Leveling Kit

Gosh, I just read the original posting about the different kind of jack systems. Googled the difference, understand what each type does. We just purchased a 2016 Chateau 31W and I have no idea what type of jacks it has.....how do I find out?

It currently does not have hydraulic jacks. It was something I was thinking of adding. Maybe not now. It's a lot of money to spend for something that's not going to work well.

That's good advice. I am picking up the RV a week from Friday. It's a 28' 4" long.

I didn't pay attention to your avatar. The first Class C we had exposed another problem with Jacks on a Class C.

The front jacks mount fairly far back in the cab area.

The rear frame is narrow and the jacks mount just behind the rear axle.

On a long Class C, this means that raising one side tends to raise the other side. Say it's low on the left side by 2" - It may not go level till the left is raised 4" because the right gets lifted 2" by the left jacks.

On a short C, like our first one at 24' - Raising the Rear results in raising the Front. We could be on an "irregular" site and find that by the time we were level, a front wheel was nearly off the ground. Sometimes it actually WAS lifted that high.

So, just from my experience, I wouldn't go out of my way to choose a used Class C with jacks over one without, and probably would not consider them on a short one.

DocP wrote:
Agree, but not always feasible. My 2016 Coachmen Leprechaun 319DS had such low ground clearance that the direct acting jacks could not be used, and HWH had to go with the kick downs.

I've seen that before, and not sure I understand. All the E450's ought to sit about the same. It may be that some of the coaches are set on the chassis in a way to allow direct acting jacks the room they need to retract. Used to be strictly "Direct for Class A and Kick Down for Class C" but at least some of us have been able to use Direct. At least one owner installed his own.

Why am I so hard over on this?

1. Once deployed (maybe I should say IF deployed, see 2. below) the Kick Down jacks don't stand as solidly as the Direct.

2. Kick Down doesn't always "Kick" before it Deploys. I often have to put a mat down and help one or more jacks get vertical before it extends so far that it cannot GO vertical. And...

...if a jack fails to get vertical, sometimes the spring isn't enough to retract it. I have one of those right now. The things operate in pairs. While I was checking one side, the other side extended too far for me to force it to vertical and would NOT retract. Used blocks instead. Still have to try and retract it at home. I'm hoping I can use a bar clamp.

This is our second pre-owned Class C, both with HWH kick down jacks. First one was bad enough. This second one has small cylinders to help get vertical, and it's worse.

j-d wrote:

avan wrote:
HWH, BigFoot for two

Times Two.

PLUS!!! Direct Acting and NOT NOT NOT NOT Kick Down

Did I mention, Not Kick Down?

Agree, but not always feasible. My 2016 Coachmen Leprechaun 319DS had such low ground clearance that the direct acting jacks could not be used, and HWH had to go with the kick downs.

2006 Gulf Stream Conquest Yellowstone Cruiser Series M-5270-Ford Diesel

Might help ..... A whole lot......to give your RV info.... There's a thousand different Class Cs. And N X 10*15 solutions.......

Thanks.. I will check it out.

Russ

avan wrote:
HWH, BigFoot for two

Times Two.

PLUS!!! Direct Acting and NOT NOT NOT NOT Kick Down

Did I mention, Not Kick Down?