Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes

Keep a level head with solid footing from RV SnapPad

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Words and photos by Perry Mack

As long as we’ve had RVs, we’ve had blocks of wood. You probably have had them as well  (and maybe still do) unless you have purchased levelling blocks, which are designed to level your RV on uneven campsites and offer weight-distributing support on soft ground.

We recently picked up our new to us 2017 Montana High Country fifth wheel that’s equipped with an auto-levelling system. The stock pads on the jacks always seemed a little flimsy when we camped on soft soil, which forced me to crawl under the RV and place the trusty wood blocks for added support. This took a bit of the ‘auto’ out of ‘auto-level’ and the blocks also took up some valuable storage space during long trips.

While surfing the internet, we came across RV SnapPad. The website states they attach quickly (and permanently) to the jacks, are very durable since they are made of recycled rubber and have a large footprint to grip any terrain. They are also thicker than our stock pads and provide a little extra reach like our wooden blocks, thus eliminating the need to crawl under the RV and then guess where the jack will land.

The SnapPads are RV class-specific so you can order them for motorhomes, fifth wheels and travel trailers. They are also specific to the brand of an RV’s levelling system - ours is LCI/Lippert. The control panel or legs should indicate your brand but there is a handy guide on the company’s website to determine the manufacturer and model (www.rvsnappad.ca).

Our SnapPads arrived in a heavy box. After pulling them out, we could see and feel that they were substantial. The instructions were easy to follow and installing each pad only took a few minutes. Like many tasks, one person can get the job done, but two people make it easier, safer, and faster.

However, there is a little prep work. The RV should be hitched to your tow vehicle, the existing jack pads have to be clean, and a bead of dish soap needs to be applied to the upper lip of the pad to provide lubrication and make it easier to attach. You don’t need to get fancy with a petroleum-based lube like WD-40 as it doesn’t react well with the SnapPad.  We just used good ‘ol Dawn dish soap.

We started at the front and placed the SnapPad under the foot. We then extended the jack onto the pad until we heard a snap - done. The process is effortless, especially if you’re on a level surface. We weren’t but it didn’t require much more effort. The uneven ground also didn’t allow equal pressure to be applied across the surface of the RV jack foot.

After we had the new pads in place on one side of the RV,  we retracted the jack, applied a shim under the unsnapped side, and extended the jack again. Like magicians say, ‘Presto!’ We then disconnected the truck and repeated the process on the two rear jacks, and were completely finished. There are install guides and short videos on the company's website that can help with any other minor issues you may have.

Ready for thousands of kilometres of adventure, the SnapPads are a great addition to our arsenal of RV accessories. They have a clean look, protect the jack feet from wear and tear and most importantly, provide optimal traction and support on all types of terrain.

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