Leveling jacks

Is it ok to use these jacks (rated at 7,500 lbs) to level my trailer instead of leveling blocks? Is it safe to assume that if it says "leveling" jacks they can be used for more than just stabalization? My trailer was delivered and I don't have a truck to move it onto leveling blocks (I'm not planning on towing it anytime soon. Just living inside it where it's currently sitting)

Yes, you can use the scissor jacks to level your trailer.


Of course I'm making the assumption that your know how much your trailer weighs and that these "levelers" have a capacity that exceeds each corner weight of your trailer.


You'll want to make sure you wheels are well chocked.


For more accurate help when posting, your should include the year, make and model of your equipment in your signature. That way folk won't have to guess too much.

I would use a bottle jack or a floor jack used to jack up a vehicle.

I wouldn't !
You are not supposed to use anything except the tongue jack to level it front to back and the tow vehicle to put one side or the other on blocks, under the wheels.
Using any kind of jacks can bend the frame.
I have had three different trailers and with each one the book says the above

Jack

If you level (as opposed to just "stabilize", a trailer frame needs to be supported in the middle (near the axles) as well as the tongue and rear corners. Failure to do so will likely bend the frame (see JackL's reply). Few trailer frames are rigid enough to be supported at the ends only, so you need 4 jack points in addition to the tongue jack.

I also think you will find those scissor jacks very hard to crank if the trailer has to be raised very much to get level.  Once you get beyond the point where the trailer springs are helping lift, turning that screw to increase height gets tough.  Bottle jacks are inexpensive (try Harbor Freight) and much easier if any amount of lifting needs to be done.  You could use a pair of bottle jacks at or near the axles and either bottle jacks or scissors at the rear corners.

I agree with Gary.  Bottle Jacks under the axles will easily raise the trailer so you can place blocks under the wheels to level the unit. They aren't expensive.  Scissor jacks would need to be used near the axles to raise the unit without damaging the frame.  That's quite a bit of weight for scissor jacks and would be difficult.  They are designed to be placed on the ends of the frame to stabilize the unit so it doesn't rock excessively, not lift up the unit.

As others have stated, I wouldn't level a trailer with scissor jacks mounted at the 4 corners where you usually see them. When I was a new trailer owner (after owning a motorhome with hydraulic jacks) and didn't know any better, on our first camping trip I leveled with the scissor jacks which slightly twisted the frame. The interior door openings weren't square and doors wouldn't close right. Luckily I figured it out pretty quickly and got that pressure off the jacks before I caused any frame damage.

They may call the leveling jacks, but I wouldn't use them. Level left to right using blocks under the wheel and the tongue jack to level front to rear. Their site says NOT to use these to lift the trailer, which is what you would be doing to raise the trailer off the suspension.
You can lift the trailer using a bottle jack or good floor jack on the frame near the axles, then put the blocks under the wheels.

gwinger said:

They may call the leveling jacks, but I wouldn't use them. Level left to right using blocks under the wheel and the tongue jack to level front to rear. Their site says NOT to use these to lift the trailer, which is what you would be doing to raise the trailer off the suspension.
You can lift the trailer using a bottle jack or good floor jack on the frame near the axles, then put the blocks under the wheels.

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If you lift from the frame, the springs will keep the tires on the ground until you have lifted quite a bit.
If you want to lift to block the tires, you need to jack the axels (in the right place to not damage them).

BigLarry said:

I agree with Gary.  Bottle Jacks under the axles will easily raise the trailer so you can place blocks under the wheels to level the unit. They aren't expensive.  Scissor jacks would need to be used near the axles to raise the unit without damaging the frame.  That's quite a bit of weight for scissor jacks and would be difficult.  They are designed to be placed on the ends of the frame to stabilize the unit so it doesn't rock excessively, not lift up the unit.

Click to expand...

Yes, I like to put a 2 x 12 on the Dolly at Home Depot and find the Guy who has the Key to the saw and have them cut 14" blocks of wood.  Same Price as the Lumber cost. His Fingers too.  ;D

I have noticed in my short RVn Career some really bad Ideas letting the tires Hang free with no support leveling RVs.  The one that stuck out to me was a Sprinter at Estes Park.  I later saw that same sprinter where he had drove the RV in town with the slide 4" out from being all the way sucked in to travel mode.  Takes all kinds..  ;D

Kids Running, Jumping, mixed with RV Across the board Cheap and Undersized. Support not being slightly under the tire is not a option for me. There will be touch of the tire to shim material, Get a Bite and Play with the Wood pieces to get it right. 

I rarely use the Hydraulic ones on my Class C.  Everything so cheap I try not to use stuff I don't need.  80% of the time that is, got to be pretty unlevel as we normally just a few days. 

Need to stand back and eyeball it for where that jack is going to go for sure.  Jacking the corners is probably going to create "alot" of FLEX on that corner of the house, as opposed to lift would be my guess in a long model. I would even think about a Long Piece of 4x4 block to help bring it up as one unit on the front, stable.

Gotta be careful!  Only owned one RV in my life, so I am only guessing,..

just eyeballing a solution here deep in the Peanut Gallery on the Boards trying to help spark the idea that you are going to roll with eventually. ;D

JD

 

The old "If you lift the wheels off the ground it's hard on the suspension" myth. I have no idea where it came from but for the most part its a myth. leaf springs can lift as the axle as easily as they do the frame.  Now in some cases Shocks my hyper extend and that's not good. But it's rare.

True story. Had a man having a real issue getting tires properly on his leveling blocks. Finally I told him get it level and we will re-position.. I can only lift 12 tons  (Got that look.. you know the one. 'Yea Right' look)  Well he got 'er level while I loaded the air compressor and the 12 ton Air/Hydraulic bottle jack into my wood cart (A 4 wheel wagon I used to hold firewood)  then he understood the 12 ton comment   Got the blocks PROPRLY cencerted and all was good. 

That jack has done yeoman service in several situtations... Even helped me install a motor mount bolt on my Workhorse.. Course I do know how to use it
(The trailer story was a straight axle lift positioned under the spring bracket very solid mount


NOTE Do not KEEP wheels unsuppoted.  if the wheels are off the ground they do not provide any traction.  Side to side or front to rear.. This can.. Cause issues in high wind.

John From Detroit said:

The old "If you lift the wheels off the ground it's hard on the suspension" myth. I have no idea where it came from but for the most part its a myth. leaf springs can lift as the axle as easily as they do the frame.  Now in some cases Shocks my hyper extend and that's not good. But it's rare.

True story. Had a man having a real issue getting tires properly on his leveling blocks. Finally I told him get it level and we will re-position.. I can only lift 12 tons  (Got that look.. you know the one. 'Yea Right' look)  Well he got 'er level while I loaded the air compressor and the 12 ton Air/Hydraulic bottle jack into my wood cart (A 4 wheel wagon I used to hold firewood)  then he understood the 12 ton comment   Got the blocks PROPRLY cencerted and all was good. 

That jack has done yeoman service in several situtations... Even helped me install a motor mount bolt on my Workhorse.. Course I do know how to use it
(The trailer story was a straight axle lift positioned under the spring bracket very solid mount


NOTE Do not KEEP wheels unsupported.  if the wheels are off the ground they do not provide any traction.  Side to side or front to rear.. This can.. Cause issues in high wind.

Click to expand...

John, I hear you Brother. 

I know the poster is not Leveling a C but still on topic of Leveling RVs. 

I would only be concerned with Sway and Rocking the Ram where it connects to the Motor Home personally.  Get enough sway and I'll bet those "Pretend" Looking, Class C, Rams could Snap or Bend to the point of failure with enough hard sway. 

Reminds me of a 4 Legged Pelican, standing on Skinny Legs when I put the levelers in action on my 32'5" Class C. 

If it auto levels out where the wheels are in the air, I got my Wood Planks at the corners ready to slide under the Rubber tires to Shim where in the end I will make it touch rubber and wood to at least a Slight degree. 

I know that the RAMs are adequate as long as nothing starts swaying, and that is eXactly why most of the time the PITA factor to me is not worth it. 

To my OCD Ways Leveling is a event, a opportunity for perfection, not a one button auto push for me...LOL.

The Vehicle Suspension I am not Real Worried about leaf spring flex.  Maybe out of pure Ignorance but I ain't loosing sleep over the springs.  I got the Rear Sway bar, Air Bags on the Rear and Bilstens on the Corners as Long as the Frame Is Not Flexed or Contorted I am not worried at all.  I leave it on the suspension at the house.  The Concrete Launch Pad under the RV Port is Pretty level.

I am worst case, Ultimate Optimist, on everything.  I see things on how they will fail then try to convince myself to use them.  So, Trust me!  I know I am flawed individual! LOL 

Put me in the Glad to have Levelers but will rarely use them category group of people.  Maybe I will grow to trust the levelers more at the RV ages, who Knows? 

I have now RVd enough to know that when Something Breaks or Shakes loose that is Normal.  Then I usually come to the Boards and try and borrow Brain Cells to figure out a hopefully cheap way to fix it.

I love RV Forum!

JD

?... Leveling is a event, a opportunity for perfection, not a button push to me...LOL....?

I can?t let this go by.  Sorry in advance!

Many years, bumper pull campers, boondocking in the national forest.  2x4?s, leveling blocks, walking around surveying exactly where each wheel needed to go.  Manually cranking the jacks down, triple checking the levels.  Maybe a half hour, or more, later I might be done.

Fast forward.  Today, new 5?er, electric jacks, leveling system.  Raise the hitch, move the truck.  Retrieve cold beer, push the ?Auto Level? button, have a seat on the nearest log and relax. 5 minutes later, move on to the next event