Leveling with front tires off the ground

[Prucrew]

Hello, any advice on having the front tires off the ground after leveling? Is this ok?

 

[Jireh Financial]

It happens with our motorhome sometimes. We are generally short term campers so I don't worry about it. I often try to reposition to minimize the space. Sometimes there is no option. My opinion, it looks worse than it is. Jack stands are made to support the weight. If we were parking for a long season, I would probably put something under there so it would not rock.
Ken

 

[Prucrew]

Good to hear. I wasn’t sure of the stress on the suspension. Thanks!

 

[Rich W.]

While its ok, as stated above, if its ugly or makes you nervous, just go up a couple extra inches, put some blocks under the tires and lower it back down to level. This will take some of the strain off the jacks, the coach will be more secure, and you’ll have one less thing to worry about. The suspension can handle hanging but the jacks can seem a bit spindly depending on how high you have to lift the front to get the coach level.

 

[Prucrew]

Got it…. Thanks!

 

[Jireh Financial]

Good to hear. I wasn’t sure of the stress on the suspension. Thanks!

When in storage for the winter, we put our MH on the jacks. No different that people in warm weather in a park setting for 6 months. It sure beats flat spots on the tires when we start the year. (thump, thump, thump)

 

[Buly]

If you have air bags, then maybe it is a concern? People have pulled air bags apart by lifting the wheels of the ground ( I hear).

 

[Gizmo]

I'm in the camp it doesn't hurt but I try to avoid as much as possilbe. I fnd that if I'm going to have a long term stay I like something under the wheels or people wlll stop by and give me friendly advice. I have been told that thier buddy did and twisted the frame and kitchen cabenits felll off wall and tire went bald in just a few miles or slide down a hill in damage other RVs. Then I have to explain that with airbags you lower the coach down onto stops and then when you level it will up pick the coach off those stops so 95% of the weight of the coach is on the jacks.
If you have to stack blocks under the front of a Class A DP then the steps can be 3 feet to the first step.

 

[J&JD]

You hear so many tales about ruined suspension parts lifting the coach off the ground with the jacks. Freightliner has no problem doing it, Newmar does it (I have personally seen it), tire shops do it, and HWH does it all the time at their repair facility.
I do agree with above comments about the look and stability of being off the ground, especially for long term but I wouldn’t be concerned with coach damage.

 

[Jim]

Is it actually a necessity to store a motor home level if all the systems are turned off anyway?

 

[Jireh Financial]

And NEVER open slides until you are level. Level first, then slides.
Ken

 

[Neal]

And NEVER open slides until you are level. Level first, then slides.
Ken

Not how I do it, slides out then level. In my case there is a ton of weight going out (moment arms for the engineer types) that can easily throw off a level done with slides in.

 

[Gizmo]

And NEVER open slides until you are level. Level first, then slides.
Ken

My Discovery said to level then deploy sides but my Newmar I have a warning letter from Newmar that states to check the gap on full wall slides then deploy slides and the last step is to level the coach. I always say to follow your manufacture's recommendation on deploying slides before or after leveling.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

I find that my rig 34ft Georgetown is the most stable with the jacks down, but with some weight still on the tires. The tires are a lot further outboard than the jacks and hel stabilize. If necessary, I drive up on blocks to make the rig "eyeball level" before I drop the jacks.
I "level" manually with the tail down slightly for water (A/C condensation)) runoff. I level before I extend the slides.

 

[Jim]

Is it actually a necessity to store a motor home level if all the systems are turned off anyway?

OK, never mind. Apparently it matters.

Can You Store An RV That Is Not Level?

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