Lippert ground clearance issue

topjimmy wrote:
You are kidding us right??????:h I have had 2 5er's with 6 point auto level and yes they hang a little low but I have NEVER had a problem in 6 years of fulltiming with them dragging or being torn off so something is not right with how yours are mounted ,if I had to take my feet off my jacks ever time I pack up i would not bother having 6 point auto myself

DutchmenSport wrote:
Mine are the same way (6 point system). One of our first trips I pulled into a mo-dock gas station off the beaten path for fuel. The ground was beaten-up hilly asphalt. The rear jack ended up dragging...dragging...dragging. I got over that spot and on my way. Next stop I checked everything out and the jack pad was gone! I know exactly where it came off, but that was 200 miles ago.

Well, we replaced the jack pad at the tune of $50. Ordered it from Lippert, had it in my hands 3 days later.

Ever since then, I take the time to remove all the jack feet after I get hitched up. And put them back on right before unhitching. By removing the feet, it gives me about another inch and 1/2 clearance. Never drug one again, and I am keenly aware of the ground surface now too.

However, this last week-end, I had to back into a campsite by cutting the corner through the grass backing in. The asphalt was higher on the road and the campsite area. The grass dipped down. The tires went down and when backing up, the rear jack stopped me at the asphalt. I was backing up so slow nothing got hurt or anything, the jack just stopped me from going farther. HOWEVER! the inside of the jack shaft tube was filled with about 4 inches of packed dirt! I had to use a screwdriver and dig out that dirt before I could put the pin back in to reattach the foot.

BUT! I've not lost any more feet this way! And I'm NOT looking forward to shelling out another $50 to replace another one. So, I just take the time to remove the feet. It' helps all the way around.

I think Dutchman has the 6 point electric jacks. From everything I see they have less travel than the hydraulic jacks and is probably why they are lower to the ground. I have no clearance problems with my 6 point hydraulics.

1st check the RV against your truck for level and clearance. If it is too low, then you might be able to flip the axles. I would not do so for any other reason. The 5er overhang should be about 4"+ above the rail of the truck.

You are kidding us right??????:h I have had 2 5er's with 6 point auto level and yes they hang a little low but I have NEVER had a problem in 6 years of fulltiming with them dragging or being torn off so something is not right with how yours are mounted ,if I had to take my feet off my jacks ever time I pack up i would not bother having 6 point auto myself

DutchmenSport wrote:
Mine are the same way (6 point system). One of our first trips I pulled into a mo-dock gas station off the beaten path for fuel. The ground was beaten-up hilly asphalt. The rear jack ended up dragging...dragging...dragging. I got over that spot and on my way. Next stop I checked everything out and the jack pad was gone! I know exactly where it came off, but that was 200 miles ago.

Well, we replaced the jack pad at the tune of $50. Ordered it from Lippert, had it in my hands 3 days later.

Ever since then, I take the time to remove all the jack feet after I get hitched up. And put them back on right before unhitching. By removing the feet, it gives me about another inch and 1/2 clearance. Never drug one again, and I am keenly aware of the ground surface now too.

However, this last week-end, I had to back into a campsite by cutting the corner through the grass backing in. The asphalt was higher on the road and the campsite area. The grass dipped down. The tires went down and when backing up, the rear jack stopped me at the asphalt. I was backing up so slow nothing got hurt or anything, the jack just stopped me from going farther. HOWEVER! the inside of the jack shaft tube was filled with about 4 inches of packed dirt! I had to use a screwdriver and dig out that dirt before I could put the pin back in to reattach the foot.

BUT! I've not lost any more feet this way! And I'm NOT looking forward to shelling out another $50 to replace another one. So, I just take the time to remove the feet. It' helps all the way around.

I had the same concerns on mine when I took possession of it. 4 seasons later 300+ days and half the time boon docking, I no longer worry about the rear jacks. It is the rear bumper that drags for me. On mine the top of the rear jacks are up nearly against the floor so they can't be raised any higher. Only dropping off a curb would tear the rear jacks off. Why would you do that?

Question I have is who was the smart one to design the spare tire carrier so the tire hangs below the bumper? I moved it up as high as I could which just makes the bottom of the spare approx. 1/4" higher then the bottom of the bumper and it still drags at times.

Mine are the same way (6 point system). One of our first trips I pulled into a mo-dock gas station off the beaten path for fuel. The ground was beaten-up hilly asphalt. The rear jack ended up dragging...dragging...dragging. I got over that spot and on my way. Next stop I checked everything out and the jack pad was gone! I know exactly where it came off, but that was 200 miles ago.

Well, we replaced the jack pad at the tune of $50. Ordered it from Lippert, had it in my hands 3 days later.

Ever since then, I take the time to remove all the jack feet after I get hitched up. And put them back on right before unhitching. By removing the feet, it gives me about another inch and 1/2 clearance. Never drug one again, and I am keenly aware of the ground surface now too.

However, this last week-end, I had to back into a campsite by cutting the corner through the grass backing in. The asphalt was higher on the road and the campsite area. The grass dipped down. The tires went down and when backing up, the rear jack stopped me at the asphalt. I was backing up so slow nothing got hurt or anything, the jack just stopped me from going farther. HOWEVER! the inside of the jack shaft tube was filled with about 4 inches of packed dirt! I had to use a screwdriver and dig out that dirt before I could put the pin back in to reattach the foot.

BUT! I've not lost any more feet this way! And I'm NOT looking forward to shelling out another $50 to replace another one. So, I just take the time to remove the feet. It' helps all the way around.

I would take some close measurements. Then decide whether to "adjust" them.
Make and model of leveling system would be beneficial. Maybe there is not sufficient travel to raise them!

It's only concerning to me because, 1) I don't want to accidentally tear off a jack (obviously), and 2) I'm about to have a gravel driveway put in at my home so I can park the rig there. The problem is, the rounded curb is pretty steep, so I'll probably need a ramp of some sort.

Other than that, I can probably get by as is. I don't drive over too many curbs. Not intentionally, anyway. :)

bobbyg123 wrote:
Hey guys.

So I used my new 5th wheel for the 1st time last weekend, and everything went pretty smoothly. It was my first experience with an auto leveling system, and man is that a cool feature.

The leveling system worked perfectly, but I do have one concern. The rear jacks are installed to where there is very little ground clearance in their neutral (ready to travel) position. I'm talking like they're maybe only 6-8" off the ground.

I asked the dealer about it during my PDI, and they said that they can't be raised, but after looking at them more closely last weekend, I'm not sure why. There are several available bolt holes on the bracket that would (I would think) allow me to raise them up another 6", but perhaps that would max out the available travel of the jacks?

I'll try to snap a couple of pictures next weekend, but I'd sure like to figure out a way to raise these up a bit. Makes me wonder if the dealer said they couldn't be raised because they didn't want to deal with it on my delivery day.

Assuming you have a 4-pt system, you do need to watch those jacks a bit. I have a 4-pt on my KZ and was worried enough about them when taking it to my dad's shop for storage, that I had someone watching, and on the phone with me, as I drove off the road and down the sloped drive that the city felt was necessary to build. I have about 2-3" to spare and just take it slow. (I was also worried about dragging the tail of our new 30' GN flatbed trailer in and out of the same gate, and we watched it carefully, too.)

Issue is, the =manual= access, if you ever need it, is on top of the motor, so you'd lose that access if you raised the jack. I know on mine, if I had one of those ratcheting box-end wrenches, I could =maybe= get another inch of height by moving up a hole, but I don't think I'll ever need it. Just be careful in your driving and, if you ever aren't sure, have someone get out and spot for you and to hell with traffic, if it comes to that.

You also asked about the stroke on these and, yes, it's pretty short. I have to put 4" under my RR jack in the street in front of my house to level, as the crown on the street is pretty high and that jack will =just= run out of stroke and throw an error if I don't. Since the first time this happened, I've just used the same piece of cut off glue-lam as "feet" on both rear jacks, and I don't have a problem.

I have seen folding jacks on MHs and I've also seen telescoping jacks, also on MHs. Not sure why they couldn't be used on FWs, too. :h

Lyle

Mine is the same way. They are so close to the wheel that the only time to be worried is if you drive over a curb and when the rear wheel drop off could catch it.

6-8" off the ground, especially if they are located where mine are (just before and after the wheels), shouldnt contact anything? As you surmise, you can probably raise them up, but then you will have less available travel to level your rig.

I personally wouldnt worry about it.