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colesfamily · 07-13-2016, 03:58 AM

Dear forum Members, I'm seeking advice on how to level a wooden dock as well as how to straighten up the 4" X 4" wood posts that support it.

I've seen in past forum threads instructions on how to do it with car jacks, farm jacks, come-a-longs, magic beans and prayer beads however without pictures I find it difficult to understand what goes where. Furthermore, it sounds like the process of leveling the dock does not relive the weight which is on the dock post so how would it be possible to straighten up the dock post? In my case some of the 4"X 4" posts are tilted in and others are tilted out, it looks like this dock has never been adjusted. It's a 45' dock and in a couple of places the decking has humps or whale backs (for lack of a better term) that need to be brought into level with the rest of the dock.

So here's my question...couldn't an inflatable air bag be put under the section of dock you wish to level? So that when the air bag is inflated you could loosen the bolts on the post collar (because there would not be any weight remaining on the dock post) whereby allowing you to straighten up the post and then either inflate or deflate the bag to bring the section of dock into level then re-tighten the post collar? I'd like to hear from someone who thinks this may or may not work because I have no idea what to do with a jack and I have no one to help me and the air bag sounds like the easiest and safest way to go.I know these bags are available because Sea Tow and others use large ones to raise sunken boats. Please help. Thank you.

07-13-2016, 03:58 AM	#1
colesfamily Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Meredith & Port Charlotte, Fl Posts: 38 Thanks: 6 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Wood dock leveling technique Dear forum Members, I'm seeking advice on how to level a wooden dock as well as how to straighten up the 4" X 4" wood posts that support it. I've seen in past forum threads instructions on how to do it with car jacks, farm jacks, come-a-longs, magic beans and prayer beads however without pictures I find it difficult to understand what goes where. Furthermore, it sounds like the process of leveling the dock does not relive the weight which is on the dock post so how would it be possible to straighten up the dock post? In my case some of the 4"X 4" posts are tilted in and others are tilted out, it looks like this dock has never been adjusted. It's a 45' dock and in a couple of places the decking has humps or whale backs (for lack of a better term) that need to be brought into level with the rest of the dock. So here's my question...couldn't an inflatable air bag be put under the section of dock you wish to level? So that when the air bag is inflated you could loosen the bolts on the post collar (because there would not be any weight remaining on the dock post) whereby allowing you to straighten up the post and then either inflate or deflate the bag to bring the section of dock into level then re-tighten the post collar? I'd like to hear from someone who thinks this may or may not work because I have no idea what to do with a jack and I have no one to help me and the air bag sounds like the easiest and safest way to go.I know these bags are available because Sea Tow and others use large ones to raise sunken boats. Please help. Thank you.