If your vehicle has a tilt, do you...

[ahh_me2]

So my Cube van has a tilt on it, meaning the rear end is higher than the front, so my floor in the box is sloped to the front.

I am still planning my kitchen counter, stove sink etc, but the tilt concerns me.

The question, should I make my counter /stove parallel to the floor or parallel to the ground?

In the first instance, I would always have to find a slope to stop on, in the second instance as long as I'm on level ground
my counter should be level.
I could gimbal mount my stove, but not the counter/sink. lol

Any thoughts?

 

[highdesertranger]

so does it have this tilt fully loaded? I would see how it sits fully loaded. more than likely the sitting higher in the back is because it's unloaded. once loaded it should sit level or closer to it. put some heavy stuff back there like you are loaded and see how it sits. highdesertranger

 

[Patrick46]

the rear springs were designed to haul a heavy load. Without one, it's not gonna have the proper 'sag' to it.

Either block up the front end, or take a few springs out of the back set.

 

[GrantRobertson]

My plan is to just take it as a sign that I need to buy more tools. I plan to hang water tanks, batteries, and tool boxes all along both sides of my shuttle. There's a lot of room once you remove that decorative skirt. Box trucks don't have the skirt so that just saved you a step.

 

[GotSmart]

Park on a hill. 

 

[Almost There]

So my Cube van has a tilt on it, meaning the rear end is higher than the front, so my floor in the box is sloped to the front.

I am still planning my kitchen counter, stove sink etc, but the tilt concerns me.

The question, should I make my counter /stove parallel to the floor or parallel to the ground?

In the first instance, I would always have to find a slope to stop on, in the second instance as long as I'm on level ground
my counter should be level.
I could gimbal mount my stove, but not the counter/sink. lol

Any thoughts?

I built everything parallel to the floor so that I could level the vehicle for parking. Ground is seldom completely level except in campsites that were properly designed (very few) and it's easier to level the whole vehicle with the sets of levelers on the market now than it is to constantly be trying to level various components in the living area.

I did however leave the means to raise each end of the top of my bed so that if I found myself, say in a parking lot, unable to level the van, I could at least level the bed somewhat for sleeping. Sleeping on a slope can be rather uncomfortable, cooking on a slope just means that the omelet is thicker on one side than the other...

 

[Matlock]

How much difference? 3" or more then you may need to make a spring mod. But first, ........
It's a good idea to parallel everything to the floor. Once you have your stuff loaded and secured in a permanent location, as suggested, you can make adjustments to springs, etc. if necessary. Lots easier to level the whole vehicle later on for camping (parked with blocks) or driving (with springs).
I don't recall if you put new tires on it yet or not. That will add a height change too. Either way, the springs are older and I would expect them to squat more when you load her up full.

 

[MikeRuth]

You could also use a pair of lightly angled wheel chalks to simply put under the front wheels when needed.

 

[Patrick46]

now might be a good time to start that anvil collection!

 

[compassrose]

Build parallel to the flloor. You might want to level your vehicle while you work on it. All the weight you add will impact it. We used our 2 ft X 3 ft framing squares when we converted the bus. Squared to the floor, then squared cabinets/partition walls to the sidewalls of the bus. I had to hide the level from my husband. He kept checking the level. The fact that nothing was perfectly plumb or level bothered him. Now that the weight is in, the bus sits level side to side and is out of level front to back by one degree normally (no leveling pads). Not bad for a 40 ft bus.


The manufactured Class C side walls were off 3/4" form each other. Didn't make a difference except for that one cabinet that ran the full width of the RV.

 

[highdesertranger]

don't do anything with the suspension until you are fully loaded. then make the call if you want to do suspension work. please don't raise the front to match the back. highdesertranger

 

[ahh_me2]

Yeah, I can't see modifying the suspension, that seems a bit extreme. But I'm not sure if I can load enough weight to drop the rear.
The springs are looking mighty beefy.
But I might be able to put a thousand pounds in the back just to see how much it drops, measure from ground up before/after, that might give a bit of direction.
Don't really like the idea of ramps for the front, as I want to be able to pull into a store parking lot and cook a meal without it being obvious.

Thanks everyone for giving me some food for thought, I'll have to ponder this one some more and maybe do some test loading.

 

[highdesertranger]

anywhere you park is not going to be perfectly level anyway. even areas that seem level aren't, like parking lots. everything has a slope to it. if it's man made the slope is for water run off. on concrete this must be at least 1/8"/ft on asphalt 1/4"/ft. if it was me I would build it parallel to the floor and adjust by the way you park. I don't know what your wheel base is, but just for ease of math say it's 10'. so if you park on a concrete parking lot put your rear tires on the low side. this would give you 10/8's or 1 1/4" on concrete, on asphalt you have 10/4's or 2 1/2" so either way you are closer to level on your counter top. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

Make sure your tires are all the same size. Sometimes people will just replace two tires. The ones on the front may be a smaller diameter than the rear.

 

[Gadget Man]

I agree with those who say "square"  everything to the floor and the walls not "level" with the world.  The box will settle down once you load all your stuff inside. It's going to surprise you how fast the weight will climb as you build and thus the box will settle more level with each thing you add inside.
Remember each 10 gallons of water is 80 pounds and each battery is going to be 30+ pounds. Tools, food, bed, tables....

You will also notice how much better it will ride down the road once you add some weight. 
I talked to a guy who used to drive from Minnesota to Indiana to pick up and deliver cargo trailers. He always complained about how poorly they handled when pulling an empty trailer 500 miles. Then he started carrying (2) empty 55 gallon plastic barrels and filling them with water for the trip home. He said the trailers pulled like a dream with 500 - 600 pounds of water in the front.

 

[ahh_me2]

I'm hearing you all, but I am concerned as my cube van is older and has very heavy suspension.
When I see other modern cube vans, even unloaded they sit level.

I will try and put a load of 1-2000 lbs on the rear step when the van is on a level surface and then stick a level on the inside of the box,
measure the change and go from there I guess.

HDR, on my other vans I can always find a spot in a parking area where I can get whatever slope I need to be level, but Elsie is a leaner!

 

[highdesertranger]

this is where a smart level works really well. make sure to check the slope of where you are measuring first, then do the math to find the difference. highdesertranger

 

[ahh_me2]

A stick the length of my wheelbase, 146 inches, set to wheel centers will be my baseline, I will find a level spot for that.
And I have a level that will show me the offset in the box.

I can easily deal with minor variations, it's just that my van has a really good tilt so I have to do something.
If that means measuring first, so be it, no point in cutting corners, except for the fact that I just did that with my floor! lol

 

[DannyB1954]

You may also be able to shim the front of the box. If it is like a pickup truck bed, it is held in place by 8 screws. look in between the frame and box.

 

[T.he I.nvisible M.an]

As a professional Carpenter, who has worked on RV's as well as boat build outs, I can say 100% that you should build square to the floor first and parallel to the walls second. Only change the wall angles if you plan to "skin" or frame out a wall and you can improve on it's right angle to the floor or if it not parallel front to back (But only if you are changing the angle of the whole wall). After that measure everything and forget you own a level (unless you level out the floor by using jacks below the floor to the ground as a temporary measure while you are doing your build out).

If you are looking for stealth, and you are unhappy with whatever angle you are parked on, then install an AIR or HYDRAULIC lift suspension kit. These can be adjust on a one for one basis with a total of 4 installed (think lowrider type setup except softer). 

Get a level control panel kit and a bubble level (bullseye) and your set.

As an example below

http://www.autoanything.com/suspension-systems/61A2966A0A0.aspx

• 
  <b>Air Lift Air Bag Suspension Kit</b>

[img=753x500]http://b.cdnbrm.com/images/products...P=fbd9a2fd5b29dc01970cce81716b633444328[/img]

• Air Lift Leveling Kit (LoadLifter 5000 kit shown)
• The heavy-duty LoadLifter 5000 system is ideal when you're hauling hefty loads
• The medium-duty Air Lift Ride Control is perfect for lighter loads
• Features a road-smoothing internal jounce bumper
• The Air Lift 1000 mounts inside your front or rear coil springs
• Lean from an off-center load
• No lean with an Air Lift Leveling System
• Even and stable height with an Air Lift Leveling Kit
• 
• 
  "Very impressed. Would recommend this kit to anyone looking for some airbags to maximize their towing experience." -Joel S. Reno, NV
• 
  "Quality and great airbag kit. Will help a ton when hauling heavier loads and install was very easy." -David S. Queen Creek, AZ
• 

 

Features

• Give your vehicle the smooth ride of a Cadillac without sacrificing your ability to tow like a Kenworth with the ingenious Air Lift Air Bag Suspension Kit
• This fully adjustable air bag (aka air spring) system lets you fine-tune the firmness of your suspension: add more air when you're towing or hauling, and let it out when you're commuting
• Your Air Lift Leveling System is custom engineered for your specific year, make and model
• Ride on air (literally) and say goodbye to sag, trailer sway, body roll, bottoming out and rough ride with the ingenious Air Lift Leveling System
• Fill both sides evenly or bolster one side when you have an off-center load
• The Air Lift Level System comes in four styles, depending on your vehicle:
  –Air Lift 1000: mounts inside your front or rear coil springs—you get extra rear support when towing or fully loaded, greater handling, and massive back-wheel traction. Up to 1000 lbs of leveling capacity
  –Ride Control: connects to your light-duty pickup, medium-duty truck or SUV's leaf springs-delivers the perfect balance of smooth ride quality and sturdy support for towing and hauling. Up to 2000 lbs of leveling capacity
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• For on-the-fly adjustments of your Air Lift Leveling System, upgrade with an optional Air Lift On Board Air Control System
• LoadLifter 5000 Air Lift Leveling Systems boast high-strength, reinforced Zytel endplates and exclusive Shur-grip crimp rings that won't come apart-both carry a limited Lifetime Warranty
• The air bags in your Air Lift Leveling System are built with superior, reinforced natural rubber or tough, molded polyurethane
• The polymer air fittings are easy to connect, leak-free and non-corrosive
• Your Air Lift Leveling System comes with everything you need: air bags, brackets, hardware, air lines, alignment tool (when needed), and detailed installation instructions
• Lifetime Warranty

[*]
Description
The holy grail of suspension technology is the perfect blend of ride comfort and load hauling capacity. In the past, auto builders had to choose one over the other. Today, with the Air Lift Air Bag Suspension Kit, you get the best of both worlds-a smooth ride and plenty of backbone to haul the heaviest loads.

The secret behind the Air Lift Air Bag Suspension Kit is simple: you control the firmness of the air bags. When you're fully loaded or towing a trailer, fill them full of air to do away with sag, sway, bottoming out, roll and more. For everyday commuting, keep them deflated for a downy soft ride. Dragsters can also use the Air Lift Leveling System for greater rear-wheel traction at the speedway. With an Air Lift On Board Air Control System, you can even make on-the-fly adjustments as road conditions change.

The Air Lift Air Bag Suspension Kit is custom-made from rugged materials for your coil over or leaf spring suspension. Most installations don't even require drilling, and all include a Lifetime Warranty.


And now you know ...

T.I.M.