Tires off ground when leveled?

[margappy]

Hi, am working on a 2003 Newmar for a friend. When using the automatic hydraulic levelers, is it ok for several of the tires to be off the ground several inches? The levelers are on blocks of wood, and the tires are braced. thanks in advance.

[weathershak]

Careful. If those jacks have not been used in 6 or more years. Check the mounting area for rust etc or major rust on the jacks. Would hate to see one give out and fail with someone underneath.

[wildmanbaker]

Welcome to the forum margappy.
If the ground is soft, I would use some sort of safety jacks/bracing to insure the MH does not sink on top of you, if you are working under it. Most hydraulic and electric leveling systems are bolted to the frame/chassis, and are designed to resist movement fore and aft, and sideways. The laws of physics are not changed by lifting a wheel(s) off the ground. Wheels and tires are designed to roll without much resistance. Leveling systems are not. If you lift a wheel off the ground, you are transferring the weight from the tire, to the jack platform, which is usually has a smaller footprint the tire, so you have more pressure on the jack pad per square inch that the tire has. If the MH is leveled, the gravitational force is at right angles. I really doubt there is any danger of a MH moving if you raise the rear end off the ground, if it is on solid ground, and if the ground is that soft, what are you doing on it with a MH?

[frankdamp]

+1 to Tom & Barb's post. I have only used the auto mode twice and was scared both times by how high it pushed the coach.

My technique is to maneuver the coach on the pad to be as level as possible, then lower the jacks until they'e all just touching. I then level from that point on, using as little jack extension as possible.

The only place we regularly go where we get the front wheels off the ground is at our daughter's house. Their driveway is steep and we don't like to leave the tail end of the coach out into the street. We have wooden pads, made up from 4 x 4s with plywood top & bottom skins, under the front jacks. We need a bathroom step stool to reach the bottom step of the entry stair!

[Clay_L]

The parking brake on the W20 and W22 chassis is on the drive shaft so front wheels off the ground should be okay. I would still chock the rear wheels though.

Of course you could put blocks under the front wheels so they are resting on something.

[margappy]

Actually, it is sitting on the side of a small hill, in dirt/grass. The levelers are down to make inside more comfortable while we clean and detail it. It had not been moved or operated for at least 6 years, prior to this week. We are going through all the systems, or trying to, in hopes it can be sold at some point. Needless to say, I have found many issues, snake skins, active mouse nests, rotted awnings,original tires, etc. But while it is being checked, I wanted to know if it is safe to leave levelers down, and extend drivers side slides (2). (upside of hill)(only the front tires are off ground)additionally, it is a Scottsdale 35', Workhorse, with Allison tranny.Gas. Trying to think of anything that might help answers.Thanks again!

[Tom_Barb]

margappy wrote:
Hi, am working on a 2003 Newmar for a friend. When using the automatic hydraulic levelers, is it ok for several of the tires to be off the ground several inches? The levelers are on blocks of wood, and the tires are braced. thanks in advance.

Our coach will raise the front tires off the ground when allowed to level in the auto mode. I usually only hit the on button only once and run the jacks down until the touch the ground and then dump the air. then finish the process by a bubble level by running each jack as required.

I do not like the coach as high as the auto mode will take it.

working under the coach, remember the jacks are not braced side ways. and the rear axel is the only brakes when the air is dumped.

[wny_pat1]

And I hope you are not working under it if it is only supported by the levelers!!! That is a recipe for dangerous disaster. You need to also be using some additional type of supports like jack stands.

[hipower]

If the wheels are chocked to prevent rolling and you place adequate jack stands or blocking under the frame (or suspension) to prevent the coach falling down while under it, I would feel safe doing so. It's simple common sense and being safe.

[blangen]

Back tires should not be off the ground as that is where the emergency brake is located.