Front landing gear
Thread Starter
|
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,976
Likes: 0
From: At the Station
Front landing gear
Is there a stability difference between having your front landing gear fully retracted and pulling the pins to drop feet? Or is is better to extend the landing gear down a bit before pulling pins and dropping feet?
Is there a difference or just a preference?
Is there a difference or just a preference?
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Historically the manufacturer's recommendation has been to split the difference, but I am not sure it really makes much difference.
Running down a bit give you more wiggle room for adjusting, in the event you have to drop the front below the off-load height. Sometimes just pulling the pin and then lifting off the truck leaves you too high after you come down off your truck, if I am following what you are doing.
Steve
Running down a bit give you more wiggle room for adjusting, in the event you have to drop the front below the off-load height. Sometimes just pulling the pin and then lifting off the truck leaves you too high after you come down off your truck, if I am following what you are doing.
Steve
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 633
Likes: 2
From: So. Utah
After all the problems that I have read on RV forums about landing gear ..... the less you use them the better. When I pull into a campground or the house I ALWAYS manually drop the gear down on a couple of 12" x 12" 2 x12's on each side to take up some room and insert the pins. Then I use the elec. motor to raise the 5th wheel just enough to unhitch.
As you know this is a "screw jack" mechanism and the worst thing you can do is extend the gear all the way out until it can't go any further or crank the gear back up where it binds. Doing this can break it, strip the screw gear or just plain get it stuck.
As you know this is a "screw jack" mechanism and the worst thing you can do is extend the gear all the way out until it can't go any further or crank the gear back up where it binds. Doing this can break it, strip the screw gear or just plain get it stuck.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 633
Likes: 2
From: So. Utah
..........sorry forgot to mention the "JT Strong Arm" stabilizer system with the big "elephant feet" here's a pic of our rig with them. They really work good and they only cost about $200 if you install them yourself.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
You know this landing gear problem is something I used to see almost weekly and now seldom see it. Seemed like there was a time when I was rebuilding legs constantly.
I run ours down a few inches using the motor. Pull the pin and drop the legs onto a 6x4 on each side. Set the pin, run it up off the truck and then run it down. Been doing it that way for over a decade.
I don't think there is a right or wrong way here, but landing gear problems are not common place in my world.
What I have seen tear up landing gear is folks trying to use it to level side-to-side. Worked on one where the owner parked on such a side-to-side slant, it was amazing he would even try to use the landing gear, but there he went. Dropped the low side leg and tried to bring the whole fiver up level. I had to use bottle jacks to get it back on the truck. Needless to say the leg took a dump.
Steve
I run ours down a few inches using the motor. Pull the pin and drop the legs onto a 6x4 on each side. Set the pin, run it up off the truck and then run it down. Been doing it that way for over a decade.
I don't think there is a right or wrong way here, but landing gear problems are not common place in my world.
What I have seen tear up landing gear is folks trying to use it to level side-to-side. Worked on one where the owner parked on such a side-to-side slant, it was amazing he would even try to use the landing gear, but there he went. Dropped the low side leg and tried to bring the whole fiver up level. I had to use bottle jacks to get it back on the truck. Needless to say the leg took a dump.
Steve
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 25
From: Middle Tn.
People checking to see that the hitch is locked without wheel chocks.
Trending Topics
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Probably. Even though chocked, I still use my brake controller manually to make sure nothing can move.
Steve
Steve
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Here is something I forgot to say about landing gear. Some of you are old like me and remember when the gear boxes were metal rather than plastic. Those never tore up. Now they are plastic and sometimes the locator nubs break off and the gear box spins around. In a pinch, you can use a stainless steel band and clamp it to the leg. If you can't find one large enough, just use two 3" ones and fasten them together. Works surprisingly well.
I have very little trouble with the worm (spiral) and very seldom have to replace those. I do carry one set of bevel gears on my service truck.
I have very little trouble with the worm (spiral) and very seldom have to replace those. I do carry one set of bevel gears on my service truck.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,405
Likes: 4
Speaking as someone who has moved other peoples' campers, please wind the jacks down a couple inches before pulling the pins. If the truck that dropped your camper isn't the truck that is going to pick it up next, and you never know when that might happen, you could be setting yourself up for problems. Also if you find you need to lower your nose a bit to get level you could run out of travel before the bubble is center.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 360
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
It takes a bit of experience to figure how much to extend when you are nose high off level. It's very frustrating to have to hook up and adjust the legs so you can lower the nose once you have disconnected. I started judging it seriously after the second time!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 193
Likes: 10
Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 633
Likes: 2
From: So. Utah
rdlouks, just have them on the front and that seems to work very well with the big truck type rubber wheel chocks. We've been in some pretty good wind and the rig doesn't move at all.
Also from the other comments on here about bending legs and such, of course the owner has to be responsible enough to remember that you have to loosen the T bolts and raise the legs once you're hooked to the truck. I would recommend these to anyone that has a 5th wheel, look on ebay for the best price.
Also from the other comments on here about bending legs and such, of course the owner has to be responsible enough to remember that you have to loosen the T bolts and raise the legs once you're hooked to the truck. I would recommend these to anyone that has a 5th wheel, look on ebay for the best price.