leveling/stabilizing jacks?
- Thread starter annelizly
- Start date
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.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Tom
Administrator
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Posts
- 52,520
Welcome to our forum.
The stabilizing/levelling that you've heard about are really two desirables with a motorhome when parked/camped:
If you have the jacks mentioned above, they will perform both functions - levelling and stabilizing - without the need for blocks under the wheels.
For clarification, the term "stabilizing jacks" is normally associated with 5th wheel trailers, which might be a source of confusion when discussing motorhomes. As a result, folks usually call them simply "jacks" or "levelling jacks" when referring to motoromes although they also stabilize it.
The stabilizing/levelling that you've heard about are really two desirables with a motorhome when parked/camped:
- The coach needs to be reasonably level in order to prevent the refridgerator from malfunctioning and to avoid feeling that you're walking or sleeping on an incline. Levelling can be achieved by simply placing blocks under one or more wheels.
- Stabilizing the coach prevents the side to side movement of the coach as you move around inside. It is usually achieved using either 3 or 4 jacks permanently mounted to the chassis of the coach.
If you have the jacks mentioned above, they will perform both functions - levelling and stabilizing - without the need for blocks under the wheels.
For clarification, the term "stabilizing jacks" is normally associated with 5th wheel trailers, which might be a source of confusion when discussing motorhomes. As a result, folks usually call them simply "jacks" or "levelling jacks" when referring to motoromes although they also stabilize it.
Jim Dick
Moderator Emeritus
Hi Annelizly,
As Tom mentioned there are two types of jacks. Motor homes have "leveling jacks", either hydraulic or electric. They are designed to physically lift parts of the chassis to level the coach. Trailers of all types can have "stabilizing jacks". They are only designed to stabilize the RV so it doesn't move when people are walking around inside. They are NOT adequate to lift the trailer to level. They are brought to the ground by cranking and made snug. Hope this helps to clear up the question.
As Tom mentioned there are two types of jacks. Motor homes have "leveling jacks", either hydraulic or electric. They are designed to physically lift parts of the chassis to level the coach. Trailers of all types can have "stabilizing jacks". They are only designed to stabilize the RV so it doesn't move when people are walking around inside. They are NOT adequate to lift the trailer to level. They are brought to the ground by cranking and made snug. Hope this helps to clear up the question.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
Some Motorhomes may not have leveling Jacks. Our first 88 Bounder did not and leveling was done with blocks under the wheels. The next Bounder had leveling jacks as does our Eagle.
RREngr
Well-known member
Hey, another Georgie Boy owner! We just got ours a few months ago and love it. If the MH has levelers, the dealer should have demonstrated how they work. If not, you would think they would have explained how to manually level it. The automatic levelers are wonderful--make it so easy and quick. Oh oh, did I just suggest an add on? In the last couple of months on this forum, we have discovered several "accessories" to make our travels safer and easier. This forum is very informative and helpful. Enjoy your travels. Kay
hi everyone!! Thanks for the warm welcome!
So, if we have jacks they seller should have told us about them? My husband did the buying and I wasn't there so i'm not sure. If we had them where would they be located so I can look and see?
Sorry, this sounds like such a dumb question
So far I just love the motorhome! It is a 1996 yet can't tell it from new! It seems to be really good quality! We are planning on taking our first trip over christmas break! We have three kids ages 8, 10 and 12 and they all love our trips so we got this bigger motorhome! We used to have a smaller class C lindsey. We loved it but it was too small for the growing family!
The only thing that we have to work on is the inflatable shocks. One is deflated.
So, if we have jacks they seller should have told us about them? My husband did the buying and I wasn't there so i'm not sure. If we had them where would they be located so I can look and see?
Sorry, this sounds like such a dumb question
So far I just love the motorhome! It is a 1996 yet can't tell it from new! It seems to be really good quality! We are planning on taking our first trip over christmas break! We have three kids ages 8, 10 and 12 and they all love our trips so we got this bigger motorhome! We used to have a smaller class C lindsey. We loved it but it was too small for the growing family!
The only thing that we have to work on is the inflatable shocks. One is deflated.
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
First place to look is in the owners manual for your motorhome. That will tell you if you have leveling jacks and how to operate them.
A
Albslb2
Guest
Lots of Georgie Boys were used in Rental Programs due to factory cost to dealers and rental programs. Few if any had Jacks, because renters would forget about them and drive off with them down, never checking to see if they were fully retracted. Thus jacks were eliminated on many units.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I have not been impressed by the owner's manuals for many Rvs - it is often a generic manual covering all makes and models from the manufacturer and vague besides. Would not surprise me if there is little or no definitive info there on jacks, or if th einfo is there but no jacks are installed on your particular coach. Jacks were definitely an optional item on this year and model of motorhome.
If you have leveling jacks, there will be some sort of controller near the driving position, either buttons or a joystick, with labels like Front or Rear and Up or Down. The controller may be labeled with the manuacturer's name, probably either HWH or PowerGear. Underneath the coach, just ahead or behind the front axle and just behind the rear axle you should be able to see a mechanism that has a "foot" pad (either square or round) and probably with a coil spring attached (the spring helps retract the jack).
If you have leveling jacks, there will be some sort of controller near the driving position, either buttons or a joystick, with labels like Front or Rear and Up or Down. The controller may be labeled with the manuacturer's name, probably either HWH or PowerGear. Underneath the coach, just ahead or behind the front axle and just behind the rear axle you should be able to see a mechanism that has a "foot" pad (either square or round) and probably with a coil spring attached (the spring helps retract the jack).
