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  1. #1
    Site Sponsor ajg617's Avatar
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    Two leveling questions and a caution leveling with Compass Connect

    First, about 50% of the time when returning to hitch height after disconnecting, the rear 4 jacks do not retract before the front jacks start returning to hitch height - they just get pushed up. The other half of the time they do retract but it is not consistent - no alternate inputs from me once auto-leveled (except once - see below). I can't figure out why the rears don't retract all of the time when returning to hitch height.

    Second, I noticed when auto leveling, it levels front/back, then raises the off-door side, followed by the door side lifting the entire rig and extending all jacks higher then needed. It never lowers the side that it just raised - always raises the opposite side to level side to side. Maybe that's just the way it is but seems that more weight on jacks and less WoW is the result.

    Caution - I tried fine-tuning leveling to the bubble with Compass Connect app on my phone - bad choice. I pressed the up button for a split second to raise one side an inch and the app froze extending the jacks and lifting the wheels. Last time I will use the app to level.
    Robin & John
    2020 Ram 3500 LB SRW 4WD Crew Laramie 6.7HO Aisin, 55gal Titan
    2022 Solitude 310GK-R - Dual pane, factory solar & Onan, 8K axles with discs, 18K GVWR, W/D, Heat Pump, Goosebox, Battleborn

    2023 stays

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by ajg617 View Post
    First, about 50% of the time when returning to hitch height after disconnecting, the rear 4 jacks do not retract before the front jacks start returning to hitch height - they just get pushed up. The other half of the time they do retract but it is not consistent - no alternate inputs from me once auto-leveled (except once - see below). I can't figure out why the rears don't retract all of the time when returning to hitch height.

    Second, I noticed when auto leveling, it levels front/back, then raises the off-door side, followed by the door side lifting the entire rig and extending all jacks higher then needed. It never lowers the side that it just raised - always raises the opposite side to level side to side. Maybe that's just the way it is but seems that more weight on jacks and less WoW is the result.

    Caution - I tried fine-tuning leveling to the bubble with Compass Connect app on my phone - bad choice. I pressed the up button for a split second to raise one side an inch and the app froze extending the jacks and lifting the wheels. Last time I will use the app to level.
    One thing I've read is the rig needs to be reasonably level side to side first, I've always tried to do that.

    Second is does not like being nose down I've read. I had quite a bad newbie experience with that. My dealer did not give good instruction operating the leveling system.

    I've only one time touched the bubble level & that was from the panel. I manually leveled using a real level then followed the instructions.

    I'm not much help & I need to spend more time figuring this system out. I've had so many other issuer's & things going on it has been low priority. I have not moved the rig enough & using the steps I mentioned have not had any problems since the first incident.
    2022 Solitude 310GK, Factory option Include, Dual Pane Winders, Slide Toppers, Solar pacakge, Gen Prep, Pull Out Kitchen & Heat Pump
    Cheaters list so far Includes, Snap Pads, 2ea 200ah Smart Heated Lithium Batteries
    2014 Sierra 3500HD Duramax LWB SRW

  3. #3
    Fireside Member daltontrio's Avatar
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    @ajg617

    We have the exact same issue. 50% of the time return to hitch height works great. The other 50% rear and mid don’t retract. I asked the Lippert technician at the National Rally this year and his response was “I wish they would remove the return to hitch height function, never works correctly”. Sorry, not much help. If it makes you feel better, several people in the seminar said they were having the same issue.
    2021 F350 CCSB 4x4 SRW with Air Lift springs
    B&W Companion Slider
    2021 Solitude 375RES-R w/ disc brakes
    Formerly REI 6 man tent


  4. #4
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    I have never used the "Return to Hitch Height" function. Since I'm right there at the front of the trailer with the truck backed up, it's extremely easy to eyeball it.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  5. #5
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by Second Chance View Post
    I have never used the "Return to Hitch Height" function. Since I'm right there at the front of the trailer with the truck backed up, it's extremely easy to eyeball it.

    Rob
    I use it to "get close". So far, the nose has been much lower than the bed rails so I can't back up that close. By the time it has come up high enough, I've got the truck backed in closer. I then connect the 7-way umbilical to the truck, adjust the king pin deflection plate height to just hit the hitch plate, then finish backing in and locking the king pin in the hitch head jaws.

    As an aside. This is my first B&W hitch and my fourth fifth wheel. This bitch has been the best and easiest to use of the other three. The first one was a Reese rail hitch and the second was a Curt hitch. I love my B&W Companion hitch!
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  6. #6
    Fireside Member daltontrio's Avatar
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    Yep. The only reason I like it is (when it works) one button push and rears and mids all retract. The nose isn’t close to actual hitch height, so it’s really just a convenience thing. Not a big issue at all.
    2021 F350 CCSB 4x4 SRW with Air Lift springs
    B&W Companion Slider
    2021 Solitude 375RES-R w/ disc brakes
    Formerly REI 6 man tent


  7. #7
    Site Sponsor ajg617's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by daltontrio View Post
    Yep. The only reason I like it is (when it works) one button push and rears and mids all retract. The nose isn’t close to actual hitch height, so it’s really just a convenience thing. Not a big issue at all.
    Though the rears don't retract first, it always gets me to the height I unhitched at unless I mucked with the settings manually after disconnecting. I was just surprised to see it not retract rears first so often and wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something that could mess with the hydraulics.
    Robin & John
    2020 Ram 3500 LB SRW 4WD Crew Laramie 6.7HO Aisin, 55gal Titan
    2022 Solitude 310GK-R - Dual pane, factory solar & Onan, 8K axles with discs, 18K GVWR, W/D, Heat Pump, Goosebox, Battleborn

    2023 stays

  8. #8
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    I just try to remember the first front-to-back level reading when I'm putting down the front legs to disconnect. If it is reading say -0.3, then I manually adjust to that when hooking up. Could take a pic with the phone too.

    On the auto level, you have to be front high before pressing auto level as instructions say. I usually go +0.3 to make sure. Works well.
    New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
    Prior: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
    Tow: 2017 F350 Diesel Dually

  9. #9
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    “Return to hitch height” is kinda misleading to me. I think is should be called “return to UN-hitching height” - the height it was at when you pulled the truck away and hit auto level - which is going to be too high for re-hitching.

    Regarding the rear jacks, I didn’t even know there was a feature for these to auto retract until recently. From day one, I always manually retract the rears before returning to hitch height….or…. unhitch height….
    2021 Solitude 310GK: Linen/DP windows/gen prep/slide toppers/king bed/EOH disc brakes/Cooper-H tires
    2019 F-350: Lariat/CC/LB/Diesel/DRW/4x4/Bakflip MX4/B&W 20K/AirLift 5000
    Other stuff: TST 507 TPMS/2x BB batteries/Victron BMV-712/Champion 3500 dual fuel gen/Garmin 780 GPS/22" Blackstone

  10. #10
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    One more thing…. I had a chat with a Lippert tech last week and he said that sometimes the auto level function can go a little wonky when connected to shore power. That didn’t make sense to me but that’s what he said.

    (I’m rarely connected to shore power when leveling)
    2021 Solitude 310GK: Linen/DP windows/gen prep/slide toppers/king bed/EOH disc brakes/Cooper-H tires
    2019 F-350: Lariat/CC/LB/Diesel/DRW/4x4/Bakflip MX4/B&W 20K/AirLift 5000
    Other stuff: TST 507 TPMS/2x BB batteries/Victron BMV-712/Champion 3500 dual fuel gen/Garmin 780 GPS/22" Blackstone

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