Jacks up or down

[wingman139]

When my motorhome is setting and not in use. Should I have my jacks down or up? It's a 40' with 3 slides all slides are in and tanks are empty. Just wondering if it would be to much weight on the tires.

[rivraton]

Originally Posted by wingman139

When my motorhome is setting and not in use. Should I have my jacks down or up? It's a 40' with 3 slides all slides are in and tanks are empty. Just wondering if it would be to much weight on the tires.

If you decide to store your coach with the jacks extended, you need to periodically spray the rams with lubricant to keep the from rusting. but why would you think there would be "too much weight" on the tires when parked,if there is not when driving?

[devildawg]

I would not put the jacks down. Sitting on the tires will nkt hurt anything. My coach does not have jacks njust airbags for leveling. It sits on the tires all the time with no issues

[Bigd9]

This from the Power Gear web site:

If jacks are down for extended periods, it is recommended to spray exposed chrome rods with a silicone lubricant every seven days for protection. If your coach is located in a salty environment, it is recommended to spray every 2 to 3 days.

Other manufactures recommend other types of lubricants. Check with them on what is proper to use.

I store my coach with the stabilizers in the extended position. I use a water resistant silicone spray product from the WD-40 People.

Side note, if you do have the Power Gear stabilizers, some of them, like mine, have a grease fitting on the lower part of each leg. Power Gear explains what to use and how often to use it.

[Bigd9]

From Goodyear:

Storing Your Vehicle Without Removing the Tires
Ideally, a vehicle in storage should be placed on blocks to remove all weight from the tires. If the vehicle cannot be put on blocks, follow these steps for tire protection:
Completely unload the vehicle so that minimum weight will be placed on the tires
Inflate tires to recommended operating pressure plus 25%. Ensure that the rim manufacturer’s inflation capacity is not exceeded
Be sure the storage surface is firm, clean, well drained and reasonably level
Avoid moving the vehicle during extremely cold weather
Move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the tire bulge area, as well as “flat-spotting” from the prolonged strain of sidewall and tread deflection
Adjust inflation before putting the vehicle back into service

From Michelin:

LONG TERM STORAGE OF RV TIRES
Unless the RV owner is a full-time RV-er, the vehicle
probably spends some time in long-term storage. But
what the RV owner probably didn’t know is that rubber
tires age when not being used. So, if the owner must store
the RV, a cool, dry, sealed garage is the best bet. Also, some
storage surfaces can cause tires to age faster. That’s why
Michelin recommends placing a barrier (cardboard,
plastic or plywood) between the tire and the storage
surface.
Here are some other steps the RV owner can take to
help reduce the aging effects from long-term storage:
1) Thoroughly clean tires with soap and water before
placing into storage.
2) Cover tires to block direct sunlight and ultraviolet
rays.
3) Store out of a high ozone area.
Note: When a vehicle is stored, tires should be inflated
to the inflation pressure indicated on the sidewall.
Before removing the vehicle from long-term storage,
thoroughly inspect each tire – this includes sidewalls,
tread area, and pressure. If the tires have lost pressure, be
sure to inflate them to the correct pressure before driving.

[D Lindy]

When I put ours up for the winter I, 1) air up the suspension air bags, 2) take bricks and wood and pack them tight under the Fully Retracted jacks, 3) then dump the air suspension putting weight on the retracted jacks. Thus there's no need to kept spraying the jacks in the middle of winter with 2' snow on the ground, and the jacks take some of the weight off the tires and suspension.

[dons2346]

To much weight on the tires?? What happens when you roll down the road? All weight is on the tires. It makes no difference.

My coach has no jacks so when it gets stowed (which isn't much), all weight is on the tires

Air the tires to max and let it sit.

[CampDaven]

I have air leveling. The weight is all on rubber.

[Luv2go]

Last S&B I stored with them down, needed them to level. This S&B I store them up, nice level floor in our RV tent. The Atwood jacks don't have any special notes or lube procedures for long term storage.

[AFChap]

My HWH jacks have been down probably 90% of their life. If it is not a travel day, the jacks are down. We bought the coach new and have over 97k miles on it. I have NEVER lubed or wiped the jack rams, and have never even replaced a spring. They are hydraulic rams just like on farm equipment, and if they are quality made (like HWH obviously is) they should be able to tolerate being exposed for long periods of time. I suspect lack of use is too often the reason for problems with leveling jacks, as well as many other rv systems.