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FWIW: With the landing gear, jack pads being approx. the same surface area as many tire(s) footprints, I'm curious as to why the tires wouldn't punch through the asphalt in the same situations?
While highly unlikely in something as hopefully well built as a major retailers parking lot, heavy vehicles in hot temperatures have been known to dent asphalt over time where the tires sit. The leveling jacks can put an inordinate amount of weight on a single jack trying to get it level. The automatic leveler doesn't know if the coach is going up, or the jack is sinking, it just keeps on trying to level. Also assuming a small footprint. The larger area the load is spread out with a board or jack pad, the less likely damage to the surface. I've personally seen a tongue jack with no board bore right through the asphalt to where a floor jack was needed to get the trailer back on the truck. Asphalt may look like concrete, but it is basically gravel glued together with some tar.
Last year a neighbor was getting ready to leave. Somehow one of the jacks slipped off of the pile of lumber, the pad came off and the ram punched a nice hole in the asphalt. MUCH fun getting it out.
Last year a neighbor was getting ready to leave. Somehow one of the jacks slipped off of the pile of lumber, the pad came off and the ram punched a nice hole in the asphalt. MUCH fun getting it out.
I believe you would find if a jack punched a hole all the way thought the asphalt that is because the surface beneath the asphalt was either not properly prepared, or the ground got soft over the years.
Denting the asphalt would be the likely outcome of dropping onto the asphalt.
I believe you would find if a jack punched a hole all the way thought the asphalt that is because the surface beneath the asphalt was either not properly prepared, or the ground got soft over the years.
Denting the asphalt would be the likely outcome of dropping onto the asphalt.
What difference does it make why it punched a hole through? The bottom line is that there was no hole in the asphalt before they arrived, and there was one when they left.
What difference does it make why it punched a hole through? The bottom line is that there was no hole in the asphalt before they arrived, and there was one when they left.
The difference, to me at least, is a properly prepared subsurface would keep the jacks from poking hole through the asphalt. Not the fault of the RV if is sinks all the way through the asphalt. Dents in the asphalt because the sun softened the asphalt, that is a separate issue.
Al, did you miss that this was just the bare ram with no foot (pad) attached? I can see a 2" or so steel rod punching down with the weight of the RV on it putting a pretty good divot in the asphalt.
The difference, to me at least, is a properly prepared subsurface would keep the jacks from poking hole through the asphalt. Not the fault of the RV if is sinks all the way through the asphalt. Dents in the asphalt because the sun softened the asphalt, that is a separate issue.
I see. So, it's the parking lot owner's fault that when he put his jacks down that one of them went through the asphalt. Interesting way of looking at things.
Al, did you miss that this was just the bare ram with no foot (pad) attached? I can see a 2" or so steel rod punching down with the weight of the RV on it putting a pretty good divot in the asphalt.
Yep, totally missed that.
I see. So, it's the parking lot owner's fault that when he put his jacks down that one of them went through the asphalt. Interesting way of looking at things.
I don't know. I guess I could see both sides of the argument. I don't know why many, many people have parked in RV parks with asphalt pads and the jacks have NOT punched through the asphalt, but so many people in parking lots have seemingly had the problem of the jack pads sinking through the asphalt. Puzzling. Really baffling.
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