Stabilizer Jacks

[DeLana]

I've been pondering a procedure issue regarding raising and lowering the roof of our Hi-Lo. We have recently had an interior wall crack when lowering the roof; the wall lowers into a slot when lowering the roof. We've owned this camper for over four years now, purchased it new from the factory, and never had this wall problem in those four years. My husband says I have this problem of over analyzing everything. I just can't help it. We have an organized and laminated check list we follow when raising and lowering the roof. I have asked myself what was done differently in that procedure on this recent trip than was done in previous camping trips. The only thing I can come up with is when we put the stabilizer jacks down. This time after we unhooked from the truck, we put the jacks down after we raised the roof. Since the bottom half of the Hi-Lo (where the wall was resting during towing) was not stabilized before raising the roof, I wonder if the wall while rising with the roof might have dislocated enough through vibration or slight shaking enhanced by the lack of a stabilized bottom half of the camper. My question to you (especially to those who have this type of wall) is do you put your jacks down first before you raise your Hi-Lo roof? Bob, since you have this type of interior wall, which do you do first?

Dee
2509C Hi-Lo Classic

 

[JackandJanet]

Interesting thought, Dee. My trailer doesn't have this wall, so I can't help you with your question, but - Did you raise the jacks before you lowered the top, or did you leave them down? My thinking is that the jacks possibly distorted something just enough in the lower half (when they were extended) so that the wall would not slide back into it's slot properly.

I think I'd raise and lower the top with the jacks retracted to avoid your problem. I know I always extend the jacks as the LAST step upon setup and retract them as the FIRST step upon leaving, but I do it this way because it seems easier to get at them with the top up.

- Jack

 

[DeLana]

Jack, you are correct. We had the jacks up when the roof was raised and had the jacks up when the roof was lowered. Since we were off the truck hitch and the only thing stabilizing the tires was chocks, my theory is that the wall dislocated when the roof went up. When the hydraulics kick in to raise the roof, it sounds very forceful, something akin to an industrial elevator, which may facilitate some slight movement horizontally in either or both halves of the Hi-Lo. I don't think lowering facilitated the dislocation because the roof lowers primarily by gravity and does so very easy and smoothly.

One would ask, why did I change dropping the jacks out of the order we had done on previous camping trips? On those trips, we dropped the jacks before we raised the roof. Well, I fell back on my old ways when we had a fairly heavy Jayco Popup camper. It had a very heavy molded plastic roof, and Jayco recommended that the stabilizer jacks not go down until the roof went up and the bunk ends set up. This was to prevent resistance to flexing on the popup frame. I guess on this last trip I thought, maybe that theory would also apply to the Hi-Lo.

My husband is probably right; I'm overthinking the situation. The wall is in from J & R, but it is a lot heavier than the damaged wall. If it will just stop raining for a while, Beach will be able to install it.

Dee
Summerville, SC
2509C Hi-Lo

 

[JackandJanet]

Dee, I think you misunderstood what I said. (It's easy to misunderstand me.)

I felt that having the jacks up (retracted) during both the top raising and lowering processes would give less chance of causing distortion to the frame, which MAY have cracked your wall. But, it sounds like that's the way you did it. Now, I'm also assuming you had the trailer parked fairly level before the top was raised. If the trailer was badly out of level, then the top would tend to shift toward the low part once raised, and that might have caused the problem.

I guess the solution for you in the future is to stop the lowering just as the wall begins to enter the "slot" (or whatever it goes into) and check for any binding that seems to be starting.

If I haven't come up with the cause now, I'm fresh out of ideas. Maybe Bob will chime in with a much more lucid thought.

- Jack

 

[retiredcamper47]

Dee, I raise the top before putting the stabilizers down. Jane uses the level on
the countertop and lets me know if I need to use any boards to level up. I chock the wheels and then unhitch. Gonna miss seeing you & Beach in Colorado. Haven't talked to Papa lately to see if he is going. Hope the wall replacement turns out to be an easy task.

Bob

 

[hilltool]

I also lower the jacks as the last thing I do. Even then, I have been known to overdo it and distort the door so it binds or doesn't want to stay shut. Interestingly, since I have "lowered the axles" and thus raised the height of the trailer- I now need additional leveling "shims" under the stabalizing jacks to get them to reach the ground. I level trailer, initially, with top down before I disconnect ---just stay low inside and use a level on the floor. Its always made sense to me to do it that way. However, I don't suppose this really offers any insight as to the issue with the "wall". I too have an older model with just the fabric. The trailer is certainly flexible when up and I am always surprised at how much an extra crank on the leveling jacks effects the the allighnment of the top. Jacks down or not-it doesn't take much to " twist" the frame a bit.

Rick

 

[DeLana]

Jack, that is probably what we will do; check the wall as it is lowering into the slot. However, since we have a tip out in this 25-foot Hi-Lo, our old bones will have to crawl over the lowered tip out on the floor. Hey, that's good exercise, right! It's better than having the wall stick while lowering the roof and punching a hole in the roof.

Dee

 

[JackandJanet]

Ugh! That would be more than I'd want to do. In my trailer, the bathroom is just across from the door, so it's easy to get there, even with the top fully down (as long as you crawl).

I hadn't considered a bathroom located at the other end, with a tipout in between, no less.

I wonder if it would be possible to fabricate some kind of guide tracks for the wall, that would direct it into the place it belongs? Having never seen your kind of setup, I'm just thinking out loud. It may not be feasible at all.

Like Rick said, the stabilizer jacks can easily distort the lower frame, which is why they should never be used to level the trailer. You can see the distortion start almost as soon as the foot of the jack contacts the ground.

To facilitate leveling, I have a "front/back" level on the right side lower front corner of the trailer and a "right/left" level on the back right corner. I also have at "T-shaped" level (front/back -right/left) on the tongue just behind the trailer hitch ball latch. I shimmed it before gluing it down with epoxy so that it reads level when the trailer is level. This way, I can actually get the trailer very close to level before I disconnect it (and even before I raise the top).

- Jack

 

[DeLana]

Bob, as I understand it, you back into the site, Jane reaches into the Hi-Lo with the level to determine if any additional leveling side to side needs to be done, once accomplished you raise the roof, THEN you unhitch from the truck and level the Hi-Lo front to back. I truly believe that your having the Hi-Lo on the truck hitch while raising the roof steadied or stabilized the bottom half of the camper. Our camper was unhitched and wheels stabilized only with a couple of small plastic chocks and, of course, the hitch foot placed on a large block of wood. If I remember correctly, you have a 28-foot Hi-Lo which means you have four sliding interior walls to contend with and have had no problems; you lucky dog!!

Concerning the rally in Colorado this year, it seems we have a conflict with our son and his family's trip to Europe this year. We promised to keep the two dogs; they are like members of the family, and he feels the dogs will not be treated as well in a kennel for almost a month. I kind of agree on that. No, I have'nt heard from Papa, but I know they keep quite busy with the slew of children and grandchildren they have. JimL from Virginia asked if we were going to the rally. At that time he was having a problem with the bottom rail on the top half of his Hi-Lo; hope he resolved the problem. A couple of years ago, he had a vision of returning to Alaska; the rally in Colorado would be a good stopping off place. Has there been any speculation as to where the rally might be held in 2015?

Dee

 

[DeLana]

Rick, over the years that we have been camping, I've read a lot of people's opinions; and more often than not, RV owners seem to agree that LIMITED flexing of the frame is healthy. When an RVer consistently applies overwhelming resistance to free flexing, the frame is altered permanently. I think you have proved my point with the door problem, that the stabilizer jacks are capable of applying resistance to the frame to keep it from shaking when the roof goes up, thereby providing easy transition for the interior walls to rise from their slots. For me, it's one of those things where "you're damned if you do or you're damned if you don't."

Dee

 

[DeLana]

Bob, by the way, the Hi-Lo was leveled. We place the leveler on the A-frame near the hitch for leveling for both side to side and front to back.

Dee

 

[RCREYES]

Bob, by the way, the Hi-Lo was leveled. We place the leveler on the A-frame near the hitch for leveling for both side to side and front to back.

Dee

Dee, the last thing I do is put the jacks down until they make solid contact and then give them about another half turn. I know some people call them leveling jacks but they are stabilation jacks. (I hope those people know the difference!)