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11-14-2020, 04:11 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Toronto
Posts: 9
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Raise Jacks Before Retracting Slides?
I needed something to help me fall asleep last night so I figured why not try reading some of my owners manual
I came across this statement “Motor home should be leveled prior to extending slide out rooms. Raise the jacks before retracting the slide-out rooms.”
Now the first line makes perfect sense to me but I’m confused about the second line? If I want the MH to be level when I extend the slides, wouldn’t I also want it level when I retract them? Couldn’t I potentially be putting added stress on the slide tracks and motors by not being as level as possible?
Can any professional or amateur engineers out there help me make sense of this.
Thanks
Mav
__________________
2016 Greyhawk 31DS
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11-14-2020, 07:39 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Danbury
Posts: 127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mavrik
I needed something to help me fall asleep last night so I figured why not try reading some of my owners manual
I came across this statement “Motor home should be leveled prior to extending slide out rooms. Raise the jacks before retracting the slide-out rooms.”
Now the first line makes perfect sense to me but I’m confused about the second line? If I want the MH to be level when I extend the slides, wouldn’t I also want it level when I retract them? Couldn’t I potentially be putting added stress on the slide tracks and motors by not being as level as possible?
Can any professional or amateur engineers out there help me make sense of this.
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I agree 100 percent with you. You want it level before extending and the same in retract. At least thats always gonna be my plan no matter what that manual says otherwise. Also on top of that when I retract my jacks its a very jerky motion on its way down and dont want my slide bounced around while being extended.
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11-14-2020, 08:23 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pottstown
Posts: 85
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mavrik
I needed something to help me fall asleep last night so I figured why not try reading some of my owners manual
I came across this statement “Motor home should be leveled prior to extending slide out rooms. Raise the jacks before retracting the slide-out rooms.”
Now the first line makes perfect sense to me but I’m confused about the second line? If I want the MH to be level when I extend the slides, wouldn’t I also want it level when I retract them? Couldn’t I potentially be putting added stress on the slide tracks and motors by not being as level as possible?
Can any professional or amateur engineers out there help me make sense of this.
Thanks
Mav
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Yes, you want it level...both ways....
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11-14-2020, 09:14 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Oregon Coast
Posts: 3,086
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In the Seneca manual it says to level before putting out slides and then a few pages later it says to put out slides then level
Once parked the jacks are the first thing to happen and the last before we pull out.
__________________
Brian & Jeannie
2018.5 Seneca 37RB with to many mods to list
2015 Jeep JKU Rubicon
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11-14-2020, 09:26 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Posts: 225
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My Precept manual states the following in a warning box.
"Ensure that the motorhome is level before operating the slideout room. Water leaks and other problems could result if the slideout is operated without leveling the motorhome."
So I take it operating as in operations of the slideout motor in or out. It is pretty obvious when the levelers retract it is slightly bouncing the coach around until it settles. Therefore, if the slides are out during the retraction it is not level.
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2014 Jayco Precept 31 UL
1997 Four Winds Chateau Sport 23' (sold)
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11-16-2020, 03:41 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Miami
Posts: 355
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X2 what Ant said
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11-16-2020, 03:48 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Denver
Posts: 4,218
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The brilliance of writing technical manuals - "Whatever happens make sure you always and never do this! You could die! Or not!"
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2016 Greyhawk 31FK
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11-17-2020, 08:02 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 880
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I have to say that the statement "Ensure that the motorhome is level before operating the slideout room" is what you need to be thinking about. What you want is nothing flexing in the frame. Sometimes its with the feet down and sometimes its sitting on the tires. It just depends on where you are. I always try to have the feet down first before setting up and putting the slides out and the last thing to go up after the slides have been brought back in, when tearing down. However, I think some time in our history of dealing with these slide outs, there has always been an exception to the rule. .
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Smooth Sailing,
Ric and Jan Golding
Southern Illinois
2016 Jayco Seneca 37FS
2016 Chevrolet Traverse
2018 Cheverolet Silverado
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11-17-2020, 10:34 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Glendale
Posts: 857
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Yup level then extend slide
Retract slide then retract jacks
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11-17-2020, 01:07 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Treasure Coast Florida
Posts: 643
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Yup, common sense dictates level then slide out, slide in then all retract. Also, transmission should be in neutral for all of this.
__________________
Rick with Lori and Two Pekes
'16 Jayco Seneca HJ Topaz
'13 Mini Cooper toad : Blackhawk All-Terrain tether
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11-17-2020, 01:58 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Columbia
Posts: 218
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Where I parked at home is not possible to get completely level very easy. While back I was putting in large slide out and had a problem. Later being at a camping spot, it went in and out fine. So lesson learned.
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11-17-2020, 04:05 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,740
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustynuts
In the Seneca manual it says to level before putting out slides and then a few pages later it says to put out slides then level
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Must have both right and left handed lawyers! No matter what, when they get questioned, they can have the correct answer that will protect the company!
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11-17-2020, 06:17 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Port Huron, Mi
Posts: 1,730
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Read your manual, somewhere it prolly says "Made in China". Lol!
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2017 North Point 375BHFS
2015 Silverado 3500HD Crew Dually Dmax 4x4
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11-21-2020, 01:53 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crossingover
Yup, common sense dictates level then slide out, slide in then all retract. Also, transmission should be in neutral for all of this.
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What happens if motorhome transmission is in park instead of neutral while retracting slideouts and levelling hydraulic jacks?
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11-21-2020, 01:57 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: North Pole
Posts: 24
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I can tell you from years of experience that most slide extension and retract problems are caused by the misunderstanding of what make sure your camper is level means. If you find that you are having problems with extension or retraction it may be because your jacks have put a bind on the frame which causes the slides to bind. Try moving the rooms with the jacks up and see if they work better. My slides on several different configurations of campers always worked much better if the jacks were up. Our 5th wheel bedroom slide would not work if we put all the jacks down first. It would work while on the truck or with just the front jacks down but would bind once all jacks went through auto level. Have you ever wondered why your slides work great when you are trying to show the dealer what is wrong? Level to me means don't have one side of the camper in a ditch while trying to operate the slides. Give it a try, it will not hurt anything.
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11-21-2020, 03:00 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakedalaskan
I can tell you from years of experience that most slide extension and retract problems are caused by the misunderstanding of what make sure your camper is level means. If you find that you are having problems with extension or retraction it may be because your jacks have put a bind on the frame which causes the slides to bind. Try moving the rooms with the jacks up and see if they work better. My slides on several different configurations of campers always worked much better if the jacks were up. Our 5th wheel bedroom slide would not work if we put all the jacks down first. It would work while on the truck or with just the front jacks down but would bind once all jacks went through auto level. Have you ever wondered why your slides work great when you are trying to show the dealer what is wrong? Level to me means don't have one side of the camper in a ditch while trying to operate the slides. Give it a try, it will not hurt anything.
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Do you leave transmission in Neutral or in Park when operating slides and jacks?
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11-21-2020, 03:04 PM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Burns Harbor, RV Capital of the World
Posts: 72
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When my customers call me in "tizzy" telling me that their slides won't go in, my first question is, "is your camper level?"
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Scott
NW Indiana
RV Capital of the World
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11-21-2020, 03:19 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: North Pole
Posts: 24
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In our class A it had to be in park with brake on to move slides. Trailers and 5th wheels just used park if connected to truck. If not connected to the truck use chocks!!!!
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11-21-2020, 04:44 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Moultrie
Posts: 234
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Not that it probably matters that much but Jayco motorized web page has an instructional video on the jacks. Best I can remember it said to put the slides out first. You might want to go to their site and watch it.
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11-21-2020, 06:23 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Out there somewhere
Posts: 1,613
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I don’t have hydraulic leveling on my rig. I thought I would add it but after reading all the issues people have, I’m 2nd guessing adding it. Having said that, I do notice if I level up my RV then put the slide out it puts enough weight on the drives side to effect the level of my rig. I sometimes don’t level if the drives side is up a bit, because when I put the slide out, it makes up the difference. This is because my suspension is moving not being on jacks.
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