Community Forums

Pilgrimfarms · 05-28-2013, 09:16 AM

I was surprised to find no levels on the coach we bought. Our tt has one on each side for front/back side/side.

I'm thinking of just buying a couple of stick-on levels and mounting one each way, in a place where I can see them while pushing the hydraulic level buttons. Am I on the right track? What do you do for level?

CampDaven · 05-28-2013, 09:25 AM

That works. One on the dash. One below my window.

Peralko · 05-28-2013, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrimfarms

I was surprised to find no levels on the coach we bought. Our tt has one on each side for front/back side/side.

I'm thinking of just buying a couple of stick-on levels and mounting one each way, in a place where I can see them while pushing the hydraulic level buttons. Am I on the right track? What do you do for level?

Your Signature should have automatic leveling. Push the on button twice, and it should level itself. If you have the HWH like we have, you should have leveling indicators on the control panel.

CampDaven · 05-28-2013, 09:42 AM

Auto level may think it is level when not so. Helps to know when setting the controller for the leveling point.
When in a sloped site, i use blocking and manually level as auto level most often extends more than I like.

Pilgrimfarms · 05-28-2013, 10:27 AM

I'm not sure about auto-level, etc.. I have no manuals for this rig and not sure what I have or how it all works. Slowly figuring everything out and learning what I have so I can try to find manuals. I hit the buttons and jacks all seem to work so just figuring out how to use now.

Razzman · 05-28-2013, 10:46 AM

I personally find manual leveling much faster and easier. When we first got ours i used the auto leveling but afetr a few times decided manual waqs better and more reliable with a small bubble gauge on the dash and another on the side panel as said.

CampDaven · 05-28-2013, 10:55 AM

What I do, and I invite opinions, is to somewhat emulate auto level. Manual allows for less extension and a bit more weight left on the suspension/tires. Quite stable!

Front jacks first (less stress on windshield?) until rig comes up about 4 inches.
Rear jacks until level fore and aft.
Left or right as required.

Sky_Boss · 05-28-2013, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampDaven

What I do, and I invite opinions, is to somewhat emulate auto level. Manual allows for less extension and a bit more weight left on the suspension/tires. Quite stable!

Front jacks first (less stress on windshield?) until rig comes up about 4 inches.
Rear jacks until level fore and aft.
Left or right as required.

We use the auto level first, it is usually VERY close and then tweak it as needed. Each to their own.

Kelowna · 05-28-2013, 09:43 PM

Just be carefull to lift the front enough if you are on a side slope. I broke both windshields at the same time learning that lesson and 1 more after that. what i do is lift the front then run the rears down untill level front to back. then i will do left or right a bit then tap the front again. if it moves side to side when lifting the front, that means the front is not high enough yet. hope that makes sence.

Sky_Boss · 05-29-2013, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelowna

Just be carefull to lift the front enough if you are on a side slope. I broke both windshields at the same time learning that lesson and 1 more after that. what i do is lift the front then run the rears down untill level front to back. then i will do left or right a bit then tap the front again. if it moves side to side when lifting the front, that means the front is not high enough yet. hope that makes sence.

HMMM...that raises (pardon the pun) an interesting question on storing the jacks...

(I think this is close enough to be on topic...sorta)

In a recent thread (and in others) the discussion included the idea that to dump water off the tops of the slides and topper awnings one could lower one end or the other. If one is on a fairly level site that would seem to OK and would avoid the torque on the front windshield. (I don't want to get into the debate about slides in or out when changing level.) Keep in mind that it would probably be pretty normal that the air bags were dumped and are not re-inflated so the house is sitting squarely on the chassis. Torque of the chassis during any transition in this configuration would be more apt to affect the coach and thus the windows.

So...

Regardless of whether one is "kneeling" the front down to help dump any standing water off the tops of slides/toppers, would it be a good idea to go ahead and air the coach up before storing jacks. My working theory is that the air bags would minimize chassis torque that might occur during the transition. Of course, that is totally counter intuitive to the normal process of dumping bags before leveling in the first place.

Just (over)thinking out loud.

Pilgrimfarms · 05-29-2013, 07:46 AM

So, let me see if I've got this correct...? I should dump the air first, then lower front jack, then the rear two jacks? Someone else mentioned not dumping air and "sharing" some of the weight with the suspension.?

Not sure if it matters, but our coach has no slides to worry about. On our tt, I was told to get it very level before moving the slides.

Appreciate all the comments and input.

Dogpatch · 05-29-2013, 07:47 AM

I carry a 2' level. More accurate than the bubbles.
I use the air levelling system on our coach and then tweak it manually using my 2' level as the guide front to back and side to side. Usually end up fairly different from system generated levelling.

Sky_Boss · 05-29-2013, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrimfarms

So, let me see if I've got this correct...? I should dump the air first, then lower front jack, then the rear two jacks? Someone else mentioned not dumping air and "sharing" some of the weight with the suspension.?

Not sure if it matters, but our coach has no slides to worry about. On our tt, I was told to get it very level before moving the slides.

Appreciate all the comments and input.

Let me put it this way...My auto levelers will dump first before the jacks are brought into play. Here is another twist on this all...

When you dump the air bags the coach will normally move forward a few inches as the chassis springs unwind a bit. So...if you are using any kinds of pads you will need to consider their placement if you don't dump first.

As to front vs back first...I'm not so sure it is that way all the time. The auto levelers in my coach do a nice job seeking the coach's low points and extending those jacks first. Sometimes it is the front, sometimes the sides and other times the rear. It all depends on how the coach is sitting.

If I was manually leveling things, I *THINK* I would start with the pair of jacks on the end/side of the coach that is lowest. So...if my right side was lower than the nose, I would extend the right side jacks first until I was nearly level side to side. I would then follow that with front jacks as as needed to bring the nose level. Finally I would lower jacks on the opposite sides and/or end just enough to add support but not much more. Tweak as needed afterwards.

Open for discussion or ridicule. LOL