Levellers - air, hydraulic, or electric

[Tom]

While window shopping new coaches I noticed that some have two methods of levelling, viz hydraulic or electric jacks and air bag levelling. Does anyone have air bag levelling? What are the pros and cons? Is this something that can be retrofitted to my Monaco/Roadmaster 8-air bag chassis?

 

[Ron]

I think there are a few in the framily that have air leveling.  I would think retrofit would be possible but at a signifficant cost.

 

[JerArdra]

Tom,

I have had both Hydraulic and Air levelers.  I will always have air from now on because with air you...

Never have to put wood blocks under the Hyd pads

Air can raise or lower entire coach, WHILE YOU ARE SLOWLEY DRIVING IT, if and when needed at a steep drive way or wherever

Air does not rock as some people say.

Air has less tendency to torque or bend the frame.

Both air and hyd work well, it's just that air is more convenient.

JeryF

 

[Tom]

Thanks Jerry. You dispelled one myth for me i.e. that air levellers don't rock. Someone suggested that they (air levellers) don't have the same amount of travel as jacks (?)

I assume air and hydraulic were both options when you bought your Executive (?)

 

[JerArdra]

TOM,

With our Windsor Air levers were a $700 option.  On the Exec Air levelers were standard.  Monaco will put both on if a person wanted both although I cannot imagine why somepone would want both.  With air levelers on a Monaco it is extra stable because Monaco puts TWO air bags at each of the four wheels and one air bag on the tag axle wheel, 10 bags are very stable.

As for travel I get about 5 inches above ride height.  When they level first they lower the high side.  If that is not enough they then raise the low side, all automatically.

One other point, if you ever stay at a Wal Mart or in front of a friends house neighbors do not see Hydrauklic Jacks.

As Terry Brewer told me once you get air leveling you'll NEVER go back to Hydraulic...as he was right!!!

JerryF

 

[Tom]

Thanks again Jerry. I heard from a mutual friend that another friend had both on his Monaco Windsor. I haven't talked to him to find out why he ordered both or if he prefers one to the other.

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Tom

>>Does anyone have air bag levelling? What are the pros and cons? <<


Two things my coaches must have are air leveling & hydronic heating.? On my coach with the larger air bags I do have some rocking if they are extended all the way up, but it is not objectionable to Betty or me.? There could be a problem in leveling in very uneven spaces like forest campgrounds but you can't take these large rigs in their anyway.<G> In over 10 years of using air leveling I have only been unable to level twice & I do a fair amount of boon docking.

The pluses are many, no leaks, no getting stuck in the ground, no problem retracting, no buzzers, unobtrusive when parked in rest stops or Walmarts. All the high end coach's use air leveling except for Bluebirds.? When I had a failed air ride height valve I was able to level the coach with the leveling system? pull a fuse & drove it for over 1500 miles until I could get it fixed.

Terry
At Clark fork, ID

 

[Ron]

You speak highly of air leveling.  The Eagles now have air leveling but it wasn't an option when we got the 99 so we will be satisfied with Jacks.  Most everybody I know that has air leveling likes it.  But I don't think we would go buy a new coach to get air leveling. ;D

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Ron

>>But I don't think we would go buy a new coach to get air leveling.<<


Party-Pooper.<G>


Terry
At Clark Fork, ID

 

[Tom]

Thanks Terry.

BTW is hydronic heating the same as Aqua Hot (heats the coach and hot water using diesel)?

 

[edjunior]

But I don't think we would go buy a new coach to get air leveling. ;D

Ahh, waiting until you need new tires, eh?!?!?

 

[Ron]

Ahh, waiting until you need new tires, eh?!?!?

LOL. I don't plan do exercise that tradition of buying new tires for the next owner either.

 

[John From Detroit]

One other point, if you ever stay at a Wal Mart or in front of a friends house neighbors do not see Hydrauklic Jacks.

Kind of makes me wish I had air, but alas, my rig is a gas buggy, no compressed air anywhere other than my air compressor

Your comment on not using hydralic jacks at a wall mart or in front of a friend's house... If you park where I park you can indeed use hydralic jacks.  The use/don't use is based on what the road surface is made of

My road was once nice solid concrete, It needs resurfacing and I suspect they will use the band-aid method of laying some asphalt, once they asphalt it use of jacks will be no more.  However, hopefully by then I'll have my own pad, either base rock or concrete.

Same with Wall Mart, if the lot is asphalt, don't use jacks.  Concrete, Jacks are OK.

The office where I work "moved" the new office had no plumbing so on Friday I'd drive the rig down there, park it, Monday I'd move it to a spot in the rear of the lot, and bring it back monday night, Tuesday I'd drive home, stopping at LEO's for breakfast

LEO's is next to an old F&M store, (F&M whent chapter up some years ago so the store is vacant) Nice concrete lot, BIG concrete lot, my rig (almost 60 feet long assembled with towed) fit very nicely on that lot.

Other days I'd eat at Pete's,  Not nearly as large, can't turn around on his lot, but WI-FI

 

[Tom]

An RV park we stayed at recently had the following in their park rules:

"If you use jacks, we charge $50 for each hole you make". If I put jacks down, I usually use wooden blocks underneath to spread the load a little.

 

[John From Detroit]

An RV park we stayed at recently had the following in their park rules:

"If you use jacks, we charge $50 for each hole you make". If I put jacks down, I usually use wooden blocks underneath to spread the load a little.

I would expect an RV park to have either concrete or hard packed gravel pads, In short, un-holy pads

 

[Tom]

I would expect an RV park to have either concrete or hard packed gravel pads

You might be disappointed. A nice park we stayed at a few days ago had cobblestones (small pavers) for pads. The one we're in currently has asphalt. The cobblestones were unusual, but asphalt isn't. There was no way I was dropping the jacks to cause any cosmetic issues with the cobblestones, so I merely didn't dump air. I chose not to drop jacks on the current asphalt, although a number of my neighbors have.

I put jacks down at one park that appeared to have hard packed gravel. I left four deep holes when I raised them.

I've also stayed at many RV parks that have dirt "pads".

 

[Ken & Sheila]

Tom,

Air leveling is so easy and fast that I usually level the coach when we stop for a lunch break on the road. Procedure is to level the coach, turn off the leveling system, then when ready to leave to coach will automatically go back to ride height. Actually it would go back to ride height as soon as you put it in gear even if the leveling system is on, but this can be disconcerting when you stop and the coach starts to level itself!

ken

 

[Tom]

Thanks Ken. Air sounds like the way to go if/when we buy a new coach.

 

[John From Detroit]

I put jacks down at one park that appeared to have hard packed gravel. I left four deep holes when I raised them.

I've also stayed at many RV parks that have dirt "pads".

Dirt, as long as it's hard packed, comes under the list of things I'd expect to find, IN fact one park I often stay at I think that is what most of the pads are.  And there is never a problem, even if it rains (though you sink in about 1/4 inch if it's really wet,not serious at all)

Asphalt though surprises me since parking a 20 thousand pound truck on asphalt is not recommended even if it's just wheels down (no jacks) my church has a problem with their bus leaving "Dents" (8 wheels)

 

[Tom]

I always use wood blocks under the jacks if I use them on dirt.