Leveling

[wannabervin]

Just pulled into a campground for the night. Auto level put one side’s tires off the ground about 6 in. Is this OK?

[xrated]

It sure wouldn't be with me. Lippert will clearly tell you that the trailer needs to be fairly level before doing the auto level. What does the term "fairly level" mean? To me, maybe within a few inches....and certainly more level than the auto level having to raise one side by 5 or 6 inches. My suggestion is to level the trailer fairly close before hand....using whatever method you have been usings....pieces of wood plank, Anderson Levelers, the snap together lego blocks...whatever. Then, put as much height under each of the leveling legs, as you did under the tires....4" under the tires...4" under the leveling legs. Now do your auto level and see if that isn't much better. The reason for the additional blocking under the leveling legs is to prevent two things.

1. Out of stroke errors
2. Shorter leg extension of the levelers, thus somewhat more stable.

[Country Campers]

Yep what he said ^^^^^ , definitely need blocking under those tires.

Brian

[wannabervin]

Thanks. Added blocking. First time we’ve encountered this situation in the year that we’ve had the 5th wheel. Good to have experienced advice close at hand.

[D2Reid]

I add blocks as necessary to keep the leveling system from extending the jacks to the max. The big thing is to block the wheel so the rV does not "shift" during the leveling process. Then adding blocks or pads to the low side is ok. I have had my wheels off the ground on numerous occasions. Something I want to happen, NO, but I have had no adverse events when it does.

The thing you really have to guard against is to be raising the RV and have it shift and drop, bad juju.

[xrated]

Another bad scenario, and I haven't witnessed it personally as my new Momentum 394 is my first ever 5ver; tires off the ground and sometimes the shackles will flip over. I've read about it and seen where it has happened to some folks, and that is definitely not a good thing. So to me, best practice is to never get to the point that the tires are off the ground.....if that is humanly possible.

[Papachiax6]

The quick answer is to always level side to side first. You can do this using Anderson levelers, lego blocks, wood or whatever you have on hand. I have bubble levels on all four corners and front and back. I know how much either side needs to be raised and or leveled on the first try. Following this, you can now move forward with your auto level procedure.

[Losthillsguy]

To add to the side to side level first advice which I do.... if you add one block to level side to side add the same under the leveling Jack's on the same side. This will keep the system from stroking out.