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Old 08-23-2011, 12:50 PM   #1
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Front levelling jacks on Fifth Wheel

Are the 2 front levelling jacks on a fifth wheel self levelling. By this I mean, can one lift the unit independant of the other or will it wait until both jacks have force applied. I think the one on street side of my flagstaff 8528CKWS will lift camper even though the other one is not yet firmly planted on blocks. Please enlighten me.
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Old 08-23-2011, 02:12 PM   #2
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They work in tandem.
They lift at the same rate
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:01 PM   #3
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If they are on uneven surfaces, will one lift or wait for the other to catch up.
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:05 PM   #4
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What brand of jacks?
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:09 PM   #5
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Mine Are lippert the drive motor (curb) side bolts to the right gear housing jack then there's a solid shaft to right side bolted to gear housing.
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:24 PM   #6
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As you can see from the rear jacks, they are at different levels yet have the same tension.
When I lowered the front jacks, the street side jack engaged before the other one and started to raise the camper before the second jack became engaged at all. I think that is wrong. I dostand to be corrected.
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:30 PM   #7
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Yes the rears act independent from each other.
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:32 PM   #8
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How much difference in the fronts?

i just looked at mine and theres no way for them to be out of sync .... but theres plenty of play within the cross shaft and other gear housing for it to appear that ones lifting shortly before the other starts since the curb side gear housing is direct drive to the motor.
then you would have one gear catch up on curb side then the cross shaft play then the passenger side gear to catch up.
sound logical ?
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:52 PM   #9
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Sounds logical, but if I have my camper levelled side to side when parking and then disconnect the truck, and lower the front jacks, if one engages before the other, it puts my trailer out of side level. I can't remember this happening before.
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:55 PM   #10
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hmmmmm . look at your cross shaft and see if the shear bolt is twisting as you raise or lower ?
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Old 08-23-2011, 03:58 PM   #11
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I'll have a closer look next time I disconnect and see if I can see what's going on. Thanks for the input.
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Old 08-23-2011, 04:03 PM   #12
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let me know as i am curious as well .
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Old 08-23-2011, 04:26 PM   #13
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Sorry Rugged Brown------------

Sorry Rugged Brown, you can't have all the "GOODIES". Just have to have a good level, a stack of 2"X6" wooden blocks or a set of the yellow plastic level blocks from WALLY-WORLD to get the front side to side level before you unhook from the TV.

Oh by the way Rugged Brown, you better hide all the lobsters & clams, for I am heading to your parts this coming Saturday. First We will eat all of the lobsters on PEI, then look out, Nova Scotia is next!!!!!!
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Old 08-24-2011, 07:40 AM   #14
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Well folks I am confused

5th wheel only:

Rear Jacks - The design of the Lippert Electric REAR jacks are "self adjusting" and will put equal tension on the pads regardless of which hits first. The screw drive just shifts torque to the pad not in contact with the ground (or block). (see attached manual)

Front Jacks - Come down together (always) unless the torque shaft or gear pinion on the down shafts is broken. Once you level the camper with the wheels using Lego blocks or wood, you must use the front jacks to EVENLY raise the front of the camper to unhitch and level front front to rear.

Trying to LEVEL (LEFT TO RIGHT) the camper with the front jacks will twist the camper and cause doors not to close; cabinet seperations; and all kinds of other hard to repair failures.

This is accomplished by unpinning the pad column and lower the pads downward until the ground is contacted. I always use a square wood load distribution board under the pad. I also lift the pads about 2 inches before putting the pins back in because I have been trapped after unhitching and needed more travel downward to get the rig level.
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Old 08-24-2011, 07:55 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
5th wheel only:

Rear Jacks - The design of the Lippert Electric REAR jacks are "self adjusting" and will put equal tension on the pads regardless of which hits first. The screw drive just shifts torque to the pad not in contact with the ground (or block). (see attached manual)

Front Jacks - Come down together (always) unless the torque shaft or gear pinion on the down shafts is broken. Once you level the camper with the wheels using Lego blocks or wood, you must use the front jacks to EVENLY raise the front of the camper to unhitch and level front front to rear.

Trying to LEVEL the camper with the front jacks will twist the camper and cause doors not to close; cabinet seperations; and all kinds of other hard to repair failures.

This is accomplished by unpinning the pad column and lower the pads downward until the ground is contacted. I always use a square wood load distribution board under the pad. I also lift the pads about 2 inches before putting the pins back in because I have been trapped after unhitching and needed more travel downward to get the rig level.



Lou

If you look at the pic I provided of the rear jacks, I think I demonstrated that they work exactly as you describe.

My understanding now is that the front jacks do not work in the same manner. Therefore, if I am on uneven ground and when I lower the jacks to the ground before I disconnect the two vehicle, one jack may not be touching the ground. When I raise the camper with the jacks, one jack will take the load, raise the camper before the other one takes load and thus result in camper going out of level or twisting as you stated which may result in other issues. The only solution to this, as I see it, is to shim the jacks so that each are in contact with ground before raising the camper. Is this your solution?
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Old 08-24-2011, 08:01 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rugged Brown View Post
Lou

If you look at the pic I provided of the rear jacks, I think I demonstrated that they work exactly as you describe.

My understanding now is that the front jacks do not work in the same manner. Therefore, if I am on uneven ground and when I lower the jacks to the ground before I disconnect the two vehicle, one jack may not be touching the ground. When I raise the camper with the jacks, one jack will take the load, raise the camper before the other one takes load and thus result in camper going out of level or twisting as you stated which may result in other issues. The only solution to this, as I see it, is to shim the jacks so that each are in contact with ground before raising the camper. Is this your solution?
Are you using the pull pins on the lower part of the jacks for course adjustment?
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Old 08-24-2011, 08:25 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by f1100turbo View Post
Are you using the pull pins on the lower part of the jacks for course adjustment?
Terry would have to be but maybe using the same settings on both?

They should only be the same when you are already level left to right.

I added some more stuff from Lippert to my original post.
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Old 08-24-2011, 08:45 AM   #18
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Yes jerk I believe he has the front pads the same height regardless of ground unevenness.
I found dropping the feet via the pins and then as you said raise them two inches evenly works well.
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Old 08-24-2011, 09:03 AM   #19
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I use different pin holes depending on the terrain, however, this could still result in at least 2 " difference because of the distant between the pin holes. It's an incremental adjustment rather than continuous. Am I just splitting hairs here now. In any event, the difference during my last setup threw my camper out of side to side level.
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Old 08-24-2011, 10:02 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rugged Brown View Post
I use different pin holes depending on the terrain, however, this could still result in at least 2 " difference because of the distant between the pin holes. It's an incremental adjustment rather than continuous. Am I just splitting hairs here now. In any event, the difference during my last setup threw my camper out of side to side level.


Rugged ,
iIdont believe your splitting hairs but to reply to your earlier post.
If both legs are close within an inch id shim accordingly .
so that both legs contact your blocking evenly or yes it will throw off your already side to side level.

I guess i was having a hard time understanding what you were looking for but I think we have it narrowed down now !
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