Hydraulic levelers up or down in storage?

[Dakota]

Curious on storing my 5th wheel with leveling jacks down or up. Is there a consensus? Thanks.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Curious on storing my 5th wheel with leveling jacks down or up. Is there a consensus? Thanks.

How long are you storing?

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[Dakota]

Only a month between trips. Then from November until May it will be outside. In Minnesota so it will be a long cold winter.

 

[towdriver]

Always up when in storage. if something happens like frost heave it can over load and cause damage to them or one section of frame

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[Txfivver]

I store mine inside and fully leveled, takes some load off the tires and suspension. No worry about frost heaves in Texas.

 

[Second Chance]

We're full-time (meaning the levelers are always down) and have weathered single-digit temps with no issues at all. I think you'd have to be above the Arctic Circle to experience enough frost heave to do any damage. I clean and treat the struts (which are really hydraulic pistons) with silicone lube monthly while they are extended.

Rob

 

[NB Canada]

. I think you'd have to be above the Arctic Circle to experience enough frost heave to do any damage.

Rob

We are well below the Arctic circle

Frost heaves happen quite often


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

 

[SGT ROC]

Currently I store mine leveled on a pad out back. I am having a cover put over it this year. For the past 2 years in the driveway leveled. First thing I do when we get home is level it.

 

[SGT ROC]

We are well below the Arctic circle

Frost heaves happen quite often


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

We don't experience much movement from frost, at least not enough to damage anything.

 

[Gran Casita]

Curious on storing my 5th wheel with leveling jacks down or up. Is there a consensus? Thanks.

Dakota, my Owner’s Manual recommends against storing the trailer with the landing gear (hydraulics) extended. I developed a leak in one of my jacks after the trailer sat for a few weeks & after further scrutiny of the Owner’s Manual, discovered I had overlooked their recommendation to “exercise” the hydraulics at least weekly. In my opinion weekly was overkill so I adopted a monthly “exercise” of my hydraulics. Interestingly, the leak went away. I can only surmise it was because the seal lubricated itself & expanded.

My current practice is if I store my trailer for a month or less, I will store it with the landing gear retracted & the trailer resting on its axles & front landing gear. If I am going to store for longer than a month, I will raise the trailer (with the hydraulic landing gear) just high enough to remove the bulk of the trailer weight off the axles & then install jackstands at 4-points on the frame. I will then store the trailer with the hydraulics retracted & exercise them monthly. This has worked well for me so far. I keep the pistons lubricated & exercised regularly & keep the bulk of the trailer’s weight off the axles/suspension.

Hope this helps! -Diego

 

[Dakota]

Thank you very much,