Bigfoot hydraulic automatic Leveling Jacks - Class C

Just had them installed at Bigfoot of Florida in Lakeland. Haven't had a chance to use them yet as my parking pad at the house is level. These are set up from the factory in Michigan specifically for Class C on the Chevy 4500 chassis. They are straight down jacks. Had HWH on the last MH, and wouldn't be without them.

Dave

Every straight jack I've seen on a "C" is a one piece cylinder, no telescoping. I know that "Big Foot" has different lengths based on what unit you own. If you go to their web-site they even seperate Ford and Chev chassis.

Just realized I hit the wrong "quote"

I have a new 2013 Jayco Grey Hawk 31S with them on and they work great I also have 2x10 pieces of wood for the soft ground sites.

Understood. Direct wouldn't be Direct if the top moves. I haven't looked for the details, but I can only believe the Direct for Class C uses a telescoping piston like some of the short high lift bottle jacks have. Far better idea than a Frankenstein kickdown arrangement.

j-d wrote:
I wonder if the Class C has to be a "basement" model to allow straight-down jacks. The higher the coach floor is raised off the chassis, the more room to have REAR jacks. I don't know how longer jacks would work out under the cab, which doesn't get raised.

The straght jacks come out of an enclosed cylinder which is bolted/welded to the frame, the top never moves. There are many non-basement "C's" with straight jacks.

I wonder if the Class C has to be a "basement" model to allow straight-down jacks. The higher the coach floor is raised off the chassis, the more room to have REAR jacks. I don't know how longer jacks would work out under the cab, which doesn't get raised.

jdog wrote:
Jim Shoe, I have jacks on my Ford E450 that go straight down and up with plenty of room. Who said Ford frames did not have room for straight operating jacks?

The folks at CW in Bowling Green, Ky. that did the install. Why would they lie? They explained that there wasn't room enough for the straight acting jacks to retract without hitting the floor of the RV. Besides, I like the idea that they rotate 90 degrees so that nothing hangs down below the frame when I'm moving.

I've owned 2 class C's over the past 9 years and both did not have levelers. I have never seen a great need for them, and I do a lot of camping in West Virginia. But I suppose if you have never had something, then you never miss it. Our house is over 100 years old(been in the Long family for 96 years) and there is not a perfectly level floor in the house. If my motorhome floor became perfectly level, I would not feel at home!

Love the bigfoots (bigfeet?) on my Nexus. Best thing I added.

We have HWH Kickdown jacks on our Jayco. Although we go out often, the jacks frequently (should probably say Usually...) try to extend before they're vertical. The comment that turning the control to "ON" sets the jacks to vertical interests me since our control is also manual leveling following the LEDs on the control panel.
Anyhow, We're more likely to drive up onto wooden leveling boards than to use the jacks. Ours operate in pairs (one end or one side) at a time so when one balks it affects the other. By the time I try to get a block under the jack footprint, wrestle the jack to vertical, holler at the DW "extend, retract...", it's easier to lay boards down. At least I can reach the tires.
We also found the levelers didn't do much to steady the parked coach as we move around. Our Hellwig sway bars keep the coach steadier than levelers did before we added the bars.
So... I'd really like to have a set of straight-acting leveling jacks. Not sure I'd go out of my way to get kickdowns.