Changing Legs ...

[Mr Nobody]

For some reason, some years back there was a retrograde step in that old style legs, pivoted from the outside and swinging down in an arc were fitted to some vans, rather than the more recent vertical drop legs.

 

My Coachman is one such, and they are a pain.

 

Does anyone in the know (in the trade or whatever) know whether it would be feasible to swap them for the better, vertical drop type . .

 

Ta

Edited December 2, 2013 by Mr Nobody

[Ern]

If you have standard Alko corner steadies, you can upgrade them to Alko Heavy Duty Steadies. Some dealer specials have them and lots of twin axle vans. However, there is no technical advantage at all, unless you have a very heavy van or a twin axle van (and these should really have had them fitted as original equipment). My Sterling is 1495Kg and sits on standard corner steadies perfectly ok.

[Gordon]

For some reason, some years back there was a retrograde step in that old style legs, pivoted from the outside and swinging down in an arc were fitted to some vans, rather than the more recent vertical drop legs.

 

My Coachman is one such, and they are a pain.

 

Does anyone in the know (in the trade or whatever) know whether it would be feasible to swap them for the better, vertical drop type . .

 

Ta

Not too sure exactly what kind of steadies are fitted to your caravan? There are only two basic designs fitted to most caravans today, and these are the standard style. ..

 

. .. and the "stable" style. ..

 

The come in various load ratings, different manufacturers, but the concept is similar.

 

Apart from the vintage style screw down jacks we saw on the early Eccles and the like, the only vertical steadies I am aware of are the style fitted to some trailer-homes from the States, or the ones used on some trailers and campers.

 

Gordon.

[Mr Nobody]

Not too sure exactly what kind of steadies are fitted to your caravan? There are only two basic designs fitted to most caravans today, and these are the standard style. ..

 

. .. and the "stable" style. ..

 

The come in various load ratings, different manufacturers, but the concept is similar.

 

 

Gordon.

By vertical I meant the foot drops vertically, so you know exactly where it will meet the ground.

 

I have what you call the 'Stable' type.

 

Since the leg is not supposed to be supporting 'Weight', but only steadying (Corner Steadies) the van, I don't see the need for these 'Stable' legs, and would rather have the much more convenient standard type.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Mr Nobody

[Marks]

Of course the "steadys" support a certain amount of weight, or the caravan would be tipping up when you walked around it, I know the vertical supports you are on about as they are fitted to a large proportion of Australian caravans, but the main difference is, those caravans have heavy full chassis, and can weigh over 3 tonnes in some cases, our relatively lightweight steadys, would buckle under that sort of weight. European vans, with their modular type chassis cannot accommodate vertical steadies as there is nowhere to mount them, as the chassis does not go to the corners of the van, it is just wood.

The second picture above is a heavy duty steady, usually fitted to heavier caravans, but both are of exactly the same principle, just one is physically stronger than the other.

See this link for the drop down type, and have a look what it is bolted to in the last picture

http://www. alko. com. au/vehicle-technology/product-catalogue/accessories/corner-steadies-and-big-foot/

 

 

I am intrigued, why are the steadies a pain, they are so simple to use and take only seconds to put into place.

Edited January 1, 2014 by Marks