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APB · 02-09-2003, 10:12 PM

I'm new at this trailer stuff but did pilot a '36 ft motor home for a number of years. As a result of that experience the thought of using blocks to level dual axels is not thrilling.

Has anyone used a hydraulic jack?

Seems like you could put it under the jack point or the frame near the axle and level up much quicker than messing with blocks and such.

thenewkid64 · 02-10-2003, 04:18 AM

APB

After learning how to level our 28 ft MH that has no hydraulic levelers and having owned 2 dual axle Airstreams I long for the good old days!

The dual axel leveling is easy beacuse you have 2 close points to lift. They usally need to be lifted the same amount. I used Lynx levelers when I had a trailer and just guesstimated the lift I needed to get the trailer level side to side. If your unit has one of the large exterior levels the scale seems to indicate a 1-2 inch lift per mark off of level. The front to back is easy to do with the tongue jack. IMHO compared to a MH, a trailer is a cinch!

smily · 02-10-2003, 08:04 AM

once you figure it out, it is much faster than getting the a hydraulic jack out. Just set your blocks in place and drive up on them. Piece of cake.
Smily

Pahaska · 02-10-2003, 08:10 AM

With modern refrigerators, if it looks level, it is probably level enough for an overnight stay. For longer periods, I take a little more care. I have a big level on the front that I can see from the driver's seat and a small level on the side for fore-aft levelling with the tongue jack.

I also use Lynx levelers and/or the yellow ones that Camping World now sells. If the trailer is near level, I may only put a block under one wheel of the pair.

The big thing is that when you use blocks, chocks are ineffective at the best and often impossible to use. I have one of the expanding between-wheel chocks that goes on whichever side has levelling blocks in use. On the side that is on the ground, I use chocks.

BILLY SPIER · 02-10-2003, 11:43 AM

NICE TO SEE YOU ARE A BLUEGRASS FAN BILLY

Silvertwinky · 07-10-2003, 05:23 AM

I think leveling a trailer is one of the easiest things to do when camping.

Our previous trailer sat lower on one side and now after reading a lot on this forum I realize that I had bad axles. Anyway, it always bugged me that most of the time whenever we'd pull into a campground that it would be consistently low on the same side.

I try and keep a treated 2X6 or two handy for leveling one of the sides if needed and just drive up on that when I know where I want to position the trailer. Also, as John stated I use the chocks that lock between the wheels. Most of the time, I just try and find a level spot to pull into and rarely even need to make an adjustment for the sides anymore. When it's level from side to side, I adjust the power jack up front until its level from front to back watching the level indicator on the front of the trailer.

Works like a charm!

Crank down the stabilizer jacks and you have it.

Silvertwinkie · 07-10-2003, 05:31 AM

You gotta be careful if you use jacks because even the factory mounted stabilizer jacks can torque the frame. At the midwest rally, Jack showed me the proper settings. The way I was doing it was making the door harder to open and close (not that it wasn't already hard to start with--needs adjustment).

I use a few 2x6 boards and roll the trailer on them to get it as good as possible and then use the stabilzer jacks to lighten the bounce when done.

Eric

Silvertwinky · 07-10-2003, 05:36 AM

I agree with you silvertwinkie, the stabilizer jacks shouldn't have very much weight on them!

85MH325 · 07-10-2003, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvertwinky
I think leveling a trailer is one of the easiest things to do when camping.

Our previous trailer sat lower on one side and now after reading a lot on this forum I realize that I had bad axles. Anyway, it always bugged me that most of the time whenever we'd pull into a campground that it would be consistently low on the same side.

Bill, I think it's a conspiracy. I have noticed that whatever campground I'm in, and whatever site I have (including my own driveway) the door side and the front of the trailer are ALWAYS low. And no, it's not the trailer; my axles are just fine. They just ALWAYS slope that way. I swear that even in the same campsite, if I turned the trailer around, the slope would change to the front curb side with the trailer, so that when you're done levelling, the doorsill is STILL always three feet off the ground! You have to either be Superman and be able to fly, or use a 6' stepladder to get in!

The Grassy Knoll, UFO coverups, Watergate, and now the Great Campsite Slope. Conspiracies All!!!

Roger

Silvertwinkie · 07-10-2003, 05:43 AM

Man there is a sea of twinky/twinkie on the forum this morning...we both have been busy.

Eric

Silvertwinky · 07-10-2003, 05:50 AM

Twinkie, yep we have!

Roger, I just kept trying to convince myself that it wasn't the trailer and that it was just a coincidence all of the time!

After the trailer was gone and the newer one came along it appears level all of the time now so it must have been the trailer, I guess!

Pahaska · 07-10-2003, 06:48 AM

If I am staying long enough to use the shower, I am a lot more concerned about getting the shower floor level side to side than I am the refrigerator. The shower floor is essentially flat, so if I am curbside-low, I end up having to use my foot to sweep water over to the drain. Much easier when level or a little bit streetside-low and it drains by itself.

If the trailer is nearly level, I may put a block under just one of the tires on the curb side to insure good shower drainage.

Silvertwinkie · 07-10-2003, 07:07 AM

I've been talking to many techs about the fridges these past few days. I can tell you this much..... each and every repair shop person I spoke with and the website that was posted on the fridge issues threads all say the same thing. Fridges that are not leveled will fail. It may take years, but they will fail before they should. I'd be concerned about both aspects. The one aspect would be a more costly repair.

Eric

Pahaska · 07-10-2003, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvertwinkie
I've been talking to many techs about the fridges these past few days. I can tell you this much..... each and every repair shop person I spoke with and the website that was posted on the fridge issues threads all say the same thing. Fridges that are not leveled will fail. It may take years, but they will fail before they should. I'd be concerned about both aspects. The one aspect would be a more costly repair.

Eric

Most of that is a relic of the past when levelling of the older refrigerators was super critical.

We had a talk a few years ago from a Norcold rep who said you could put a tire up on the curb and the refrigerator would not be harmed. Dometic says that if you are comfortable in the trailer, the refrigerator is fine. Those are the folks that write the warrenties and I'll trust their judgement.

Most all refrigerators will fail in time; they are loaded with a corrosive fluid and constantly temperature cycled. The thing is that those repair shop techs really have no idea why a specific refrigerator may have failed. Much easier to just blame it on levelling.

Silvertwinkie · 07-10-2003, 07:53 AM

John,

Did they happen to mention what changes they made compared to the old fridges that makes leveling it not as critical or was the leveling thing an ol' "fisherman's tale" to start with. I've always followed the leveling thing and have been a bit nervous at times when I couldn't get the trailer just right.

I've looked at a 20 year old Dometic and a 2003 Dometic and the guts look identical as do the inside parts.

Eric

Pahaska · 07-10-2003, 09:56 AM

I did read what the changes were at some time in the past and the Norcold rep told us about them, but that was about 8 years ago. I remember that one thing was increasing the slope of the tubing to insure flow, but there were more changes than that.

garry · 07-10-2003, 10:29 AM

When I first bought my AS I was told you had to have it exactly level or the fridge would self distruct.
I put one of the large leveling gages on front and have the drive on blocks that I seem to be able to get close enough. It is not a hassel but I only get close enough to feel level and the gage ball is close to center.

I read that with the new fridges if you felt comfortable in the camper than you were close enough and they explained what the differences were. Had to do with bigger tubes and angles for the return line !!!!

Garry

InsideOut · 07-10-2003, 11:03 AM

We have one of those, as John put it:

Quote:

relics of the past when levelling of the older refrigerators was super critical.

Garry has a good idea:

Quote:

I put one of the large leveling gages on front and have the drive on blocks that I seem to be able to get close enough.

But, the key with putting the levels on the front & side of the trailer is having the "fridge" level and not the trailer. Our bed, cabinets, floor & fridge each have their own idea of what "level" is and it's different than reality. So if you decide to add levels...be sure that the fridge is level when you add them...may seem obvious to some, but then again....

Shari

Silvertwinkie · 07-10-2003, 11:24 AM

I like the if you're comfy then the frdige is too way of thinking. What I do is I take a small level with me and take a few different measurements. Floor in back, fridge and counter and so far, when one is good, they all are. I didn't notice the tube sizes.

Eric

Pahaska · 07-10-2003, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvertwinkie
I like the if you're comfy then the frdige is too way of thinking. What I do is I take a small level with me and take a few different measurements. Floor in back, fridge and counter and so far, when one is good, they all are. I didn't notice the tube sizes.

Eric

I think that on new trailers like ours with all of the furniture parts cut by automated machinery, the difference between any two surfaces is in the noise. Everything in my trailer is right on.

My levels are applied parallel to the beltline of the trailer. When the levels ore centered, everything in the interior is dead on. When I park, I like to stay within a half-ball.

Before I put the levels on the outside of my trailer, I used to step inside and test to see whether a can of vegetables would roll either way on the galley cabiinet. If they stayed put or would only move a bit, I knew I was plenty level.