How to level bed?

[bigsallysmom]

I've searched leveling bed and slanting bed.  Didn't get any hits.
What do yall do when you have to park on uneven ground which leaves your bed slanted?

 

[Reducto]

I've considered modifying my bed to allow it to lean but haven't quite gotten around to it. Mostly, I've just gotten used to sleeping somewhat off-level. I find the only thing I can't do well is sleep where my head is lower than my body. That's easily remedied by sleeping with my head on the other side. Too much side-lean is an issue so I tend to find a different spot if I run into that.

 

[LeeRevell]

If strict 'stealth' isn't a consideration, do what the RVers do, use small jacks and leveling blocks.
I have considered when the time comes to build a permanent van bed, allowing some system of leveling the bed inside.  I have slept at a slant using the old air-mattress/blanket thing on the van floor - I tend to slide down the incline as I sleep.  Not a good thing.

 

[masterplumber]

Yeah, I just get my trailer close to level. I just got back from working in the mountains for most of the week. I found a levelish spot in the shade, then put a 2'' block under one side, and after unhitching lowered the tongue to where everything was eyeball level. Works for me and only takes a minute or 2 extra and well worth the good night's sleep.

 

[Iggy]

I use a low tech solution, I carry a couple 2x4 blocks with me. If my bed leans too much toward the curb (sometimes streets are raised a lot in the middle), I throw a block under the legs on that side. And yeah, I never park where my feet are higher than head. Did it twice and both times I woke up vomiting.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

If you're going to put a block under a wheel, it needs to be wide enough to support the full width of the wheel.  Trying to get by with a scrap of 2X4 or 2X6 will only end up damaging the tire.

Regards
John

 

[Iggy]

In case you were talking to me, I just put the little blocks under the legs of my bed to raise one side. Yeah, for under the wheels I would need blocks at least a foot long or more, and wider than the tire size.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

In case you were talking to me, I just put the little blocks under the legs of my bed to raise one side. Yeah, for under the wheels I would need blocks at least a foot long or more, and wider than the tire size.

No, it was just a general comment.  I saw where you were talking about the legs of your bed.

Regards
John

 

[akrvbob]

Ironically, I just covered leveling my van this morning in today's blog post:

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/cody-wyoming-camp-on-the-buffalo-bill-reservoir/ 

I use these for leveling and they are in every way superior to wood and right now Amazon is selling them for $15 each. Of course they won't work for stealth, otherwise they are the very best thing you can buy. I paid $40 for my first one at an RV store and right now Amazon has them for $15. I just bought a second one. I've used mine every day of the summer on rocky and uneven ground and they are still inn great shape.

If you use this link, I'll make a little money and it will cost you nothing. I strongly recommend you pick one up. 

http://amzn.to/1KhlVg2

Until I found the Tri-Levelor I has used standard leveling blocks and they are very poor. They break all the time, slide away when you try to go up on them and sink into the ground.

 

[highdesertranger]

I use what's on site. dig a hole on the high side or put a rock under the low side. if you are in really uneven ground you can do both. funny story, many years ago while camping with a rather large group there was a couple with their motor home. they had one of those little bubble levels in their refer, they drove around the area for half an hour trying to get the refer level. her head was in the refer giving instructions to him the driver. it was quite entertaining for us not so much for them. it started a big ole fight that lasted the whole weekend and they never did get it level. of course neither one of them wanted any advice about how to level it. highdsertranger

 

[Almost There]

I've searched leveling bed and slanting bed.  Didn't get any hits.
What do yall do when you have to park on uneven ground which leaves your bed slanted?

Levelling the whole vehicle works if you're dispersed camping or in a campground but when you're using a parking lot somewhere for a night it's  just not practical.

Because I've been faced with the problem before I think I've got a solution for myself. It's not that you need the whole of the bed level it's that if your head or feet are downhill you notice it. My bed (under final construction) will  have two storage areas over each of the wheel wells. Instead of fastening them at the van walls and putting hinges there, I'm putting the hinges on the edge of the lid on the side away from the wall so that the bin lid opens up at the wall edge - I sure hope that makes some sense when I write it out...

This will enable me to shim the edge closest to the wall so that the bed platform itself (doubling as lids on the storage compartment) can be raised to adjust for the sideways slope of the parking lot.

Ideally, I'd be able to shim from front to back for those nights where the van is sloping front to back but one only gets to choose one dimension ... . Unless of course, the lid is completely loose and just sits on top of the storage bin with no fastening at all, then you can shim in any direction! 

Oh, my bed runs across the width of the van not lengthwise but I can handle that cause I'm way short..

 

[SoulRaven]

I've never had the problem myself, but another van dweller approached me with her problem. For a former gal, I helped do her bed up like a porch swing, and that worked perfect for her, but this gal needed 4 way adjustments.

No problem, add a post to each corner of the bed, and suspend the bed platform from chains to the corner posts. Voila, this gives here 2+ feet of easy adjustment in every direction.

Another trick I have used in the past when helping others was to add slide lock tent poles to the legs of the bed, so that each leg could be adjusted separately, again giving 4-way adjustment possibilities.

Hope this helps...

 

[climbing coastie]

I use what's on site.  dig a hole on the high side or put a rock under the low side.  if you are in really uneven ground you can do both.  funny story,  many years ago while camping with a rather large group there was a couple with their motor home.  they had one of those little bubble levels in their refer,  they drove around the area for half an hour trying to get the refer level.  her head was in the refer giving instructions to him the driver.  it was quite entertaining for us not so much for them.  it started a big ole fight that lasted the whole weekend and they never did get it level.  of course neither one of them wanted any advice about how to level it.  highdsertranger

I've got to ask, was the refer actually level to the rest of the vehicle??

 

[highdesertranger]

I did not care enough to check. especially after they wouldn't listen to anybody that tried to help. it was also very entertaining. highdesertranger

 

[masterplumber]

Hey Off Grid, if I picture it right, I like that solution. To late for my trailer, but if I ever build a tow vehicle that I can also sleep in I might try something like that, kind of a solid surface hammock. Now that I think about it - no one has mentioned a Hammock - that would be easy to adjust the level on and you can even switch ends to keep your head on the high end.

 

[compassrose]

... it was also very entertaining.  highdesertranger

Like watching a newbie put up a brand new tent, without directions? We used to do that a lot. But it took only 15 minutes for us to unpack and put our 10X12 cabin tent up and have dinner started. And that was with the dog "helping".

 

[DannyB1954]

I was looking at hammocks, but the bed hanging from a chain idea, (post #12), is a great idea. Could even use ratchet tie down straps.
It could be built like a bunk bed with the upper platform used for storage and the lower bed hanging from chains. Raised all the way up and you could get at storage under the lower bed.

I wonder if anyone makes a bean bag bed. Maybe two bean bag chairs put together. stacked on top of each other during the day.

 

[DannyB1954]

I found something on Ebay that is interesting. It is called a linear actuator.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heavy-Duty-...C-12V-Motor-/191690344346?hash=item2ca1a2879a
They make them in different weight capacities and stroke lengths. This one is rated at 330 lbs and 4" stroke. They go up to 24" lift and 400 lb, maybe higher. For places where you can not hang a bed from chain, one of these can be put under each corner of the bed and adjusted electrically. I think they are based on a screw shaft attached to a reversible motor. Unlike hydraulic jacks, once they are in the position that you want, they never leak down. So 4 of the smaller ones would cost under a $100, (add more for switches or relays), and in theory they could lift a bed platform that weighs over a thousand pounds. I am not sure how much lift would be necessary to level a bed, but like I said you can get them in any length that would work for you. There is plenty of lifting power, so they could also be hooked to a lever mechanism for a higher lift with less weight capacity.

 

[SternWake]

I have rear air bag helper springs plumbed individually with the Schrader fill valves inside. 100PSi in the curbside bag and 0 in the street side can get me much closer to level. 4.5 inches on the lower side.

Front to back levelling is not such a factor for me. I can stuff a pillow or two under the mattress if facing downhill. If facing uphill, I don't much mind.

 

[DannyB1954]

4.5 inches on the lower side

So then 4" is pretty close to the max necessary? It would be actually more of a change in the width and length of a bed than the width of a van. ( 4" of lift over a 36" distance vs 4.5" of lift over 5')

I suppose that you could get the ones with a longer stroke and mount them to the vehicle to level the vehicle instead of just the bed. It wouldn't be very stealth if they could be seen touching the ground.