Does anyone know the answer to what cordless drill will lift my 1184kg van as Towsure referred me to Millenco and they don't know. Have tried three 18v cordless and two from the mains with no success. Do not know any torque capabilities of any of these drills. I am on the verge of sending it back but it was a present from my wife and I don't want to offend her.
The Lockloy Caravan Leveller is in effect a jack as it is slid under the caravan wheel and is jacked up until the caravan is level, when level the steadies are wound down. I'm sorry if I did not explain the purpose of the gadget.
The Lockloy caravan leveller (made by Millenco) is supplied by Towsure with a drill attachment for easy use. It is even difficult to lift with a ratchet spanner. I have just found a ''Buy Comparison'' on the product in the Caravan Club magazine issued in August which seems unfavorable. But going back to my original question, it must be possible with a drill otherwise it is not fit for the purpose it was sold for. So I need to know about ''Torque'' on cordless drills from you guys out there as Towsure don't know and Milenco don't know either. I really want this product to work and I am prepared to buy a new drill, but don't want to get the wrong one.
Hi wingsy,I have a similar gadget which is a good bit of kit BUT is not that easy to wind up with a spanner I would think that it would take a very heavy duty drill to wind it up.I did not even consider it.I had been in the builing trade all my life and would think if you found a drill man enough to turn it,it would cost more than the unit,and would take some muscle just to hold on to it.I have just come back from a site where I needed to wind up the leveler to almost its limit and it only took ten minutes or so.i would be interested to know if you found another solution,apart from getting the missus to do it of course.
Thanks EdandAnne and David Moore for your input. I'm beginning to think along the same lines. This was suggested on another forum: Put a bottle jack under the chassis, pump it up until van is level, then slip the leveller under the wheel, lift the leveller with the drill I use on my steadies until it reaches the correct height, then remove the bottle jack. By the time I have done all that I could have used the old fashioned wedges, put the awning up and sunk a couple of cans of Boddingtons.
Did any of the drills you tried have a gearbox? The cheaper ones tend not to - I have a "Erbauer" (Screwfix own brand) 18v drill/driver with two speeds 350 or 1200 (no load speed). On the lower speed I have to be careful when using on nuts or the steadies/mover - I think it is probably capable of stripping/shearing them.
The model I bought has been superseded - the replacement looks very similar but has 400-1300 speeds and a side handle. It costs £70 so not a professional tool by any means but probably better than the £30 DIY shed jobs.
I don't say it would do the job, I haven't a Lockloy myself.
Can you determine the torque needed? The drill manufacturers might be able to give you torque figures to compare (none is quoted for the Screwfix drill)
Still in dispute with the makers and the suppliers over our, now ruined, leveller. Couldn't get ours to fit under the van wheel without a lot of fuss, so Milenco advised me to drive on to it. The same advice is in our van manual too. So, i did that, the leveller is now buckled and twisted, and it smashed into the chassis of the van. Back to chocks now!
just a thought but you can get an impact wrench (windy gun) that works of your 12v socket i don't know how good these are but i know how they work and they'll turn the nut with the caravan full of boddingtons!!
If you have difficulty in getting the leveller under the wheel, run the carravan onto a small block of wood, (about 6" X 6" X 1" ) that gives enough clearance between the tyre and the ground to slide the leveller in.
I "inherited" a caravan lifter when my dad sold his last van. It sat in the garage for a good while then I took it out with us last season. It was pretty cumbersome and heavy in the van, it was sometimes difficult to slip under wheels on the type of sites where we stay (not always close-mown grass) and though it lifted the van well it took a lot of work with a ratchet. I would be very surprised if a drill would work. Its back in the garage now, we'll stick with drive on ramps.
Bryn