Jacks down during winter storage?

I park on a level pad, put 4 X 8 's under each jack pad, lower the jack a few inches to it just touches the 4 X 8 and than let out about 50 # of air.
WayneD

SAR Tracker wrote:

robatthelake wrote:
I have never seen Stainless Steel Hydraulic Rams Rust,even in the Salt air environment at a Mexican Beach!

No, but the first time it's retracted after several months of crud accumulating on the cylinder, the cylinder, rod, and/or wiper seal is just about sure to be destroyed.

So then just wipe them down before you retract them

Obviously it really does not matter. Personal preference.
I like to take the weight off the suspension and tires. Also might even prevent overloading a tire should one loose air for some unknown reason,especially when one cannot check coach on daily basis. To me it's common sense if there is such a thing these days.

golfknut wrote:
My manual says to leave them up.

X2

when i store our coach (even if its for a week or two) i lower the jacks enough to get the tires off the concrete in our storage bay.

I got sick in march, took one trip in May (to see my son commission w/ the Navy) & the coach has been "in the air" (off the tires) every since, until just last week.

SAR Tracker wrote:

robatthelake wrote:
I have never seen Stainless Steel Hydraulic Rams Rust,even in the Salt air environment at a Mexican Beach!

No, but the first time it's retracted after several months of crud accumulating on the cylinder, the cylinder, rod, and/or wiper seal is just about sure to be destroyed.

I didn't say not to clean the Jacks ,just that they don't Rust!

The system on my MH does have seals at the bottom of the cylinder, as the retraction is done hydraulically, not with external springs. The first off-season after buying the coach, I extended the jacks when we parked it (in a third driveway at the S&B). Within 10 days or so, there was evidence of corrosion starting, so I cleaned it off and retracted the jacks.

I've tried raising the rig one side at a time and rotating the wheels 120 degrees once a month or so, but rotating the duallies is hard work. I was considering the heavy-duty jack stands for this off-season, but we're going to put the rig up for sale, probably at a consignment dealer about 20 miles away. The hobby has just become to expensive to afford.

I bouught 4 heavy duty truck jack stands. I raise my coach with the leveling system and then put the jack stands in place. lower the coach, usually only 1", onto the jack stands and raise my levelers.


Easy to do and saves the leveling jack system. Works for me and can do it in 15 minutes.

The 4 jack stands run about $125.00 (for big trucs) and I use them all the time.

We were full timers for a number of years, and spent every night with the jacks down.

Now we spend an average of four winter months a year in Arizona with the jacks down, and they are down another few months of the year while we are traveling.

Right now, the RV is in a storage lot with the jacks down.

I've never done anything to clean or lubricate the jacks.

YMMV

Michelin and Goodyear recommend yes, jacks down. Get some weight off the tires.