Unfortunately, RVers are getting confused about something that can cause serious damage to their RVs or even cause injury and death.
Confusing stabilizing an RV vs. leveling an RV.
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Just because you have jacks on your RV doesn’t mean you can level your RV with them.
Stabilizer jacks are designed to take bounce and sometimes sway out of the RV while it is parked. The RV must be leveled on blocks or pads before putting the stabilizer jacks down. Back or drive the RV onto blocks on the low side until it reaches level. If you have a trailer, disconnect and use the A-frame jack or front jacks on a fifth wheel to level front to back. Then, put your stabilizers down to take the bounce out. A good add for scissor jacks is called the JT Strong Arm rods which help reduce lateral sway.
Levelers, on the other hand, are electric or hydraulic systems that are designed to pick up the RV. They will be called levelers. Levelers will almost always have a keypad with an auto-level button. The computer will determine “where” level is. Some older systems from HWH and Power Gear, among others, have manual controls and require the user to use bubble levels to determine if the RV is level.
Levelers are most often hydraulic, but there are a couple of electric versions. One features an electric motor at each jack position. The Ground Control 2.0 by Lippert for travel trailers looks like their motorized stabilizers, but is much heavier duty. The system has electronics that auto level the RV instead of an extend/retract switch on the side of the coach, the way electric stabilizers do.
Scissor jacks are the most common form of stabilizer or towables. Some are heavier duty than others, with the ability of some brands to lift 2 1/2 tons or more vertically the jacks can’t put up with any twisting or lateral force. Even the normal movement of the RV while people walk inside can be enough to cause a failure. That’s why it’s essential to level the RV on blocks first, set a brake using a product like an X-Chock, then extend the stab jacks. Tech Note: If you have thin, cheap stab jacks, it’s possible to upgrade to a heavier duty model, or even add the LCI Ground Control 2.0 in the aftermarket.
There are also flip down and portable “pyramid” or “triangle” jacks out there for stabilization, but are used much less frequently on newer RVs.
Make sure you know which you have, and how to use them, to avoid a potential damaging accident.
The RV PHD Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
