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06-14-2012, 07:41 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 342
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Hydraulic leveling procedures
Just curious about how others with the non-automatic system go about leveling their coach. I read through the manual and it states not to use for side to side leveling or something to that effect. Whenever I look around a park it seems those with hydraulic leveling seldom use blocks for side to side, so this got me thinking
What we do is, before unhooking, check side to side level by putting a 6inch long level on the kitchen floor. If one side needs to come up, I put blocks under the tires. Once side to side looks good, I unhook and drop the rear legs and do front to back then fine tune side to side with hydraulic. We have been in sites where I couldn't even get in the ball park with blocks for side to side so we used a lot of hydraulics. I always make sure to use 2 legs on same side prevent twisting of the frame. Just curious if this sounds on par.
On another note, it seems that no matter where I place the level in the kitchen and get the trailer level based on that point, our bath and bedroom never seem level...well let me rephrase, they are not level. Gonna take some playing to figure where the sweet spot in the trailer is.
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__________________
2012 GMC Sierra 3500 CC DRW 4x4 Duramax
2012 Excel Wild Cargo 41GKE
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06-14-2012, 11:42 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Oakley, Kansas
Posts: 2,066
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Tim, what I do is I level side to side first while still hooked to the truck. I have a level on the hitch pin box. I use blocks to get this if I am going to be parked a long time. If just over night I just use the jacks to get it level side to side. After the side to side is level then it is front to rear.
Last summer when I was in Smith Center I did ask the head welder about this and he said that it was fine to level using just the jacks for a short time. I have yet to park in an area where I needed to use a lot of blocks to level up. Not to say it won't happen sometime. I think if it was very unlevel I would use some blocks to get it close to level if just overnight.
What you are doing sounds fine with what I know about leveling.
__________________
Larry & Billie Eberle
2010 Wild Cargo SKM
'98 Volvo, HD Mule
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06-14-2012, 11:52 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Fulltime TX Escapee
Posts: 8,901
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TEAMTJ
Just curious about how others with the non-automatic system go about leveling their coach. I read through the manual and it states not to use for side to side leveling or something to that effect. Whenever I look around a park it seems those with hydraulic leveling seldom use blocks for side to side, so this got me thinking
What we do is, before unhooking, check side to side level by putting a 6inch long level on the kitchen floor. If one side needs to come up, I put blocks under the tires. Once side to side looks good, I unhook and drop the rear legs and do front to back then fine tune side to side with hydraulic. We have been in sites where I couldn't even get in the ball park with blocks for side to side so we used a lot of hydraulics. I always make sure to use 2 legs on same side prevent twisting of the frame. Just curious if this sounds on par.
On another note, it seems that no matter where I place the level in the kitchen and get the trailer level based on that point, our bath and bedroom never seem level...well let me rephrase, they are not level. Gonna take some playing to figure where the sweet spot in the trailer is.
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A quick response for you Mr. Tim. We have 3 levels on our rig that are mounted in the street side propane box area. That way you don't have to jack with a level inside the rig. There is our front to rear level, side to side level and then there's the level that is moveable that I use to set the point where we're are when we unhitch the Tug, so you can go right back the same point when it's time to rehitch.
We try to get the side to side real close by shimming the tires if necessary. Then "fine tune" the side to side with the front jacks. Then front to rear with the front jacks. I then get the rear jacks to just touch the ground and then run them up together just to stabilize the rear of the coach. Maybe a second of running the rear jacks up. Pretty simple technic, but it works for us. HTHs rockin'
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2012 Excel L33ft. GKE named Charm as in 3 times is a Charm. Love Fulltiming. Bullet '14 Chevy D/A 3500 LB CC DRW Summit White - Ebony Interior. Check out our blog at: https://claphamstravels.blogspot.com
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06-14-2012, 11:53 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,144
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Yeah...you are thinking, and that's good. Here is what I think is a good way to do it.
1. Level it with blocks under the tires as close as possible. Use blocks on all tires on an axle. Let no tire come off the ground in this process.
2. Once you have the trailer or MH as level as possible using the blocks or ramps, use your hydraulic leveling system to do the fine tuning. You may have to use blocks under the feet of the jacks on those corners where you have used blocks under the tires. Otherwise, you may not have enough jack extension to reach the ground. On dirt, always use a piece of plywood or a block to keep the jack foot from sinking in after adjustment.
3. When you make the adjustments with the jacks, never lift the tires off the blocks or ground, ESPECIALLY the rear tires. With the parking brake set, the rear tires need to be in contact with terra firma in order to keep the rig from moving. If it moves while on jacks, it can bend or break off your jacks.
4. Initial adjustment of the hydraulic jacks involves putting just a little weight on all 4 jacks. Extend them until they just start to elevate.
5. Adjust the side-to-side jacks first, then the front and back ones.
6. When you are done, you should have all the wheels touching ground or blocks with some weight on them, all jacks touching ground or blocks, and a level trailer or MH. The trailer should also not rock when you walk around inside.
__________________
2004 Tiffin Allegro 27.5 ft. P32 18,000 lb. GVW. 8.1 liter. Workhorse chassis built May 2002. 35,500 miles. 2012 Jeep Liberty Toad. RVi2 brake unit.
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