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dtlogic · 03-15-2011, 01:55 PM

Quick question..... do we need to have the jacks down for storage or up and pump up the tire pressure??? Its on a flat concrete pad just not sure what is better? Also which tire pressure do we follow??? the one printed on the tire or the one in the MH manual?? Only difference of 10- 20 psi but that could be the difference of a blow out and that is not really something we want

Fossilhog · 03-15-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtlogic

Quick question..... do we need to have the jacks down for storage or up and pump up the tire pressure??? Its on a flat concrete pad just not sure what is better? Also which tire pressure do we follow??? the one printed on the tire or the one in the MH manual?? Only difference of 10- 20 psi but that could be the difference of a blow out and that is not really something we want

I store mine with the jacks down, raise them every 2 weeks and move the rv back and forth a few feet. Gets everything lubed.

FDchief · 03-15-2011, 05:41 PM

I store mine with the jacks up. And for storage I air up the tires to maximum cold psi as stamped on the sidewall. When traveling, I run mine 5 psi more than the chart reads for each weighed wheel.

I know some do store with jacks down. Good for suspension and tires I assume. But my last motorhome didn't have jacks, so old habits are hard to break. No square spots on the tires from sitting in storage aired up.

JavaJelly · 03-15-2011, 06:29 PM

From all the folks I've talked to, Newmar techs, dealer, etc. leaving jacks down extended periods of time is bad for them. I know even parking mine for two weeks camping w/o raising the jacks caused problems.

Have heard to park on wood instead of concrete. Can't explain why, maybe an urban legend. Could be something w/absorbing moisture.

By the way, the worst thing for the jacks is parking at the Newmar factory in the January w/the jacks down overnight and have them freeze to the ground. I'm sure the 2x4 I used to free them wasn't in the maintenance manual.

stepside454 · 03-15-2011, 06:34 PM

So if your staying somewhere for a few months in the MH do you occasionAlly take the jacks up & down?

JavaJelly · 03-15-2011, 06:38 PM

That is what I have heard from dealer techs. That said, they are always covering themselves. According to this one guy who worked on my jacks, he said every couple of days. Of course, he probably hasn't RV'd a day in his life.

This would be a good question for HWH.

If this is the case then we are expected to put in our slides (can't have the slide out w/the jacks up or else all hell will break loose according to manuals) every two days and put the jacks up and then back down. YEAH RIGHT!

Maybe someone will get an official answer.

TQ60 · 03-15-2011, 11:51 PM

Our jacks are HWH kickdown, the rears are long enough fully retracted but kicked down to support the coach when the air bage deflate, fronts are well off the ground.

We park jacks kicked and retracted, the weight of the engine (pusher) is bearing on the retracted jacks instead of the airbags, front axle not that much weight to woory about.

Search tire inflation and you will have a ton of information regarding the proper inflation of tires, only the manufacturer should address the need to inflate to max while stored, I can not think of any real advantage except that the tires should have enough air to support the load upon hitting the road, then one still would need to let air out, so work still needed.

I would suggest reading the multiple threads here regarding inflation, the short is do a 4 corner weight, lookup the pressure in the chart provided by the manufacturer for the given tire and weight and use that as the minimum pressure, the maximum pressure it the limit set by the rating stamped in the wheel.

Monacoach · 03-16-2011, 07:51 AM

Quote:

If this is the case then we are expected to put in our slides (can't have the slide out w/the jacks up or else all hell will break loose according to manuals) every two days and put the jacks up and then back down. YEAH RIGHT!

Finally an advantage of owning a Monaco where we have to extend slides before dropping jacks. Ok its no advantage because I will never be convinced to raise and lower jacks every couple of days ( even though we don't have to bring slides in) . If hydraulic jacks were that fragile I would rather use blocks.

DickNiehues · 04-19-2011, 09:46 AM

Jacks up or down for storage? I store my 39' pusher with jacks up, but it makes since that jacks down would be better for the tires. And I would think the large rams on the jack system would easily hold the coach weight. I use a check list before starting the rig; you know to not forget antennas and jacks, etc.. But Murphy's law says I'll forget to look at the check list.

TomTheOilMan · 04-19-2011, 03:09 PM

I store with 20,000 lb jack stands on the rear frame, with tires 1" off the ground along with the front frame jacked up with portable jack stands also....... batteries removed...

JoeT · 04-20-2011, 08:13 AM

Go to your tire manufactures web site. Goodyear has recommendations for storage. I imagine the other manufactures would, too.

Cat320 · 04-20-2011, 09:17 AM

Jacks down and tires on wood.

wa8yxm · 04-20-2011, 09:18 AM

One school of thought,, One to which I subscribe, is that when you drop the jacks and lift the rig AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WITHOUT LIFTING THE WHEELS OFF THE GROUND, you "Unload" the suspension and springs.. This is a good thing, a very good thing.

Option 2, this takes two people and 4 HEAVY DUTY jack stands...

First, one person sitting inside the motor home uses the jacks to life either the front or the rear.. KEEP A FOOT FIRMLY ON THE SERVICE BRAKES you want them locked.. The other places the jack stands.. now lower the rig on to the jack stands.. Actually, this is better done using a bottle jack such as Harbor Freight's 12 ton air/hydraulic jack-jack.

If using the bottle jack, and parked on level ground, do the front first.

Why you want both rear and at least one front tire firmly on the ground

If you lift both front wheels off the ground, then get a blast from the side (Gust of wind) the jacks can easily turn into very expensive pretzels.

Likewise if just one rear wheel comes off the ground, since the parking brake works on the drive shaft and not the wheels themselves, movement to the front or rear is possible. again pretzling the jacks.

paz · 04-20-2011, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtlogic

Quick question..... do we need to have the jacks down for storage or up and pump up the tire pressure??? Its on a flat concrete pad just not sure what is better? Also which tire pressure do we follow??? the one printed on the tire or the one in the MH manual?? Only difference of 10- 20 psi but that could be the difference of a blow out and that is not really something we want

You have gotten a lot of comments on your jacks, but not many on your tire pressure question. The pressure on the tire is the maximum recommended inflation pressure for that tire. The pressure in the manual is probably based on the axle rating for your coach. Neither is necessarily the correct tire pressure.

In order to determine the correct tire pressure you must first know how much your coach weighs as loaded for travel. The only way to know this for sure is to have the coach weighed, preferably with separate weights for all 4 corners, but at least separate weights for each axle.

Once you have these weights, you can use your tire manufacturer's inflation tables, which are usually available online, to determine the proper inflation pressures.

If you have 4-corner weights, take the heavier side for each axle and set the pressure on both sides of that axle to carry the heavier weight. The reason weights for all 4 corners is preferred is that it's not unusual for a motorhome to be heavier on one side. Ours is off by a couple hundred pounds, but I've heard of side-to-side imbalances of over 1000 pounds. If you have only the total axle weight and divide by 2, a 1000 pound imbalance could result in underinflation of at least 10 psi depending on your tire size.