Leveling with dingy attached

jewallace · 11-30-2015, 03:50 PM

Being somewhat new to a MH (always had 5th wheels), there are times that I have an overnight stay and on the road the next morning. I would like to keep my car attached but also want to level the coach. I don't want to be lifting up the hitch but believe the levelers use the suspension and shouldn't actually move the hitch since it is attached to the frame. So can I safely level the coach without damaging the hitch?

macandphyl · 11-30-2015, 03:56 PM

Sure. No different than the movement between the coach
and the toad when going down the road.

nctox · 11-30-2015, 03:57 PM

As long as your site is reasonably level, yes. I do it frequently.
If you need to add blocking under the rear wheels to level your coach, then no, it may not be a good idea.

Brockx · 11-30-2015, 04:01 PM

Heck....I never gave it a thought. Nothing broke so far

.

Ranger Smith · 11-30-2015, 04:07 PM

Yes . . . Do it every night.

ChasA · 11-30-2015, 07:25 PM

Same answer as Brockx. I never gave it a thought.

FIRE UP · 11-30-2015, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jewallace

Being somewhat new to a MH (always had 5th wheels), there are times that I have an overnight stay and on the road the next morning. I would like to keep my car attached but also want to level the coach. I don't want to be lifting up the hitch but believe the levelers use the suspension and shouldn't actually move the hitch since it is attached to the frame. So can I safely level the coach without damaging the hitch?

Well Sir,
First off, you don't say what kind/make/model/year type of RV you have.
Second, what do you mean the levelers use the suspension and shouldn't actually move the hitch since it's attached to the frame. What do you think the hitch is attached to? IT'S THE FRAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, the levelers are also ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. So, when the levelers start doing their job, they start to lift the frame, and guess what, that means the hitch will rise too.

Now, unless your site or parking place for the night is abnormally un-level and, the rear of the coach must be lifted an extreme amount to level the coach, you'll have no issue with keeping the tow bar to the toad connected. The tow bar has multiple pivot points on it so that the movement between the toad and coach is accommodated for when towing it.

That same exact movement is present whether you're towing or parked. The only difference is, the higher you jack the rear of the coach up, to get it level, the closer the toad comes to the coach. Many people level there coaches with toads attached. You'll have no issues.
Scott

wa8yxm · 12-01-2015, 07:21 AM

Not a problem unless the site is really really really bad.

When towing the front and rear ends of the tow bar (normally, this assumes a straight bar) need to be within 3 inches. but when parked, Well, a foot or more of difference won't bother the thing.. Just make sure the height of the Motor home is not so great that you LIFT the towed. The bar needs to "Slant" that's all.

peterson · 12-01-2015, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jewallace

Being somewhat new to a MH (always had 5th wheels), there are times that I have an overnight stay and on the road the next morning. I would like to keep my car attached but also want to level the coach. I don't want to be lifting up the hitch but believe the levelers use the suspension and shouldn't actually move the hitch since it is attached to the frame. So can I safely level the coach without damaging the hitch?

So, why do you have something dingy - dark, dull, dirty or shabby - attached.

jewallace · 12-01-2015, 07:57 AM

Thanks all for the help. In particular to Scott's reply, you really didn't need to yell to get your point across. My rig is a 2013 Winnebago 27N and it was my dealer that provided the information as to how the levelers work. Knowing the dealer can be inaccurate, I came to the experts. You see I'm not a "sir" (which you couldn't know) but a 63 year old woman that taught myself how to drive, back and take care of the MH including attaching and removing the car. I do this so my 71 year old husband no longer has to. He pulled 6 fifth wheels through many years of travel and 5 years of fulltiming and in order for us to keep traveling, we opted for a coach I could handle. As I've learned how to handle my coach, I have relied many times for the advice on this site. So I felt your reply intended to make me feel stupid - which it did - and I probably am in many ways relative to a MH vs a 5th wheel. However, I still appreciate the advice.

jewallace · 12-01-2015, 08:00 AM

So I also misspelled "dinghy". Sorry for my short comings.

bsamole · 12-01-2015, 09:18 AM

To jewallace:

Nice responce!

I also have not thought about the issue and in 15 years have never detached my toad in order to raise the motor home. However
I usually do not deploy my jacks for an overnight stay. My diesel pusher takes about 10 minutes of idling to build up enough air pressure raise my suspension. Since we usually leave early in the morning the engine noise is disruptive to other campers.