Community Forums

marjoa · 09-23-2016, 04:52 PM

Performing maintenance, servicing or replacing parts that I can do under a 40' - 42' DP chassis in the storage area—the way I look at it—could be dangerous. I'm trying to prepare for when I do these things to our coach when we finally get one. My first thoughts were, put air in the bags, lower the jacks and raise the chassis a little. But I quickly realized what if, there's a air bag/jack leak or failure. So there should be a safer, proper procedure for things I do myself.
So my question is: what is the correct safety procedure for working under the chassis? IF...you suggest jack stands or some other type of safety support along with other procedures, please mention what type of stands, how you get them under the chassis and where on the chassis do you put them to prevent damage to the chassis from the load?

Mr_D · 09-23-2016, 04:54 PM

Hire someone to do it for you that has to proper equipment!

Beyond that a drive over pit would be nice.

You need jackstands or cribbing heavy enough to support the rig. With ours I drive up on blocks that give me enough clearance underneath since I have air leveling only.

Gordon Dewald · 09-23-2016, 05:02 PM

I have been using a bunch of 3/4 2 x 8 sheets of plywood we used to form the grade beam for the shed. I stack them about 6" high and build a ram to drive up on them. It is enough to nicely get under.

A pit would be the idea solution but I can only dream.

joemcgin · 09-23-2016, 05:07 PM

Get a set of Jack Stands that support more than your Coach weighs. They must be used at least in pairs. I use my coach's HWH jacks to lift up the rig as far as they go after properly chocking the wheels front and back. Position the jack stands and then raise the coach jacks/lower the coach onto them just enough for the stands to take the weight. I leave the coach jacks down as a safety.

marjoa · 09-23-2016, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Hire someone to do it for you that has to proper equipment!

Beyond that a drive over pit would be nice.

You need jackstands or cribbing heavy enough to support the rig. With ours I drive up on blocks that give me enough clearance underneath since I have air leveling only.

I'm not going to have someone do what I can do myself. If it's beyond my ability, then yes.

marjoa · 09-23-2016, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joemcgin

Get a set of Jack Stands that support more than your Coach weighs. They must be used at least in pairs. I use my coach's HWH jacks to lift up the rig as far as they go after properly chocking the wheels front and back. Position the jack stands and then raise the coach jacks/lower the coach onto them just enough for the stands to take the weight. I leave the coach jacks down as a safety.

Wood blocks sound really good but if you were to use stand where do you place them? There must be an ideal place for the front and the back. Is this another one of those "check the manual things"? I know with our trailer there was a designated area to put them and if you veered from that you risked bending or twisting the frame or bending the axle.

twinboat · 09-23-2016, 05:26 PM

If not needing suspension work, we would place the jack stands under the axles, just inside the tires.

If the suspension needed to hang, we placed the jack stands under the chassis rails, just ahead of the rear suspension mounts and behind the front.

bluepill · 09-23-2016, 05:30 PM

Our DP is 23K Lbs. with full fuel and water. I use a pair of 12,000 lb rated jackstands. That means 24,000 lb worth of capacity for around 16-18K lbs. on the rear. Stands go directly under the frame rails. I use 12X12 blocks made of multiple layers of 3/4" plywood. These go directly under the feet of the levelers. I then run up the rear levelers until I get the amount of clearance under the rear to move around easily.

DGBPokes · 09-23-2016, 05:36 PM

Yea, me too. I always did oil change, lube on my gasser, with the DP, I pay Speedco. The street in front of the house isn't level, so I would worry about stands and blocks.
Hate it, I use to enjoy the work, and knowing it was done right.

Gdawgs · 09-23-2016, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marjoa

Performing maintenance, servicing or replacing parts that I can do under a 40' - 42' DP chassis in the storage area—the way I look at it—could be dangerous. I'm trying to prepare for when I do these things to our coach when we finally get one. My first thoughts were, put air in the bags, lower the jacks and raise the chassis a little. But I quickly realized what if, there's a air bag/jack leak or failure. So there should be a safer, proper procedure for things I do myself.
So my question is: what is the correct safety procedure for working under the chassis? IF...you suggest jack stands or some other type of safety support along with other procedures, please mention what type of stands, how you get them under the chassis and where on the chassis do you put them to prevent damage to the chassis from the load?

I use 22 ton ea. Summit jack stands under the frame rails. My rig is about 40K so 44 ton stands should work.

MSHappyCampers · 09-23-2016, 06:02 PM

I raise the area I'm working under as high as possible using the air bags, then put a set of jack stands under the frame near me! I also use wheel chocks!

joemcgin · 09-23-2016, 07:07 PM

Frame rails on my 2000 Winnebago Adventurer on a Workhorse Chassis for the jack stands.

chunker · 09-23-2016, 08:09 PM

I made drive on ramps made with 2x12, 6' for the base, stacked 4 high with the top layer about 18". Have 6 of them, one for each tire. That extra 6" gives me room to roll around under the coach on a creeper with the air bags dumped.

SoIlBoy · 09-23-2016, 09:23 PM

I'm not skinny by any means, but I slither around under mine without raising it up. Plenty of room for me to lube chassis, change fluids and filters and other tasks.