Community Forums

wally_12 · 03-24-2011, 09:00 PM

I bought a 2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral in 2010 new from a dealer. Since them I have had it back to the dealer 6 times because the leveling system will not level. The dealer after talking to Monaco and Powergear said the problem is the system is not designed to lift the weight of the motorhome. It is the left side with the full slide I can't get to level. Forward and aft are no problem. Apparently the system goes to 3600PSI and then quits even though the coach is not level. Powergear of course says Holiday Rambler installed it and Monaco says there is no warranty and the dealer says maybe the warranty he bought will fix it but Monaco or Powergear will have to tell him how. Any ideas out there on a fix. I hope I am not the only person with this problem.

**JohnRR** · 03-25-2011, 11:54 PM

Has it ever worked since you bought it?

Do you have a way of knowing or contacting the previous owner to find out if they had the problem and if so for how long?

I know you did not bargain on having to do something like this but would the installation of a third leg (last resort) or bigger legs for that side be a possible solution.

If it were mine and no help was forth coming and I liked the coach and really wanted it fixed I'd strongly consider installing two more of the same size jack so the front and rear had two jacks mounted side ay side with the two jacks (front & front and rear & rear) hooked together.

bdpreece · 03-26-2011, 12:49 AM

The first question would be which model of jacks you have. I have an HR Endeavor 40PDQ which has a gvw of 33000 lbs and my coach has no problems with leveling. If you have jacks that are not designed for the weight of your coach you may have to bite the bullet and pay to upgrade to larger ones. I would assume if you have had your coach in to the dealer that many times that someone has done the calibration sequence on your jacks already.

Dutch Star Don · 03-26-2011, 10:39 AM

wally_12......Is it a 3 jack or 4 jack system? Absent replacing them, can you preload the slide side before puting the slide out or get as much lift as you can and then lower the opposite side. Even the weight of my awning being out can cause my coach to list a little when the jacks aren't down. Maybe the awning out and the curb side slides out first. Drop the jacks just until there is a slight lift on the full wall side and then put the slide out. I know these ideas aren't a fix, but maybe a work around the problem.

mikron · 03-26-2011, 10:58 AM

Blocks under the jacks so they don't have to extend as far. jacks first, slide second.

MegaRoadie · 03-26-2011, 11:37 AM

IMHO...Blocks YES...but put em under the wheels to do a "Gross Levelling" BEFORE ya use the auto Hydraulic Levelling ! Most coaches do not have levelling jacks designed to raise the MH completely up in the air, like far too many seem to do. The auto level jacks are designed to LEVEL the coach and make it stable.

Those that frequently over-use the Hydraulic Jacks will cuss the manufacturer, blame the dealer or HWH, but the culprit is lack of reading the owners manual and applying common sense.

bdpreece · 03-26-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegaRoadie

IMHO...Blocks YES...but put em under the wheels to do a "Gross Levelling" BEFORE ya use the auto Hydraulic Levelling ! Most coaches do not have levelling jacks designed to raise the MH completely up in the air, like far too many seem to do. The auto level jacks are designed to LEVEL the coach and make it stable.

Those that frequently over-use the Hydraulic Jacks will cuss the manufacturer, blame the dealer or HWH, but the culprit is lack of reading the owners manual and applying common sense.

Blew a jack seal from over extending then got my a$$ chewed by the tech at the dealers. Learned to pre level with blocks plus put blocks under the jacks.

moisheh · 03-26-2011, 04:20 PM

Using the jacks without blocks is a good way to break a windshield!!

kcir · 03-28-2011, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wally_12

I bought a 2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral in 2010 new from a dealer. Since them I have had it back to the dealer 6 times because the leveling system will not level. The dealer after talking to Monaco and Powergear said the problem is the system is not designed to lift the weight of the motorhome. It is the left side with the full slide I can't get to level. Forward and aft are no problem. Apparently the system goes to 3600PSI and then quits even though the coach is not level. Powergear of course says Holiday Rambler installed it and Monaco says there is no warranty and the dealer says maybe the warranty he bought will fix it but Monaco or Powergear will have to tell him how. Any ideas out there on a fix. I hope I am not the only person with this problem.

I have the same model as you, and I can lift all 4 wheels off the ground. This is not recomended, usually I level with 2 x 10 under low end and manually level one end ot the other with blocking under the jacks--to prevent extension and bending a rod

brucemcdou · 04-04-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wally_12

I bought a 2008 Holiday Rambler Admiral in 2010 new from a dealer. Since them I have had it back to the dealer 6 times because the leveling system will not level. The dealer after talking to Monaco and Powergear said the problem is the system is not designed to lift the weight of the motorhome. It is the left side with the full slide I can't get to level. Forward and aft are no problem. Apparently the system goes to 3600PSI and then quits even though the coach is not level.... Any ideas out there on a fix. I hope I am not the only person with this problem.

Hi, Wally - We have a sister unit, the 2008 Monaco Monarch 33 SFS with full wall slide. Our leveling system is PowerGear, hydraulic, with four legs. The same hydraulics also run the rams for the slide so we know it's powerful.

The posters here can help you better if you provide more information. What exactly do you mean that the "system will not level." Do you mean the auto-level doesn't come to absolutely plumb-level? If so, many of us don't bother to use the computerized level and just manually put the front legs down, then rear, then level side to side without lifting nearly as much as the auto-level. The auto level would lift the wheels clear off the ground and still not be level (and yes, we've reset the system several times

).

Do you mean that it won't even put the legs down at all? That also doesn't make sense if your slide works properly. Have you checked that you have adequate hydraulic fluid with no air bubbles? Our hydraulic system is under the front entry steps and it's easy to look directly into the fluid tank (only with all legs and the slide retracted)

The statement that it wasn't designed to lift the weight of the motorhome doesn't make sense - of course you shouldn't lift all four wheels but it is always going to be bearing a little bit of the weight just to stabilize. Like others, we use pads/blocks and use the levelers just to finish up, but it's moving the motorhome at least a little and it's designed to do that.

Please post more information and the good people on these boards can try to help!

gg · 04-05-2011, 12:59 PM

Hi Wally

Does you jacks have large external spring from the pads to the frame?

If so ,I think you have the Power Gear system and it should lift your coach.

I have a 09 monaco product 34 ft. 2 slides and weights more that your 33ft dry from the factory. The 09 has the LDI system under the steps. In auto mode it can lift the rear wheels of the ground. Soo I use the manual mode with a 18 inch level on the floor or check by how the bathroom door swings!!!

Most hydralic systems have a pressure relief valve, this may be the cause of low pressure. A simple pressure guage (5000) psi range and couple of fittings would allow you to determine - System working and max pressure.
A tee fitting would allow you to determine the pressure at the rear jack on the slide side.

If you had your coach weighted at a Cat scale to find what the 4 corner weight is then a simple calcuation of the approx jack dia X PSI = lifting force in pounds. If this is greater then your actural coach you are good to go.

Check your leveling system in manual mode on a level parking lot.

Pic of typical guage and fittings and Plugs

Ceratto's Grotto · 04-05-2011, 01:37 PM

Hi Wally (don't get to say that very often, except to the mirror),

We have the 08 Monaco 30SFS with the Power Gear Electronic Leveling system. While the jacks will lift the tires off the ground, but we don't do that. When we picked up the rig the dealer service department DID have the entire front end off the tires. Didn't seem like a good idea at the time and after reading the manual that was confirmed.

We do not use the automated leveling feature as ours does not work. It raises the entire motorhome off the ground in wild gyrations like some kind of carnival ride.

After working with the unknowledgeable dealer, (took them hours just to find the control box), and an unresponsive and inflexible manufacturer, we opted to just use it in manual mode and when the time comes to replace the leveling system, (which I can only assume from our experiences with it so far, that replacement is eminent), we will find find a better product from a more reputable manufacturer with a customer service department and have it installed by a knowledgeable service center.

Then again, I should just lower my expectations to the point they have already been met, let it go at that and not be disappointed.

Regards,

Wally

JManatee · 04-05-2011, 04:57 PM

Just to make a comment. to the people saying these should not be able to lift the coach, these are not stabilizers... These are Leveling jacks. They are just that Leveling jacks. They should be designed to level the coach which means it should be able to lift a side or front of the coach.

Now before everyone yells at me My Jacks are not kick down jacks (like HWH), I have looked at the mounting of them very solid.

With that said, I very rarely use the Auto feature, and when I have used the Auto, it has lifted 3 wheels off the ground (not that I recommend others doing this)....

One other note a 2.5" cylinder @ 3000 psi can life over 14k lbs.

My coach is 33k GVW with a 3 Jack Power Gear system