Fiver leveling systems
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 6,801
Likes: 7
From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
Fiver leveling systems
In my past lives with RVs I've owned Diesel pusher motorhomes / coaches.
These units had HWH Leveling systems in them which worked quite well.
I am not finding much out there on these systems for Fifth Wheel trailers or Travel Trailers.
Is there any reason why they could/should not be installed?
I look forward to learning more...
Thanks!
These units had HWH Leveling systems in them which worked quite well.
I am not finding much out there on these systems for Fifth Wheel trailers or Travel Trailers.
Is there any reason why they could/should not be installed?
I look forward to learning more...
Thanks!
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
In my past lives with RVs I've owned Diesel pusher motorhomes / coaches.
These units had HWH Leveling systems in them which worked quite well.
I am not finding much out there on these systems for Fifth Wheel trailers or Travel Trailers.
Is there any reason why they could/should not be installed?
I look forward to learning more...
Thanks!
These units had HWH Leveling systems in them which worked quite well.
I am not finding much out there on these systems for Fifth Wheel trailers or Travel Trailers.
Is there any reason why they could/should not be installed?
I look forward to learning more...
Thanks!
Steve
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 6,801
Likes: 7
From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
Wow Steve.. Other than one landing gear being hung up on a clod of dirt/mud and I had to kick it free, my experiences have been positive.. Matter of fact, I had to use them once to change a flat tire since the AAA guy came out in an S10 pickup with a hand crossbar and a midget bottle jack that would not lift the wheel off the ground.. Yes, I know you're not supposed to do that with the leveler jacks, but we were in a pickle and that was the only way out..
I will do a bit more digging as I have probably been looking in the wrong places..
If you have alternative suggestions, please feel free to make them as I am not married to the idea of using HWH levelers..
I will do a bit more digging as I have probably been looking in the wrong places..
If you have alternative suggestions, please feel free to make them as I am not married to the idea of using HWH levelers..
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Wow Steve.. Other than one landing gear being hung up on a clod of dirt/mud and I had to kick it free, my experiences have been positive.. Matter of fact, I had to use them once to change a flat tire since the AAA guy came out in an S10 pickup with a hand crossbar and a midget bottle jack that would not lift the wheel off the ground.. Yes, I know you're not supposed to do that with the leveler jacks, but we were in a pickle and that was the only way out..
I will do a bit more digging as I have probably been looking in the wrong places..
If you have alternative suggestions, please feel free to make them as I am not married to the idea of using HWH levelers..
I will do a bit more digging as I have probably been looking in the wrong places..
If you have alternative suggestions, please feel free to make them as I am not married to the idea of using HWH levelers..
I went to HWH school in Iowa for a week and came away thinking "you have got to be kidding me". Not so bad if you are a dealer set up to work on them in the shop, but onsite?
Anyway, I think anything Power Gear makes is just as good and a bit easier for me to troubleshoot.
Anytime you reduce things to pushing a button, there has to be a lot going on behind that button for everything to work properly, so my wife and I have pretty much gone back to keeping things as basic as possible.
Just my two cents worth and my experience may not be typical.
Steve
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 427
Likes: 4
From: Prescott, Michigan
I know you were asking about HWH, but I thought I would interject on the Lippert system, as I believe it is much more prevalent out in the world. I have never met anyone with a HWH on a trailer. Does not mean anything really, just never seen one.
I can attest to the Lippert system 6pt can be a problem child. My problem was just a bad 50amp auto-resettable fuse. Would have been an easy fix, if the replacement fuse had been good or I had known I bought a bad fuse.
Had a lippert tech take a look at my system while at the Coachmen rally. He recommended if/when this 50 amp fuse goes bad, to get an 80 amp from Napa. A manually resettable version
Other than that, as you know, auto leveling systems are like crack. Once you use them, you can never see not using them.
I can attest to the Lippert system 6pt can be a problem child. My problem was just a bad 50amp auto-resettable fuse. Would have been an easy fix, if the replacement fuse had been good or I had known I bought a bad fuse.
Had a lippert tech take a look at my system while at the Coachmen rally. He recommended if/when this 50 amp fuse goes bad, to get an 80 amp from Napa. A manually resettable version
Other than that, as you know, auto leveling systems are like crack. Once you use them, you can never see not using them.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I know you were asking about HWH, but I thought I would interject on the Lippert system, as I believe it is much more prevalent out in the world. I have never met anyone with a HWH on a trailer. Does not mean anything really, just never seen one.
I can attest to the Lippert system 6pt can be a problem child. My problem was just a bad 50amp auto-resettable fuse. Would have been an easy fix, if the replacement fuse had been good or I had known I bought a bad fuse.
Had a lippert tech take a look at my system while at the Coachmen rally. He recommended if/when this 50 amp fuse goes bad, to get an 80 amp from Napa. A manually resettable version
Other than that, as you know, auto leveling systems are like crack. Once you use them, you can never see not using them.
I can attest to the Lippert system 6pt can be a problem child. My problem was just a bad 50amp auto-resettable fuse. Would have been an easy fix, if the replacement fuse had been good or I had known I bought a bad fuse.
Had a lippert tech take a look at my system while at the Coachmen rally. He recommended if/when this 50 amp fuse goes bad, to get an 80 amp from Napa. A manually resettable version
Other than that, as you know, auto leveling systems are like crack. Once you use them, you can never see not using them.
I have used the 80s on units where the wiring size is ample, but you will find some units where the wiring is hardly sized to carry 50, so as with any fuse replacement, if you go bigger, you don't want to risk starting the wires on fire.
I think this an issue the manufacturers really need to resolve as it affects slides and anything using the Lippert hydraulics.
My two cents worth,
Steve
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 6,801
Likes: 7
From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
I have no real predisposition to HWH other than I had them on two coaches and they performed very well when I didn't do something boneheaded like drop them into muddy grass.. I appreciate the info/feedback on all systems.
I agree with Steve on the sizing of the cabling. The current really goes up with the smaller sub-standard cabling or poor connections. I have to question anyones advice to replace a 50 amp fuse with an 80 amp one. That could be a recipe for a fire over time as the insulation on the cabling breaks down and connectors overheat due to the excess current.
I agree with Steve on the sizing of the cabling. The current really goes up with the smaller sub-standard cabling or poor connections. I have to question anyones advice to replace a 50 amp fuse with an 80 amp one. That could be a recipe for a fire over time as the insulation on the cabling breaks down and connectors overheat due to the excess current.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 427
Likes: 4
From: Prescott, Michigan
The placement of the fuse in question is on the 6 gauge wire coming off the batteries and 6 gauge then going onto the 12 volt disconnect switch.
I am not an electrician. Is this wire adequate for an 80 amps fuse?
I am not an electrician. Is this wire adequate for an 80 amps fuse?
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Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 6,801
Likes: 7
From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,899
Likes: 12
From: Upstate NY
Good subject for me - we will soon be picking up our new 2014 Forest River/Prime Time Crusader 325RES with a Lippert leveling system. I've done some reading around the 'net and that 50 amp fuse plus the wire awg seem to be some of the bigger problems along with 'popping' at the jacks. I dread taking any vehicle to a dealer for repairs so hope that good info here and a couple other sites can halt those trips. It does have a Lippert frame as well - but virtually every make on the lot from low end right on up to the premium models seem to have those frames, so, well see.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 427
Likes: 4
From: Prescott, Michigan
Good subject for me - we will soon be picking up our new 2014 Forest River/Prime Time Crusader 325RES with a Lippert leveling system. I've done some reading around the 'net and that 50 amp fuse plus the wire awg seem to be some of the bigger problems along with 'popping' at the jacks. I dread taking any vehicle to a dealer for repairs so hope that good info here and a couple other sites can halt those trips. It does have a Lippert frame as well - but virtually every make on the lot from low end right on up to the premium models seem to have those frames, so, well see.
I do want to be clear that the only problem we had was a 50 amp resettable fuse going bad. Other than that, it has been a great system. And Lippert didn't make the fuse. Plus the fuse I bought was bad and not Lipperts too.
My frame is Lippert also. And even with the extra stress of the swivel wheel, no issues (knocks on wood). And at the Coachmen rally, no one I talked to had problems with their frames.