Wheel Blocks for Campers

Wheel blocks for campers or chocks as we commonly call them help to secure the camper in one place without movement.

Wheel blocks or chock are some of the most important “must-to-have” items when starting your RV-ing journey.

In overwhelming majority of cases at the end of the day we have to detach our trailer from the towing vehicle and leave it at the “merci” of some means securing its stability and protecting from movement and rolling.

And here is why wheel blocks, leveling blocks and tire chocks were invented.

Although the main purpose of mentioned devices is to secure the camper so it doesn’t move around when detached from the hauling vehicle, they act differently especially in different environmental conditions.

So the first task of potential buyer of mentioned devices is to determine the following:

1. For what kind of trailer the blocks are intended? What matters here is for example weight of the trailer, wheels configuration (single or tandem axles) etc…
2. What kind of camping terrain is anticipated? For example most well maintained campgrounds will provide flat parking lots where securing the pop-up camper will be relatively easy. However it will not be the case for adventurers trying to set-up the camper in wilderness. This task will require more robust securing means. Farther on – on campgrounds you may find camping lots covered with asphalt where traditional wheel blocks may not prevent sliding or you may find dirt or grass covered parking lots where standard wheel blocks will do better.
3. Do you expect to use your camper mostly as a sleeping place, or also as a “living place”. The latter use of camper will certainly induce a lot of “rocking” movements on the camper, so your choice of wheel blocks will have to efficiently deal with such conditions..
4. And for sure the last “technical” question to answer is your budget and physical space you have for these devices. The first is usually a compromise between $$$$ and robustness, easiness to use, protection from weather and thieves and so no. The second is a matter of practicality – how much of cargo space you have in your trailer and trunk. Keep in mind – the blocks (chocks etc…) are the first items to be used on campground so they must be easily accessible!

Levelers, wheel blocks and chocks - in other words what do you need for the comfortable camping.....

Wheel blocks:

Most wheel blocks are made from plastic (cheapest but least reliable), some are made from reinforced rubber while high-end units for larger campers are made from aluminum.

Husky wheel blocks will surely keep your camper in place. They have cross-ribbing which adds grip and high impact plastic won’t cave under pressure. It can hold up under tremendous weight. These blocks add stability to your camper so if you are equipped with these wheel blocks you will not have to think about the terrain condition.

Blaylock wheel blocks are made from aircraft grade aluminum resisting wear and corrosion. Their ridges prevent the camper from sliding and their teeth hold the blocks on the ground. They dig into most surfaces to provide grip preventing the camper from moving. These heavy-duty wheel blocks are designed to keep your parked camper in place even on slopes. They are very easy to handle thanks to wide handgrip and lightweight design.

Pros of wheel blocks – they will work with every model of the camper trailer (although it is important to use blocks with size matching that of your camper weight and size of its tires.

They are relatively inexpensive and widely available.

Cons: Wheel blocks may not work well on asphalt or concrete surface and may not fully protect your camper from rocking movements.

Notes:
The size the wheel blocks should be chosen as a function of your trailer. Lightweight blocks can be used for smaller campers while solid and heavy duty wheel blocks should be used for larger ones.

It is very important to remember that when you park your camper you must block both - the front wheels and the back ones on both sides of the camper. A site where you have parked the camper may seem to be flat, but sometimes the appearance of the terrain may deceive you. If the site tips a slight bit either to the left or right, a camper may twist to the downhill side as soon as it is unhitched form the vehicle.

Installing the wheel blocks is very easy. Place the block in front and the back of the wheels and check for camper movement. If your camper is moving, force the wedge of the wheel block further under the tire.

Wheel chocks
These devices are designed for tandem axle campers.

They secure the camper from movement and rolling by anchoring the opposing wheels against each other.

This approach prevents movement of the camper regardless of the parking lot surface or slope because chocks’ operation is not supported by the mentioned surface. 

However - there is a small “but” usually forgotten by chocks manufacturers. Wheel chocks will not prevent camper from sliding when camper is parked on a slippery slope (example can be a dirt surface after the rain). Simply speaking – even when wheels are perfectly locked working against each other, the camper can still move with wheels sliding in the mud! 

of chocks compared to blocks – they perfectly immobilize the camper from front-to-back rocking movements. By definition, chocks are installed tightly between the wheels. It may be not the case of standard wheel blocks.
Unlike wheel blocks, wheel chocks can be locked (this is usually an option for some $$$) to prevent them from “mysteriously disappearing” when in use.
Wheel chocks are made from metal (plated steel), so theoretically they should be long lasting items in your RV-ing gear.
They are adjustable covering most of campers’ tandem axles designs. 
Cons – if your camper does not have tandem axle, you cannot use wheel chocks. 

BAL X-chocks presentation

Leveling Blocks
Leveling blocks may be handful to have when facing an uneven parking slot (typical for adventure RV-ing in wilderness). They let you level your camper so you can find full comfort inside. Usually these blocks are made from “plastic” (hardened polypropylene) withstanding the weight of even large campers. They easily interlock enabling you to build-up a necessary “spacer”. Optionally they may come together with wheel blocks designed to securely interlock with the surface of the leveling block.

When used correctly, chocks prevent the camper from rolling forward or backwards.

This must be done whenever you park the camper for set up or storage.

You also need to remember this when changing a tire.

If the chocks are not used properly, harm could result to you or the camper, not to mention anything it might roll into.

In Hawaii where the hills and mountains attract campers, you need to chock your tires in order to prevent movement. Now Idaho campgrounds normally appear flat, you still need to chock the tires on a flat surface.

Any type of shifting or movement inside the camper could cause it to move. Whether you have a newer camper or a 1982 or 1983, you still use the same types of chocks made for camper tires.

A pop up trailer needs chocks as well as a motor home. It does not matter what type of camper you have, you need to chock the wheels to prevent injury or property damage.

Chocks come in steel, molded rubber and aluminum with an angle resembling a triangle. The wedge fits under the tire to prevent any movement. The chocks have a handle for easy placement and removal.

Wheel blocks for campers help for just about anything you do with something that has tires. You can use wheel blocks to block your car tires when hitching your pop up camper to the car to prevent the car from moving and causing injury or damage.

Boat trailers, camper trailers, cars and trucks, all these need to have chocks to prevent movement and damage to the things that mean a great deal to you.

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