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#1
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Leveling a Mobile Home
And please do not do this alone. Have someone standby in case the jack slips. BetsyB wrote in message ups.com... On Jul 10, 9:59 am, "Mike Dobony" wrote: Okay, the mobile home NG is so dead and no answer there so here goes here. I have a single wide trailer that is noticeably unlevel, low on one side at one end, about 1/2 way down the length. I don't see why I can't level it myself about 1/2" -1" at a time. How big of a bottle jack would I need to life one pillar (one support) at a time and put some shims in until it is level, 30 ton, 50 ton? Thanks. Mike D. The 30 ton will do the job for you as you are only lifting a partial load. |
#2
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Leveling a Mobile Home
"betsyb" wrote in message ... And please do not do this alone. Have someone standby in case the jack slips. BetsyB if you are cribbing it properly, the most it could fall would be about 1 1/2" & btw: a 5 ton jack would most likely suffice |
#3
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Leveling a Mobile Home
On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:33:13 -0400, "betsyb"
wrote: And please do not do this alone. Have someone standby in case the jack slips. BetsyB He's only leveling it, not moving it. Just keep some blocking under it at all times and if the jack slips it wont fall more than an inch or so. I leveled my own MH. I tried a 3 ton jack and it would not do. I found that my 10 ton worked fine, but I wanted to use 2 jacks at once so I went and bought a 20ton. The biggest problem was the jacks wanted to compress the soil rather than lift the house. I finally bought a piece of 3/4" thick steel thats 2 feet square. That worked well. A railroad tie also works. but moving that thing around was too much work. The steel was heavy too, but much easier to move, and also less likely to tip or lean. Forget using cement blocks under the jack, they crush. To level it, buy yourself a water level. $20 to $25 at most home repair centers. Note, blocking should be placed about 8 feet apart along the whole trailer. Put an extra stack under the doors to prevent door sag. wrote in message oups.com... On Jul 10, 9:59 am, "Mike Dobony" wrote: Okay, the mobile home NG is so dead and no answer there so here goes here. I have a single wide trailer that is noticeably unlevel, low on one side at one end, about 1/2 way down the length. I don't see why I can't level it myself about 1/2" -1" at a time. How big of a bottle jack would I need to life one pillar (one support) at a time and put some shims in until it is level, 30 ton, 50 ton? Thanks. Mike D. The 30 ton will do the job for you as you are only lifting a partial load. |
#4
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Leveling a Mobile Home
wrote in message ... On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:33:13 -0400, "betsyb" wrote: And please do not do this alone. Have someone standby in case the jack slips. BetsyB He's only leveling it, not moving it. Just keep some blocking under it at all times and if the jack slips it wont fall more than an inch or so. I leveled my own MH. I tried a 3 ton jack and it would not do. I found that my 10 ton worked fine, but I wanted to use 2 jacks at once so I went and bought a 20ton. The biggest problem was the jacks wanted to compress the soil rather than lift the house. I finally bought a piece of 3/4" thick steel thats 2 feet square. That worked well. A railroad tie also works. but moving that thing around was too much work. The steel was heavy too, but much easier to move, and also less likely to tip or lean. Forget using cement blocks under the jack, they crush. To level it, buy yourself a water level. $20 to $25 at most home repair centers. Note, blocking should be placed about 8 feet apart along the whole trailer. Put an extra stack under the doors to prevent door sag. Thanks. The blocks are already there and I just need to raise the one side a little at a time. I am not going to rush it. I just need to decide what to use as shims. Maybe good quality 1/2" OSB in 8" squares? I will probable add an extra set of blocks at the doors. wrote in message roups.com... On Jul 10, 9:59 am, "Mike Dobony" wrote: Okay, the mobile home NG is so dead and no answer there so here goes here. I have a single wide trailer that is noticeably unlevel, low on one side at one end, about 1/2 way down the length. I don't see why I can't level it myself about 1/2" -1" at a time. How big of a bottle jack would I need to life one pillar (one support) at a time and put some shims in until it is level, 30 ton, 50 ton? Thanks. Mike D. The 30 ton will do the job for you as you are only lifting a partial load. |
#5
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Leveling a Mobile Home
Mike Dobony wrote:
.... ...I just need to decide what to use as shims. Maybe good quality 1/2" OSB in 8" squares? ... Not OSB unless it is very well protected from the rain/snow/wet... Ideal would be some steel plate in various thicknesses depending on what you need. Make do, would be treated, but I can make whatever thickness I want. I don't know what a regular installer would use and I've never actually done one, but I think OSB ain't a real good choice... -- |
#6
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Leveling a Mobile Home
Just use PT 1x lumber. Pieces of 1x8 about a foot long is what I'm
visualizing. -- Steve Barker "Mike Dobony" wrote in message t... wrote in message ... On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:33:13 -0400, "betsyb" wrote: And please do not do this alone. Have someone standby in case the jack slips. BetsyB He's only leveling it, not moving it. Just keep some blocking under it at all times and if the jack slips it wont fall more than an inch or so. I leveled my own MH. I tried a 3 ton jack and it would not do. I found that my 10 ton worked fine, but I wanted to use 2 jacks at once so I went and bought a 20ton. The biggest problem was the jacks wanted to compress the soil rather than lift the house. I finally bought a piece of 3/4" thick steel thats 2 feet square. That worked well. A railroad tie also works. but moving that thing around was too much work. The steel was heavy too, but much easier to move, and also less likely to tip or lean. Forget using cement blocks under the jack, they crush. To level it, buy yourself a water level. $20 to $25 at most home repair centers. Note, blocking should be placed about 8 feet apart along the whole trailer. Put an extra stack under the doors to prevent door sag. Thanks. The blocks are already there and I just need to raise the one side a little at a time. I am not going to rush it. I just need to decide what to use as shims. Maybe good quality 1/2" OSB in 8" squares? I will probable add an extra set of blocks at the doors. wrote in message groups.com... On Jul 10, 9:59 am, "Mike Dobony" wrote: Okay, the mobile home NG is so dead and no answer there so here goes here. I have a single wide trailer that is noticeably unlevel, low on one side at one end, about 1/2 way down the length. I don't see why I can't level it myself about 1/2" -1" at a time. How big of a bottle jack would I need to life one pillar (one support) at a time and put some shims in until it is level, 30 ton, 50 ton? Thanks. Mike D. The 30 ton will do the job for you as you are only lifting a partial load. |
#7
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Leveling a Mobile Home
"dpb" wrote in message ... Mike Dobony wrote: ... ...I just need to decide what to use as shims. Maybe good quality 1/2" OSB in 8" squares? ... Not OSB unless it is very well protected from the rain/snow/wet... I don't know. It is UNDER the trailer and has a full skirting. I never had rain blow up under it, but only lived here a few months. My in-laws have had a trailer for a few years and never had a problem of rain, snow wet getting under their trailer. Ideal would be some steel plate in various thicknesses depending on what you need. YIKES!!!!!!!! It is only wood on top of cinder blocks right now. I have to look to see what kind they used. Make do, would be treated, but I can make whatever thickness I want. I don't know what a regular installer would use and I've never actually done one, but I think OSB ain't a real good choice... I never thought OSB was good for much, but termites hate the taste of the glue used in OSB. -- |
#8
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Leveling a Mobile Home
On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 01:17:53 GMT, "Mike Dobony"
wrote: Not OSB unless it is very well protected from the rain/snow/wet... I don't know. It is UNDER the trailer and has a full skirting. I never had rain blow up under it, but only lived here a few months. My in-laws have had a trailer for a few years and never had a problem of rain, snow wet getting under their trailer. My single guess is that you have cider shims on top of the blocks now. Plenty of mobile homes (wheels off ?) in your area, surely would mean a local company can level this for you. -- Oren ...through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo.. |
#9
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Leveling a Mobile Home
On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:34:54 -0700, Oren wrote:
My single guess is that you have cider shims on top of the blocks Cedar!! (;' -- Oren ...through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo.. |
#10
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Leveling a Mobile Home
On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 21:43:03 GMT, "Mike Dobony"
wrote: wrote in message .. . On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:33:13 -0400, "betsyb" wrote: And please do not do this alone. Have someone standby in case the jack slips. BetsyB He's only leveling it, not moving it. Just keep some blocking under it at all times and if the jack slips it wont fall more than an inch or so. I leveled my own MH. I tried a 3 ton jack and it would not do. I found that my 10 ton worked fine, but I wanted to use 2 jacks at once so I went and bought a 20ton. The biggest problem was the jacks wanted to compress the soil rather than lift the house. I finally bought a piece of 3/4" thick steel thats 2 feet square. That worked well. A railroad tie also works. but moving that thing around was too much work. The steel was heavy too, but much easier to move, and also less likely to tip or lean. Forget using cement blocks under the jack, they crush. To level it, buy yourself a water level. $20 to $25 at most home repair centers. Note, blocking should be placed about 8 feet apart along the whole trailer. Put an extra stack under the doors to prevent door sag. Thanks. The blocks are already there and I just need to raise the one side a little at a time. I am not going to rush it. I just need to decide what to use as shims. Maybe good quality 1/2" OSB in 8" squares? I will probable add an extra set of blocks at the doors. OSB is a bad choice, Even if it dont get soaked, dampness and humidity will make it swell and soon decompose. Just get some pressure treated 1x8 and 2x8. (assuming the cement blocks are 8 inch). Cut the wood the same length as the blocks (or longer if you wish). Use a 1" first, then a 2" if you need it that thick. If you need to add a quarter inch or some oddball amount, then use treated plywood, or strips of steel, or just plane the PT wood to fit. Hardwood like Oak would work well too, and if you are in a termite area, dunk the pieces in drain oil first. |
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