Forum Discussion

Jetstreamer's avatar
Jetstreamer
Explorer
Aug 06, 2014

Parking level on a hill bad for suspension?

Had a talk with an RV tech today about my routine of leveling my fifth wheel while parked at home on a bit of a grade. He was pretty emphatic about the detrimental effects this has on the suspension and tires by Imbalancing the load between the axles. I probably mostly agree with his argument. Here are a couple of pictures of my parking situation at home.
Looking for other folk's input and opinions...



  • In your situation I say the tech is full of El Toro poo poo. But ya know he is a tech and probably has a name tag and logo on his shirt. :h
  • smkettner wrote:
    Tech is wrong. As long as the leaf equalizers (center pivot) are not maxed out, the weight is virtually equal.


    smkettner is right AGAIN
  • smkettner wrote:
    Tech is wrong. As long as the leaf equalizers (center pivot) are not maxed out, the weight is virtually equal.


    Right answer. :)
  • smkettner wrote:
    Tech is wrong. As long as the leaf equalizers (center pivot) are not maxed out, the weight is virtually equal.


    If he has torsion axles, then there would be more weight applied to the rear axle. I still wouldn't worry about it in this situation.
  • When in my driveway the pin is 5'6" off the ground of my 5er. I put the front axle tires on pieces of 2" X 12". I put a bevel on the wood. never had a problem.
  • Looking at the pictures I would be more conserened about slipping off of the blocks under front legs.
  • hukillrc wrote:
    Looking at the pictures I would be more conserened about slipping off of the blocks under front legs.


    I'm right with you on that. Don't understand why so many people do it. OP is certainly not alone in that practice.

    It just creates a risk, even if a very small risk, where no risk works just as well.
  • Looking at the pictures I would be more concerned about slipping off of the blocks under front legs.


    I used blocks under my front legs but also had a 2" long bolt slipped through the hole on each base plate into a hole in the block. There is no way the legs could slip off the blocks!
  • Dave H M wrote:
    In your situation I say the tech is full of El Toro poo poo. But ya know he is a tech and probably has a name tag and logo on his shirt. :h


    El Toro used to be a city in So.CA until the citizens voted to re-name it Lake Forest - must have been some former IL residents.
    (It was rigged).

    (However it *does* have a couple of small lakes - and home of small Eucalyptus groves for wood an early entrepreneur thought he could sell to the railroad for RR ties.)

    El Toro was the home of the now closed USMC MCAS El Toro - lots of Marines have fond memories dating to WWII -and- Marines can be sensitive dudes about their former homes and..(gads!).."poo poo"!.:R

    Now where FA-18 were parked - it's "home" to about 2500 RVs - with lots of room for more!

    Anyway - many things still carry the former name of El Toro - like the High School.
    While other schools may chant "push 'em back" (etc.) at football games....ETHS students prefer yelling..."Bull Hit" !!".

    Maybe they should switch to the very "manly"..."El Toro poo poo on you!"..:B

    ~

    OP - you are darn close to level - the suspension discussion is a moot issue..:W



    ~
  • It would be interesting next time one of those fellas show up with the individual wheel weight scales to check out what really happens. I understand the equalizer is supposed to make all things equal, but mine road high in the nose and was stored high in the nose and the inside of my rear tires always wore and I had it aligned twice at two different shops.