Easy fix for this sinking AC pad?

wcweaver3

My 17-year old, R22, compressor is on a concrete pad. The front end of the pad has sunk into the ground but the back end seems to be fine with with compressor sitting on it nicely. The picture is of the side of the unit showing the back end on the pad, but the front end propped up by brick "shims." The shims are about 2" to 2.5" thick. The brick shims work as they level out the compressor nicely and there are these brick shims all away around the front and other side of the unit. This fix, however, is more amature and probably less stable than I would like. Ideally, I would disconnect the unit, remove the old pad, install a new one and reconnect the machine. That is beyond my skill set and as it's an R22 machine, I don't think disconnecting it is a very good idea as I don't know if I can still get R22.
Is there an easy, stable fix? Perhaps there are self-leveling legs I can screw into the bottom side and front? Maybe a big plastic shim designed for this type of thing? Something else? Any thoughts and ideas are appreciated and most welcome! Thank you!
Side view Picture:

mattmia2

It could be pumped down, disconnected, then reconnected and evacuated. But there is some flex in the lines, you could slide some 2x4s or similar under it and jack those up on some blocks then dig under and put something like crushed stone under the pad or replace it with a poured in place pad.

Jamie Hall

I'd jack it up just enough on some stringers to be able to get the old pad out -- completely. Dig down at least a foot and put in 6 inches or so of crushed stone, then pour a new pad (levelling the top carefully) and lower the unit back down onto the new pad.

ChrisJ

It's typically considered to have a life span of 20 years.
It's 17 years old.

I'd keep doing what you're doing and when you get the unit replaced have the pad fixed. I wouldn't even consider evacuating the unit or jacking it up etc to fix the pad is just asking for leaks.

Just leave it be and shim it the best you can to keep the stress off the lineset. Your bricks are fine for now.

EdTheHeaterMan

Your FIX may seem amateur. But I have done just that in the past, and got paid for it (kinda'). So that would. be a professional fix also.

I called it "LEVEL THE CONDENSER" as a line item on a maintenance call. I didn't charge any extra if the bricks were taken from some old junk pile on the property. One time I did supply the bricks because I was doing a paver patio at my home and there were a few extras on the truck from that project. I charged a few extra dollars with the home owner's approval.

Leave it as is, I'll gladly send you an invoice for this consultation so you can say it was a professional job.

Mr.Ed

mattmia2

The average life my be 20 years but if you keep it clean, keep it from rusting, and keep it in good capacitors it should live to double that or more. That's what I would do until someone can answer the question of if someone is making coils that don't leak again.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Whatever you replace it with may not last 17 years

ChrisJ

mattmia2 said:

The average life my be 20 years but if you keep it clean, keep it from rusting, and keep it in good capacitors it should live to double that or more. That's what I would do until someone can answer the question of if someone is making coils that don't leak again.

You mess around with it and it's life will be very short.

Leave it be

wcweaver3

Thank you all for the very wise advice - I sincerely appreciate it!