Lippert 6 Point “Level Up” Automatic Hydraulic Leveling System Question

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by brycliff

Lots of info here in this thread! I have a new CC 38FL that we bought new about 5 months ago and work at an RV park. We are provided a site with full hookups on a flat (except for drainage tilt) concrete slab. Other than towing it from the dealer to here and running the autolevel one time it justs sits here. In the LCI book it says to spray lube on the rams if they will be extended for a period of time. Here we also have a problem with an invasive species of ants and have to coat everything that contacts the ground and the RV with something like Vaseline that the ants won't cross. I have used the grease that I use on the ball hitch, sway and equalizer bars on my bumper-pull units.
One thing that we have noticed that has us wondering, we often here a pop sound and a slight movement, like a 0.1 on the Richter Scale. These pops sound like they are coming from the attachment of the rams to the frame. They come from one ram at a time and then several minutes later from another. Since we have been sitting for months in the same place, I though the hydraulics were creeping down but the trailer seems to still be level. I do not have blocks under the feet so the rams are extended a good distance.
We will be moving to a different park for the next 6 months and trying to prepair so I can prevent any problem. This means that I will be using the LevelUp for only the second time.

That's nothing to worry about it just air in the system. there is an additive that they recommend putting in. They added it to mine when I was in for repairs at LCI. What you might want to do is hook your TV up and retract all jacks and then relevel. Also if you want just hit auto level again without hooking up. The system is supposed to be self priming/bleeding off. How, I do not know. The more you use it the better it is. I hit auto level all the time just to see it work. One thing to remember is not to extend your front jacks with the outside toggle switch. That will divert your oil and loose pressure. You can just unhook like that but do not hit auto after you done that. You need to let the system work in sequence. If you were just spending a night and didn't want to unhook and just to stabilize the unit. This level up system is the "Cats Meow" You will never own another trailer without it. I love to watch it dip and tilt and then here the buzzer and the read out reads success. I now can leave a door open without it swinging. But I would hit auto level again after that period of time as you have been. As far as the ants I would spray the footing not the ram and only use silicone spray on them then wipe it off. Sorry so long, but as you can tell I'm very impressed with this system. I can extend my camping time now, and I'm done in 2 mins for level which my wife is very sensitive to. Good luck and have fun...

[CTGREG]

Just to clarify. Am I to understand that when I unhook my 5th wheeler from the tow vehicle, I should be better off to lower the front all the way then hit auto level? Am I to understand that this will allow the trailer to level at a overall lower height thus not extend the rams as much?

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by CTGREG

Just to clarify. Am I to understand that when I unhook my 5th wheeler from the tow vehicle, I should be better off to lower the front all the way then hit auto level? Am I to understand that this will allow the trailer to level at a overall lower height thus not extend the rams as much?

I have never heard of that or read that anywhere. I can't see how that would make the stroke shorter. It levels from front to rear first then side to side. the front can't be lower then your wheels. If your on a pretty level pad, that's the distance that your front end will need to be. If you notice the right ram will lower first then the left. Now if you hit the out side rocker switch they will both drop together. Then you would loss pressure. That is what I was told from LCI, the manifold pressure runs in sequence to keep the pressure equal.( such as right side first and then left side) At least that is what the Mech. told me. Never seen it in the instructions and must have read them 10x's already. If I want to shorten the stroke I have to use blocks. Shorter the stroke more stable the unit.

[dieselguy]

I've been rolling around in my thoughts the statement to "lower the nose" as well. Any instructions I've run across state to make sure the nose is a bit high before you start the auto level sequence which in most cases is true since it will be slightly nose high when unhooking from the TV. It will level the nose to the rear wheels as that is the system's starting point front to back. Unless you dig holes, you can't lower the rear. When I press the auto level switch, the nose always drops then comes back up to level front to back, then starts the side to side sequence. Dropping the nose down doesn't figure as to how high the fiver will be at "level".

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by dieselguy

I've been rolling around in my thoughts the statement to "lower the nose" as well. Any instructions I've run across state to make sure the nose is a bit high before you start the auto level sequence which in most cases is true since it will be slightly nose high when unhooking from the TV. It will level the nose to the rear wheels as that is the system's starting point front to back. Unless you dig holes, you can't lower the rear. When I press the auto level switch, the nose always drops then comes back up to level front to back, then starts the side to side sequence. Dropping the nose down doesn't figure as to how high the fiver will be at "level".

You are correct, It will even state that it will not be at the exact height when you disconnect on the hook-up recognition when you get ready to reconnect. I know I always have to drop my legs down in order to reconnect and ride up the hitch. If you do not do it the way you stated you will get an error message. So I can not see how it can be done without blocks...

[j free]

It depends on the ground you are trying to level on. I go to phoenix Nascar races and the RV spots that I have are sloped front to rear. In my case I have to lower the front all the way other wise when it starts to level it keeps front at hook up height and the rear jacks can not composite for the drop the site has. But If I lower the front the rear has enough distance to level system without installing extra blocks. So it really depends on your situation at the time.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by j free

It depends on the ground you are trying to level on. I go to phoenix Nascar races and the RV spots that I have are sloped front to rear. In my case I have to lower the front all the way other wise when it starts to level it keeps front at hook up height and the rear jacks can not composite for the drop the site has. But If I lower the front the rear has enough distance to level system without installing extra blocks. So it really depends on your situation at the time.

That really is my driveway, But it still will level correctly. I have only about 6 to 8" (depending were I stop) of ram in the front but 17" in the rear. That is done in auto mode.

[btritschler1437]

Well I came over from the dark side today, former Crusader owner. Be careful about raising the coach to the point the wheels come off the ground. If that happens you run the risk of flipping the equalizer shackle, if it does not self correct when you lower, you have a problem.

[CTGREG]

Originally Posted by clr

You are correct when you hit auto level the front will dip to start the auto level process. All I was saying is if you lower the front jacks and then hit the auto level the leveled height will be lower. This is just a trick to lower the overall level above the ground and the LCI guys showed me this trick.

I have heard this before, that is why I was wondering about lowering the front before auto level.

[dieselguy]

I'm still not understanding "lower the front" before you auto level. When the 2 mid and 2 rear jacks deploy .... they just kiss the ground and stop. The entire unit then seeks level front to back going off where the tires sit. It then levels side to side from there. It then tweeks front to back if need be. Since acquiring level is based off where your suspension sits not where the nose starts out at ... what am I not getting here? If say my rear starts high ... my front jacks do not try and extend the entire distance in one movement to level to the rear. They extend a bit and then the rear jacks settle a bit, then the front jacks extend a bit more. My unit doesn't lift the wheels off the ground while leveling front to back in this scenerio. It will lift the wheels off the ground during side to side leveling if I'm on a pretty side sloping site.

[brycliff]

I think the idea of lowering the front first is due to fact my TV is a 4WD F350 and so I have to have the front well elevated to hookup. I am new to this unit and have only disconnected and leveled up 2 times so all I know is what I saw in the CD video file that came with the trailer.and read in the manual. I have an appointment to take it back to the dealer to replace the 2 gray dump valve cables that have been stuck open since I bought it and am finally getting a chance to get that fixed so I will ask about this then. Of course I dont think I will trust that answer any where as much as the info I have gotten here on the forums.