ATF: Big Country - Uneven Landing Gear

mstmoritz

Member
We just took our first trip with our new 2012 BC 3510. The only real complaint we have is that the hydraulic landing gear was not level. We do not have automatic leveling. It was just that the entrance side was higher than the other side by quite a bit. When I got home, I parked it in our drive way which is almost perfectly level (I checked it) and when I unhitched, the entrance side was still quite a bit higher than the other side (according to my level).

Am I doing something wrong or is there an adjustment other than putting leveler blocks under the lower side?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Hello Mstmoritz, and welcome to the forum. There is a lot of good information here.
When you get to your campsite/driveway, you have to level the coach using boards or blocks under the tires before you unhitch. You may think your driveway is level but I doubt that you used a 7 foot straight edge to check the level of the slab.
Once you unhitch and deploy your hydraulic landing gear the two legs should, being hydraulic, raise your coach in unison at the same level, side to side, as your coach is.
If your coach was not level side to side at the wheels, it will not be level side to side using the front landing gear.

Peace
Dave
 

mstmoritz

Member
Thanks for the quick response. You are right in that my drive way is not perfectly level and I did not check it with a 7 foot level, only a 3 foot one. However, I used the same level to check both and there is an obvious difference. But, I will reposition it with a couple of blocks under the wheels and see if that fixes it.

Are there any adjustments that can be made to the hydraulics?

Thanks again!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Not only do you have to first level side to side using wood or whatever under the low side tires, but when you unpin and drop the jacks (assuming your hydraulics work similar to electric ones), you will probably have to shim them, as well, so that they lift the front simultaneously. If one jack gets too much load before the other makes firm contact, you may damage the jack or even the frame.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
John, he has hydraulic landing gear. He will not have to shim them. They will create equal pressure and lift together.

Peace
Dave
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
John, he has hydraulic landing gear. He will not have to shim them. They will create equal pressure and lift together.

Peace
Dave

My bad. I don't have to shim my independent Ground Control jacks, either.
 
mstmoritz, I have the same problems as you. I dont buy the level issues. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out the hydraulics are not even. On mine the door side hydraulic moves before the other as well. I notice the higher I raise mine the more unlevel it gets. That shows something is up. Because if unlevel 1/4" at one height it should be the same 1/4" 4 inches higher. Anyway not hyjacking your thread just wanted to let you know that you werent the only one noticing the hydraulics arent raising together.

Brad
 

cpl0199

Member
I have my BC at the dealer now and I have been told that the suspension was dry rot and they are saying this was causing my lean. I will let you know what I find out when I pick my unit up.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I have my BC at the dealer now and I have been told that the suspension was dry rot and they are saying this was causing my lean. I will let you know what I find out when I pick my unit up.

What kind of suspension do you have that it would dry rot?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I have my BC at the dealer now and I have been told that the suspension was dry rot and they are saying this was causing my lean. I will let you know what I find out when I pick my unit up.
Please do come back and let us know what you find out. I am curious as to what the dealer means by dry rot. Broken springs maybe?

Peace
Dave
 

cpl0199

Member
it apparently has to do with equalfex. dealer has had unit since october. they had caled to say it would be ready about a week ago the called back and said they figured out why it was leaning. the suspension was dry rotted. i brought this to their attention from the i took it home new but they said it was the front legs dropping after set up. they said they made adjustments . i dont think so. i have very dissatisfied with my dealer in maryland.
 

porthole

Retired
mstmoritz, I have the same problems as you. I dont buy the level issues. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out the hydraulics are not even. On mine the door side hydraulic moves before the other as well. I notice the higher I raise mine the more unlevel it gets. That shows something is up. Because if unlevel 1/4" at one height it should be the same 1/4" 4 inches higher. Anyway not hyjacking your thread just wanted to let you know that you werent the only one noticing the hydraulics arent raising together.

Brad

The hydraulic jacks come down, sometimes together, sometimes one before the other. The jack with the least resistance (internal, seals etc) will move first until it hits the ground. Then the other jack will follow until it hits the ground. Once pressure on both jacks equalize they will continue extending equally.

If, after you are done raising the front and for some reason that jacks are not equal (don't understand how you are measuring this), two things come to mind:
  1. you have two different lift cylinder pistons. Hydraulic cylinders of different diameters will move different amounts for the same amount of pressure.
  2. You have raised the coach to the max cylinder height. In this case, different mounting heights of the cylinders will give you different overall height.
My trailer raises equally all the time. But if I run the jacks to the stops, one side will continue raising about another inch.
This is either because the 2 jacks have different internal stops or piston length (not likely) or because the mounting brackets are welded on about an inch off between the 2 side (most likely).

Either way, hydraulic jacks and leveling are one of the best things to come to the trailer world.
 
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