Hydraulic Level-up

vakthund

Well-known member
We are getting ready to order a 3800 but heard some negative comments about the hydraulic level-up option. Someone mentioned that the legs stick down during travel and are prone to getting knocked off or bent. Although it is listed in the new brochure it is not on the price sheet and Heartland does not seem to be pushing the option.
 

Willym

Well-known member
My legs always fully retract (as long as I hold the keypad button) and stay there. I've never heard of any cases where the legs stick down.
 

jayc

Texas-South Chapter Leaders
We got the four point leveling system on our LM and love it! Never heard that story...!
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I am curious as to where you heard comments about the legs getting bent or knocked off. I have never heard of that. It sounds like a comment from someone that has no experience with the system. Or someone trying to sell a rig that does not have it.
I have had the 6 point Level-Up system for about a year and a half with no issues. I will never be without it.
Oh, and I have never heard of Heartland pushing any option.

Peace
Dave
 

SouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
We are getting ready to order a 3800 but heard some negative comments about the hydraulic level-up option. Someone mentioned that the legs stick down during travel and are prone to getting knocked off or bent. Although it is listed in the new brochure it is not on the price sheet and Heartland does not seem to be pushing the option.

I only have about 2 months experience with the Level Up. The hydraulic side of the is system so far has worked well. My electric stabilizers are tied into the system and they failed to retract this morning. Had to hand crank them up. Glad our friend Lance was there to help crank. When we got home they extended and retracted fine-go figure.

We have been around people who have quite a bit of experience with the Level Up. Never heard any complaints of the legs bending or getting knocked off. Only issues seem to be a software problem from time to time.
 

vakthund

Well-known member
Wow, thank you all for the responses. Proves again this is simply the best place for answers.
This was told to me by someone associated with the dealership and that would have an interest in me purchasing from them. I guess he though it would make the camper too expensive.
 

hillsonwheels

Well-known member
My 2 cents....had level up installed two years ago after the Nashville rally. Have used the system a bunch of times since. Only problem I've had was the display screen went blank for some reason. But, a tech working on the coach unplugged and replugged the power at the display and it has been fine since.

As for the legs getting hit or bent in their stowed position....if that happens you will already have been in a position with your tow vehicle that will have rattled your teeth and just about everything else possible. So, I'm with Cookie, I vote for a level up system no matter who supplies it. Should we trade coaches, we'll do it again. My wife figures it saved us from getting a divorce? :confused:

Dick
 

krhyde

Kentucky Chapter Leaders-retired
When we picked up our new Key Largo, we retracted the right front leg and prepared to drive away thinking that if one leg was up, the other would be also, similar to our older electric unit. Well the left front leg was still down enough that it only cleared the road by about two inches. Thankfully, someone blew the horn at us and pointed to the front legs, so we stopped and retracted both legs fully,. You have to hold the button down long enough to let both (or all six) of the legs retract. Ken
 

porthole

Retired
You have to hold the button down long enough to let both (or all six) of the legs retract.

Or - "auto retract".

For us, one of the two best things I have done to the trailer was to add the LevelUp, wouldn't be without it.

Personally, if your level up is using the 6 jack arrangement, I would either disconnect or remove the electric stabilizers.
Even with the added dynamics of a toy hauler (garage), I found the stab jacks of little use and have removed them.

we retracted the right front leg and prepared to drive away thinking that if one leg was up, the other would be also

As Ken found out, the hydraulic legs are all in series when retracting, and the leg with the least resistance will retract first. Then the next and so on.

That is a good reason for having the control pad on the drivers/ off door side compartment instead of the door side.
An independent switch for the front jacks is also very handy, mounted on the front of the trailer near the edge.
 

krhyde

Kentucky Chapter Leaders-retired
Went to pick up the 5er Friday and after hitting "auto retract", the two rear legs started retracting, then stopped. I got the "low voltage" error message on the control panel. I then switched to "manual" operation on the control panel and brought the legs in. When I got home, I put a voltage meter on the battery and got 13.0 volts. I put a battery charger on the battery and it starting charging. After about 2 hours, the battery charger showed "fully charged". I took the 5er back to storage Saturday and the Level Up system worked fine. ???? Ken
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I only have about 2 months experience with the Level Up. The hydraulic side of the is system so far has worked well. My electric stabilizers are tied into the system and they failed to retract this morning. Had to hand crank them up. Glad our friend Lance was there to help crank. When we got home they extended and retracted fine-go figure.

We have been around people who have quite a bit of experience with the Level Up. Never heard any complaints of the legs bending or getting knocked off. Only issues seem to be a software problem from time to time.

Larry, if you still have the OEM rear electric stabilizers and they are working intermittently, the brushes for the motor are probably not making proper contact. That's sort of what mine did before crapping out all together last fall when we were packing up to bring the rig home. I took the motor off, disassembled it and found the springs for the brushes were corroded and very weak. And about as skinny a piece of steel as you would ever find. So I cut a spring from a ball point pen to size and used that. So far, it passes bench testing without a problem. I'll reinstall it in the spring.

Not made in China, but their neighbor, India.
 

porthole

Retired
Went to pick up the 5er Friday and after hitting "auto retract", the two rear legs started retracting, then stopped. I got the "low voltage" error message on the control panel. I then switched to "manual" operation on the control panel and brought the legs in. When I got home, I put a voltage meter on the battery and got 13.0 volts. I put a battery charger on the battery and it starting charging. After about 2 hours, the battery charger showed "fully charged". I took the 5er back to storage Saturday and the Level Up system worked fine. ???? Ken

Were you hooked up to the truck when you got the low voltage? And was the truck running? If the truck wasn't running you were not getting power from the truck to the RV.
Sounds like you had a low battery and it got charged up by the truck on the way home.

Heartland does not supply the battery with the trailer. Your dealer does. And many folks here have found the dealer has supplied a rather "inexpensive" battery.

Did you plug the trailer in to make sure the on-board charger was working?
 

SouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
Larry, if you still have the OEM rear electric stabilizers and they are working intermittently, the brushes for the motor are probably not making proper contact. That's sort of what mine did before crapping out all together last fall when we were packing up to bring the rig home. I took the motor off, disassembled it and found the springs for the brushes were corroded and very weak. And about as skinny a piece of steel as you would ever find. So I cut a spring from a ball point pen to size and used that. So far, it passes bench testing without a problem. I'll reinstall it in the spring.

Not made in China, but their neighbor, India.

Thanks John, haven't gotten into it yet but i will check that. These things never break when you are at home and the weather is good.
 

AJJONES

Senior GM for Cyclone, Torque, Gateway & Sundance
The Level up feature is great and convenient option for most people. There are only two things to take in consideration when purchasing this option. The first is that towards the back of the unit the level up rear hydraulic jacks do hang down slightly below the frame. It is not low enough to cause any concern for most people, the only exception would be for some customers that take there toy haulers into extreme off road conditions where there is a lot of un-even terrain. The other concern is that, when the unit is in the "leveled up" position it raises the unit higher than the standard set up. The higher the unit sits up the greater the approach angle becomes on the ramp door when you load your toys in the rear.
 

kakampers

Past Heartland Ambassador
Have had Level-Up as an aftermarket option since June of '09....we were the first Heartland product to have the retro-fit done....we will NEVER be without it again. Not one problem in almost three years!!! LOVE IT!!!
 
Have had the level up system for a year and a half, traveled some 4500 miles with not
problems. Some one most likely looked at them and made a wrong assumption.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
...My electric stabilizers are tied into the system and they failed to retract this morning. Had to hand crank them up. Glad our friend Lance was there to help crank. When we got home they extended and retracted fine-go figure...

Larry,

I had this happen on my current coach. I messed with the leveling controller a bit and got the rear electric stabilizers to come up. Happened a couple more times and finally, they would not come back up. Cranked them up that time and they never deployed on their own again.

Turned out the motor on the end of the stabilizer jack needed to be replaced. I noticed when they replaced it that the grommet where the wire went into the motor, seemed rotted or poorly inserted. I surmised that water got in and wrecked the internals.

I read somewhere where someone was told that the motor was not replaceable, only the entire stabilizer system as a unit. I know on mine, they replaced only the motor. I assume the motor came from Lippert directly.

Jim
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
I have to agree with JimB's report on water getting into stabilizer motor ,from around the wire. I was showing my son how they worked one day and it just hummed a little. I then pulled the rubber end cap off and actually poured water out of it. I took it off disassembled ,dryed it out and sanded corrosion off all the contact parts. I was lucky the motor runs like new, check for water and add a dab of caulk/sealer around the wire and end cap.......Kenny
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I have to agree with JimB's report on water getting into stabilizer motor ,from around the wire. I was showing my son how they worked one day and it just hummed a little. I then pulled the rubber end cap off and actually poured water out of it. I took it off disassembled ,dryed it out and sanded corrosion off all the contact parts. I was lucky the motor runs like new, check for water and add a dab of caulk/sealer around the wire and end cap.......Kenny

Yep, mine had rust inside the casing, as well as the brush springs being rusted. They're mounted with four allen screws, so there's no reason one would have to buy a complete stabilizer system just to replace the motor. The drive from the motor fits into a socket identical to the one for the manual crank rod on the other end.

When reassembling the motor, the hardest part is getting the two long screws back into their threaded holes. They have to pass by some strong magnets, so it's a little like playing pin the tail on the donkey.
 

SouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
Larry,

I had this happen on my current coach. I messed with the leveling controller a bit and got the rear electric stabilizers to come up. Happened a couple more times and finally, they would not come back up. Cranked them up that time and they never deployed on their own again.

Turned out the motor on the end of the stabilizer jack needed to be replaced. I noticed when they replaced it that the grommet where the wire went into the motor, seemed rotted or poorly inserted. I surmised that water got in and wrecked the internals.

I read somewhere where someone was told that the motor was not replaceable, only the entire stabilizer system as a unit. I know on mine, they replaced only the motor. I assume the motor came from Lippert directly.

Jim

Thanks Jim, we did see yesterday where the boot around the wires going into the motor was cut. I will have to look closer at it.

Thanks for the info.
 
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