder coated" steel tubing sections is Harbor Freight.  They sell weld-on receiver tubes that just happen to be the perfect size and length.  You can often find them on sale at your local store for under $10 each.  To support the whole coach evenly, it is generally suggested that you use 1 stand at each air bag (2 per corner, 4 per end, 8 total).

https://www.harborfreight.com/class-iii-12-in-x-2-in-standard-receiver-tube-69879.html

If your air suspension system is working properly, you should be able to raise the coach up high enough to insert 12" long safety stands.  Of course, if you were simply trying to take the weight off the air bags for long term storage, you could make the tubes a shorter length.

Around 8-9 inches long would support the coach at approximately normal ride height.

As far where to place the stands...it's kinda hard to explain.  They go between the suspension member and the frame, just inside where the air bag is mounted.  You essentially want the safety stand to hold up the same weight being supported by the air bag.

My coach is up on the stands right now.  I can post some good photos later today.  It is 12 degrees here this morning, and I'm not going outside until it warms up a bit.

OK, I manned up and stepped outside to snap a couple photos.  They show the stand placed next to the front bag on a front corner, because these are the easiest to see.  All of the safety stands go in the same relative position next to each air bag.

Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: wolfe10 on February 06, 2020, 09:28:26 am
And the thing to not run out of level is the absorption refrigerator.  Doing so will quickly kill it and also present a fire hazard.
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: nitehawk on February 06, 2020, 09:39:25 am
I used a string level and some string to establish the height of my leveling ramp.
I wedged the string under the highest rear tire and then held the string tight up by the center of the lower front tire. Keep the line tight, read the level and kept moving the line until the level bubble was centered. The distance from the tight string to the center of the front tire was the height I needed to make my ramp. I did the same for the other side of the coach.
I back our coach in and our blacktop driveway slopes down and to the driver's side so the coach front is low and tipped to one side so I made my ramps to compensate.
Now, when I put the coach on the (correct) ramps my levels in the coach show perfectly level. ^.^d
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: ROADSTAR04 on February 07, 2020, 07:02:43 pm
To All.

You all are terrific. With the information provided I believe I can accomplish what I set out to do.
Just want to make sure I didn't do something that would keep the coach in a twisted or torqued position.
I sure do appreciate all the info.  Thank you.
Robert
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on February 07, 2020, 10:12:06 pm
I made four ramps from 6x6 treated cutoffs.  Use one under each tire. Two in front or all four in the rear.  It gets you an extra 5-1/2" of lift.
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: nitehawk on February 08, 2020, 08:51:15 am
If I recall correctly, because of our driveway slope, I made the passenger side ramp 4.25" and the driver's side ramp 4.56" high.
Sets kind of level, huh?
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: Twig on February 08, 2020, 10:15:11 am
And the thing to not run out of level is the absorption refrigerator.  Doing so will quickly kill it and also present a fire hazard.
If you're not running the refrigerator it doesn't need to be level.
Title: Re: Storing my U280 on sloping driveway.
Post by: Jeff & Sandy on February 08, 2020, 02:31:57 pm
If I recall correctly, because of our driveway slope, I made the passenger side ramp 4.25" and the driver's side ramp 4.56" high.
Sets kind of level, huh?

Beautiful coach!