Community Forums

caymann · 04-17-2010, 10:52 AM

This is a DP on a Air Suspension and Air Leveling
I don't have hydraulic jacks

If i wanted to get under the chassis (and don't want to be crushed in case something fails) where should i jack up the MH prior to getting under? It is the house portion that will come down so no point in jacking under the axle.

Do you use you jacks on each side or one jack somewhere at the center.

I was looking at this. Is this a tall enough?

Where do you connect your hydraulic jack and jack stands for
1. front of the MH
2. rear of the MH

thanks
jim

Bill Adams · 04-17-2010, 11:03 AM

If you want to go under your motorhome you are going to need a set of jack stands and you are going to need to raise the vehicle by the axles to the required height, insert and lock down the jack stands, chock the tires, lower the lift jack and you have a safe sturdy platform to work under.

caymann · 04-17-2010, 11:18 AM

Jack under axle is not something i prefer

For example, if the rear axle is lifted with jacks, it is not a good situation as
the air brakes are on the rear axle.

ChiefJohn · 04-17-2010, 11:38 AM

'caymann', not being a smart arse, but I would leave this type of maintenance to the folks that have the equipment/experience. I enjoy performing most of the routine maintenance issues on our coach but would hesitate to go somewhere where I might not get out!

GaryKD · 04-17-2010, 01:26 PM

Hi caymann,
If the coach's ride height is not enough for you, you need to determine where, on your coach a jack can be placed to get the coach to the height needed. Jack stands are a must. If you chock the front wheels (assuming the coach is on level ground) you should be able to raise the rear to what ever height is needed.

The points you use to jack up the coach is going to be unique to your coach's construction and frame.

Barrier2 · 04-17-2010, 02:04 PM

Hi Jim, Any Hydraulic Jack is designed for lifting not holding up a Vehicle. No matter how rare a failure is it does happen. As Bill said you need Jack Stands to support the vehicle. The jack height is not as important as the capacity you can always place the jack on a wood block to get the height. Whatever Jack or Jackstand must have the right capacity. I have seen jack stands that claim to support 1 1/2 tons there is a night and day difference between them.
Robert

rex · 04-17-2010, 06:29 PM

Jim, were I you, I would get sufficient 2 x 12 boards to build a ramp to drive the coach up on, raising it sufficiently for work under it. If you plan to work on the air system connected to the air bags, I would blow the air and lower the house to the frame stops AFTER the coach was parked on the wood ramps.

mahon1993 · 04-17-2010, 07:03 PM

You are dealing with something that weighs 20 to 30 thousand pounds. You need the right capacity equipment and the knowledge how to use it properly. You have to be careful. Things can slip and shift and then fall. Guys have been killed when things weighing a lot less have fallen on them.
Greg

Stillwater · 04-17-2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rex

Jim, were I you, I would get sufficient 2 x 12 boards to build a ramp to drive the coach up on, raising it sufficiently for work under it. If you plan to work on the air system connected to the air bags, I would blow the air and lower the house to the frame stops AFTER the coach was parked on the wood ramps.

I second this method run the coach up on ramps, they don't have to be high but enough to ensure you have wiggle room when your under it with the air dumped. With the air dumped your spring brakes are on and it's not going anywhere. Plus it takes all the work out of trying to jack it up.

caymann · 04-17-2010, 07:35 PM

I like the ramp idea. I guess 3 or so 2x12 ought to do it.
I plan on working on the air system fixing some slow air leaks
as well as replacing the pressure switch by the auxiliary
twelve volt pump.
Earlier i was thinking about putting jack stands below the frame rails
but the rails were high off the ground for any jack stands i could find.

jim

hamdave · 04-18-2010, 06:20 AM

I use the 2x12 on mine sawed at 45 deg angles to make the move easier. Three boards gives me plenty of height and I don't have to worry about a jack failing. NEVER use the vehicle jacks (by definition a mechanical lifting device -SUBJECT to frequent FAILURE !!)

cheers

Bill Adams · 04-18-2010, 06:58 AM

I have had my coach serviced in several places where they used ramps as well and this is a very safe and secure method of raising the coach.

Gary RVRoamer · 04-18-2010, 08:12 AM

Driving it up on ramps may not be sufficient if you are going to work on the suspension. The frame and body are still suspended above the wheels/axles by the air bags or springs and if you need to remove or adjust the suspension you may need to support the frame as well. All depends on what you are doing under there.

FleetMan · 04-18-2010, 08:46 AM

A while back, some posted that he has some large timbers, railroad tie size, cut to length which he stands on end under the frame rails to act as jack stands when the air bags bleed off. Driving up on suitable ramps and using supports under the frame rails should provide the margin of safety one would need.

For myself, I made six ramps from 2x12's, four high for six inch clearance and safety blocks of one foot sections of treated 4x4's arranged in "cribbing" fashion with a 2x12 cap. One each under the raised jack stand. When the air bags bleed off, the bulk of the coach weight is on the cribbing, this idea came from a discussion at the Camp Freightliner session I attended.