Big Foot Leveling System

[Mike & Molly]

I'm researching the Big Foot Leveling System for my
2013 - 3010DS.
Anyone own one, and would like to give an opinion/review
on the how the system works, quality, etc.
Will the installation of the system effect the FR warranty in anyway?
Thanks for any help.

[lbrunning]

I have a 2011 3170 that we bought used this winter with the Big Foot system on it. the only thing i had to do to it was reset the level indicator and that was easy with the instructions in the Manuel. we have used our motor home 7 times this year and have had no problems with the big foot system. in my opinion this is a very good system and it has worked well for us. hope this helps

[BigJohnD]

They work. Reliable enough. Good company. I like the lack of hydraulic lines due to the individual jack pumps. I never use the auto level feature anymore though. Just like my previous HWH system, it wouldn't go to the same level twice. It will go almost level, and for some this is enough. the system I'm sure has a little +\- tolerance. I've recalibrated mine 4 times pet the manual inside my shop using a 4' level as reference. Also have the exterior bubble levels set using the 4' on counters and floor. It just doesn't satisfy me. So, I run each jack down till it barely tags the ground, then run in sets to achieve level. Having spent 18 years on floating offshore drilling rigs, my equilibrium is a shade different than some. I can walk around in one and sense a fraction off, my wife can live with most anything. I drive her nuts with this.

[jrl3]

I have them on my 2012 3170 and love them. Just like BigJohnD, I don't use the auto level feature, it tends to lift all my wheels off the ground which I don't like. I operate them in pairs and use a level app on my wife's cell phone.

[Garrette]

Love mine and have yet to lift tires off ground. Auto mode always. Beer cold and eggs stay in pan. I'am so good..

[paulmlac]

Thumbs up here too. Had the Quadra Bigfoot system added after the sale directly from the Quadra facility in Michigan. Good people. Good product. We almost always get fairly level sites so wanted it more for stabilization. Does that. But not 100% better. We have two kids who are active so, for example, we could easily feel the daughter getting out of the cabover when we were in bed in the back prior to the system. Maybe 75% better now. We use the auto level feature. It isn't 100% exact every time but we are content with it that way.

[rhumbert]

We have a 3010DS and love the bigfoot jacks. Pull into the site and hit the button. Nothing to it. Set up in a minute. Feel sorry for the folks with travel trailers cranking the jacks in the rain. We have been across country in many different places and they are great. They do have a limit of 5 deg. If the sensor sees more tilt than that, you'll have to use pads and manual operation. Only had to do that once. Ours came factory installed so there shouldn't be any warranty issues. The company notified me there was an upgrade to put a bar on the back jacks to make them more rigid if fully extended. Sent the bar and instructions to me no charge. They would have paid to have it put on, but it was an easy install. There is a little bit of wiggle in the rear of the RV when moving around like making the bed. This is because of the placement of the jacks, and it's only noticeable when I am working with my laptop at the dinette instead of helping
You will also want to get pads for soft ground. The footpad is fine for asphalt and gravel, but it will push into soft soil.

[bclemens]

PS. Should not affect the warranty in any way since that is the same system that we use at the factory.

[Al Fresco]

My wife and I have a 2011 Sunseeker 2300 with Bigfoot jacks factory installed. Wouldn't leave home without them! Nothing like pulling into a camp site on a rainy day and leveling from the comfort of the cab.

The jacks have proven to be reliable and to consistently achieve a comfortable level condition with automatic operation. Since the Sunseeker rides a bit low in the front to begin with, I use the manual method of leveling when camp sites have a pronounced slope to the front. Using the automatic method can result in raising the front wheels off the ground under those circumstances. Otherwise, the automatic method hits a sweet spot leaving all four wheels on the ground.

Since there is only about a 4-inch clearance between the pads and ground with the back jacks in my setup, I must be aware of situations in which the traveling surface makes abrupt changes. After some 8,000 miles of travel, I have encountered only one instance in which the back pads scraped pavement when leaving a gas station.

From my experience, I give Bigfoot two thumbs up.

[dcogs15]

Our Forester 3051S came with factory installed Bigfoot leveler. I like the convenience of the auto leveling, but on our first two trips, the leveler seems to adjust with right side 1/8 to 1/4 bubble high and rear at least 1/4 bubble high on my level. It even has raised rear tires off the ground a couple of times. I manually leveled without having to raise the tires. Sounds like I might need to calibrate the system. Has anyone here done that? The procedure in the manual seems to be fairly straight forward.

[paulmlac]

I have done it a couple times. Very straight forward. Just follow the step by step instructions in the book. First just figure out what you want to use as your basis (floor, counter, fridge, shower, etc.) and have a leveler (the bigger the better probably).

[BigJohnD]

Recalibrated mine several times, leaving levels on floor and countertop as reference. It was always off a little, and different every time. We quit using the auto feature and manually level every time now, running each jack down barely tagging the ground, then running in sets. Just as quick and we can get it how we want every time. Auto is nice if you want it, but I'm getting out anyway to hook up water and electric. Plus, like any kid, its fun to play with remote control stuff.

[Mike001]

I have the 3010 DS w/ the bigfoot system. Very easy to use. I do put blocks under the feet, sometimes the ground is soft. System is easy to use, it is now my 15 year old's job to level the rig when we set up. I always put the parking brake, not sure if it necessary. I would never have a rig w/o a leveling system after having one.

[DXSMac]

Discovered something. If you are trying to RETRACT the Big Foot, DO NOT push "auto." If you push "auto" they will retract, but they will go right back down again. I made that mistake. Thought I pushed retract, I pushed "auto."

[DXSMac]

Originally Posted by Mike001

I always put the parking brake, not sure if it necessary.

When I had the HWH system (pain in the **** system), it was necessary to put the parking brake on. Under Big Foot it doesn't appear necessary, but I am so used to doing it from HWH, I would put parking brake on anyway.

[jimdaway]

We picked up our 3050S last October with the Bigfoot system factory installed. I never had to deal with crank-jacks and the like.

We love the stability and ease of use but we find that the system seems to hunt for level on slight slopes and the wheels (front or rear - depends on slope) tend to get lifted. Like others have said, it doesn't seem to find the same level twice.

Odd thing yesterday coming home from our weekend away, though. We were driving and the system started beeping telling us all the jacks weren't up. We did the emergency retract and it didn't clear the issue. Pulled over right away and after checking each one, we still had the alarm. Each jack was up and the plunger-sensors all "felt" like they were up. Tried lowering and raising and still had the alarm. Nothing we could do would clear it.

Now, I have some reading to do!

Overall, it seems like a great system. We're new to the game, but I don't think I'd want to be without them.

[BigJohnD]

When we had our Forester, it did the same thing once. It'll make your heart stop for a second. On ours though, the lowering and raising cleared the alarm.

[jimdaway]

Yeah. We had it happen on the last outing as well. It actually seemed to start alarming (both times) after driving on a patch of really rough asphalt (a fact of life here in Ontario...)

The first time it happened, the emergency retract worked perfectly. This time, though it didn't. Thanks for the reply. I'll post back my findings...

[motodude79]

you can unplug the box and plug it back in. Sometimes that clears it sometimes it doesn't. Just make sure all the jacks are up. Mine was doing it and I saw on the back left one of the jack sensors was bent so when the jacks were up it wouldn't go all the way up which caused it to beep. I bent it back slightly an now everything works fine.

[Alwidot]

Have you been able to get it to stop alarming you? If so how did you do it?
My 3050S is doing it too. And the front right will not work at all in either mode.