From a post about 6 months back it was mentioned that wheel chocks are a good safety item to carry.
How many should I carry if not towing?
If I'm towing what is the correct number?
When do you use them?
What kind do you recommend?
Thanks in advance,
David
David,
I carry two of the rubber chocks that are often on sale at Harbor Freight for $5. I am almost always either towing the Jeep or a motorcycle trailer. I've never needed more than two, bit I'd I did, I'd use a pile of wheel leveling block which I always carry.
Harold
Stacked Lynx blocks works for us.
Larry
I use Lynx blocks, and when added blocking is advised, these chocks; they're pretty sturdy and wide enough to cover the tire's footprint.
Amazon.com: Camco 44414 Wheel Chock Without Rope, Helps Keep Your Trailer RV... (https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44414-Wheel-Without-Trailer/dp/B00K1C1WC2/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3VLYUOAEW28LH&dchild=1&keywords=rv+wheel+chock&qid=1593523558&sprefix=RV+wheel+ch%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-9)
I use Lynx blocks, and when added blocking is advised, these chocks; they're pretty sturdy and wide enough to cover the tire's footprint.
Amazon.com: Camco 44414 Wheel Chock Without Rope, Helps Keep Your Trailer RV... (https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44414-Wheel-Without-Trailer/dp/B00K1C1WC2/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3VLYUOAEW28LH&dchild=1&keywords=rv+wheel+chock&qid=1593523558&sprefix=RV+wheel+ch%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-9)
We carry three (3) of these
Bill
I use Lynx blocks, and when added blocking is advised, these chocks; they're pretty sturdy and wide enough to cover the tire's footprint.Amazon.com: Camco 44414 Wheel Chock Without Rope, Helps Keep Your Trailer RV... (https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44414-Wheel-Without-Trailer/dp/B00K1C1WC2/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3VLYUOAEW28LH&dchild=1&keywords=rv+wheel+chock&qid=1593523558&sprefix=RV+wheel+ch%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-9)
An 8" long piece of a wood 4X4 makes a good chook too, almost anything that forces a wheel to climb up and over to move works.
It a pinch, a big rock will do. Our 23.5' LD doesn't have excessive exterior storage, the Lynx blocks do double duty.
Larry
"Our 23.5' LD doesn't have excessive exterior storage, the Lynx blocks do double duty."
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The chocks ride in the passenger foot well along with a couple of other pieces of equipment; obviously, this would not be a location that would work for those who need that space for feet! ;)
David, I have hydraulic levelers. I have often happily taken sites that were so unlevel that I had wheels raised well off the ground. My levelers alone will not achieve that, so I carry a number of 12" pieces of 4"x4" blocks for cribbing, and 12"x12" plywood ranging from 1 to 3 layers of 3/4" material. It all fits in my lower right rear compartment, alongside my generator.
When do I use them? Any time I see a chance for my rig to roll, chocks get placed. I should use my parking brake more than I do; I have gotten complacent, and that is not good. If I am on a cross slope, I will tend to trust my setup without a chock but if I am on a longitudinal slope, the uphill end will have chocks. They might be a few 4x4's or they might be one of the triple layers of plywood. I can even make a ramp with the plywood, using a triple layer against the wheel, with the back edge held upon an angle by a second triple layer. Bottom line, if I see a significant risk of the rig rolling, I will have chocks in place, and the type and number will depend on the situation. What Larry said is key - the chocking should be such that the rig has to climb up to get over them. How you manage that does not matter a lot, as long as you have them placed effectively.
Ken F in WY
"I carry two of the rubber chocks that are often on sale at Harbor Freight for $5."
Do they smell? If not, I want some! A friend and I have tried a couple of brands of rubber chocks, but even after years in the sun, they still stink to high heaven... and I have just about the world's least sensitive nose.
I was going to mention this olfactory problem but didn't until Andy mentioned this. The ones from HF do smell. I had my block in a storage compartment just below where we sleep. It took years for the smell to dissapate. I use it at home, and jam it into the propane tank enclosure when I go somewhere. Even years later it still smells. Outdoor use and storage only. RonB
I have what I suppose are the same rubber chocks from HF; I figured that the nasty stink would dissipate in a few days. It did not; the chocks gave off eye-watering fumes for weeks, so I'm sure that whatever the chocks are made of is toxic. I would definitely not recommend these.
I purchased two of these for our Hi-Lo trailer several years back. Nice and sturdy with no stinky smell:
Amazon.com: MaxxHaul 70072 Solid Rubber Heavy Duty Wheel Chock: Automotive (https://www.amazon.com/MaxxHaul-70072-Solid-Rubber-Heavy/dp/B008CE0R5E)
Thank you for all the useful information. I carry Lynx blocks that I'll use if I need to chock mt wheels.
Thanks again,
David
"I purchased two of these for our Hi-Lo trailer several years back. Nice and sturdy with no stinky smell:"
Maybe you were lucky, Greg--or maybe they've changed suppliers since you bought yours. I looked at the current reviews on Amazon, and they are full of negative comments about the smell. There were a few folks who weren't bothered (and one who said "just get over it"), but a lot hated it. A couple of people even warned against ordering these along with anything else, because anything that's shipped with them will pick up the stink in transit.
I've had mine for several years, and they still smell so awful that I have to keep them in a well-ventilated former battery box, outside on the tongue of my Airstream.
They are sturdy, though!
I guesstimate mine took about three years to loose at least most of the smell.