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Prevent Accidents With The Best Wheel Chocks
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Nothing is more heart-stopping than having your vehicle roll away on an incline or move when you’re working on it. Even if you’ve placed it in park with the engine off and the emergency brake engaged, there’s a chance that your ride might roll away on its own. Such an incident is bound to injure someone or damage whatever that gets in its way. You can prevent this from happening by using wheel chocks.
Also known as immobilizers or chock blockers, wheel chocks are placed against a vehicle’s tires to prevent accidental motion. This buying guide will tell you everything you need to know about this useful safety product. Plus, we’ll also take you through the top-selling wheel chocks of 2024.
Buying Guide: Wheel Chock
Wheel chocks are handy when you want to keep your camper from rolling away or when you’re working on your car in the driveway. With a wide range of materials and styles to choose from it can be confusing for a buyer to know where to begin. We’ve put together this handy buyer’s guide to answer all your questions.
What Are the Types of Wheel Chocks?
All-wheel chocks essentially serve the same purpose: to stop vehicles from rolling away. Their method of application varies from model to model, which is what categorizes them into different types. Below, we discuss the different types of wheel chocks.
Plastic wedges
Plastic wedges are triangular wedges made out of a plastic material. They have a non-slip base with a rigged surface to improve friction and restrict wheel movement. These wheel chocks are one of the most commonly used.While plastic chocks vary in terms of durability, they’re generally not as heavy-duty as their rubber or metallic counterparts. You can use them for most passenger vehicles under normal circumstances, but we would advise against using these on elevated surfaces for heavy-duty vehicles.
Rubber chocks
Equally common but more durable than plastic wheel wedges, rubber wheel chocks are designed to withstand heavy loads. They can easily block off large trailers and vehicles such as RVs, trucks, and buses. These wheel chocks are made using natural rubber, which is non-slip and made to hold heavier loads without difficulty. As with plastic wedges, the quality of rubber chocks varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. You have to be sure that you’re purchasing from a reliable brand if you want the true value for your money. Be sure to also consider the design. Some rubber chocks have extra grips on the wheel side and underside which improves their functionality.
Metal chocks
Metal wheel chocks vary from basic wedge shapes to locking chocks. Some even come in fancy pivoting motorcycle wheel locks. These are often the most durable choice because they don't turn brittle after hours of sun exposure like rubber chocks and they don’t break under heavy loads like plastic wedges. While more expensive, the properties of metal chocks justify the premium price.The most sturdy metal chocks feature stainless steel in their construction. Triangular aluminum chocks are also nice because they’re strong yet extremely lightweight. Keep in mind that these chocks do turn hot after sitting in the sun for a long time.
What To Consider in a Wheel Chock
Now that you know about the various types of wheel chocks, here are some key features that you should consider in a wheel chock:
Size
The size of a wheel chock depends on the size of the wheel you want to use it for. The bigger the wheel, the higher your chock should be. You can figure out the size of the chock by measuring the height of the tire. For effective wheel chocking, you need a wedge that is 25 percent of the tire's height.
Design
Some wheel chocks, predominantly metal ones, have adjustable features that allow you to change the working mechanism of the unit. If adjustability is important to you, prioritize this design feature. You should also watch out for the color of the wheel chock, especially when using it in a construction environment. Look for bright colors such as yellow or orange for improved visibility.
Grip
A solid wheel chock offers an ample amount of grip to restrict a heavy vehicle's movement. It does so with two main points of traction: the wheel side and the underside of the chock. Underside features notches and spikes to improve its hold on the ground while large grooves and deep patterns help block the wheel from moving.It’s also important to consider the kind of surface you’ll be using the chock on before purchasing it.
Top Picks
Best Overall:
Maxxhaul Wheel Chocks
Budget Pick:
Camco Wheel Chocks
Best For Heavy-Duty Vehicles:
Roblock Wheel Chocks
Plastic wheel chocks may not be as strong as stainless steel or aluminum wheel chocks, but they are certainly better at resisting blunt damage, cuts, water damage, and wind damage. Technically, yes, they are quite safe.
How many wheels should I chock?
Under normal circumstances it’s perfectly alright to chock only one of the wheels. But if you’re concerned about unwanted motion on uneven ground, you should chock all or at least two of the vehicle's rear wheels.
Do bricks make good wheel chocks?
It’s common practice to use bricks as wheel chocks, but bricks don't make good wheel chocks at all, especially on uneven surfaces. First, they don't have the wedge shape for effective wheel chocking. Second, bricks can easily crumble under the vehicle's weight. You’re better off using a dedicated set of wheel chocks.
