Why soft ground makes levelling harder

On a hard surface — concrete, bitumen, packed gravel — what you measure is what you get. You read the lean, place the ramps at the right step, drive on, done. The ground doesn't move.

On soft ground, the ground moves. A ramp block placed on grass or sand sits correctly when you position it. The moment a 5–8 tonne motorhome drives onto it, the ramp compresses the ground beneath it — unevenly. One corner digs in, one lifts, and you end up at a different height than you calculated. The level reading you took before you parked no longer matches what you're sitting on.

The fix isn't a different app or a different ramp. It's spreading the load before the weight goes on, and understanding how different surfaces behave differently.

The core rule: always use boards

On any surface softer than packed compacted gravel, put a board under every ramp before the motorhome goes on it. Full stop. This is the single change that turns a frustrating soft-ground setup into a reliable one.

The board spreads the wheel load over a much larger surface area, preventing the ramp from sinking unevenly. It also gives the ramp a stable, flat base to sit on — which matters more than most people realise, because a ramp tilted 2° on soft ground gives you a different rise than its rated step height.

💡 Basic physics: A motorhome wheel puts roughly 1.5–2.5 tonnes on a contact patch about the size of your hand. A 600×600mm board reduces that pressure by a factor of 10–15. The ground barely notices the difference.

What to use as boards

You have several practical options, each with trade-offs.

Board type Size to carry Pros Cons
12mm structural plywood 600×600mm per wheel Cheap, flat, rigid, easy to cut to size Heavy; rots if stored wet; splinters over time
HDPE/polyethylene board 500×500mm per wheel Waterproof, won't rot, lightweight, durable More expensive upfront; less rigid than thick ply
Rubber stabiliser pads 400×400mm per wheel Grippy, compact, won't damage surfaces Less load-spreading than a full board
Purpose-built levelling pads Varies by brand Designed for the job; often stackable Can be expensive; check load rating for motorhomes
Flat rocks / timber offcuts N/A — opportunistic Free; already on site Inconsistent thickness; may crack; not reliable

For most Australian motorhomers, two pieces of 12mm plywood cut to 600×600mm — stored flat in the storage bay — is the practical starting point. Budget about $30 for both from any hardware store. Seal the edges with exterior paint or varnish to extend life.

If you do a lot of coastal or wet camping, HDPE board is worth the extra cost. It won't absorb moisture, won't warp, and a 500×500mm piece weighs less than ply of the same size.

How each surface behaves — and what to do

Grass

Grass is deceptive. It looks flat and firm, but beneath it is soil of varying density — often wetter and softer than it appears, especially after rain or in the evening when dew has settled. A ramp placed on grass without a board will compress the turf unevenly, typically sinking more on the uphill side where weight concentrates first as you drive on.

On grass, always use boards. After parking, check your level with OzLevel and give it 15–20 minutes before you deploy stabilisers — grass continues to compress under load as the weight settles. A second check after that settling period saves you from waking up on a slight slope that wasn't there when you parked.

✅ Grass tip: If the site has been rained on recently, probe the ground with your finger or a tent peg before committing. Grass that looks firm can have 50–100mm of soft mud beneath it, particularly near coastal or creek sites. If your finger goes in easily, use the largest boards you have.

Sand

Sand is the most unforgiving surface for levelling. It has almost no lateral strength — weight applied at one point radiates outward in all directions rather than being resisted. A ramp block on dry sand without a board will simply push the sand aside and sink.

On sand, use the largest boards you have and consider doubling them — board on the ground, ramp on the board. If you're at a beach campsite where the sand is very soft, you may need to dig a shallow flat area to place the boards level before positioning your ramp on top.

Wet sand compacts better and is more stable than dry sand, but it's still significantly softer than any formed surface. The same rules apply.

Gravel

Gravel varies enormously. Compacted road base gravel used at managed campsites is often firm enough to use ramps directly. Loose river gravel or pea gravel is not — it behaves similarly to sand, flowing out from under load rather than supporting it.

The test: press your heel into the gravel. If it doesn't sink and the gravel doesn't scatter, boards are optional. If it does, use boards. Loose gravel on a slope is also a vehicle stability risk — chock wheels thoroughly.

Outback red dirt and clay

Red dirt and clay stations are common free camping destinations across inland Australia. Dry, they're often very hard — firm enough to use ramps directly. Wet, they become extremely slippery and can become as soft as mud within an inch of the surface.

If you've had recent rain, treat red dirt like soft ground. If it's cracked and bone dry, it's usually fine. The key risk with clay is the surface hardening around your boards overnight — in the morning they can be partially embedded and difficult to retrieve. Putting a thin plastic sheet under the boards helps.

Technique adjustments for soft ground

Measure, then place boards, then position ramps

The sequence matters. Take your OzLevel reading first — before you get out — so you know which wheels need raising and by how much. Then place your boards, then place ramps on the boards, in the right position. Don't move the motorhome to test the ground first, because the act of manoeuvring changes where the soft spots are.

Drive on slowly — more slowly than usual

On hard ground, driving speed onto ramps is not critical. On soft ground, momentum can shift the ramp before the wheel is fully seated on the step. Walking pace or slower — creeping pace on very soft surfaces. If you feel the ramp shift, stop, check positioning, and try again.

After parking, wait before deploying stabilisers

Give the vehicle 10–15 minutes to settle on soft ground before lowering stabilisers. The initial settling shifts the lean slightly — usually less than 1° but worth knowing. If you're close to your tolerance limit, this matters. OzLevel will show you the final settled reading before you commit to the stabiliser position.

⚠️ Never use stabiliser legs to lift on soft ground. On a hard surface, using stabilisers to lift is bad practice. On soft ground it's worse — the leg contact patch is tiny, the pressure per square centimetre is enormous, and on clay or sand the leg will simply push straight into the ground. Level with ramps and boards first.

What to carry — a practical kit

For Australian conditions across the range of surfaces you'll encounter — managed sites, national parks, free camps, stations — this is the practical soft-ground kit:

Total storage footprint: the boards stack flat and slide into most storage bays alongside the ramps. The whole kit adds perhaps 8–10kg to your load — negligible for a motorhome.

OzLevel Pro calculates your ramp step before you leave the cab. On soft ground where you want to minimise the number of times you're repositioning, getting the block count right on the first pass is especially valuable. $9.99 AUD once →

Summary

Soft ground levelling is the same process as hard ground levelling — measure first, place ramps correctly, drive on once — with one addition: always put boards under your ramps on any surface softer than compacted gravel.

The board is the whole solution. Everything else — the settling wait, the slow approach, the plastic sheet under clay boards — is refinement on top of that one principle.

Carry two boards. Use them every time you're not on formed hardstand. That's it.