Question #1 leveling Jacks down all winter?

[adventuregurl]

I am a brand new owner with lots of questions and I have found this site to be very helpful! Thanks guys! Ok...I'm in Minnesota, the land of sub zero temps and lots of snow. My rig is on a slab on one side and pavers on the other. It's a bit unlevel. I have the robotic jack system. Can I leave those down all winter or drive onto blocks to level?

[Cannon]

I always hit auto level and leave mine that way between trips. Mine's a fifth wheel not a motor home.

[Lake Huron]

I poured concrete along side of my garage and house to park my 5th wheel on. It is pit hed away from the house for water runoff it's only off by 3/8". Pretty minimal really. However its covered up for the winter, tires are covered up and I dont put my jacks down for the winter storage. Some people do. Dont really k ow if there is a right or wrong answer to this but more personal preference I guess. That way I see it is they sit on the dealer lot all winter without the jacks down, so I guess that's good enough for me.

[adventuregurl]

Thanks! I may as well use them if I have them..
Didn't know if snow and freezing temps would be bad for it

[Destrtman]

I am in the down club. I use 2x10 wooden blocks under the jack pads to prevent rust and electrolysis. Pryor to leveling with the jacks make sure your unit is almost level. I also use wooden blocks under all the tires (Home Depot will cut a 10' 2x10 into 10" blocks sometimes for free)

There is a good reason to use the jacks. That reason is this relieves the weight of the unit off the tires and suspension during the long winter, it will help prevent flat spots on the tires and relieves the stress on the springs. It also allows water drain properly off of the roof.

Ps make sure you always block the tires to make sure your unit doesn't move forward or backwards when leveling. And if it is a motor home do not use the E brakes to hold it from moving they can rust or freeze locked. Not a good thing!

In the Spring lube the exposed legs of the jacks with a high quality drying silicone spray.

Desertman

[adventuregurl]

Thanks! I also have a slab I had poured. My former camper was a 33ft Coachman toy hauler. I didn't quite make it wide enough for slides so used pavers to widen but they sunk a little. So my Jayco is sitting a bit tilted

[adventuregurl]

Great info! You have a sexy truck and camper! That is very nice! I am going to do what you recommend, Danielle

[Kim Gass]

A bit of a consideration if ice ever happens. We don't put stabilizers down. Last year in Feb when preparing to leave for Florida the unit was frozen solidly to the ground. Not so much the tires but the jack in front holding the front of the trailer up was solidly planted. The unit is on stone dust . Took a lot of hot water to thaw the contact between unit and ground then when we pulled out the side slope helped the trailer slide sideways into a utility trailer punching a hole in it.

If you won't be trying to escape winter the above will not be an issue.

[pward]

If the jacks are driven by hydraulics they should not be loaded long term. This is based on experience with heavy equipment which is never left with loaded hydraulics. JMO.

[Cannon]

Originally Posted by pward

If the jacks are driven by hydraulics they should not be loaded long term. This is based on experience with heavy equipment which is never left with loaded hydraulics. JMO.

Even with hydraulics it sets on the front jacks when not hooked up. My last 5er was a keystone with hyd. slides and jacks. Nine years with no problems, Much better the the elect jacks and slides.

[pconroy]

Put me in the Leave Them Up category.

[Big1]

I don't put mines down but that's me.

[SloPoke]

We put ours down... level the Seneca for part of the winter when it is not being used. We cycle them once or twice during the winter along with the Generator which you should already be doing.

[Rustynuts]

If you leave them down for a period of time Fluid Film is a great product for protecting the shafts on the cylinders. Just spray it on and much better than WD40, been using it on my tractor hydraulic cylinders shafts for years. It’s also great for coating your undercarriage against rust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbXBax-Kh9E

[Destrtman]

Ps slides in. If they have toppers the wind can tear them off. If not Water can puddle and freeze ruining seals and slide mechanisms.

Desertman

[Tumbleweed44]

If your travel trailer or 5th wheel has "scissor" type jacks/stabilizers, then leaving them down shouldn't hurt anything. Spray some lube on the screw mechanism.
On our Senecas, with the hydraulic rams as jacks, the shafts can get corroded and damage the cylinder seals if left exposed to the weather.

I can't comment on spraying with Fluid Film as I've never used it.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by adventuregurl

My rig is on a slab on one side and pavers on the other. It's a bit unlevel. I have the robotic jack system. Can I leave those down all winter or drive onto blocks to level?

I guess I'm wondering, why do you need your rig to sit exactly level during the Winter? Is someone going to be living in it? A bit unlevel in storage shouldn't be an issue, unless you think snow/water will get trapped in a certain area.

If just sitting level is a concern, I'd suggest driving up on the blocks, and leave the levelers up, to protect the shafts.

[adventuregurl]

Thanks...I actually got my entire rig on the slab so it is level and I think I will not put them down. I did take someone's advice and put boards under all the tires

[whporwil]

dealers love to put the slides out and leave the jacks up, no no no.

[dennis b]

Jacks up & I make sure not level for drainage!