Community Forums

ftiernay · 07-10-2019, 05:42 AM

Pulled into a rv park yesterday & attempted to level the coach. The stands lifted the front tires off the ground. I went back into the coach to lower & found I had no power at the dash/HWH control box.
I found that the main battery switch had tripped.
I turned it back on & retracted the stands. During that procedure I heard a sound (pop) like a cap gun.
Two questions:
1. What was that noise?
2. What do others do when the site is slopped?

Thanks

Tigerfan1 · 07-10-2019, 09:49 AM

Popping sound most likely was the feet of the hwh jacks moving. If two were off the ground ( which I don’t like) it puts a lot of pressure on the jack feet. When you retract the jacks this pressure is released and the feet will move making the noise. To avoid this I release manually, slowly lowering side to side. This for the most part eliminates the popping sound.

Old-Biscuit · 07-10-2019, 10:20 AM

Site so sloped that front tires have to be off ground in order to level .....

Back to front office and get another site.

Dutch Star Don · 07-10-2019, 10:53 AM

"ftiernay".....Sometimes the site you get is all that is available, especially during peak camping times, so you must make do.

At some point in ownership of a coach, you should be able to look at a site or as you pull in, feel that it's too sloped for your coach jacks to correct. I rarely find this, but about once a year, we get stuck with a site with too much slope. I carry three wooden ramps. Three is enough to level your coach in any site. Two up front for a low front and two under the duals and one under the front tire (same side as duals) for a site sloped to one side.

I find when the site is too sloped and the coach won't lift high enough, it's typically in the front. I'll add the two ramps and I also have two blocks, the same height as the ramps, that I slide under the front jacks. This gives you that extra lift and keeps the jack lift the same as the tire lift. *****I never do the above to the rears because of parking brake issues.*****

I also have occasions where the site is borderline and by the time the front and rear jacks have adjusted back and forth, the coach light that says "Excessive Slope" is lit and the leveling stops. I know that it's possible to get the coach level, so I lower the end or side that is maxed out and hit auto level again. Often it will level on the second try. If it doesn't and were just a bit off, I leave it alone and live with it, especially if it's just for overnight.

If you have a gas/electric refer, beware of being too far out of level.

vsheetz · 07-10-2019, 11:18 AM

Carry blocks for tires and jacks. You will likely run into sites occationally that need their assistance.

I have several homemade. Made from 2x4 lumber sandwiched between plywood - so about 3" thick. Sizes: 12x12, 16x16, and 12x18.

Renipladlo · 07-10-2019, 10:24 PM

Our lot in Yuma, AZ is sloped toward the street for rain run off. I have to put rear wheels on ramps which takes it up about 2". Then, I put 6x4x5" blocks under jacks to trick them into thinking they are just fine. We stay "jacked blocked up" for 3-4 months and no trouble. FWIW-I would never let any of the wheels be marginally off the ground, rear wheels are the parking brake wheels, so nothing keeping it from rolling down the hill, jacks can bend and fail. Front end would in my opinion put undue stress on components which I just wont do. Do not recommend any wheel off the ground, cannot find the brand of ramps I own, but they can take a whole bunch of weight, and not fail. They make different ones, saw one brand in Home Depot, they are huge, storing them would be problem. I will try to hunt around and fine the ones I own, if I do, will post link here. I carry these with us all the time, they store just fine in the half compartment just aft of the wheel on PS.

Algoma · 07-11-2019, 06:31 AM

Some people freak out when their front wheels leave the ground, but the chassis is designed to take it so it is not a problem. You just need to carry a box to stand on to reach the entry steps.
As pointed out previously, lifting the drive wheels off the ground is an issue as you lose the park brake, but if you block the front wheels you could also do that.

In fact when I had work done at the Newmar Service Center last year they put blocks under my rear jacks and lifted the entire rear of the coach off the ground so that all drive and tag wheels were a foot off the ground.

Chief Alen · 07-11-2019, 08:21 AM

Once I have the coach where I want it at the site, I eyeball the slope, with engine off I hit the brake pedal till all the air is released takes 5-6 times depressing the pedal and release . Now the brakes are locked.

Parking brake on.

Plug in the coach electricity.

If I see too much slope, that gets a double 2 x 8 all ready made up carry 4 doubles and a few singles.

Then level.

Hook up the slinky, water cable.

Pull all the stuff out of the bay doors getting to old to bend under them, out goes the slides.