short bus leveling

[jr233]

i am in the planning of a short bus/van to convert but do they need jacks on the 4 corners or are the springs strong enough so it dosent move on springs. it will be a single man and 2 cats but still wondering. better to plan fully than try to retrofit tnx

[peteg59]

I try to park on as level ground as possible, as I don't have "leveling" jacks.
If things are way out after trying to find the most level area to park, I'll place rocks under the tires on whichever side or individual corner that needs to be raised to achieve "level".

There are plastic wedges sold at RV dealers to basically do the same thing as the rocks I use, that might work better but I've not felt the need to buy them.

[o1marc]

Your question is kind of vague.
Bus body weighs 1000's of lbs. Your body weight is not gonna noticeably rock the boat.

[ol trunt]

Oh yes it will! I made stabilizer jacks from tent trailer jacks and hydraulic rams (think Port-O-Power) cheap and effective on my 10K bus.
Jack

[EastCoastCB]

I can rock my bus around with just my body weight.

Get some stabilizer jacks.
Or be the envy of the shorty crowd and get a hydraulic leveling setup off a junked RV.

[Frochevy]

I agree about jacks. I put two c jacks on the back of our shortbus and it's helped alot. I have some 2x10 cut up as well as a few of the composite deck boards that I keep on the bus to lay down and drive the front tires on them to level the bus out. You never know how level a campsite is going to be! I would like to add half to the front but haven't done it yet. The hydraulic jack idea sounds awesome!

[kcblkeeley]

I guess I am not the norm... my shorty has the same engine, tranny and suspension as its full size brothers. I thought about putting stabilizers on it but it hardly moves at all when inside it.

[capnron]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Your question is kind of vague.
Bus body weighs 1000's of lbs. Your body weight is not gonna noticeably rock the boat.

Gotta totally agree with Marc on this. A bus will not even notice you moving around.

[ol trunt]

Once you get a short bus you will change your tune--or your significant other will convince you after a sea sick episode. The good thing is that it's never too late to add stabilizers.
Jack

[rossvtaylor]

We live in an MCI MC-7...a former Greyhound bus that's super heavy. And our 45 pound dog, trotting from end of the bus to the other, creates noticeable movement. Wind will definitely rock the bus. I like jacks.

[Oscar1]

Yep the motion of the ocean in our 36'er just walking around is enough sometimes to put you off balance.
And that's before the whiskey comes out

[Mountain Gnome]

How funny! In my bouncy-bouncy "clown" bus that teeter-totters down the road over bumps, I don't feel much ocean motion when I walk around. I have 2 sets of wind-chimes hanging over the dash, and they very lightly ring, but usually only when I enter through the back door wearing shoes.



I put in new shocks when I got it. I'm only 115 lbs max; 112 the other day as I was weighing my caving rope to see which was the 250' and which the 300'.


I want jacks more for leveling.

[Oscar1]

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

How funny! In my bouncy-bouncy "clown" bus that teeter-totters down the road over bumps, I don't feel much ocean motion when I walk around. I have 2 sets of wind-chimes hanging over the dash, and they very lightly ring, but usually only when I enter through the back door wearing shoes.



I put in new shocks when I got it. I'm only 115 lbs max; 112 the other day as I was weighing my caving rope to see which was the 250' and which the 300'.


I want jacks more for leveling.

Now I'm envious, I'm way past my spelunking days at 215lbs don't go in there!
Yes agree on the levelling, Canada has Princess auto, similar to your Harbour Freight. Picked up a set of four levelling jacks (50% off) that wind up with a cordless impact.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

I put in new shocks when I got it.

My bus rocked pretty noticeably when I first got it, from walking around and when the wind blew. My first trip to the shop they told me my front shocks were broken and replaced them, and since then it's felt a lot more stable.

[Mountain Gnome]

Originally Posted by Oscar1

Now I'm envious, I'm way past my spelunking days at 215lbs don't go in there!


Yes agree on the levelling, Canada has Princess auto, similar to your Harbour Freight. Picked up a set of four levelling jacks (50% off) that wind up with a cordless impact.

Cavers rescue spelunkers


My luck with HF has been 50%. Even the bottle jack I got failed. Others here love theirs for years. How often do they use them?


I could go on....


For now I'm using 2×4s. Will be looking for a construction site that might give me a couple few 2×8 trims. Might cost $20 each now-a-days

[LoveandRage]

Amused at the insistence that shorties don’t rock. I am guessing it depends on the chassis. Proper bus chassis’ probably don’t rock like the van chassis’ do. My shortie vanbus most definitely rocks from body weight. Heck, it rocks in the wind without added body movement!

[kcblkeeley]

My bus is so stiff I am thinking about removing a few leaves. I do love watching my wife's expression as she bounces on the bed in the back while driving though!

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

gnome.
caint say i am proud of especially since my son has a mac tool account?
i have wasted money on the HF floor jacks and wont buy another one. but i have a 20 ton bottle jack from them that i have had for 5 years with no problems and between my son and i we mechanic almost every weekend and if the bottle fits under the vehicle then it the go to if it doesnt fit the floor jack will get it up enough for it to fit and i have left it under a vehicle and released enough to get it on stands and it has never leaked down?
maybe i lucked out which dont usually happen and got a good one??
but my luck now that i talked about it giving it a little boost it will give up?
i refuse to talk about anything in my house because everytime i brag or when it breaks i am getting that within a week something is broke and i still end up fixing it instead of upgrade because its something stupid/minor compared to replacement.