Auto Leveling Jacks

Buddy’s RV · 07-03-2019, 08:12 AM

Hello All ,

We have a new 2019 View 24 D that did not come with auto leveling jacks . Our first motor home after years with various camper trailers . My question is , are auto leveling jacks necessary / helpful / worth the expense / can be added , etc. . The few trips we have been on so far we had to pull up on leveling blocks and at our age is a little difficult . And if we were to get them installed what are the best brands to consider ?

Thanks for any and all opinions !

luvlabs · 07-03-2019, 08:53 AM

Leveling jacks are nice but not mandatory. They are expensive ($4500 or so) and heavy (180 lbs) which degrades your OCCC. You can compensate somewhat by installing something like the LevelMatePro which tells you how much leveling you need at each wheel and using the lego type plastic leveling blocks. Usually a fast, easy process and right the first time.

If you decide to go for levelers, HWH seems to be the most popular. You would buy them though Lichtsinn RV in Forest City (you get a discount) and have them installed at the HWH factory in Moscow, IA. Other popular levelers are Big Foot and Equalizer brands. All of them work well.

TJFogelberg · 07-03-2019, 10:40 AM

Our 31D came equiped with HWH jacks and I wouldn't be without them. In an earlier lifetime, we used the yellow plastic blocks but this is much easier. We put heavy (made from old tires) pads under them before we put them down. What I like is the added stability after the RV is set up, less rocking and rolling.

TATANKA01 · 07-05-2019, 05:17 PM

We are new 2019 22m owners and have a suggestion. We just put a set of 5000lb air bags on the rear suspension and with 35 psi air the coach rear is now level, it handles much better especially in crosswinds or passing semi's. I purposely installed separae air lines so I can level left and right as well as front to rear depending on load configuration and if we ever tow anything the headlights will not be in the sky. We also noticed that there is now little to no movement now in the bedroom/bath and I doubt we will ever even use the leveling jacks that came on it. I bought the air bags on ebay for $264 no tax/free shipping when they had a 8% back promotion and a local off road tire store did the installation for 2 hrs labor or $170 so my grand total is about $420. I believe this type of investment would be better than buying leveling jacks

Lowdie24 · 07-05-2019, 11:15 PM

Hey there TATANKA01,

Mind sharing what make & model of air bags you bought? I've a 2018 22M on a E 450 chassis and might consider air bags if not too costly.

Thanks

luvlabs · 07-06-2019, 08:18 AM

Posters 3,4, and 5: The OP has a View. What you might do on your E450 Ford Chassis motorhomes is kind of irrelevant to his situation. I suggest you start a new topic to discuss leveling systems on the E450 chassis.

TATANKA01 · 07-06-2019, 10:30 AM

See eBay item number:233240290415 they still have item for sale

Mike Owens · 07-06-2019, 06:41 PM

I installed a Bigfoot leveling system. The weight is 80#'s more than the stabilizing standard jacks that the View's now come with. It was worth it to me because of just pushing a few buttons. Bigfoot Platinum System For Mercedes Benz Class-C

Buddy’s RV · 07-07-2019, 02:08 PM

Thanks for all the information . I was reading a thread about Sumo Springs on a M.B. Sprinter rear suspension . Helps with the crosswinds and sway . Any opinions ?
Thanks

Bompa13 · 07-10-2019, 04:19 PM

Immediately after purchasing our 2017 24G we scheduled Equalizer to install their Auto Level System which was the 1st one they did.
The system works very well. My wife doesn't line any movement at night and I like the ease of leveling the unit.
We would recommend them to anyone

MikeBrooks · 07-10-2019, 04:20 PM

I'm retired and have automatic levelers. Wouldn't be without them now. Press the button to lower, wait a few minutes and you're done. Press a button to retract. If you are moving around with some frequency they're worth it!

RoadCrafters · 07-10-2019, 04:54 PM

We have a 2018 24D and I have looked extensively at suspension upgrades and the auto levelers. The auto levelers are absolutely wonderful but as stated above they are pricey (~$5,000) and they add “a lot of weight” relative to your OCCC. You only have 1,100 lbs with the 24D and the auto levelers - even when you take off the stabilizers - are going to add anywhere between 150 to 200 pounds. At the end of the day you will be overweight. But… Most Views are overweight or at least very close to it. We did not add the auto leveler’s even though the convenience was very attractive simply because of the weight issue. The model we looked at was the HWH as stated above. The install should be arranged through Lichtsinn - they do a tremendous job.

As for suspension upgrades there are three steps I would recommend looking at. We did the Sumo Springs front and back first, followed by the Hellwig sway bar. In retrospect I would do the Hellwig first, see what that did and then add the Sumo Springs if you feel you need more stability. But for us both made a tremendous improvement in the sway and the stability of the coach, (but the ride is stiffer and we noticed a slight increase in road noise). I would recommend both. The third option is to upgrade the OEM suspension springs in the back. Good luck. We love our unit.

Frobogey · 07-10-2019, 06:01 PM

I'm 76 wife and now traveling Alaska for the summer no jacks less hassle . I have 4 pieces of 2 x 10, ft n half long and have only had to use 3 times so far in 5 wks . The little bit of wobble while parked is a lot easier to take then $4000.00 to install jacks The boards are way better than those plastic squares.

Diesel-Lover · 07-10-2019, 07:30 PM

The air bags on rear would be less weight, improve handling assist in stiffening the suspension and perhaps can be used for pseudo leveling. The additional complexity and weight of a hydraulic leveling system is well priceless to some and pricey to others as well as the fact that it adds a lot of weight and increases the already complex by assembler/manufacturer designers. We had it on one RV but found it not so useful as to leveling it did act as a jiggle reducer. Most sites these days tend to be level enough not to throw the fridge into tantrums.

Camping world has a stabilization gizmo for the bumper, which reduces the jiggle to a non issue. We have used that a little but not much, comes in handy when you have a large dog or older grand children moving about but else the stiffer suspension via air bag is plenty good.

Why add that much weight to carry around when you can do with less, and enjoy better handling, braking, sprints and strain your transmission and engine a little less.

NeilV · 07-10-2019, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B. G. Lewis

Hello All ,

We have a new 2019 View 24 D that did not come with auto leveling jacks . Our first motor home after years with various camper trailers . My question is , are auto leveling jacks necessary / helpful / worth the expense / can be added , etc. . The few trips we have been on so far we had to pull up on leveling blocks and at our age is a little difficult . And if we were to get them installed what are the best brands to consider ?

Thanks for any and all opinions !

Check section 12 of your owners manual to verify whether the manually controlled electric stabilizer jacks were installed on your View. From what I read if that option is installed they will be electric screw style scissor jacks only installed in the rear with the controls in the Drivers Side Rear Compartment having two buttons a left and right which electrically control the up and down manual adjustment of the stabilizers.

The View is a relatively light coach so a full hydraulic 4 post system is not usually installed on them.

See page 141 and 142:
https://winnebagoind.com/resources/m...018/18View.pdf

The manually cranked ones will cost about $30 each if you install them yourself and a set of electric ones with a separate motor for each stabilizer about $750 if you install them yourselves the electric stabilizers that share a common motor for both jacks are about $450.

The factory stabilizers are similar in appearance to the $750 Ultrafab Twin II Electric Stabilizers

Diesel-Lover · 07-10-2019, 10:25 PM

NeilV the mechanical jack stand type had totally slipped my mind as to simple solution, the screw type if one attaches the unpowered, versions a power tool can crank them up and down in a jiffy, though one would have to get outside etc. Many trailers have manual jacks attached to the corners at the back. The ultra cheap jiggle stop mechanism I had mentioned is sorta similar to the jack process but its just to stop the motion from kids etc walking about even adults for that matter and the price cannot be beat. 40 bucks plus tax.

notbusdrvr · 07-11-2019, 07:22 AM

I have a 17 View. After using the lego blocks for 2 years I had a big foot leveling system installed this past winter. Having spent over 30 nights in the View already this year, I have no regrets.

Setup in camp is a breeze: park the unit, do a walk around, then push the autolevel button. Then I extend the slide. The unit is rock solid as we move around inside. The only minor wrinkle is the big foot works from the house battery, and the slide works from the chassis - so I have to turn off the sprinter to level (big foot has an ignition interlock), and then restart it to extend the slide.

Before the big foot install, I used manual jacks on the rear of the View to minimize the rocking, but only had limited success.

I had a friend purchase a view with the stabilizer system. He ended up taking it off and installing a leveling system.

Yes, there is cost involved, but at the end of the day we travel in the View for enjoyment and pleasure . . . and simplifying camp set up was worth it to us.

Katie · 07-11-2019, 07:37 AM

We put them on our 28 ft Vista. They made a huge difference . The ride was definitely a lot smoother .

JoeC · 07-11-2019, 07:54 AM

After trying to level our 28' class C rig for several months after purchase, I gave up on the block system during a rainy day on a rain-soaked site. It seems the front wheels are determined to push the blocks instead of ride up on them; so frustrating.

I paid about $4,000 for a set of Bigfoot levelers (not auto leveling) installed and have used them for over 3 years now. IMO, this is the ONLY way to go. And as a side benefit, the jacks can be used to raise the wheels off the ground, if necessary, for repairs.

I can now level the rig in a mater of seconds right after arriving on site. I also have used the levelers to tilt the RV slightly when dumping the tanks at dump stations that are on a slope. And yes, there are many built that way. Bottom line for me, the ease and convenience are well worth the money paid out for the levelers.

RoadCrafters · 07-11-2019, 11:40 AM

B.G. I'm going to go out on a limb here and give you some real life personal experience with the 24D.

As stated earlier we do not have the hydraulic levelers. We use the yellow lego blocks and level manually. As Luvlabs stated, a great option is LevelMate Pro at ~ $150. We use the LevelMate Pro and love it. My wife and I each have setup tasks and we're fairly mobile/active. From arriving at the site to fully finished with wine in hand is usually less than 15 minutes.

Now the facts. We travelled the Oregon coast over the past 2 weeks with our 11 month old grand daughter and encountered many uneven sites where putting the slide out would not have been recommended, (one required 7" of lift at the front end. With the blocks and the Levelmate Pro, I can level the unit in less than 3 minutes after arriving at the site, (yes I timed it

). It's always a one time attempt and generally within 1/4" to 1/2" across all four tires. Full disclosure, we keep the drivers side ~ 1/2" higher so our heads are just a little elevated. Unless it's raining, this truthfully is a "enjoyable" task and allows us to fully scope the site before finalizing on a location. When it's raining, Hey! … it's camping enjoy! Or we'll just wait for a break. With the Levelmate you can move around and instantly see where the best - most level - location is.

Again, I'd love auto levelers because they are so darn convenient. But I strongly encourage you to try using the unit for a period of time without them and see how you do before shelling out the $5,000 and adding the additional weight.

After 14 months, we have 18,000 miles on our unit now and over 120 nights at 73 locations. We did not use it at all last year between Nov - April. I took it in for service at Mother Benz last week and the technician made two comments based on tire & brake wear. First, he said it was clear we never overloaded the unit (with the 2 bikes we get very close), and second we clearly drive a lot of highway miles. Tire wear was absolutely uniform across all 6 tires and break pad measurements were at 15 Vs 12-13 they normally see at this mileage.

Hope this helps. You have a great unit that you'll love.