hawkhaven
Newbie RV’er
Weekender RVer... for now.
Posts: 15
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Post by hawkhaven on Feb 22, 2023 22:13:05 GMT -5
When using 6 point hydraulic leveling, on a side-side sloped site, is it ok if one or both tires on a side are not touching the ground? Will the hydraulic levelers do their job? With our old TT, without auto leveling, one only thinks of jacks as stabilizers and not holding up the rig.
Or, should I lay enough 2x lumber under the wheels to ensure contact 'with the ground'? What's the detriment if the tires are not contacting the ground?
Any other thoughts on this subject from any other perspectives are greatly appreciated.
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Post by Edd505 on Feb 22, 2023 23:19:12 GMT -5
I use the old lego's when really off level to help the system not error with "out of stroke". I use them even on level sites as the shorter the leveling legs the less wobble inside.
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Post by jetzen on Feb 23, 2023 10:16:11 GMT -5
When using 6 point hydraulic leveling, on a side-side sloped site, is it ok if one or both tires on a side are not touching the ground? Will the hydraulic levelers do their job? With our old TT, without auto leveling, one only thinks of jacks as stabilizers and not holding up the rig. Or, should I lay enough 2x lumber under the wheels to ensure contact 'with the ground'? What's the detriment if the tires are not contacting the ground? Any other thoughts on this subject from any other perspectives are greatly appreciated. It is not advised to have the wheels off the ground when leveling for any length of time. I would recommend putting blocks under the wheels. |
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Post by halcareric on Apr 29, 2023 16:47:26 GMT -5
Use leveling blocks to get the trailer semi level, the level it out with the jacks. Using the jacks to "jack up" the trailer is NOT safe or good on the gear.
We carry 12x16 2 inch boards just to fill in the extra height for the jacks as well. The less the jacks have to travel the more stable in my view.
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Post by laknox on Apr 29, 2023 20:40:39 GMT -5
IMO, the "don't use the leveling jack's to lift the wheels" is legal CYA from the mfrs. I've looked through several owner's manuals, and while the all have that warning, not a single one said squat about leveling with wheels on one side off the ground. Frankly, the fact that any 2 jacks can usually lift the entire weight of the rig at GVW pretty much settles the question for me.
Lyle
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Post by halcareric on Apr 30, 2023 10:08:16 GMT -5
Just because someone has a "tag" that says "Professional RV'er" does not mean one is as all that is is shows the number of POSTS one has made. A rookie can make a thousand posts, and get that tag.
Read your MANUALS and go by what the manufacture says. If they say it's OK, then by all means take the chance and do it, but in my view, it's not the job of those "levelers". If they say it's NOT a good idea, then DON'T risk it. If the jacks fail because they were jacked up so high, you may damage slides, or other parts of the trailer and it may not be covered under warranty.
As a side note. I've had tents, a pop-up, travel trailer, class C motor home, class A motor home and now our 42' 5th wheel. over 30 years RV experience, and yet we all can learn new things as time passes by.
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Post by Edd505 on Apr 30, 2023 11:18:40 GMT -5
Just because someone has a "tag" that says "Professional RV'er" does not mean one is as all that is is shows the number of POSTS one has made. A rookie can make a thousand posts, and get that tag. Read your MANUALS and go by what the manufacture says. If they say it's OK, then by all means take the chance and do it, but in my view, it's not the job of those "levelers". If they say it's NOT a good idea, then DON'T risk it. If the jacks fail because they were jacked up so high, you may damage slides, or other parts of the trailer and it may not be covered under warranty. As a side note. I've had tents, a pop-up, travel trailer, class C motor home, class A motor home and now our 42' 5th wheel. over 30 years RV experience, and yet we all can learn new things as time passes by. Just because you want to go by what the manufactures says to CYA that your opinion. The jacks are more than capable of lifting the entire RV, do you understand hydraulics? I had the OEM tires off my 5W before delivery and watched the tech jack up the entire RV with them to change tires. I put disc brakes on mine
I did use jack stands as a just in case as having been a mechanic in the past I do not go under any vehicle with out them. If your a do as the label says do use use thing marked " know to cause cancer in CA?" Dang good thing I don't live in CA so I can use them.
Many here started in tents, I went to just a van, truck camper, Popup, went to bumper pull got foot idis and moved up in length, then move into 5W and again up sized to what I currently have because I knew exactly what I wanted in an RV by this time and it makes them all. I skipped the class A as there was no way it fit our style and I did not want to pull a toad. 30 years experience your just a kid and in my experience those that have/had higher end class A's have their noses in the air. Just because someone has camped 30 years does not make them the experts either. Experts do their own work and don't hire someone to do it combined with years of use, now you have an expert. Even then there are the techs that make a living at repairing along with camping are the true experts and there is at least one retired RV master tech here.
BTW: each cylinder is capable of 14K pounds each and my 5W weighs 13K-14K loaded so whats the problem lifting other than safety?
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Post by laknox on May 2, 2023 17:36:37 GMT -5
Just because someone has a "tag" that says "Professional RV'er" does not mean one is as all that is is shows the number of POSTS one has made. A rookie can make a thousand posts, and get that tag. Read your MANUALS and go by what the manufacture says. If they say it's OK, then by all means take the chance and do it, but in my view, it's not the job of those "levelers". If they say it's NOT a good idea, then DON'T risk it. If the jacks fail because they were jacked up so high, you may damage slides, or other parts of the trailer and it may not be covered under warranty. As a side note. I've had tents, a pop-up, travel trailer, class C motor home, class A motor home and now our 42' 5th wheel. over 30 years RV experience, and yet we all can learn new things as time passes by. So, you're saying that I should put some jack stands under my frame when I'm parked in front of my house, on a paved street with a high crown, because my curb wheels are 2" off the ground when level? My rig =might= fall off the jacks? With the street-side wheels firmly on the pavement and chocked? Oooookaaaaay... Lyle |
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Post by Edd505 on May 2, 2023 22:36:14 GMT -5
So, you're saying that I should put some jack stands under my frame when I'm parked in front of my house, on a paved street with a high crown, because my curb wheels are 2" off the ground when level? My rig =might= fall off the jacks? With the street-side wheels firmly on the pavement and chocked? Oooookaaaaay... Lyle Nope, jack stand any time I have it lifted off the ground like the pictures. The pictures in my RV carport, level cement, so if your parking and not going under. Sounds like 2" I would block it good if I could get under with a 2" lift. Me, the dad bod's not gonna make it with only 2" of lift.
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Post by laknox on May 3, 2023 9:10:43 GMT -5
So, you're saying that I should put some jack stands under my frame when I'm parked in front of my house, on a paved street with a high crown, because my curb wheels are 2" off the ground when level? My rig =might= fall off the jacks? With the street-side wheels firmly on the pavement and chocked? Oooookaaaaay... Lyle Nope, jack stand any time I have it lifted off the ground like the pictures. The pictures in my RV carport, level cement, so if your parking and not going under. Sounds like 2" I would block it good if I could get under with a 2" lift. Me, the dad bod's not gonna make it with only 2" of lift.
LOL! I'm "lucky", I guess. Have to keep the weight off due to Type 2. :-( Lyle |
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Post by Edd505 on May 4, 2023 10:36:59 GMT -5
Like wise the wife has me on a very strict diet.
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