Real-life experience blocks to aid 6-point leveling system

[TenOC]

We have just purchased a new-to-us 5th wheel trailer with six-point leveling system. Watching videos on how to use the six-point leveling system it states that there is no longer any need for wood or plastic blocks underneath the wheels to level from side to side.

What is your real-life experience on the need for some type of block under the wheels to aid the six-point leveling system?

Do you carry any blocks with you?

[obie311]

I'm guilty too of lifting wheels off the ground with my 4 point leveling system. I primarily plead ignorance of the system.

6 points may be OK but I would think the more contact points you have with ground (+4 w/ tires) the more stable you will be and the less chance of tweaking the frame.

I also like the theory of using as little stroke as you can (thru leveling blocks or cribbing) keeps the legs telescoped as much as possible and intrinsically more stable.

[ford_truck_guy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I have been setting at my Summer Residence since May with two tires off the ground, no ill effect.

Each of my 6 rams are rated for 13,000#

[Cummins12V98]

I have been setting at my Summer Residence since May with two tires off the ground, no ill effect.

[texanrvr]

There is no downside to lifting the tires off the ground when leveling. There is a CYA suggestion from Lipper NOT to use the jacks to change tires, but I have seen it done often. I have used the hydraulics for Discount Tires to change or service my tires and my dealer used them to service my wheel bearings.

Back when the Level Up was new, the inventor used his own Mobile Suite trailer completely off the ground to demonstrate their strength.

Their lawyers put a stop to this.

[Cummins12V98]

What is wrong with tires being off the ground?

[Super_Dave]

FWIW, leveling blocks under the jacks hasn't prevented my tires from coming off the ground on the low side. It just prevents the low side jacks from getting an out of stroke error. Blocks need to go under the wheels to prevent them from lifting off the ground.

[kennethwooster]

I carry a few plastic blocks. However went to one park this summer and they put me in a very unlevel spot. They brought blocks so we could get level. Othrtwise I have never used blocks under anything. God idea to have something.

[sdfiver]

We made 6 "pads" out of 12" square 3/4 inch thick marine grade plywood,2 pieces thick screwed together with deck screws. Painted them white. We've been using them almost 20 years so they're holding up very well. We use them under our 6 point hydraulic leveling legs every setup. Helps prevent settling on soft ground and doesn't leave rust stains on concrete pads. They ride, 3 to a side, in the truck bed in front of the hitch so it's easy to reach over the side to get them when setting up.

[Splashers3]

I have always used 6x6 blocks under the leveling pads to avoid getting a stroke error. I went to Lowes and bought nice large handles, which makes carrying and grabbing the blocks much easier. They go in the bed of my truck for easy access and are the first thing we do when setting up.

Only on a few occasions did one side of the wheels lift off the ground.

[MNRon]

Regarding lifting wheels off of the ground - MORryde lifted our 16,000lb coach with the 6pt LIppert levelers for two day while they removed our suspension and replaced it with IS. I also have lifted each side completely to do bearings and replace tires (always have jack stand under ‘just in case’ if I go under). We’ve also camped many times where one side is lifted off of the ground.

I’m not concerned at all about having hydraulic levelers supporting the whole weight of vehicle (have safety backup if You go under). We do have IS suspension though, might be concerned about inverting leaf spring suspensions if wheels are far enough off of ground.

[ACZL]

We use 2-6x6x24" for rearward most legs and I cut up a 2x10 into 16" lengths and screwed 2 together for a total of 8 "pads" if you will. These get placed under the remaining legs. There have been at time when only 1 "pad" was put under the leg due to close proximity of left to ground to begin with. As others have said, the less extension of the cylinder, the less movement in 5er. Likewise, a couple of times, 1 set of wheel have been lifted off the ground, but the coach doesn't go anywheres.

I have used the boards (pads) a couple of times under the legs to lift tires off the ground for various reasons. Not for very long tho. IF I have to remove both wheels on same side, I then add weight appropriate jack stands under the frame in front and rear of tires. Course this is when I'm home. Should this be necessary on the road, think I'll call road service.

[joelc]

RobWNY wrote:
I found that I would lift my tires off the ground on many occasions when on uneven ground without using the leveling blocks. I don't want my tires off the ground EVER!

You might find that necessary to do your breaks or a flat tire.

[MikeRP]

I use Anderson Jack Blocks. They work very well. I have 4 of them. 90% of the time they are on the jacks on either side of the wheels. I use one or two LEGO blocks under the front jacks.

I’ve had a couple of camp sites that I had to use the blocks under the front jacks.


I’ve also had maybe 2 sites that were horribly in level side to side. In that case one side of my wheels were lifted off the ground. So I manually leveled the coach by raising the off the ground wheel’s respective jacks a bit and placed LEGO blocks under the tires, let the jacks back down so that the tires were not off the ground.

In my opinion the Anderson Jack Blocks are indispensable. Plus they are wider which gives the jacks stability being shorter and the wider on the ground. Also they are magnetic and very easy to use.

[Edd505]

TenOC wrote:
We have just purchased a new-to-us 5th wheel trailer with six-point leveling system. Watching videos on how to use the six-point leveling system it states that there is no longer any need for wood or plastic blocks underneath the wheels to level from side to side.

What is your real-life experience on the need for some type of block under the wheels to aid the six-point leveling system?

Do you carry any blocks with you?

Yes you can do without them, BUT. The shorter the legs extend the less "wobble" you get walking around inside. I had legos left from my prior RV's and use them every time to keep movement down. They cn also be used to change flats, build a ramt with them and pull the good tire up it, now you can change the flat, no jack needed. (I do carry one just in case)