Level trailer before extending slides.

[Andy Brown]

Hello All
I was told by the dealer that I am to extend the slides before I level my 303rls.
This sounds kind of strange to me,and contrary to how I have always done it in the past
20 years. My trailer always leans to the left side so I block the wheels up with wood.
This makes it level then I open the slides. The dealer says that is what is causing the
problems with the slide. Is anyone else leveling their trailer this way? This sounds nuts
to me. Or maybe I am the one that's nuts. Let me know what you think. Thanks

[Canyonlight]

My understanding has always been and in our manual it states to level the RV before extending slides.

Dan

[TucsonJim]

Always level before extending the slides. An out of level frame can cause the slides to bind. Every RV I've had with slides said to level first in the owner's manual.

[Boomer]

It makes no sense to extend the slides then level for a number of reasons. First, to move the trailer with the slides open is just asking for trouble. Second, it becomes very difficult to get to the tires to install the leveling blocks, chocks, and anything else during setup.

[ttandet]

I level before extending slides , even did this on our TT. That's what was explained to us when we did our walk thru on both. Doesn't make sense to try to level with the slides out especially if part of leveling may be moving the trailer to get it up on leveling blocks.

[mtpocket]

I always level first. Anything else is asking for trouble with slides.

[JustinThyme]

I've always leveled first on any rig with slides. I could understand the argument from the dealer if it were 180. Seems like common sense to me.

[DKRITTER]

We had a Jayco 338RLTS TT and with all the slides out it would fall a little to the left (large slide w/fridge,stove,pantry and sleeper sofa) so when we leveled we always would set it with the left side slightly up. When we did this the trailer would be level with all the slides out and wasn't an issue.


Plus who wants to crawl underneath a slide to level the trailer.

[Happy Kansan]

We do the same as you, DKRITTER. After many camping trips of wondering why our camper was leaning toward the extended kitchen slide when we were sure we had it level, we finally figured out that the weight of that slide causes it to droop. Starting off with that side higher solved the issue. Nothing more irritating than an unlevel camper. But to the original post, I can't see it ever being a good idea to extend the slides before leveling.

[gerrym]

I have a Reflection 26RL. We got it in Dec, getting ready for a trip to AZ in two weeks. Today, I needed to move it to the side road with a bit of slope. I left the fifth wheel hitched to the truck, figured to move it back to the driveway in the morning. While working inside I extended the passenger side slide. It seemed to go out ok, however, when retracting it, the slide made some periodic, lets call it binding noise, but closed. When I went out side there is some sealant pushed out off the frame and I think its not retracted as far in as before. My question is, how level is level and is it customary to dehitch, level and then use the slide outs? Tomorrow I will disconnect the hitch and do a level and see how the slide reacts. In our unit you can't use much with the two large slides inward.
Thanks for all the things I have learned in these forums.

Gerry M
2017 Reflection 26RL