Leveling and stabilty question (From TapaTalk Forum)

When leveling our new 36FW in the auto mode the system will lift the coach wheels off the ground if the ground is somewhat un-level. I have tried taking it out of the auto level mode and attempt to level in the manual mode but I have not been successful being able to achieve levelness without again lifting one side or both off the ground. I am not so much concerned with some of the tires being off the ground except that the unstable feeling and movement when walking around in the coach is an issue.

I guess my question is, if you are unlevel enough that the system wants to lift the wheels off the ground, are you able to stabilize the rig with some sort of add on stabilizers. Should I start planning on the addition of some sort of stabilizer system and if so can any of you provide suggestions. I can only assume that this is something that everyone deals with.

Thanks for any help.

Yes, look into something like the “Plug it Right” stabilizers. They will help eliminate some of the movement.
The Plug it rights are sold by Dutch and Di as members here.
Just wondering here, have you checked the levelness of the rig with a true level, or are you just taking the auto levels word for it.

Greg,

Plug it rights will help a lot to stabilize with wheels off the ground or not. I highly recommend them, the left right in the front being most important. Number 2 in my book for the longer heavier units us two rear scissor jacks or electric jacks at the rear. You should add at least two, preferably four plug it rights to the manual scissors; only need two plug it’s if you go with the electric. The scissors cause less exit ground clearance angle concerns than the electric, plug it’s don’t cause or add to those concerns.

Regarding wheels off the ground. Thus happens to me rarely, but does if site is way off level.

All systems need to be manually calibrated before the “auto” works. This means going through the process outlined in the manual with a good quality carpenter’s level on the kitchen floor of the 5er. The sensor us usually installed close to level, then the setup process teaches it how off level that level is. It should gave been done at the factory or dealer, but mine was way off.

If this is a used unit, it may have an outdated two-sensor system. Those were tough to calibrate and the rear sensor was often defective after a short time. If you call big foot they can talk you through determining which setup you have. I had the original Bigfoot that did what yours did more frequently even after u set it up. I replaced that with the two sensor system with pendant, all electronics replaced and new rear sensor with wires installed. When this started acting up. (long after the setup proves and normally after rough roads), they sent me a new forward sensor at cost if shipping, and I was told to disconnect the tear sensor which I have done. Again, another setup process with a level, now all us well.

If your site is not level it’s OK to have your tire(s) off the ground for a period of time. At home our driveway is not level and I’ve had our Cameo sit for several months with one side off the ground.

Here is the web site for the Plug It Right Stabilizers. Dutch and Di are members of this forum and have been selling this product for a number of years.

http://www.plugitright.com

Traveler,

I carry around the old 12 inch square plastic lift pads from my old manual legged 5er fir just such occasions. Yes you can do it, but way more stable walking around with more “feets” on the ground.

Traveler wrote:If your site is not level it’s OK to have your tire(s) off the ground for a period of time. At home our driveway is not level and I’ve had our Cameo sit for several months with one side off the ground.

Here is the web site for the Plug It Right Stabilizers. Dutch and Di are members of this forum and have been selling this product for a number of years.

http://www.plugitright.com

Reading on some other forums, many people put blocks of some sort under their jacks, using the idea that the less the leg is extended, the more stable the unit.

I store my rig off its wheels for the winter with my plugitright’s tightened, have less shake when we set up at a CG with the plugitright’s also.

I also use the Plug-it-Right stabilizers and I also use a manual screw-type jack at the very rear of the frame on each side. I find with the stabilizers and the jacks that I have very little movement in the trailer, even if one side has the wheels all the way off the ground.

Thanks for all the input. As for the unit, it is new. Just picked it up 2 weeks ago. First off I will determine if the system is calibrated correctly. It actually feels as though it is dead on when ran through the auto level procedure. I will likely go for the Plug it right stabilizers. We are coming from a 40 ft diesel which had little to no movement after you were leveled up so I will try to get all the movement out that I can.

So I understand, do you just install the plug it right stabilizers on the front – and not the back jacks as well. Or is placing them on the rear not really required?

I only have mine on the front jacks. I know they make a set for the rear, but I did not use those. I prefer the manual jacks at the very back of the frame.

Greg

The nature of the stabilization if attached to the rear Bigfoot is mainly front to back by its nature.

Four plug it’s in the front us a must do. You will find a propane line in the way of the fore/aft plug it on the curb side. Two pieces of 1.25 inch angle iron bolted together as a “U” gets past this.

Once the front is done, my next investment would be the rear jacks of either manual scissors or electric variety because there is a lot of overhang behind the wheels that can wiggle even if you have the plug it’s on the rear Bigfoot. That rear wiggle is mostly left to right so the geometry of the electric rear jacks is a better solution. (this is all hindsight experience speaking).

The crank up rear scissors really need two plug it’s each. Once installed, the most important left to right plug it component is a little tough to reach every time you set up. The scissors are faster and easier to install than the heavier electric setup that requires running a good sized power line from the battery. The electric might be improved via a fore/aft plug it, but because of its geometry there is no plug it needed for the left/right wiggle.

I have 4 plug it’s up front, four plug it’s on my rear scissors, an one plug it on each rear Bigfoot. I lock all when in place for a week or more. Sometime for overnight just a couple or none depending upon the site.

Gregk wrote:
So I understand, do you just install the plug it right stabilizers on the front – and not the back jacks as well. Or is placing them on the rear not really required?

Hi John. I have a question. You said; The crank up rear scissors really need two plug it’s each. Once installed, the most important left to right plug it component is a little tough to reach every time you set up.
Where are your rear scissor jacks located? If they are at the very back of your unit then they shouldn’t be that hard to reach. If they are in from the rear bumper area and are not welded, they can be relocated more to the back which will continue to help with interior movement.
The electric might be improved via a fore/aft plug it, but because of its geometry there is no plug it needed for the left/right wiggle.
You do not need front to rear stabilizers on anything other than the front. The 2 stabilizers installed front to back are basically attached to the frame of the coach so that would take care of all front to back movement. If that isn’t doing that for you, then we need to find out why. Without seeing your coach, I can’t speculate what could be wrong or out of alignment to cause forward to rear movement.
I agree that some units with the newest heavy duty electric arm jacks can be sturdy enough that you might not need rear stabilizers.
As always, I am available at 941-416-0918 10am to 10 pm 7 days a week. Hugs, Di

The nature of the stabilization if attached to the rear Bigfoot is mainly front to back by its nature.

Four plug it’s in the front us a must do. You will find a propane line in the way of the fore/aft plug it on the curb side. Two pieces of 1.25 inch angle iron bolted together as a “U” gets past this.

Once the front is done, my next investment would be the rear jacks of either manual scissors or electric variety because there is a lot of overhang behind the wheels that can wiggle even if you have the plug it’s on the rear Bigfoot. That rear wiggle is mostly left to right so the geometry of the electric rear jacks is a better solution. (this is all hindsight experience speaking).

The crank up rear scissors really need two plug it’s each. Once installed, the most important left to right plug it component is a little tough to reach every time you set up. The scissors are faster and easier to install than the heavier electric setup that requires running a good sized power line from the battery. The electric might be improved via a fore/aft plug it, but because of its geometry there is no plug it needed for the left/right wiggle.

I have 4 plug it’s up front, four plug it’s on my rear scissors, an one plug it on each rear Bigfoot. I lock all when in place for a week or more. Sometime for overnight just a couple or none depending upon the site.

Gregk wrote:
So I understand, do you just install the plug it right stabilizers on the front – and not the back jacks as well. Or is placing them on the rear not really required?

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Dear all,

I am in Florida and you would not believe the angle of some of the approach/departure angles of many of the ditch swales and driveways necessitated by our heavy rain falls. I have bent my license plate on several occasions but not yet scraped the bottom of the rear cap. This is why I selected scissor jacks in the rear. When retracted they are almost 4 inches less in profile than the electric setups. I live with the inconvenient stretch associated with the use of plug it rights because they really work. If I was five years younger I would not consider it an inconvenient stretch, but such is life. I might be lucky and not rip off the scissors if I moved them towards the rear, but the risk is not worth it to me.

I started out with six plug it’s. Four up front and two behind the rear bigfoots. A massive improvement, but I am used to a slab on grade stick house and it just was not enough, particularly in some of the softer surfaced campgrounds I spend a month at here and in New Hampshire. I added the scissors and 4 plug it’s at the same time. Another massive improvement. In hindsight I might have moved the plug it’s from the rear bigfoots and used them to control only side to side on the scissors and saved a little $ and ended up close to where I am today, but frankly shipping and delay time for trial and error orders were not something I wanted to deal with. As Di suggests, I don’t need all the plug it’s that I have, and rarely use more than the front 4 and 2 on the scissors. I still use one but no longer both wheel chocks at every stop, more for pull away safety than stability now that I have the plug it’s on the rear.

I have a Cameo. It is lighter than a Carriage, and I suspect the rear overhang is a bit different with more impact on the lighter units. I understand that Lifestyle has spread the 5er axles a bit and maybe reduced the rear overhang so maybe all you need is four up front.

You definitely want four up front plug it’s on a fws unit, more as you personally need. I suggest what I would do if I was starting over with the benefit of my hindsight.

You will definitely get good service from Di’s plug it rights.