Relevel

Repair help for the do-it-yourselfer.
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canman47
Posts: 39
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:31 pm

So I purchased the Watrlevel from this site and it looks like a simple and useful tool. Haven't taken any readings yet since I want to remove some of the skirting to make it easier. I'm just wondering if it's even worth doing the relevel myself. I understand the process but it's looking like a lot of money spent to do this myself. The instructions say to use 4-6 20 ton jacks which are $60 apiece at Harbor Freight. Also says to use jacking plates on top of the jacks which I haven't been able to find. A Google search leads to thousands of links for something on a boat. I suppose a fabrication shop could make them but it looks like I'll spend at least $500 on tools before I start. Anyone know what it costs to have someone do it? Problem is I can't find anyone in the mobile home business anymore. All the numbers in the phone book are disconnected so I may have no choice. My home sits on cinder blocks which sit on pressure treated boards on the ground. Most look to be in good shape even though they've been there 40 years. Some look a little decayed and I wonder if they can be replaced with concrete slabs . Is there something made for the purpose? Are there different grades of concrete blocks? I seem to remember reading that somewhere.
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Greg
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First, Get under there and check it, I plot all of the readings on paper. That will give you an idea of what you need to do. You can do it with a 20 ton jack and do one pier at a time. I personally don't like to go more than 1/2 -3/4" at a time to keep any cracking to a minimum.

I also take some chalk or soapstone and write the readings on the frame by the pier that I am checking.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
canman47
Posts: 39
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:31 pm

Thanks, I got under there and played around getting used to the level and it looks like I may have it pretty easy. I just checked the 4 corners and a few spots in the middle and the worst spot was a corner 5/8 low. The other points were within 1/8 which is probably good enough. I'll check every pier though. I don't like the looks of all the piers though. It's basically two 2x12's on the ground, a third 2x12 perpendicular, then a stack of cinder blocks. Then to get the height right they added what looks like regular softwood 2x8's or 1x8's. Should these be concrete spacers of some kind? Also some of the shims are extended all the way to where they are only touching for an inch or so. Some of the older shims look like hardwood but I had it re-leveled about 15 years ago and it looks like the shims are softwood. Are these special shims? Do they make some kind of non compressible composite shims like I've used for windows?
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JD
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Yeah, an 1/8" is within reason. When you adjust the 5/8" one, it will likely change the piers next to it as well, so you need to check that. Depending on where you live, the single stack of blocks probably were legal when installed, but I think there is a requirement for some double stacks now. I am not sure because we use adjustable steel piers where I am. The shims should all be hardwood though and you really should get them from a mobile home supply place so you are sure you are using the right ones.

Sounds like you could use a second wood pad on the piers where the shims are sticking out too much. Approved pressure treated pads is what you want to use there. Get those with the shims. You can get pads and shims from Central Piers on the west coast http://centralpiers.com/ and Mobile Home Parts Store http://mobilehomepartsstore.com/ on the east coast.

I level homes with a helper and two 20 ton jacks. I have four and sometimes I will use them, but most of the time, just the two. If you plan on going under alone, you might be fine with one jack, but be sure there is an observer there with you, paying attention. You are actually pretty safe down there, but if things go wrong, it could be very wrong. Always watch your body placement and never stay idle under the beams or outriggers. Hang out in the pocket areas and if there is a strange noise or movement that you can see, get sideways fast and away from beams.

A helpful hint here is to get one of those $8 black concrete mix trays they sell at all home stores in the concrete area. It is about 2' x 3' black rigid poly square basin. I put my jack, blocks to get the jacks up to height, 2 adjustable wrenches, flashlight, WD40, my diagram Greg mentioned and sometimes a bottle of water in it. It works like a sled to slide all my stuff around down there. Trying to hand carry all that stuff is a pain and a plastic bag will tear and be a pain to dig around in. The basins are also handy for gardening, dog washing and who woulda guessed, mixing concrete and mortar.
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All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
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DaveyB
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed May 04, 2011 5:12 am
Location: Peoria, AZ

Just a thought or three:

Mobile or Manufactured homes are built on a chassis which is basically a trailer. Take a look at some of the heavy automotive shops since they handle commercial trailers on a regular basis and may already have the jacking plates you need, or at least a ready source of supply for them. From what I've seen, the plates are required to ensure an even lift on the main chassis member

As far as the jacks are concerned, you might level the home once in a year, at most. What are those jacks going to be doing for the remaining 364.75 days? Would it not be better to rent a jack or two when needed, then simply return them when done?

Never forget that there was one man that was wiser than Solomon, and his name was Murphy - he wrote a single law that should be ingrained in every handyman's brain! Don't get one jack, get two! Murphy's law says that if you only get one, something will slip and you'll need a second jack to recover from it, whereas if you have two, you won't need the second one!

As for those wooden shims, I'd put a jack in there, take the pressure off one, pull it out, and have someone that knows wood well check it out. You can always put it back after, no harm, no foul, but at least you will know what you are facing!

Hope that helps!

DaveyB
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JD
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The where and why I use two jacks at the same time is when I am moving a large portion on an entire beam. I space the jacks out to get a more even lift and to distribute the weight. I never leave a jack unmanned and continue to work down the beam. I set the area I am working on and then tighten the pier. As you jack an area up, this will change the measurements of the layout map you drew in the beginning, so you always have to go back and double check your work as you go.

The OP stated that the worst pier was 5/8" out and I guess I assumed that was at the end of a beam, other wise you have a bent frame and won't be "leveling" it anyway. The best you can do with a bent frame is to average out the level on both sides of the bent area. Don't expect a beam to straighten out by leaving a jack loose and low to level, hoping the frame relaxes down to the pier. I have never seen that happen to a usable degree and I may have leveled a hundred or more homes in my career. All piers should be tight after leveling. 5/8" is pretty easy to pick up and won't put undue stress on the beam if you tighten the piers right away and then check your work.

Renting a couple of jacks is a good idea. I have never rented one but it seems like something that an equipment rental place would have, and i would imagine that it would be a good commercial quality jack.



If the home is on a compaction tested lot or known stable virgin soil, you probably won't need to level your home more than once every 5-8 years or so. The exception is on a fresh set home. It should be checked after one year and if there are adjustments to be made, then you would want to recheck more frequently and hopefully the home "settles in" by the next check. After that, if your home settles significantly in a year, you have a soil compaction problem and should probably seek professional help. Not sure what they could do either as the home owner probably won't want to move the home to a compaction tested space or to have equipment compact the space the home already set in.
☯JD♫
Today is PERFECT!

All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
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