Leveling trailer

[LasVagas]

This is our first year being a seasonal in a campground. We backed in our 5th wheel and turned on the auto leveling system and the trailer leveled itself. How ever, the right two axle tires are off the ground. Is this ok? The trailer is going to be sitting for the next 5 months of so. Should I manually readjust them so the tires are on the ground?

Thanks in advance for the advise.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by LasVagas

This is our first year being a seasonal in a campground. We backed in our 5th wheel and turned on the auto leveling system and the trailer leveled itself. How ever, the right two axle tires are off the ground. Is this ok? The trailer is going to be sitting for the next 5 months of so. Should I manually readjust them so the tires are on the ground?

Thanks in advance for the advise.

Put blocks under the wheels off the ground. And relevel, you don't want to leave it like that for 5 mos for sure. If you adjust it how will it be level? If you drop the jack down to put the wheel on the ground, how would it be level?

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

Put blocks under the wheels off the ground. And relevel, you don't want to leave it like that for 5 mos for sure.

Agreed. For a seasonal site, you should probably have most of the weight on the tires rather than the levelers.

[Jim34RL]

X3; but before you relevel the trailer measure the distance between the tires that are off of the ground and the ground line. You should be able to put some boards of the approximate thickness for the tire height off of the ground for that side. Reposition the trail tire on the boards and than relevel.

At least that is how I have done this in the past when the tires are really high off of the ground. Or just reposition the trailer so, the tires do not come off of the ground when leveling.

[MIFarmer]

No problem with having the jacks support the trailer for that long. They're the same thing as the front jacks, and you wouldn't do anything special to support the nose whenever the trailer is off the truck, would you?

The jacks have a higher weight capacity than the tires do. Probably better for the tires' health to be off the ground anyway.

Let 'em fly. Won't hurt a thing. Let the system work as designed.

[rugersdad]

Agree with MIFarmer, my camper has tires off on most of our dry camping spots.

[babock]

Best thing you can do for your tires is to take weight off of them.

[Witch Doctor]

Wait a minute here if your talking 5er manual jacks yes there is no problem there is no outstanding pressure once you put them down and pin them, now if you lifting your tires off the ground with hydraulics you have to have constant pressure. What do you think happens to those lines being under pressure 24/7. Not very good.

[MIFarmer]

All the level up jacks are hydraulic cylinders, just like the front ones. And the front cylinders are under pressure, supporting a large percentage of the weight of the trailer, for the majority of its life with no adverse affects. What bad thing do you think would happen differently to the rear jacks that are constructed, mounted, and plumbed exactly the same as the front if they were supporting the trailer?

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by MIFarmer

All the level up jacks are hydraulic cylinders, just like the front ones. And the front cylinders are under pressure, supporting a large percentage of the weight of the trailer, for the majority of its life with no adverse affects. What bad thing do you think would happen differently to the rear jacks that are constructed, mounted, and plumbed exactly the same as the front if they were supporting the trailer?

What I think your talking about pin weight compared to the whole trailer weight, I guess LCI doesn't recommend using jacks to change a tire either, now a lot of people do that, but your picking it up parked for 5 mos either. How much does that trailer weight 9,000 lbs or so. Little different then extending your front legs. To each there own, call the factory I'm sure there going tell you not to do it, add blocks...thats just my opinion, do as you please.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by MIFarmer

All the level up jacks are hydraulic cylinders, just like the front ones. And the front cylinders are under pressure, supporting a large percentage of the weight of the trailer, for the majority of its life with no adverse affects. What bad thing do you think would happen differently to the rear jacks that are constructed, mounted, and plumbed exactly the same as the front if they were supporting the trailer?

X2. Agree completely.
It amazes me that tires being off the ground on one side bothers folks. It sure doesn't bother the hydraulic system.
The hydraulic front landing jacks hold up the RV most of it's life and folks don't think anything of it. So why worry about the side jacks?
We camp for several weeks at a time with one sides tires off the ground. Our rig is now 7 years old. No problems. Love the hydraulic level-up system!!!

[Witch Doctor]

The OP is talking about 5 mos at a seasonal site, not 1 week camping with you monitoring your camper leveling. Is it wise to leave your camper like that unattended? I guess it depends on how much money you have.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

The OP is talking about 5 mos at a seasonal site, not 1 week camping with you monitoring your camper leveling. Is it wise to leave your camper like that unattended? I guess it depends on how much money you have.

Ok, you got me. All I have had my tires off the ground is for one month continuously. But the front has been off the ground for 7 years! And a lot of that 7 years has been unattended.
So I'm just guessing you need something to worry about. And I'm guessing you either don't have a completely hydraulic leveling system, and/or don't understand it....

[andymil]

My first thought when I read the OP was “that ought to take the wiggle out of it when walking inside”.

I don’t have hydraulic levelers and don’t know much about them. I would think that any time you use them, they’re taking a lot of weight off of the wheels.

Do any of you that have them notice them bleeding down when setup for extended periods, especially if one or more wheels is off of the ground?

IMHO, (everybody’s got one) I don’t think it’s a problem.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by andymil

My first thought when I read the OP was “that ought to take the wiggle out of it when walking inside”.

I don’t have hydraulic levelers and don’t know much about them. I would think that any time you use them, they’re taking a lot of weight off of the wheels.

Do any of you that have them notice them bleeding down when setup for extended periods, especially if one or more wheels is off of the ground?

IMHO, (everybody’s got one) I don’t think it’s a problem.

No leak down. If there was, everyone with hydraulic level-up would have the front end on the ground after storage....

[Witch Doctor]

You know everyone has an opinion, which is great. I think I mentioned the difference on pin weight and total camper weight. And yes I know enough about leveling systems I have had 3 all together, yes I have camped with wheels ofc the ground but that doesn't mean I'll leave my trailer up in the air with 9000 lbs pushing on the jack, big difference. She read a post from Dynamax kinda of the same thing, check it out per Mr. Bcleamens GM yes you can but doesn't mean you should. Now when the jacks fail or someone bends a frame. They will say dam lippert garbage on this forum, but even if it is plain stated by them not to do it. If I'm leaving my unit for 5mos sit there and see the wheels on 1 side as stated are off the ground and I'm to lazy to block them then it's my responsibility not Lipperts. Once again 1 week is different then 5 mos not attended except on weekends maybe. Your not talking Apple's to Apple's here, your talking pin weight to total weight, big difference. But as I have stated it's my opinion, after being on my third unit with level up. 2 lippert systems and now a big foot...happy Easter to all and have a great camping season.

[NMWildcat]

I know, I just like to argue, especially when questionable logic is applied. It is never total weight of the RV trailer on any jack or pair of jacks. Front landing jacks are always down, and there should only be one sides tires off the ground, which also leaves weight on the other side tires and jacks. So weight is distributed at several points.
But, if you need something to worry about, I guess this is just as good as any

[MIFarmer]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

What I think your talking about pin weight compared to the whole trailer weight, I guess LCI doesn't recommend using jacks to change a tire either.

Take a shovel with 10 lbs of dirt in it, left hand at the end of the handle, right hand right up next to the scoop with the dirt. Your right hand is supporting about 10 lbs.

Move your right hand to the mid point of the handle. Your right hand is now the pivot point with 10 lbs of dirt pushing down on one side, and your left hand applying 10 lbs of downforce to keep it level. Your right hand is supporting 20 lbs.

Camper off the truck, the unsupported pin weight is pulling down 6' ahead of the front jacks, which means it is removing weight from behind the front jacks, and the sum total applied to the front jacks. So no, I'm not talking about pin weight.

Lippert doesn't recommend using the system to change tires because the cylinders aren't equipped with safety catches in the event of depressurization. But then again, neither are bottle jacks, and that's the first thing folks go for to change a tire. Much cheaper to pass the liability by saying not to use it for that purpose. But if I needed to change a tire in traffic, I'd use the built-in and bolted-to-the-frame 8,000 lbs-capacity-each jacks in a heartbeat.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by MIFarmer

Take a shovel with 10 lbs of dirt in it, left hand at the end of the handle, right hand right up next to the scoop with the dirt. Your right hand is supporting about 10 lbs.

Move your right hand to the mid point of the handle. Your right hand is now the pivot point with 10 lbs of dirt pushing down on one side, and your left hand applying 10 lbs of downforce to keep it level. Your right hand is supporting 20 lbs.

Camper off the truck, the unsupported pin weight is pulling down 6' ahead of the front jacks, which means it is removing weight from behind the front jacks, and the sum total applied to the front jacks. So no, I'm not talking about pin weight.

Lippert doesn't recommend using the system to change tires because the cylinders aren't equipped with safety catches in the event of depressurization. But then again, neither are bottle jacks, and that's the first thing folks go for to change a tire. Much cheaper to pass the liability by saying not to use it for that purpose. But if I needed to change a tire in traffic, I'd use the built-in and bolted-to-the-frame 8,000 lbs-capacity-each jacks in a heartbeat.

Thanks, that brilliant

[Witch Doctor]

Also, glad you mentioned jacks, the front rams are twice the size of rear jacks, you realize I have no dog in this fight? I gave an opinion , I would block the tires if left unattended for 5 mos, plus to different respected people say just because you can don't mean you should. I really don't care what people do, but the OP asked for an opinion, that was mine. I guess you can use your shovel opinion, and I have shoveled alot.