SnapPads and non solid surface

porthole

Retired
For 8+ seasons of using LevelUp I never saw a need for them. I even turned down a set for "free - evaluation", as I saw it as not something useful for me. Or, "a solution for a problem we didn't know we had"

I gave in earlier this year and ordered a six pack of the pads.

No longer having a need for the dimensional 2 x 12's I was using, I left most of the wood blocking in the shed.

Two weeks ago we had a mini campout, might even have been a mini Wilkins RV campout, in soggy Pennsylvania.

One thing I can say is, when you run G-114's at 125 PSI you have narrow tires that don't flex much. Couple that with soft ground and you may leave some work for the grounds crew after you leave.

I still used wood blocking for my front jacks to minimize ram extension, but had nothing to put under the rear jacks.
With the SnapPads on the jack pads the diameter is a few inches more then the rut left by the tires. Just enough that when the jack is down and you start lifting the trailer, you CAN bend the jack pads.

I don't know if the pads bent when leveling or just the trailer settling into the ground. Either way I now have four dinner plate shaped jack pads.


So, if you use the snappads, and you are on soft ground, I would recommend some type of wood under the pad to distribute the weight properly. Something that will not flex and bend your LevelUp pads.

Had I used my 21" x 12" x 2" jack pads, the pounds per square inch load would have been significantly lower, less then half (16psi versus 35psi).
 

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Sowie

Well-known member
Sorry to hear this happened. I too have been wondering if the snap pads were a worthy investment. I used some plastic lumber decking that I double layered and made into 12” square pads to give extra support and a couple inches of extra lift.

Is it the angle the picture is taken at or does the piston assembly look slightly off from vertical?


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LBR

Well-known member
The vertical ram is supposed to be off-vertical...both side rams are to be pushing inward a scootch.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Duane - what you experienced may be more typical of what you might run into based on your camping locations and weather. I've had a far better experience overall.

I used this product across several RVs, dozens of states and several hundred setups. I really like it and I don't miss carrying and setting out boards. I carry some 8x8s for that one time a year I need more extension.

Thanks for sharing your experience and I hope it causes our readers to ponder if they'll ever be in that same situation and what they might need to have on hand "just in case".
 

CDN

B and B
I could see that happening where I camp in provincial parks, wet uneven ground. I was at a music festival and parking in a field with the same type of soft soil. I use these under my level up system.


footingpad-single-black-300x227.jpg Barn_buy_new.jpg

https://footingpad.com/product/footing-pad-16/

I carry 6 16 inch now and 2 12 inch I used with my earlier Travel Trailer. If the jacks need to slip sideways a bit they can easily. Local RV dealers here in farm country are selling them.

They are designed for pole barns and decks. I just found out they make 24 inch pads now. I am going to purchase these for the landing gear. These would be a good option under snap pads.
 

busted2341

Well-known member
I love the snap pads but whenever we are on grass or any soft surface I use a 12 x 12 block under them...
 

porthole

Retired
Sorry to hear this happened. I too have been wondering if the snap pads were a worthy investment. I used some plastic lumber decking that I double layered and made into 12” square pads to give extra support and a couple inches of extra lift.

Is it the angle the picture is taken at or does the piston assembly look slightly off from vertical?


LevelUp is designed to be installed on a 3-5 degree outward angle for stability purposes.
Sometime they are, sometimes they are not.

When we had LevelUp installed, I pulled our Cyclone right in after SpringerDan's Cyclone pulled out of the shop.
His jacks were about 5 degrees, ours were all vertical.

At one of the Goshen rallies, the LevelUp techs that were around to help suggested angling my jacks with washers, which I did.

- - - Updated - - -

Duane - what you experienced may be more typical of what you might run into based on your camping locations and weather. I've had a far better experience overall.

I used this product across several RVs, dozens of states and several hundred setups. I really like it and I don't miss carrying and setting out boards. I carry some 8x8s for that one time a year I need more extension.

Thanks for sharing your experience and I hope it causes our readers to ponder if they'll ever be in that same situation and what they might need to have on hand "just in case".


Jim, as you know, in the north east we have been fairly soggy as of late. Rain every weekend since Memorial Day. Soggy enough that one member could not get out of his yard to join us for the campout.

I've been in soft ground before, as many know, we had to be winched out of the Dover race track field two years in a row. The difference then was I was still using my 2 x 12's. I had to dig out the blocks, but the jack feet did not bend.


My point of posting is to make others aware. The G-114's leave a narrow rut and we were sunk in a good 4+ inches I would guess. So, wood blocking would be advised if you are dropping the pads into a depression near the same size or smaller of the steel pad.

- - - Updated - - -

I will probably leave the front snap pads on though as I still keep my original 21 x 12 x 2 boards in the propane compartment. I tend to use the boards any time I am not on pavement or hard pack.
 

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
Although my ruts weren’t as deep as Duane’s, my 12x12 blocks straddled the ruts I did make and provided the surface area necessary for the week’s wet conditions. Duane had the wettest spot of the group
No snap pads here. Always have blocking along. Been at too many spots where it’s required

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MCTalley

Well-known member
We've had Snappads for a while now. I still carry two sets (20 total) Lynx levelers and six 12x12 square rubber pads (two that I made from a horse stall mat). Whenever I need to put something under my jacks, I toss down a square rubber pad and an appropriate stack of Lynx levelers on top before leveling the coach.
 

Sowie

Well-known member
LevelUp is designed to be installed on a 3-5 degree outward angle for stability purposes.
Sometime they are, sometimes they are not.

When we had LevelUp installed, I pulled our Cyclone right in after SpringerDan's Cyclone pulled out of the shop.
His jacks were about 5 degrees, ours were all vertical.

At one of the Goshen rallies, the LevelUp techs that were around to help suggested angling my jacks with washers, which I did.

- - - Updated - - -




Jim, as you know, in the north east we have been fairly soggy as of late. Rain every weekend since Memorial Day. Soggy enough that one member could not get out of his yard to join us for the campout.

I've been in soft ground before, as many know, we had to be winched out of the Dover race track field two years in a row. The difference then was I was still using my 2 x 12's. I had to dig out the blocks, but the jack feet did not bend.


My point of posting is to make others aware. The G-114's leave a narrow rut and we were sunk in a good 4+ inches I would guess. So, wood blocking would be advised if you are dropping the pads into a depression near the same size or smaller of the steel pad.

- - - Updated - - -

I will probably leave the front snap pads on though as I still keep my original 21 x 12 x 2 boards in the propane compartment. I tend to use the boards any time I am not on pavement or hard pack.

I checked my jacks and they are vertical. I see the pro in them being canted should minimize any rocking motion however I also see where the pads and piston could get stressed more as the pads only swivel very slightly for uneven terrain and this puts an angular pressure on the piston seals and piston itself. I could not find anything on lci site on installation best practices. This may be a subject for further research and discussion as I would like to possibly angle mine for the additional stability. Anyone else out there with the angled jacks and any issues?


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cookie

Administrator
Staff member
This may be a subject for further research and discussion as I would like to possibly angle mine for the additional stability. Anyone else out there with the angled jacks and any issues?


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At some point in time I had that discussion with a Lippert installer and was told if I were to angle the jacks to go no more than 4°.

Peace
Dave
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
Sorry to hear Duane
Like Jim, I've had my Snap-Pads on for a few years now and Love them. They have held up really well over the years. We have been all over the west in somewhere near 80 to 100 different trips/campsites in many different environments. None of which have been soft like what you were in there. I guess if I come across that I'll use some 2x's to support it. Thanks for posting. That stinks that you had to find out the hard way....
Up to now I rarely use anything. I back into my site and hit the Auto Level button and I'm done.
Level-up and Snap-Pad is the perfect combo for the other 95% of us.
 

Shortest Straw

Caught In A Mosh
I drank the snap pad cool-aid and really do not see a benefit to having them. Maybe extending the life of the level-up pads vs rust? We have been on every surface you can park on since installing them, and really cannot see how they help with anything. We have always used blocks underneath on longer stays which helps with the stability of the rig when we are playing the Wii. ;)
 

esscobra

Well-known member
very strange- I wonder if without the snappads or boards the same thing would happen to the pads- seems odd that the pads did not sink into gound and level out- I recently stayed at state park with very un level front to back- had to use Anderson blocks in rear and fronts were all the way up and was just barely level- was also concerned about the snap pads o the rear on top of Anderson blocks but had no issue- also I am believer in another benefit they provide - electrical insulation- we had several days of nasty electrical storms and lots of lightning - with a strike right next to my bighorn- which the rocks that flew up made several chips and a small dent in my door- which wee not there the weekend before when I washed and waxed it- storage lot is next to our city maintenance lot- which staff were there ready to respond to wind and flood damages, and the manager said he thought for sure it was a direct hit on my trailer- needless to say to 110 circuits were out as well as the electric gate - all fried- as well as the 3 units down from me ( probably were more but I can only confirm 3 ) all suffered burnt up electronics - needless to say when I got in to t my trailer for upcoming tip - was really concerned when I had no 12v power- fridge inverter killed batteries-luckily there was no burnt equipment and with help of truck connection and boostbox got generator running and able to use jacks to hitch up- I firmly believe that the rubber snap pads prevented all that electricity from doing damage to my bighorn coming up from the ground
 

porthole

Retired
Duane - what you experienced may be more typical of what you might run into based on your camping locations and weather.


We just came back from another soggy PA campout. I guess as long as we are traveling in the northeast I will continue to use my dimensional 2x's. Lyle, JJ and us - I think we took a thousand pounds of mud out of the campground.

Snap pads are not going back on and I'm a little disappointed that the snap pad response is 'ya shoulda used boards', which goes against their marketing hype.

The double sting is I was offered a set of 6 for evaluation 2 years ago and I turned them down as I didn't see a need or benefit ......
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
What is it that you'd like SnapPad to do for you ????
I don't see any responsibility on thire part whatsoever.
If you don't want them I'll buy them from you and give em to someone that does.
We do not have much off road camping here in California so most of us love them out here.
So far your the only one I know of that is disappointed with them.

Happy trails
Jerrod




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