Using auto levelers

[pennysmom09]

Our new fiver is going to have an auto leveling system, with which we have no experience or knowledge of. I am sure we will be shown how to operate them, but I am sure there will be gaps in their info! How does this effect how we chock the wheels, if and/or when. Also, should we place any footings under the levelers, like if the ground is grass and/or dirt? I have seen trailers with tires raised off the ground, so is chocking necessary in this situation, and should we avoid such an unlevel position?
We sit for 4 months in Florida, as well as a couple of short trips during the summer.
Thanks for any input!

[Seattle_Lion]

Winged One wrote:
You really shouldn't be so unlevel your wheels are completely off the ground when level. Better to get it closer to level with blocks or repositioning first. It is safer that way.

We have the Lippert 6 point system. Lippert informed me that there is no problem if wheels on one side are off the ground. Here at home, the driver side wheels are a few inches off the ground. The system is designed for it. Lots of old wives tales out there about leveling systems. Our system will refuse to level if the 5er is more than 5 degrees off level.

Also we can use our system to "jack" the trailer for a tire change.

[Vulcaneer]

Always Chock the wheels first. And UN-chock LAST. If the auto leveler leaves the wheels off the ground, just leave the chocks there. So the wheels will come back down on them when you get ready to hitch. If you are worried about the chocks blowing away, pick them up and store them. And replace them when you take your trailer down off the levelers to re-hitch. DO NOT try to hitch without using chocks.

If on soft ground, place leveling boards under the leveler feet, to spread the load and prevent sinking into the ground.

[Winged_One]

You really shouldn't be so unlevel your wheels are completely off the ground when level. Better to get it closer to level with blocks or repositioning first. It is safer that way.

[kennethwooster]

We also have Big Foot. We set for 3 months in Colorado. We have a streem about 2 ft. From rear bumper. Have to put wooden planks under 2 rear units as they will keep sinking. I dont put anything under the front feet as they are on hard ground. We love the system.

[DelawareCamper]

what 5er are you getting?

[lakeside013104]

We have a 6 point level system. Back in, chock all wheels, hit auto level and 70 seconds later the 5er is level. On severely uneven sites I peek at the bubble gauge I have mounted on the pin. For every mark the bubble is off to one side, that side is lower by one inch. On those sites that really slope I back the 5er onto one or two 1 1/2" x 12" x 50" planks that I place on the low side. Once level I put X-chocks on both sides.

On departure, remove X-chocks, hook up, perform pull test, remove wheel chocks, and then hit the highway.

Lakeside

[pennysmom09]

Thanks....and we did drop the trailer our first time out....but the jacks were extended enough to save the truck rails. Whew! So, we know the importance of chocks!

[Traveler_II]

We just leave them setting by the tires. If the site is uneven when you unhook that is when the trailer might move. Once the full weight is on the jacks the trailer is secure. When you go to hook up and lower the rig, especially if by accident you have not hooked up properly is when you need the chocks, again if the site is not level. You only need to drop your trailer once, and you will always use chocks, ask a guy that has dropped his last trailer onto the bed of our truck.

[Traveler_II]

We just leave them setting by the tires. If the site is uneven when you unhook that is when the trailer might move. Once the full weight is on the jacks the trailer is secure. When you go to hook up and lower the rig, especially if by accident you have not hooked up properly is when you need the chocks, again if the site is not level. You only need to drop your trailer once, and you will always use chocks, ask a guy that has dropped his last trailer onto the bed of our truck.

[pennysmom09]

Traveler II wrote:
First thing we do is chock the tires before we disconnect and the last we do is remove them after we connect. We also have the Big Foot system, it’s great. If we are a hard surface we don’t put anything under the pads. We have been on some sites that the system will lift wheel off the ground to get the rig level and we just leave it that way. On a site that is so un-level that the wheels are off the ground, is a site you really do need to chock.

Where do you put the chocks if the tires are off the ground? Dumb question?

[Traveler_II]

First thing we do is chock the tires before we disconnect and the last we do is remove them after we connect. We also have the Big Foot system, it’s great. If we are a hard surface we don’t put anything under the pads. We have been on some sites that the system will lift wheel off the ground to get the rig level and we just leave it that way. On a site that is so un-level that the wheels are off the ground, is a site you really do need to chock.

[jnharley]

Which system we you getting? We have the Big Foot system and we always chock before we disconnect. We also put jack pads under the leveling feet. Just a preference for us. Many people do not. We do not lift our tires off the ground and leave them like that. If the site was that unlevel, we would use some leveling blocks but we have not run into that situation. The Big Foot system is fast. We would not have another RV without an auto leveling system.