How important are leveling jacks?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
When you try to drive up on the boards do you have any trouble with the boards sliding back as the tires try to climb up on the first board? In my situation I will need to back up on the boards because I have to back into my site but same principle.
Click to expand...

Phil, I think Wendy gave the best answer.  Back in and then drive forward up onto the front blocks.  If the soil is soft or sandy may you need to check them to make sure they haven't sunken into the ground too much which will put you out of level.  We seldom ever noticed that they slipped but, if they do, offset them on each side by one inch before you drive up on them.  Maybe one side of the coach has rock and the other soft dirt.  In this example, this would mean one tire might start to climb the right side board before the other one starts to climb up the left side board.  By offsetting that inch or so you compensate for the difference made by sliding between the two sides.  Murphy's Law being what it is, they probably won't slide equally.  ;)  It helps to have your navigator get out and guide you forward so you get the rig placed in such a way that the tires are in the middle of the boards, both side-to-side and fore-to-aft.

But do leveling jacks make a substantial difference in stability? We rock a lot walking around in the MH.
Click to expand...

Wendy, yes we felt they do make a difference in rocking.

ArdraF

 
I agree, I liked Wendy's suggestion about backing up first then pulling forward onto the blocks. I think what I will do is take the design of the ramp and start with a 1/2" thick pc. of plywood so the front wheel can climb up on it easier so the weight of the coach helps hold the ramp in place. And maybe change the angle so the climb is not as steep. I will most likely build it so the ramp is beveled both ways so I can then just drive down as I leave the site. Since I have access to all the wood I need for free because of other businesses near me I will most likely build myself a set of these ramps that just stay at the campsite permanently and then build one that I can disassemble to carry with me.

But I guess before I do any of that I will first see about leveling the site with their bobcat. That would be my first choice. But if they don't like that idea, then the ramp idea will be my solution.

This discussion of jacks has been great. I can't say which I think is better, but since my coach has the three point system....well then the 3 point has to be the best  :) . I can see there is alot of science behind the principle of raising the coach.

I am just so grateful there is a place like this to come to and learn from everyones experiences.

Thanks again, Phil
 
Ned,
Jeff is correct about the way the PowerGear 4 jack system works - there is one feed to the front jacks and they are connected to one hydraulic line which allows the pressure to equalize at the two front jacks. When the operator (human or automatic) tilts the RV to one side or the other, it is done only via the rear jack hydraulic inputs. The front just follows along and rocks to whatever side the rear is moving. The front hydraulics can raise the front as a unit but cannot shift one side or the other higher.  This reduces the stress at the front substantially and acts very much like a one front jack system but with a wider footprint.

I owned two coaches with PowerGear systems and have alot of expereince with them and its works as described.  Our current American Tradition has an Equalizer 4 jack system and it seems to work smoothly but I haven't been able to figure out if I can over stress the two front corners or not with it. Empirically it appears that it can raise either front corner independently (at least when in manual mode) but Equalizer claims it will not. I'm still learning (but VERY cautiously!)
 
I think I prefer the HWH system.  From your description, it would seem the PowerGear system could twist the frame when leveling from side to side.  If the front jacks work in tandem with the rear, then it works just like the HWH bi-axis system.
 
Ardra,

Your description of the blocks Jerry made, coupled with the diagram, made a good file for the library. It can be viewed here.

Thanks.
 
Tom, you're welcome and thanks.  To give proper credit, Jerry did the drawing for me.  ;)

ArdraF
 
Thanks for the clarification Ardra. I'll get the proper attribution for the drawing added to the file.

Edit:Done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 861 (members: 12, guests: 849)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,973
Posts
1,388,457
Members
137,722
Latest member
RoyL57
Back
Top Bottom