Automatic levelers

[batavia02]

Question folks. This may belong in the 5th wheel section but I put it here to get a wider answer. What are automatic levelers and for those units that don't have it how do they level if the automatic leverlers are not there ?thanks

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

I'll add one other comment

I know several (over two dozen) who said automatic leveled were an unnecessary complication / expense. That they could setup and level their rig just as fast as anyone with automatic leveled.

They all ended buying their current rig with levelers because they were already install d.

Everyone of them now say they were wrong, and they will never again have a rig without automatic leveled.

I've never met anyone with them who dislikes them. Yes, a couple have had maintenance issure. One friend uses the levelers in automatic mode then has to manually adjust we them to get his Monaco level.

Now one wants to go back to a rig without them.

[sayoung]

We added the Equalizer 6 point hydraulic levelers to our 5er last year. Will never have another rv without auto level. Not cheap but I think worth every penny.

[JohnG3]

When my wife decided she's had enough of my antics leveling and setting up our 5th wheel and insisted we get a Class A, one of the sales people sealed the deal with this statement: "The difference between you in your 5th wheel and me in the Class A is, by the time you're done leveling I'm two cocktails ahead of you"

Now a Class A RVer

[Dennis_M_M]

First thing we did when we bought the fiver 10 years ago was to have Quadra Mfg. install a set of BigFoot levelers. Best investment we ever made in the RV!

Run down front jacks, disconnect truck, hit "auto" button and stand there while the rig levels itself. That's all there is to it.

[techadventurer]

I own a 28 foot travel trailer. I level my trailer with the Andersen levelers. Works beautifully! No need to go back and forth to add additional boards to add/remove height from 1 side. You have your partner monitor the level on your trailer while you drive forward. When the level indicates the right target, you partner tells you to stop. Done! Easy. If you have a double axle trailer you will need 2 sets.

product: http://amzn.to/2eM4awt

[Ron3rd]

batavia02 wrote:
Question folks. This may belong in the 5th wheel section but I put it here to get a wider answer. What are automatic levelers and for those units that don't have it how do they level if the automatic leverlers are not there ?thanks

Some others will answer your question but all I can tell you is my daughter has them on her new Cougar 5th wheel and they work awesome. Wish I had them on my TT!

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

DryCreek wrote:
Isn't it sad that almost every WM parking lot is more level than 80% of any of campgrounds/RV parks you've ever visited?

Walmart has a lot more money to put into a drainage system for a near half-million square foot parking lot than any RV campground owner.

If campgrounds were built to Walmart parking lot standards, there would never be a tree in one, and it would cost $150 or more per night.

Many of the campgrounds we choose to visit are in places where level is very hard to achieve, and many of those campgrounds were built before anyone envisioned a 36' TT like I have.

[DryCreek]

PghBob wrote:
Class C owner here. I use leveling blocks purchased from Walmart to level the rig when necessary. Others use all types of mechanical or automatic type systems. The down side with a Class C using leveling systems is that the system adds weight and decreases the amount of stuff you can carry including people. For some rigs, the weight doesn't matter. For others, it can cause the rig to exceed the GVWR of the chassis and/or suspension components.

For some reason, when I read your post my mind immediately went to a WalMart parking lot. Isn't it sad that almost every WM parking lot is more level than 80% of any of campgrounds/RV parks you've ever visited?

[PghBob]

Class C owner here. I use leveling blocks purchased from Walmart to level the rig when necessary. Others use all types of mechanical or automatic type systems. The down side with a Class C using leveling systems is that the system adds weight and decreases the amount of stuff you can carry including people. For some rigs, the weight doesn't matter. For others, it can cause the rig to exceed the GVWR of the chassis and/or suspension components.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

I have a TT without anything except the stabilizer jacks, and scissor jacks I've added behind the wheels.

I wish I had automatic levelers.

It's about 10 to 30 minutes shorter to setup at a campsite.

Automatice levelers are not perfect. I've seen Class A units with the automatic levelers holding the front (or rear) wheels off the ground to level the rig. Very bad practice. There should always be something under each wheel.

Depending upon the surface your rig sits upon - what was level the day you setup may not be level in a couple days. If we are on dirt, I always extend the stabilizers and jack after a couple days. The ground gets sunken under the weight of the rig, and to maintain the best stability, or to return to near level, I have to adjust.

The principle of automatic leveling is two-fold. The biggest is to lessen the time and effort and equipment needed to get the rig near level. The second important aspect is to take as much weight as reasonably possible off the TT/5er/motorhome suspension.

The percentage of the total weight on the rig springs is the primary source of movement within rig after being setup. Use levelers to get weight off the springs - a more stable rig.

I've also seen a 5er use hydraulic levelers in the manual mode to raise one side of the rig enough to lubricate wheel bearings. Of course, he had a jack and jack stands to make sure the rig wouldn't fall if the hydraulics failed.

It was interesting to see all four wheel bearings repacked/greased and finished in less than 15 minutes. And the rig back to level on the campsite.

[LadyRVer]

Fifth wheel here...front landing gear, power. Back stabilizers, manual, crank down. I use 2x12 boards, beveled each end and pull up on them, lower side of trailer. I do it by myself, no big deal. On a good size motor home, the automatic levelers are very nice. On 26 to 30', there again, I just used boards to level with if no jacks.

[JFNM]

I'm only familiar with the air suspension and hydraulic levelers that are on motorhomes (I believe electric versions also exist). The air levelers use the air suspension bags and inflate each as necessary to achieve level. Hydraulic levelers are hydraulic cylinders or "jacks" and are powered by a central pump or one pump per cylinder. Both automatic and manual versions exist (at least of the hydraulic types). The automatic levelers simply require a button push and they take care of everything (assuming not on impossibly sloped ground). The manual hydraulic levelers require the operator to push up/down buttons to achieve level.

[darsben1]

manually.
Boards under wheels to get even side to side
Jacks whether on the fiver or separately.