Anderson Levelers

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Alf
I thought you knew me well enough by now to know I pick up cut off scraps at job sites, pallets that I tear apart, dumpster finds and nickel deposit beverage cans. I used to have an adopt a highway route with the Boy Scouts and would show the boys what a wheel weight looked like and they'd pick me up some lead off the shoulder. I'd make sinkers for them. I'm such a dinosaur that lead is considered environmentally irresponsible now. Course I don't have lead pickers working for me either.
Dave

Hi: Iowa Dave... Just pining for the good old days. A bottle of pop cost a dime, return the bottle for two cents, and Double Bubbles were three a penny!!! Now that's a deal fer a young guy. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[peter]

Alf, Does your chewing gum still lose its flavour on the bedpost overnight?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by peter

Alf, Does your chewing gum still lose its flavour on the bedpost overnight?

Hi: peter... Being retired allows me enough money I don't have to save my chewing gum anymore!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Alf
Yes those were the days. These days no jawbreakers, no gum, no caramels, no popcorn balls, no slo-poke suckers. And that's just to protect my teeth. I do like the rinsing action I get from a good cold beer. Didn't get that when I was a kid till I was about 14.
Dave

[cpaharley2008]

I remember when we got caught doing underage drinking, the police took the booze away and sent us home, I think they then drank your confiscated goods....also your AAA card was good for "out of jail" free card, like Monopoly.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: Iowa Dave... Just pining for the good old days. A bottle of pop cost a dime, return the bottle for two cents, and Double Bubbles were three a penny!!! Now that's a deal fer a young guy. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I remember figuring out when I was 9 or 10 that I would get more ice-cream if I bought two dime cones at the A&W instead of a single 25 cent cone. Plus a nickel back on my quarter! Would stop there every week on my bicycle returning from swimming lessons at the town pool. (1962, Fort Morgan, Colorado.)

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by arniesea

I remember figuring out when I was 9 or 10 that I would get more ice-cream if I bought two dime cones at the A&W instead of a single 25 cent cone. Plus a nickel back on my quarter! Would stop there every week on my bicycle returning from swimming lessons at the town pool. (1962, Fort Morgan, Colorado.)

When a wee fella, an older neighbourhood boy paid my brother and me 10 cents for helping him deliver papers. I though this was just great until I saw my brother get 6 coins, while I only got one much smaller one. I thought I was ripped off. The next year I went to school and learned math. One nickel and five pennies equalled one dime.

[rjbny]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Never used these, but seems like a lot of additional things that have to be done to get them working and prevent sliding. With wood blocks or Lynx blocks never have encountered any of this stuff and they are xtremely handy for other functions like under tongue and stabilizer feet, etc.

We've been in 3 different places since taking delivery of our 19. In the first, we used the Anderson levelers and were thrilled how they worked - the ground was solid and not slippery in any way.

In the second, we didn't need leveling .

However, in the third we encountered two problems and I wished at that point I had enough Lynx blocks or had spent the extra for the optional rubber mat that is offered with the levelers.

1. the levelers kept slipping and got pushed along

2. one of the levelers was trimmed and when we put that one under the tire it started climbing the leveler at a different point on the curve

We're still learning and will be adding a mat to the toolkit, but it sure seemed like the Lynx blocks would have been a lot quicker, at least on that surface.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by rjbny

We've been in 3 different places since taking delivery of our 19. In the first, we used the Anderson levelers and were thrilled how they worked - the ground was solid and not slippery in any way.

In the second, we didn't need leveling .

However, in the third we encountered two problems and I wished at that point I had enough Lynx blocks or had spent the extra for the optional rubber mat that is offered with the levelers.

1. the levelers kept slipping and got pushed along

2. one of the levelers was trimmed and when we put that one under the tire it started climbing the leveler at a different point on the curve

We're still learning and will be adding a mat to the toolkit, but it sure seemed like the Lynx blocks would have been a lot quicker, at least on that surface.

I carried both an Anderson & Lego levelers for my 17. 90% of the time the Anderson did the job, but I used the blocks when I needed to get 4" or more height, and on the rare surface that the Anderson sunk or slipped. I did find that on soft surfaces even the lego blocks sunk unless you put a solid piece of plywood or 2"X10" under them.

I bought a second Anderson & cut both of them down for use with my soon to have 21. I'll still carry a set of lego blocks just in case.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by rjbny

We've been in 3 different places since taking delivery of our 19. In the first, we used the Anderson levelers and were thrilled how they worked - the ground was solid and not slippery in any way.

In the second, we didn't need leveling .

However, in the third we encountered two problems and I wished at that point I had enough Lynx blocks or had spent the extra for the optional rubber mat that is offered with the levelers.

1. the levelers kept slipping and got pushed along

2. one of the levelers was trimmed and when we put that one under the tire it started climbing the leveler at a different point on the curve

We're still learning and will be adding a mat to the toolkit, but it sure seemed like the Lynx blocks would have been a lot quicker, at least on that surface.

I use a strip of the rubber truck bed mat I cut off for the 5th wheel hitch rails. A fella at a campground mentioned he uses a couple of rubber floor mat sections he got at Home Depot for the same purpose.

I also carry a set of the Lego's an a couple pieces of 8" wide 3/4" pvc board for the times I only need to come up a smidgen or when I need a little extra lift. The Andersons will slide on the pvc so the pvc goes under the rubber when needed.

[captmath]

I discovered last weekend that if I raise only one wheel, I need to raise it higher than if raising both. I needed 4 inches to level with both, but with only one wheel I had to add two lynx behind the Anderson and back up on them to get the trailer up the same 4 inches.

[cpaharley2008]

I always thought you want both axles supported, why not use both?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by captmath

I discovered last weekend that if I raise only one wheel, I need to raise it higher than if raising both. I needed 4 inches to level with both, but with only one wheel I had to add two lynx behind the Anderson and back up on them to get the trailer up the same 4 inches.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I always thought you want both axles supported, why not use both?

Yes, I'm a bit confused. There are two levelers. Two for tandem.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by rjbny

1. the levelers kept slipping and got pushed along.

2. one of the levelers was trimmed and when we put that one under the tire it started climbing the leveler at a different point on the curve.

For the first issue, I just cut some grooves in the slick bottom of the levelers. Done.

For the second issue, I don't know how much you cut off the one leveler, but I only took off enough so the leveler would clear the front tire when inserted. With that little trimmed off, I've noticed no significant difference in the effect on the back axle vs the front.

[AKCamper]

I carry a 5 foot piece of 2x8 with my cut off anderson levelers. If the anderson's don't give me enough lift I drive up on the 2x8 and use the anderson's on top of it. Worked for me so far. I guess If I needed more than that I could start carrying more wood blocks, or drive up on my trailer aid tire changing ramp. Haven't needed to yet. Actually if that did not work I would look for another place to park.
I saw a pickup camper last night parked on a steep driveway and he was using those drive up car ramps under his front wheels to level himself out.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

I carry a 5 foot piece of 2x8 with my cut off anderson levelers. If the anderson's don't give me enough lift I drive up on the 2x8 and use the anderson's on top of it. Worked for me so far.

Great idea Eric! I've tried the yellow jack pads and that was not satisfactory. I can just throw the 2x8 in the truck bed for those rare occasions when I need it.

[padlin]

I asked Anderson about the need to use both levelers. There is no reason you have to use both levelers unless you need the height. As captmath mentioned, you get about half the lift from one as from 2, at least that's the case with my suspention. I've occasionally lifted just one wheel if I only need a little lift.

[SFDavis50]

Originally Posted by SFDavis50

3608 - Trailer Jack Block

Is anyone using the
Anderson Trailer Jack Block on the 5.0 TA front jacks? I am interested in them as well as the other Anderson accessories for the 5.0 TA. Seems like they can have other uses and I would think they would add stability also.

I use the Anderson Jack Blocks under the front jacks on the 5.0 TA. They are kind of big and heavy but I also use them as step stools to open the Anderson adaptor and reach things in the truck bed as I am getting ready to set up the trailer. Just recently I bought a sheet of 3/8 rubber mat used in horse stables and cut pieces to fit under the levelers, and on the top of the blocks in case I need a little more height and non skid. I also am using a set of black plastic bed risers under the two rear stabilizers. They are 3" and 5" and stackable (8") and the box claims they can handle 1200 Lbs. One time I adjusted up the front jacks up and heard them popping and groaning so I quickly stopped. Nothing broke and I didn't blow a fuse on the electric jacks so I'm very happy using them.

Note to self: Put a checklist in the cubby where the jack switches are to remind myself about the risers and unlatch the pin on the Anderson Pin Box.

[cpaharley2008]

To me that would be like towing with 3 tires, the torsion suspension needs to be under weight to properly operate. Having the axle hang in the air may cause eventual issues with the rubber inside. What does Dexter say about keeping weight on an axle mounted to a frame on a trailer that weighs close to 4000 lbs, you maybe overloading the other axle.

[rbryan4]

My only issue with Andersen saying you only need one leveler on a tandem axle is "how would they know?" They didn't build the axle, they made the levelers. There's probably no harm in using only one when only a little lift is required (since as long as the other tire is still on the ground, that axle is still sharing the load), but they would not have any info on the suspension, the load/capacity, the axle, or the manufacturer recommendations. That should come from Dexter in this case.