Air vs Hydraulic Levelling System

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thebrits

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This week we are looking at 2 RVs, a 2001 Winnebago Journey and a 2000 Country Coach Intrigue.

The CC has HWH air leveling system which we are not familiar with. The Journey has hydraulic jacks we think. Any comments on the advantages of either system.

 
Jacks have the advantage of a longer range for leveling, and it can be extended if necessary by putting boards under them.  Air leveling has the advantage of working on any surface.  All other things being equal, I would prefer the air leveling.
 
I agree with Ned that air is preferable -- my Beaver has both, and I have yet to use the hydraulic (other than for testing) in the 3 years I've had it.
 
As Ned says, the advantage of hydraulic is the greater range of terrain it can handle. Not a lot greater, but if you encounter rather uneven sites occasionally it is a consideration. Many coaches with air leveling also have hydraulic jacks as well, so you don't have to give up the extra range option.

Air leveling simply uses the coach air suspension to level up, so only the wheels touch the ground. Handy for loose sand or muddy ground, and easy to use. There is an auxiliary air pump that keeps the air pressure up while parked too. The air leveling will be automatic - just push the button and it levels. A hydraulic system may be automatic or manual. Manual means you have to press buttons to adjust each jack as needed to achieve a level stance.
 
We were talked into ordering air leveling by another person on this forum and have never once regretted it.  We love our air leveling!  We no longer worry about jacks sinking into mud or sand.  We can level without anyone realizing it when we boondock so it doesn't look like we're in for the duration so to speak.  The leveling system just does its thing and we're happy with the results.  Of course, it's not something that can be retrofitted.  You easily can add jacks for example but the air leveling has to be done during the initial building process.

We initially carried leveling boards with us in case we got into a situation where the air leveling wasn't enough but we ditched those within a year.  Given the choice between jacks or air leveling with all other things being equal, we would choose the air leveling.

ArdraF
 
Air leveling was a 'must have' on our list when shopping for a coach. In the end however, we went without it due to price and condition of the coach we bought. I soon regretted that decision and wish we had held out for a unit with air leveling. 
 
  I have owned both systems, I like the hydraulic systems ability to use blocking when needed and my Spartan chassis is not bothered by raising a wheel off the ground.>>>Dan
 
I'll pile on in favor of air. Many parks require the use of pads under leveling jacks. Some to protect their asphalt, some to protect you from sinking in the dirt. Watch as someone gets the pads out of the storage bin, takes them to each jack, on their hands and knees tries to place them properly, runs the jacks down and levels. Hopefully without having to add more height to the pad stack and hopefully centered perfectly.

Now it rained last night. And it continues to pour. Mr. Jack pad has pulled his jacks up and is trying to fish out the pads, or is driving a rig length ahead blocking the road to retrieve his pads. He puts the pads, hopefully their still dry from being under the rig, but if the water has been running underneath they could be muddy, back in the compartment and he's ready to go.

With air leveling. Back in, push the button for level. Ready to go? Start the engine, push the button to travel mode. The choice is yours.


Ken
 
While jack pads may be needed in some places, I rarely ever use them and find them to be only a minor chore when I do. Those who use them every time use an awning hook and a rope or eye of some kind on the pad to fish them in or out, so it's not a big deal. That said, air leveling still wins on convenience, hands down.

Some hydraulic jacks have small-sized feet and they are prone to the sinking problem others have mentioned. In my opinion that applies primarily to budget-level coaches. The better brands use jacks that have large "feet" and sinking into the ground is minimal (but not zero). If considering a coach with hydraulic leveling, take a look at the size of the jack feet (landing gear). Round is a bit better than square and the diameter should be at least 10"=12" for best performance. Lighter coaches can do with the lesser sizes while heavier coaches need the high end.
 
You didn't ask this, but a CC Intrigue is in an entirely different league than the Journey. The difference between an entry diesel and a high end model was quite pronounced back then. Unless there is a big difference in price or condition, I think the Intrigue would be the far better choice.
 
We've been several places that are so out of level we have wheels off the ground.  Don't think air leveling is going to help much in those cases.

We have gear driven levelers.  Once they're set there is no movement, no motors maintaining pressure, no mysterious bumps & noises from leaking seals or 'striction'.

On the other hand we just had to replace one of them when a gear stripped out.
 
I have had both hydraulic and air and as others have pointed out there are advantages to both. When traveling and leveling I prefer the air but do miss the jacks when im working on the coach and would like to lift the wheels off the ground. I guess the most interesting thing about your post is that your comparing a country coach to a Winnebago. I think all would agree if you like the floor plan,and in good shape,grab the country coach regardless what leveling system it has. Keep in mind im a country coach fan.
Rod
 
I can't understand what's so hard about leveling with hydraulic jacks.  We have a 3-legged jack system and I can manually level the coach in less than a minute.  Three points uniquely define a plane and IMHO it's a lot easier to level a 3-legged system than it is one with four legs.  Reading a bubble level and pushing a button to lower a jack isn't exactly rocket science. I like being able to lower the MH before leveling so the first step is only an inch or two off the ground; once leveled the system is totally stable and my Winegard Trav'ler stays locked on the satellites for months at a time.

As for the OP trying to decide between a Journey and a CC that's like deciding to buy a Chevy vs a Cadillac.  The Caddy is by far the finer vehicle, but upkeep will cost more.  As long as you're comfortable with the most likely higher maintenance costs there's no question in my mind which one I would buy.
 
We've been several places that are so out of level we have wheels off the ground.  Don't think air leveling is going to help much in those cases.
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In the Bounder we used to have I encountered that quite a bit )Quartzsite, for one place), but I noticed that some of the bigger coaches weren't that way, and I've not had a problem with the air levelers on my Beaver getting me level in similar situations -- I suppose it's a different geometry making a difference. I actually don't have to be quite as careful with finding the right spot.
 
One of the places I speak of is the Monterey County Fairgrounds.  It's so out of level that virtually 90% of the coaches have either their front or rear wheels off the ground.  The remaining 10% are the folks who don't care or didn't bring blocks.  ;).

When the wheels are 30+ feet apart even 1/2 inch rise per foot adds up. 
 
From my experience from using coaches at the sand dunes is the magic number seems to be around the 26k pound mark.  At anything under that hydraulic jacks seem to function fine and yes they do give a bit larger range of travel compared to air.  We had friends who we routinely traveled with that had a 34' Journey weighing in around 24kish pounds and never had an issue.  Our 38' Beaver weighed right @ 29k pounds and we would chase the level all weekend long as the jacks would sink into the ground parked right next to our friends with the Journey weighing 5k+ less than us.  I even put some 12" square lam-beams down and it would just push them into the ground, either grass or sand.

Air leveling was on our "must" have list when we were looking to upgrade to this coach.  Love our air leveling whether parked or stopped to grab a quick sandwich at a rest area/point of interest.  Level up and never have to have a jack touch the ground. 

Mike.
 
Had both and now prefer air leveling for the many reasons noted.

Gary beat me to it but I must also say you are looking at coaches in a very different league.  I owned a Journey and it was an OK rig but no comparison in overall build quality, chassis strength, ride, handling, features, etc. to the Country Coach. 

Best to you in your search.
 
The coach I bought had neither. Air system was not available in this area so I got HWH hydraulic levelers installed. They are a good quality product and I have been very happy with them.
 
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