Leveling Process Question

[xrated]

I agree that the less the jacks have to extend, the more stable the trailer. My experience has been that extending the jack pads to the ground has given us a very stable trailer. The jacks are only half extended when on a level surface. I will try putting blocks under the jacks this weekend to see if I can tell the difference. I am just trying to keep it simple, lol.

I totally understand trying to keep it simple for sure. My wife is a fairly light sleeper, and old age has set in for me, so a nightly trip to the bathroom has become commonplace. Trying to get in and out of bed or if I make a trip down the steps to get a drink out of the fridge, seems to be enough to disturb her sometimes. So naturally, I want the trailer as solid as possible. YMMV so let us know what you think after this weekend.

[JM0397]

I use the red Anderson Jack buckets, that are slightly magnetic so stay put on the landing pads.
The one difference I have is due to the Anderson Ultimate hitch - it sits on a ball, similar to a standard hitch ball, and there's a coupling that goes over the kingpin. This makes for having to raise the nose up pretty high to come off the hitch, which often times puts the rear gear very close to the ground. I use the buckets with some extra blocks under the front, then just the buckets in the middle, and only 2" wood blocks on the rear now.

Also, word of warning for you: be careful how high your blocks or buckets keep the nose. The auto-level process drops the nose a degree or two below level, before it brings it back up. You'll throw an error and halt the process if your nose can't drop below level. If you ever can't auto-level and the nose looks like it's sitting high, take away the blocks and try again as 1st step in troubleshooting.

[Butcher]

There is no way I could release the pin if the trailer is trying to roll backwards. I would not release the pin unless the landing gear is on the ground too. I guess I will have to look at that YouTube video to see how that could happen.

[SolarPoweredRV]

There is no way I could release the pin if the trailer is trying to roll backwards. I would not release the pin unless the landing gear is on the ground too. I guess I will have to look at that YouTube video to see how that could happen.

In our case, using the Reese Goosebox, we could lift the camper off the pin and it could roll backwards. However, the landing gear would have to be down, but, if the landing gear started to slide we would have a problem.

In the case of the accident shown in the video, the 12v battery was dead so the landing gear couldn't be deployed, the Transporter went ahead with the preparations to drop the camper once they found a 12v source of electricity. He pulled the 5th wheel hitch pin and was reaching into the bed when the camper rolled backwards.

[Butcher]

Ok, that makes a lot of sense on how it happened. I do not understand why that person thought that it was a good idea to unhitch without the landing gear being down.

[trailrydr]

In the situation of a power failure and needing to remove the trailer, I would've thought the manual crank process would have been used to lower the landing gear before ever unpinning the hitch??

And like already stated, wouldnt release the lock on the pin until both gear was down and in the proper unload position, and, the tires chocked for sure! But i guess we all get some serious brain farts sometimes.... just hope they're survivable with little or no damage.

[Butcher]

I thought that if the battery was removed and the 7 pin was hooked up, that the legs would work.

I do not know about you all, but just looking at the front of the 5th wheel looks real sketchy to walk under. I am NEVER under the overhang unless it's hitched or the legs are down. Even when hitching, I am on the side of the trailer, never under. Murphy's Law and the Darwin theory should mean something.

My wife says I'm too negative and she is probably right. I plan on the worst case scenario in most everything I do. Be it hang gliding, riding my bike, or traveling in my pickup towing something that could kill me. So far, it's worked out.

[trailrydr]

I thought that if the battery was removed and the 7 pin was hooked up, that the legs would work.

I do not know about you all, but just looking at the front of the 5th wheel looks real sketchy to walk under. I am NEVER under the overhang unless it's hitched or the legs are down. Even when hitching, I am on the side of the trailer, never under. Murphy's Law and the Darwin theory should mean something.

My wife says I'm too negative and she is probably right. I plan on the worst case scenario in most everything I do. Be it hang gliding, riding my bike, or traveling in my pickup towing something that could kill me. So far, it's worked out.

To my understanding, the landing gear and electric auto leveling systems all have a manual crank option. Would bet the hydraulic ones do too. On those with electric auto level, its on the top or bottom of each motor. Cumbersome at best, but in an emergency needed.

But, yes, I too thought the landing gear would get power thru the 7 pin if working properly.

[Steven@147]

I've seen people do it and they are just asking for an accident to happen, always chock the RV tires, even when level. RVs are not semi trailers the brakes do not lock when disconnected.
I've seen dealership do it all the time because they are to lazy to get off their butt and chock the tires, it flexes and bends the crap out of the landing gear even if they slide on the pavement.

The landing gear pads or foot pans can slide off blocks on slide on level ground.

Even if the batteries were dead or disconnected, and why didn't the transporter tow vehicle keep the batteries up, unless the batteries were disconnected, which should have been checked first, plug the RV into campground power, that should have provided enough power to lower the landing gear. Heck the RV was going to slam the ground coming off the pin with the landing gear up. Stupidity run amuck.

[trailrydr]

I've seen people do it and they are just asking for an accident to happen, always chock the RV tires, even when level. RVs are not semi trailers the brakes do not lock when disconnected.....

Had a boat trailer with colapsable surge brakes that did the same thing. But, would still chock the tires!

Backing that thing up a hill took some pushing to release that surge brake! Probably why they don't put them on RV trailers.