Does your level change as slide goes out??

[TundraTower]

We have a 2014 Forest River Cherokee 264L with all Lippert components. If we set it up dead level on the wheels, then put the stabilizers down, and then slide out the slide as you are supposed to, it leans significantly towards the side of the slide.

I have learned I have to level it "crooked" on the wheels by almost 3/4 inch for it to be level when the slide is powered out. I have even modified a 4' level with a bolt and washers on one end that is "calibrated" to the amount of offset we need initially.

We have had it 22 months and spent 65 nights in it, on grass, gravel, paved, and concrete surfaces. From the first set-up and everyone since then this holds true - you have to stabilize it unlevel so that it ends up level with the slide.

The stabilizers are a single unit on the rear and a single unit on the front - the type where left and right go down together as part of a single unit and adjust to the terrain before applying pressure to the ground. I bent one of the legs on the front one this summer and replaced the entire unit and this un-leveled level situation remains.

I know this isn't an expensive top of the line trailer, and the slide is quite large at 16' long and almost 3 feet deep. This is easy enough to manage, but still I've never seen this discussed anywhere.

Do others have this issue?

[offroad_x]

Interesting topic. I have one very long slide, and am always surprised that it does not affect how level the trailer is, whether I use the stabilizers or not.

I always level the trailer before putting out the slide. But, I rarely have to level it side to side, just front to rear. I don't always put down the stabilizers (I have four scissor style). The stabilizers seem to help reduce the 'jiggle' of the trailer, but not by much. And they don't seem to affect the level of it.

My springs are pretty stiff. That may be why. I have two 4300 Lb axles.

[usmc616]

I always leave the non slide side a little higher so when I open both slides the TT is closer to level, then after I have set up all the hook ups I deploy the stabilizer jacks, this way the tires have had a chance to cool down.

[Old-Biscuit]

dy
---- -sin y=-x
dx

Determine the order and state the linearity

[Jack_Diane_Free]

I also have opposing slides so it makes no difference. I always level the trailer, put out the slides and then crank that stabilizers down.

[TundraTower]

It is encouraging to see I'm not the only one with the issue. Your comments were insightful and your progression of logic has led me to appreciate the root cause that I think the last 3-4 posters were getting at(I'm a mechanical engineer). First, to answer some questions raised:

WEIGHT - our trailer has two 3500 axles, GVWR of 7660, and we routinely travel at 7400 lbs. The frame is probably built to a price point so we are right at the limit but not past it.

WHY WORRY ABOUT LEVEL? - Refrigerator is the main concern but as someone pointed out 1/2 " off is likely close enough. Self-bailing shower with hard sides is a compelling problem because just a little off level will wet the floor. Of more pressing importance is my wife's uncanny ability to sense 1/64" off level from 5,000 yards away.

THEORY OF RELATIVITY - Complicating the situation with my wife and the hardware is that there doesn't seem to be a single surface in or on the trailer that is level with the world. As one poster mentioned, we use the bathroom door as the final indicator - if it will stay in whatever position you put it, the boss will agree it is "close enough". I even modified the dinette table to be free-standing with three adjustable legs so it can meet her sense of level in any situation(the things we do for love.......and tranquility).

SPRINGS - as one poster said, we are still sitting on the springs of the trailer as the stabilizer won't lift the trailer off the springs (that's how I bent the leg). We can feel our trailer bounce with each step when we walk. I recently fabricated two hard supports from a threaded rod, nut, and sleeve that I place in the middle of the frame and down to a good ground support and tighten with a wrench. This totally eliminates the suspension bounce when we walk.

LIKELY CAUSE - When I replaced the front stabilizer I took the old one apart to see how it works and to salvage the other good leg so I don't have to buy the whole assembly next time. This mechanism actually slides within itself so that an equal force is applied to both legs regardless of the height of the surface under the trailer. That is, if you put 3 blocks under the left side and one block under the right side, the mechanism shifts and applies equal force on each leg.

This sliding characteristic creates a virtual pivot point as the load changes side to side. Your comments led me to realize that it is this very pivoting of the stabilizers under load that lets the trailer tilt, as they are basically just a one point support. As others pointed out, if I had independent jacks at each corner this would not happen. So, my frame is probably not flexing beyond reason and this is probably a sacrifice to having this type of stabilizer.

Good job with the comments! My next post will be seeking help on solving differential equations, so start reviewing!!!!

Thanks. 😉

[valhalla360]

Ours does it too. Not to hard to start out leaning a little the opposit way. Ours is the big slide 42" deep.

We have found the sizzor style stabilizers have a lot more spring than you might think.

If we will be someplace longer term, we have some of the aluminim jack stands we pull out instead. When we use those it doesn't lean but it's more hassle to set those up so if it's a week or less, we usually don't bother.

[DutchmenSport]

I've heard of others having similar issues with slides and your approach to solving the issue is exactly what they have done.

My Outback does not have this problem because it had slides on both sides. I extract them and retract them at the same time (push both buttons), so they balance each other all the time.

[93Cobra2771]

mbopp wrote:
The design of the electric stabs that allows them to compensate for uneven ground is the cause of the tilting. Basically you have one center point on each stab that form a pivot on the long axis of the trailer. This allows the trailer to rock side to side and you see it as tilting when the slide goes out.
Short of ditching the whole system you can try putting one scissors jack under the slide side of the frame and see if that helps.

Bingo.

Our old trailer had manual scissor jacks and never had an issue. Our current trailer has the electric stabs mentioned above.

I now automatically put one of the yellow camco blocks under each tire on slide side when parking. Works out perfectly.

[mbopp]

The design of the electric stabs that allows them to compensate for uneven ground is the cause of the tilting. Basically you have one center point on each stab that form a pivot on the long axis of the trailer. This allows the trailer to rock side to side and you see it as tilting when the slide goes out.
Short of ditching the whole system you can try putting one scissors jack under the slide side of the frame and see if that helps.

[mleekamp]

I have the same problem on a Forest River with Lippert components. Slide is 16 foot (1 slide) and is deep (don't have exact measure right now, but about 3 foot). Yes, we have to set it up leaning on one side, stabilizers down, then slide out. It "settles" to a somewhat level (as most have said, about half a bubble or so). There have been a few occasions, due to camping on gravel, dirt, where the next day I had to re-set up as it leaned too hard on the slide side due to soft ground.

Oh well!

[tvman44]

I level before putting out the slide, and sometimes the side with the slide will be low (slide is 14' x 3'). I know weird, why not all the time. And we are always on a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete?

[Jay_Pat]

I checked mine at the house.
I have 2, 3' deep slides.
I measured the frame height at the wheels.
After extending the slides, the slide side frame went down 1/2".
The opposite side raised up a 1/2".
I try to compensate for it when parking.
Pat

[jaycocreek]

I level 1/4 to 1/2 of a bubble off before Super Slide out and it is spot on with the big heavy slide out...Having the refer as level as possible is very important!

I've seen to many suffer a slow death by the attitude of close enough!

[fil564]

I have learned to compensate while setting up and leveling, with the 2 slides on the same side it will lean especially because of the power stabilizer jacks.I can usually tell right away that it is still off by the bathroom door moving.