Leveling with hydraulic jacks

OnaQuest wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

OnaQuest wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
You use the jacks to do the complete level. You do not have to use blocks. The jacks are more than capable of supporting your RV. IF you have a Gasoline model, then movement and "bounce" will be normal even with the jacks leveling the RV. Doug

This is not necessarily a true statement. Properly leveled, a gas MH is as stable as any other and will NOT move or "bounce". The extra weight of a large diesel rig certainly helps in stability with jacks up or down.

Yea,what do I know. I have ONLY been in the RV service business in motorhomes for 35 years and have installed countless jacks on Gasoline motorhomes. Diesel rigs, when you dump the air bags, that drops the motorhome down "solid" on the chassis frame and there is hardly any movement because of that. Gasoline motorhomes still have leaf/coil spring type suspensions that the jacks cannot overcome. THAT is why they still have some movement. Doug

35 years of experience for some folks can sometimes just be "One years" experience 35 times. Not too impressive.

First, ALL motorhomes are attached directly and solidly to the chassis frame. The diesel air bags are positioned between the chassis frame and the suspension (NOT between the the MH and chassis), just like a sprung gas chassis.

Levelers (jacks) bolted directly to the chassis frame (as my PG jacks are) are capable of lifting enough weight off the springs to prevent ANY bounce or movement from people walking around inside.

If the jacks that you installed could not prevent bounce and movement of a gas chassis mh, they were either not operated properly or were not installed properly.

BTW - I didn't just enter the RV world yesterday, myself.

I was using that Diesel example to show how a diesel when the air bags are deflated allow the chassis/body to NOT have any flex and have a better solid feel. Sorry, but I gues if you OVERextend the jacks, you CAN remove some of the flex from the leaf/coil springs. But, that is NOT how you level. You can do what you do, but regardless. Gasoline Chassis WILL HAVE give and take unlike Diesel chassis. Installing improperly????? Have you ever installed or worked on RV jack systems? They are just bolted to the chassis frame rail at the prescribed Height from the ground. Nothing else. They then extend and lift the RV. Are you a technician or just have RV'ed for a long time? If just an owner, why do long time Rv'ers think they KNOW everything about their RV and systems????? Do you feel the same way about your automobile since you have owned and operated an Auto for many years?? Doug