Leveling Coach

[LaRolnKat]

Do ya'll level your coach before you put slides out? I level mine first and I found that it moves everytime somebody else moves. I was thinking maybe of leveling after the slides are out.

[Wanabee FTer]

Your coach shouldn't be moving after it has been leveled. Perhaps if you are leveling on dirt or gravel the hydraulic jacks are settling. Use jack pads if this is the case. Otherwise there may be air in the lines or a fluid leak.
I level before I extend slides so they will come out evenly. Sometimes I will set the left side jacks slightly higher to offset the weight of the large slide when it's out.

[62_inrightlane]

I agree, level first them put out your slides. Once properly leveled the coach shouldn't move. There may be a little bounce you could feel since you are not lifting the entire weight of your coach off the ground.

I level and then tilt mine about 1° to the drivers side. This puts the condensation from my front air conditioner into the drivers side gutter and keeps ground by the passenger side and the awning nice and dry. I live in the south and right now the outside temp is 96°

[radams]

What type of coach and leveling system do you have? There are those systems where putting the slides out first and then leveling is the way to do it.

[B52Guy]

I found a hand-written note by the previous owner in the papers he passed me that said to extend first and then level the coach. Per the manufacturer (HR) the idea is to extend the slider while still on the airbags, then drain the airbags and level the coach. In a way it makes sense, but I would think that leveling the coach first and then extending the slide would insure the coach is "square" and the slider would have the least chance of getting pinched. So I am confused. Is there a source document? Thanks

[Mr_D]

The manufacturers literature and manuals will tell you which is necessary. On some it's put the slides out then level, on ours it's level then put the slides out. RTFM or call the factory and you'll find out which yours is.

[jlyon69]

My manual says to always level, then extend slide(s). Supposedly to keep from strain/damage to the slide system. I see no reason to do otherwise as you can always make minor adjustments afterwards.

[mikelcan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by B52Guy I found a hand-written note by the previous owner in the papers he passed me that said to extend first and then level the coach. Per the manufacturer (HR) the idea is to extend the slider while still on the airbags, then drain the airbags and level the coach. In a way it makes sense, but I would think that leveling the coach first and then extending the slide would insure the coach is "square" and the slider would have the least chance of getting pinched. So I am confused. Is there a source document? Thanks

It depends how the coach was made. If the house was built on a chassis with air suspension that was "inflated" when installed and squared you would want to be in that state when you put the slides out. Then dump the air and use leveling jacks. If it was built with the air bags deflated then that is the state you want. If you do not have air suspension then the house was built on a frame that was probably pretty level so you should level first. That is why it is best to consult the owners manual for that rig or the manufacturer if the manual is not available.

Mike

[RJay]

If you think about it the sides of the RV is more rigid with the slides in than out so it would seem it would be easier to tweak something if you try to level with them out. I just make fine adjustments once the slides are out to compensate for settling.

[B52Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikelcan It depends how the coach was made. If the house was built on a chassis with air suspension that was "inflated" when installed and squared you would want to be in that state when you put the slides out. Then dump the air and use leveling jacks. If it was built with the air bags deflated then that is the state you want. If you do not have air suspension then the house was built on a frame that was probably pretty level so you should level first. That is why it is best to consult the owners manual for that rig or the manufacturer if the manual is not available. Mike

Thanks Mike. I couldn't think of a reason that would result in a physical difference between extending while the bags are inlfated and extending after the bags are drained and with the coach leveled. Your reponse seems to explain why there would be a difference. My coach is 14 years old and has only one BIG slide...big enough that I worry about the mechanical stress and wish to keep it as low as possible. I do have a great airbag system and a very smooth stable ride, and I'm guessing HR must have mounted the coach on a chasis with the bags inflated. Thanks for the explanation.

[Route 66]

"Generally", only Monaco recommends to extend the slides before leveling and all other manufacturers recommend leveling first.

[Tha_Rooster]

Go by your manufacturer on certain units they recommend slides out then putting fronts down first or you will pop out windshield. You did not post your unit it would help.

[Triker56]

Fleetwood Discovery.
Dump air bags, level then slide out.

[TXiceman]

Monaco is about the only manufacturer that says slides out then level, unlevel and slides in. All of the others say, level first, then slides out, slides in and unlevel.

As an engineer it makes more sense ot level the coach first then put out the slides.

Ken