Proper leveling procedures

[Lindenberg]

What is the proper procedure/sequence for driving up to your parking spot and leveling the coach and extending the slideout? Also for leaving.

I looked through the Alpine Coach manual and they say to refer to the specific manuals which I don't have. I'm really interested in when you turn the engine off.

[Lindenberg]

What is the proper procedure/sequence for driving up to your parking spot and leveling the coach and extending the slideout? Also for leaving.

I looked through the Alpine Coach manual and they say to refer to the specific manuals which I don't have. I'm really interested in when you turn the engine off.

[gjstacy]

Here's our sequence:

Arriving:
1. Ignition off
2. Levelers down
3. Slides out

Leaving:
1. Slides in
2. Levelers Up
3. Ignition on (so we don't have to listen to loud buzzer!!)

I (Gail) do all of this while John is outside hooking up or unhooking water, power, sewer and cable (if any).

I will be interested to see any other procedures than others use.

Have fun!

[Rick Coleman]

I use the same procedure as Gail and John, however I have friends with other brands of coaches that strongly advise opening the slides prior to lowering the jacks. They have been advised that lowering the jacks first torques the chassis, thereby twisting the slide openings and the slide boxes creating friction on the slides as they open and making it possible to stress the opening mechanisms. It seems just the opposite to me- leveling should un-torque the chassis and make everything square, thereby allowing everything to work with as little stress as possible. I'd sure like to hear other thoughts on this. By the way these other coaches are Country Coaches and Newmars.

[Jim & Ingrid McIntosh]

We use the same procedure as Gail and John as well. Rick, the HWH instructions we received w/the coach state specifically that the jacks must be down before the slides are opened/closed. Seems like HWH supports your thinking, Rick!

[Dave Fernandez]

Hello Rick:

The HWH system should not let you put the slides out until the jacks are down. The twin rail design of the frame will allow twisting. Once the jacks are down the frame should be straight and level, and not effect the operation of the slides or damage the frame. Some Other Brands (SOB) with a semi-monocoque frame may have a problem but not a twin rail design frame.

[Ted III]

I think it would be a great question to present Alpine with?

[jerry davis]

When we were at the Alpine Service Center having some work done we were specifically told by service center personnel (more than one) that the coach jacks should always be down prior to running the slides in or out. The coach needs to be level for the slides to operate evenly.

[Old Scout]

Agree with Jerry--jacks down first then slides out. You can get away with putting out the bedroom slide(s) without the jacks--ie over night at Wal-mart [we do], but the HWH system on our 2003 wont let you put out the main/frontroom slide without the jacks being down.

[gjstacy]

We too put our bedroom slides out without the jacks down, when we are loading our clothes in preparation for a trip. And, our 2004 will also not allow the front slide to go out without at least one jack down. We have done this on a few occasions...put one jack down and extended the front slide...when we are cleaning the carpet, for example, but the coach is in it's storage spot and on level ground. But, as standard operating procedure, we follow the sequence I posted yesterday.

[OldForester]

I agree with Gail and John's procedure, especially after having so many hydraulic leaks on the bedroom slide.

I learned that if you put the jacks down first you can check for a hydraulic leak before you put out the slides. Even though I had a hydraulic leak in the bedroom slide the second time, the jacks did not want to go down all the way and I discovered the hydraulic leak, because the systems share the same hydraulic fluid.

By not having the slides extended, the jacks came up with the springs since I had blow out all the fluid, and I didn't have to worry about not being able to retract a slide, so I could drive the coach on toward a repair shop.

I also agree with Dave F. on getting the frame rails straight and level through the jacking process before the slides go in and out, so there isn't a bind on them.

[gjstacy]

Tom & Laurel,

One other note for extending and retracting your slides...be sure to hold down the switch for a count of 5 after each slide is fully out or fully in. My understanding is that this bleeds air out of the hydraulic lines and keeps the slides moving smoothly. This has been recommended by the HWH representative at our various gearhead sessions at ACA rallies.

[OldForester]

I thought that this procdure would put more hydraulic pressure on the hoses and make them more likely to burst, sort of like holding the power steering on your vehicle all the way to one side or the other, and putting excess pressure on the pump.

Am I not correct on this?