New to setting up a class A

[waltfire]

Will be getting a new class A next week, have noticed in the park some have wood blocks under the jacks, some have wood under the tires, and some both. Doesn't seem to matter if on concrete or dirt. I currently have a 5th wheel and use wood blocks but for leveling. I think I have some idea why class A owners use wood blocks but thought I would ask the experts. I would like to start out with good habits, bad ones are hard to break. Thanks, Walt

[cjalphonso]

The biggest reason for jacks under the tires is if you have to lift so high to level that the rear tires come off the ground, which leaves you with no brakes. State parks in my area slope the sites to the water and are back in, creating this type of situation.

[carp65]

Plastic "Lego's" from CampingWorld or any RV store work great. We have two
sets and only use them if on soft ground. They don't way as much as wooden
blocks, either

[podge12]

We use the approx. 8"x8" in size orange plastic pads from Walmart or any RV store. Much lighter and take up less space. And after your awning is back in place and the jacks are up you can use the awning rod to reach thru the hand hold and pull them out from under the RV.

[waltfire]

Popping the windshield out is funny but not hard to do. I remember in the fire service 30 years ago we received a new Ariel platform ladder truck. While practicing we popped the windshield out. It was replaced, the following week we popped it out again. The manufacture rep came out to see why, he said always use the front jacks at the same time never separate. Never happened again in 30 years after that. Thanks for the replays, a class A will be different for me but I am sure I will enjoy.

[tropical36]

J-Rooster wrote:
I carry 12"x12"x 18" blocks (6) and I carry 2"x10"x18" (6) never know when your going to stay in a unlevel place on the road.

If you haven't already, you might want to consider drilling a hole in the ends of each block and use your awning rod for positioning them in and out.

[J-Rooster]

I carry 12"x12"x 18" blocks (6) and I carry 2"x10"x18" (6) never know when your going to stay in a unlevel place on the road.

[AllegroD]

ncrowley wrote:
I purchased platforms for the jacks and I use them when I am on anything other than cement. They have a much larger footprint than the jacks and will therefore not be as prone to settle.

x2

We always use a pad on soft material to spread weight.

[traveylin]

I will put down the jacks 5% of the time when staying overnight, 50% of the time when staying over 3 nights and 70% of the time when staying over 6 nights. Most sites should be level. The best way to learn your new rv is to use it frequently

pops

[tropical36]

RayChez wrote:

krivanj wrote:
Some rvs only have three as to not stress the chassis. Misadjusting with four can really stress the chassis to the point that windshields pop out. That is why most jacks always raise or lower two at a time.

A person should have some mechanical know how before he even drives one of these things. They should learn how to use the levelers by just learning how to center a bubble on a level. Most coaches come with a leveling system where you do not have to be a very cerebral person to follow the little bubble and keep it centered. The one jack in the front used by many coach companies is really not to prevent twisting of the frame. Reason why they use only three is to save money. The three point system is really not that good because it puts a lot of pressure on a pivot point instead of spreading the weight to two in the front of the coach. Another fault of the one jack in the front is that if you have to lift your coach high and remove any stabilization used by the wheels, you will have a coach that will rock from side to side as you walk inside or stepping into the coach.

You would have to put a tremendous amount of pressure to pop out a windshield. Most of the windshields that I have seen pop out was not because of somebody not knowing how to level their coach. The two that I witnessed were driving into RV parks that were not level and had big hills to climb, and the twisting would be at the turn of the climbing. Such a park is at Bay Landing in South Carolina.

I'll have to agree with the faults of the 3 point system and will take four over three, anytime. As for windshields popping, It's my opinion that the the thing wasn't built right in the first place and can't even imagine that sort of thing happening to ours for any reason. For leveling, we've long since forgot bubbles of any sort and now just go with the bathroom door, staying put, at 90 degrees open. That with the coach looking good from port to starboard, has been working well for us and we can usually do this pretty quick.

[RayChez]

krivanj wrote:
Some rvs only have three as to not stress the chassis. Misadjusting with four can really stress the chassis to the point that windshields pop out. That is why most jacks always raise or lower two at a time.

A person should have some mechanical know how before he even drives one of these things. They should learn how to use the levelers by just learning how to center a bubble on a level. Most coaches come with a leveling system where you do not have to be a very cerebral person to follow the little bubble and keep it centered. The one jack in the front used by many coach companies is really not to prevent twisting of the frame. Reason why they use only three is to save money. The three point system is really not that good because it puts a lot of pressure on a pivot point instead of spreading the weight to two in the front of the coach. Another fault of the one jack in the front is that if you have to lift your coach high and remove any stabilization used by the wheels, you will have a coach that will rock from side to side as you walk inside or stepping into the coach.

You would have to put a tremendous amount of pressure to pop out a windshield. Most of the windshields that I have seen pop out was not because of somebody not knowing how to level their coach. The two that I witnessed were driving into RV parks that were not level and had big hills to climb, and the twisting would be at the turn of the climbing. Such a park is at Bay Landing in South Carolina.

[krivanj]

Some rvs only have three as to not stress the chassis. Misadjusting with four can really stress the chassis to the point that windshields pop out. That is why most jacks always raise or lower two at a time.

[tropical36]

We never use blocks unless extremely soft terrain or required by the campground. Funny thing, we did stop at a place that required them last year and hadn't realized it until we were all setup, so upon looking around, I saw some that did so and some that hadn't, but the real clincher was that the campground host wasn't using any, so.........and as long as I couldn't see where I was hurting anything..........

[RayChez]

Most of your gasoline coaches use blocks because they do not have air bags that can lower the motorhome down and give the levelers more inches lifting. Gasoline motorhomes have either leaf or coil springs. So in order to give those levelers more inches to lift higher, they add blocks under the pads. So motor homes the levelers are so short they have to add blocks under the wheels.

Not to often do you use blocks on diesel pushers. I have the Quadra (BigFoot) and I really love these levelers. You can operate them individually or all four at once and they have a long solid extension hydraulic ram. None of those springs that come on cheaper levelers for the return of the jack. About the only time a diesel pusher owner needs extra pads which would have to be bigger then the jack pad is when the soil is very soft.

[WyoTraveler]

Retired JSO wrote:
I think it also has to do with the size of their jack pads. I see some round about 6-8" in diameter that are bent. Possibly used to raise the motorcoach on a mix of dirt and rocks. Mine are 12"X12" so I don't use any blocks. As to blocks being used to shorten jack travel, my air is dumped keeping the MH pretty level and close to the ground as the jacks come down. BTW, I never understood why several builders went to a 3 jack system other than to save a few bucks.

Good point. A diesel would require less jack length than a gasser rig of same size.