Should levelers be used at home or while stored?

[Cricketdaddy]

My wife asked me one of those annoying questions today: one I couldn't answer. (She's very good at that.)

She wanted to know if our motorhome should sit on their leveling jacks when it's just parked in the driveway but occasionally being used. At the moment, for example, we have some visiting family using it as an apartment for a few days. Occasionally I will take a nap in it or do some work in there. So...

Is it better for the coach to be permanently leveled on jacks or is that too hard on the jacks? Does it matter as long as the refrigerator is off?

Another stupid question, bravely asked!

 

[gmsboss1]

We were advised by our dealer to always used the jacks to take some weight off the tires and suspension when we're going to parked for any long length of time.  They claim it helps avoid flat spots on the tires.

Don Nesbitt
Cary, NC

 

[mbrooking]

I usually leave mine down when stored, but cycle them up and down on a regular basis. I try to do this when exercising the generator. At least once a month; but then again, it gets used at least that much!  ;D

 

[Ron]

Remember the ONLY stupid question is the question not asked. ;D  When we were still working the RV was parked with the Jack retracted most of the time when in the yard.

 

[Ray D]

OK, I'm going to second this question - or third it. What's the right way?

I rarely put the jacks down, when parked on the dead level pad, in the back yard. Run them down and back up, to check them out, before a trip. Am I doing it wrong?  ???

Since it's level, I figured "Who needs jacks on a level pad?"

We do use it, back there, including running the slides out. I won't say it doesn't rock, as we walk around, but it doesn't rock enough that we are aware of it.

When I see RVs at dealerships, I don't see any with jacks down -- and I do see slides out, in show rooms and on lots, without jacks.

What's the right way?  ??? Why?  ???

Confused Ray -  :-\

 

[Giles]

I would not use the slides unless the coach is perfectly leveled; if not leveled, you just increase the risk of putting too much pressure here and there, damaging your slides;  by the way, if not used properly, warranty may not apply. Dealers don't care, if problems happen, they just send it back to the factory.
We have a 50x16 garage for the RV; concrete flood, metal building; when it was built, it looked perfectly leveled; however, when the RV is in, and I feel like it is leveled, I pull the jacks out, and they have to work for a while to really level the RV. We like the refrigerator on, the four slides out in the garage, a few windows opened, and the fantastic fans running evry 2-3 days to keep the air fresh. We just feel better when the jacks are on.

 

[Woody]

There are a couple of reasons to put the jacks down. One is to level the coach on uneven ground and provide stability to keep it from rocking on the springs as you walk around in it. The other is that the fridge needs to be fairly level to work properly. If my coach is stored in my drive (not level) but the fridge is off I rarely put the levelers down. If I am going to be crawling under it for any reason (changing oil and filter for instance) I raise the coach with the levelers and then put a couple of heavy duty jack stands under it for security.

Woody

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I don't think there is a Right or Wrong way to this, but all the previous comments are good ones.  Plain old common sense applies. If you are using the rig or have the fridge on while it sits in the driveway/yard, it makes sense to put the levelers down to insure the rig is level and to stabilize it for comfort. If you aren't using it at all and the fridge is off, there is no particular reason to deploy the jacks.

If the levelers are down for extended periods, most jack manufacturers recommend exercising the jacks occasionally, perhaps once a month, to keep the internal seals lubricated.

 

[searching]

How funny that this thread shows up....We just poured a new driveway and our RV is half on concrete half on curshed shells (back end).  I was digging a hole in the shells to drop the rearend 2 inches (no jacks... ) 

The wife came out and told me I was crazy for levelling it while sitting waiting for a weekend to take off...I told her to shoo and kept digging.

I just like it level, even if I am just looking at it in the driveway  ;D

 

[Cricketdaddy]

Thanks to all for the answers and comments. Since there appears to be no clear consensus I'll probably just give the jacks a workout every now and then. I'm pleased that in the first ten months of motorhome ownership I've managed to run up 6,000 well-enjoyed miles on it but I've about run out of vacation time for the year, and it's only August!  :'( Still, we'll make use out of it over weekends. Meanwhile, I get to know the serious side of MH maintenance.

 

[Mark R.]

My wife asked me one of those annoying questions today: one I couldn't answer. (She's very good at that.)

First Ron I respectively disagree, I have herd some really ,really,really stupid questions that should never be asked!

As far as jacks up or down, if I had leaf spring suspension I would store on the jacks, air springs should not make much of a difference. but some air springs have a bumper inside so when deflated the coach sits on bumper and stops spring from getting pinched. so if you want to dump the air and relax the bag go for it. For Long term storage without moving the rig I have herd that taking the load off the tires is not a bad idea, true or not I can not say.

[edit]Fixed missing end-quote[/edit]

 

[Ron]

First Ron I respectively disagree, I have herd some really ,really,really stupid questions that should never be asked!

Guess it is a matter of opinion.  My position is that if an individual has a valid question, something they do not know or understand, then for their own enlightenment they should ask the question.  Not to ask will result in no improvement in knowledge unless somebody else is smarter in that they ask the same question. JMHO. ;D

 

[Mblaster]

I store my rig jacks down on 2 inch blocks up front and 6 inch blocks rear. They don't have to extend very far.  I think its a great idea to take some weight off the tires and suspension when not in use. 

 

[John From Detroit]

When I took the RV-Safety course they said store Jacks DOWN to take SOME of the load off the tires (They did not concern themselves with the springs)

I"ll be storing jacks up for this break in travel but then I'll be on the road again next week the wife says

 

[morrigan]

Guess it is a matter of opinion.  My position is that if an individual has a valid question, something they do not know or understand, then for their own enlightenment they should ask the question.  Not to ask will result in no improvement in knowledge unless somebody else is smarter in that they ask the same question. JMHO. ;D

When I was teaching in the Navy, I used to say that there's only two types of stupid questions: The one you didn't ask (because ignorance can kill), and the one you've already asked and had answered three times, because now you're showing me that you can't learn, and thus are stupid, not ignorant.

Morrigan

 

[busa]

I would also be concern with debris stuck on the jacks shaft after a long term storage with jacks out. This debris  will damage your seals and result in a hydraulic fluid leak.