Jacks up or down during storage?

[raycyn778]

Hello all, I have been advised both ways, what do others do when storing their units? leveling jacks up or down?
Thanks
Ray

[avolnek]

Up... Down just gives rodents an additional way into the rig!

[bend302]

Originally Posted by avolnek

Up... Down just gives rodents an additional way into the rig!

X2

I keep mine up, but I have a level storage unit.

[raycyn778]

not sure what you mean by that, it's an external cylinder..how would they get in?

[raycyn778]

Originally Posted by bend302

X2

I keep mine up, but I have a level storage unit.

Your not concerned about all of the weight sitting on the chassis for a long time?

[bend302]

Originally Posted by raycyn778

Your not concerned about all of the weight sitting on the chassis for a long time?

Not really concerned, my unit is 9 years old and has always been stored jacks up. I assume these things are designed to take the weight. I do park on wooden pieces to keep the tires out of contact with the concrete.

Also, jacks are a "relatively" new option. Some units don't have jacks. My son rented a new class C in Alaska and had to park on boards to get level.

We are kind of spoiled, I think.

Bill

[avolnek]

Originally Posted by raycyn778

not sure what you mean by that, it's an external cylinder..how would they get in?

It's an external cylinder up to the frame. The frame then is a highway from front to rear of the rig with many opportunities to get into the rig. Just my opinion...

I never seen an campers on the sales lot with jacks down...

[Iggy]

Jacks up and house battery power off.

[alparmer]

When I winterized ours I had the same question and went with jacks up. Not because critters would be crawling up tubes since the tires provide a better highway for them. I went jacks up simply due to wear and tear. I figured it would be better on seals, etc. if there is no pressure in the system for the entire duration of winter. On the other hand, the system is meant to be used such as if you were to live in the coach full time. Then again, if we were to live in it full time, we would level it the old conventional way and put the jacks down just enough to help with sway (use them as stabilizers instead of leveling).

[BigTJohn]

If hydraulic, then UP as they tend to gather more dust, dirt, rust if not inside the cylinders. When all that grime, etc gets slid past the seals then there may be some "other" damage.

[OldCoot]

Don't have a MH, but I store my 5er with the 3 sets of jacks down to take the load off the tires & suspension. If I had hydraulics, I'd do the same and coat the shafts with wd 40 or a thin oil and cover with visqueen.

[bend302]

Just a comment. I was told to always use a dry lube like silicone on the jack shafts to prevent an oily residue that could attract sand and mess up the hyd seals...

Bill

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by bend302

Just a comment. I was told to always use a dry lube like silicone on the jack shafts to prevent an oily residue that could attract sand and mess up the hyd seals...

Bill

The outer seals are made for wiping foreign material off the shafts and if the OP coated them with WD40 or light oil and then wrapped with Visqueen, there would not be dirt, etc.

[sparks1032]

Jacks up its -40 here and we occasionally go on a trip and don't want them frozen to the ground.

[BillMFl]

Jacks up and coach power switch off while stored works for me. Before storing I extend jacks and wipe shafts clean and lubricate with Dextron transmission fluid which cleans, lubes and prevents surface corrosion/pitting. Once a month or so I run the engine and generator and turn on coach power, check house battery charge level and plug in to shore power until fully charged (if needed) and run the roof top ACs for a few minutes when running the generator. I used clean gravel for level "pads" that the tires sit on. Mulch on the rest of the parking area. The gravel pads are a few inches higher than the surrounding mulch parking area so that rain, etc will drain off from tires. The mulch/ gravel combo is a much cheaper alternative to a concrete pad and the size is easy to modify if or when I change RVs.

[tmmar]

I store my coach on my driveway plugged in and jacks up and tires on rubber mats. I have some 8x8's that I cut so they just fit under the jack pads with the jacks up this way if the air bags lose pressure the coach will settle on the 8x8's and that will support the chassis.

[alparmer]

I didn't put anything under my tires. I've heard people using wood, matts, etc. Is it really bad for them to sit on concrete?

[bend302]

Originally Posted by alparmmer

I didn't put anything under my tires. I've heard people using wood, matts, etc. Is it really bad for them to sit on concrete?

I don't know if it is really bad not, just heard it somewhere. But, my little plywood pads perform another duty. when DW guides me onto them, I know I am centered in my storage and can open some slides and all storage compartments. If they protect my tires from some evil in the concrete, that's a plus.

Bill

[alparmer]

Well, I know that if they sit on the same spot for a long time they get flat spots. Maybe something softer than concrete like wood or plastic helps with flat spots.

Was just wondering if there is real science to it, or just myth.

[mark0224]

Can't go anywhere in winter and store mine outside in a very windy area, Always thought the more I have in contact with the ground the more stable in the wind. Tires are on boards and I also put boards under all jacks so they can't freeze to ground. A friend near me didn't put jacks down , mine stayed put theirs flipped on side. I don't know if it actually helped but if you've ever been in one when its hooked to truck they bounce a lot, but when set up bounce is less. As for rodents ck your unit frequently during winter look for signs of them, use things that repel them mothballs, traps or poison. They will go right up the tires or any spot that comes close to ground.