Seneca Leveling and Slides

[GrayHawk]

Originally Posted by jvteach77

I will contact Jayco to get their position, but it doesn't seem logical to extend slides before leveling to me.

I was also told to extend the slides then level as if you level first then extend the slides you can become unlevel, go figure book. What is the correct way.

I sent an e mail to jay o a few days ago.... no answer yet

[thecampingcat]

Is my slide out on my 2014 Greyhawk electric or hydrolic?

[rgolding]

Just a simple update to my earlier reply to this.
We have been sitting on sand in the middle of Florida all Winter. We moved the Seneca at Thanksgiving, Christmas and the end of January as we did a little traveling. It seems we settle more in to the sand the longer we sit in one spot. Have pads under the leveling legs, but we still settle and eventually the cabin door begins to bind. Once that gets annoying enough, we have to re-level.
We have had to get off the legs, sometimes, because the slides are so bound or twisted that they won't come in. We have had to put the slides out and then make final adjustments to location to get things level.

I guess, all I'm saying, is that every day is an adventure and you have to adjust to what you are presented with. Levels can be used to make changes with slides out or slides in. Analyze, adjust and move on.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by thecampingcat

Is my slide out on my 2014 Greyhawk electric or hydrolic?

Electric.

[GrayHawk]

Jayco told me do not deploy slides until jacks down and leveled............

[Mark S]

To further confuse the issue, there is a sticker right below my slide controls that says to level before putting slides out and then again after they are out. Go figure.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mark S

To further confuse the issue, there is a sticker right below my slide controls that says to level before putting slides out and then again after they are out. Go figure.

Depending on ground conditions not surprising. If on concrete pad it probably won't change, but on softer campsites I have noticed a "lean" once slides are out. Generally sinks more to the driver's side where I have my larger slide. May not happen immediately, sometimes even a day later.

Also if I don't bleed-off the airbags it tends to drop lower in the rear after time, probably because the rear suspension is still bearing a certain amount of weight.

[Robbbyr]

Forgot to also mention my heavy-duty jack pads. They help keep me stable regardless of ground conditions and minimize any sinking.

But the air bags still come into play, I plan to eventually install a dump solenoid someday to take them out of the picture.

Jack pads bring back aerial ladder memories Mark?


https://www.outriggerpads.com/produc...-x-15-x-1-5-2/

[GrayHawk]

Originally Posted by GrayHawk

I was also told to extend the slides then level as if you level first then extend the slides you can become unlevel, go figure book. What is the correct way.

I sent an e mail to jay o a few days ago.... no answer yet

Level first then put your slides out per Jayco

[Mark S]

Originally Posted by Robbbyr

Forgot to also mention my heavy-duty jack pads. They help keep me stable regardless of ground conditions and minimize any sinking.

But the air bags still come into play, I plan to eventually install a dump solenoid someday to take them out of the picture.

Jack pads bring back aerial ladder memories Mark?


https://www.outriggerpads.com/produc...-x-15-x-1-5-2/

I like those Rob. Ours were aluminum. I have a CNC plasma shop and a set of those just went on my to do list. Although at $50 that's a lot cheaper than aluminum will cost me.

We also chocked our trucks as soon as we got out. Do you use wheel chocks when setting up? I do sense some movement when leveling. Not sure if chocks will make a difference.

I can hear my air bags purging air when the rear stabilizers at going up. Not sure if that's what are are referring to.

[Robbbyr]

I do use chocks on my front wheels. Big rubber ones I got off of Amazon. As far as the air suspension I have a "routine" I go through to bleed the air which helps to keep the auto-level from lifting the front end too much.

I first chock the front, then put the jacks into manual and lift the rear as high as it will go. You will hear the air bleed out as it goes up. Then I lower it down, then raise it again. Usually it dumps a little more. This is done with engine off or it will just fill itself back up! Once back down I use auto-level and it usually does it pretty well at that point. If it does settle I usually fine tune it in the manual mode.

Also when you drop it off the jacks it isn't unusual for the rig to try to "scoot" forward, an effect peculiar to our Airliner rear suspension. Hence the reason for the chocks.

[rgolding]

RobbyR,
Why chock the front wheels, instead of the back?

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by rgolding

RobbyR,
Why chock the front wheels, instead of the back?

As you saw in my routine I lift the rear high to bleed-off the suspension. Sometimes a rear wheel (or even both) will come off the ground. As you probably know, only the rear axle is locked by the parking brake, air brakes or not. So if there is any slope to the site it might try to roll when the rear tires get unloaded. The front wheels are still on the ground and the chocks up front keep it from moving.

I have had to switch the chocks to the rear if I know the front will be high after leveling, but I do my manual lifting first the switch the chocks. Only takes a minute.

A note about the air brake-equipped newer Senecas, their parking brake activates the actual drum brake on each rear wheel. So if they lift only one rear wheel it might not roll. But earlier hydraulic brake Senecas have a driveshaft brake. Lift one rear wheel on a slope and due to differential action it still can roll despite the parking brake being applied.

[WorldCat]

Great stuff to know in case we get a Seneca.
Thanks

[Crossingover]

Originally Posted by Robbbyr

Forgot to also mention my heavy-duty jack pads.

Do you do site visits for a fee to organize basements? I'd be interested. Very nice pad storage arrangement!

[ready2retire&drive]

Originally Posted by Robbbyr

Forgot to also mention my heavy-duty jack pads. They help keep me stable regardless of ground conditions and minimize any sinking.

But the air bags still come into play, I plan to eventually install a dump solenoid someday to take them out of the picture.

Jack pads bring back aerial ladder memories Mark?


https://www.outriggerpads.com/produc...-x-15-x-1-5-2/

I put this valve in by the generator easy to dump the air and also have an air coupler on the top of it if I need air for something else