Leveling Adjustment For Front Landing Gear -Key Largo

[MaxOwner]

I would like to see independant controls for the front landing gear.

One button to raise and lower for hooking up/disconecting.

And 2 buttons (one each side) to fine tune each ram separately. Gonna nose around our local hydraulic shops and see what it would cost......

We don't have the self leveling system on our 2013 Key Largo.

 

[MaxOwner]

Hey all.

We have a Key Largo where the drivers sideof trailer is always low. Added blocking under it and made it worse.

Been told there is a 4" long plate with screws in all for corners with some kind of springs on them. Told this is how you adjust the self leveling of the landing gear.

Wondering if anyone would know where this plate is?

Looked in front cabinet where the hydraulic pack is and around whole cabinet. Checked both propane lockers. Basement storage and no luck.

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

Hi Max,

Say, if you have one side that is always low, yet the ground on that side of the RV is generally the same height as the ground on the other side, you need to re-zero the level in the brain of the leveling controller. Likely, in a few minutes, another member will post a link to the manual that has the key presses you will use on your leveling control panel, once you have manually leveled the system.

Now, if you are saying you are at max stroke length on the hydraulic jacks on the one side, and if your sites aren't that much different side to side, perhaps you need to lower the jacks on that side on their mounting brackets. The jacks are bolted onto brackets that are welded onto the frame. In some cases, you are safe to lower the jacks by 2 holes to get you more lift. Be mindful that the lower you have the jacks on the brackets, the closer the round foot/plate is to the ground and the more susceptible you will be to dragging them or worse. So the risk is yours.

Tell us more so we can give you better feedback on this.

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

Here ya go - it's from page 2 of this manual.

ZERO SETTING THE CONTROL
1. Put unit in manual mode, see MANUAL OPERATION, HYDRAULIC above .
2. Level the unit using a reference level on a flat surface.
3. When unit is level, turn the touch panel “OFF.”
4. Push the “FRONT” button quickly 10 times, then the “REAR” button 10 times.
5. The panel will flash all the lights and beep.
6. To memorize the level condition, push the “RETRACT” button 3 times
7. The WAIT light will flash for approximately 20 seconds.
8. When the “WAIT” light goes out level is set.
9. Push “ON/OFF” button to shut the system off.

 

[porthole]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

Likely, in a few minutes, another member will post a link to the manual that has the key presses you will use on your leveling control panel, once you have manually leveled the system.

Must be Carnac- reincarnated!

Here ya go - it's from page 2 of this manual.

ZERO SETTING THE CONTROL
1. Put unit in manual mode, see MANUAL OPERATION, HYDRAULIC above .
2. Level the unit using a reference level on a flat surface.
3. When unit is level, turn the touch panel “OFF.”
4. Push the “FRONT” button quickly 10 times, then the “REAR” button 10 times.
5. The panel will flash all the lights and beep.
6. To memorize the level condition, push the “RETRACT” button 3 times
7. The WAIT light will flash for approximately 20 seconds.
8. When the “WAIT” light goes out level is set.
9. Push “ON/OFF” button to shut the system off.

 

[porthole]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

And 2 buttons (one each side) to fine tune each ram separately. Gonna nose around our local hydraulic shops and see what it would cost......

Operating the front hydraulic jacks independently could very well - bend the frame, crack the gel coat, split the body panels, shear the screws that secure panels, such as the vertical side wall to the frame.
In general cause all kinds of havoc.

If you have hydraulic rams there is no reason to operate the two rams independent, they are self equalizing.

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

That's Carnac the Magnificent to you Duane

Max,

I just read another post of yours and I am sorry that I misunderstood you on this thread. I now understand that you do NOT have an automatic hydraulic leveling system - so kindly disregard my comments in posts 2 and 3.

That said, if you are driving onto boards on the low side and that side is NOT raising up, there is a problem. Please take a good look at your leaf springs to make sure you have sufficient arch in them. Both the door side and off door side should have a similar arch to maybe just a bit flatter on the off door side due to the weight of that side of the coach.

Are you using 2x8 or so lumber? Are you running both tires on that side up onto the same number of boards? How many boards high have you went with no change in height. Please answer these questions to allow the member base here to help you out with ideas/things to check.

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

Right now every thing is on the ground except the low side landing gear. I added a leveling block, here.

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

Right now my front landing gear isn't self leveling. This is what made me think of the independent buttons.

Thanx for the reply. Stuff I never thought of to be honest.

 

[porthole]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

Not self leveling, - self equalizing.

You should be able to put a couple of bricks under one jack and still have the jacks lift the trailer equally.

The hydraulic jacks should work like this:

• You activate extend
• one or both jacks extend
• one jack hits the ground then stops
• other jack then continues till grounded
• pressure in both jacks will equalize and then lift together

They will not "level" the trailer. Without LevelUp you have to do that the old fashion way.

They will lift the front of the trailer and "self level" between the two jack legs. What I mean by that is, that you do not have to use adjustable landing gear pads or blocks to have both jack pads on the ground at the same time.

 

[cookie]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

It kinda sounds like you are trying to level your rig with the front landing gear. It will not level you side to side.
Just in case you are, this is what you need to do.
Before unhitching, you need to level your rig sise to side by pulling the low side trailer wheels up on some wooden 2x8,s or 10,s, or get some of the plastic leveling blocks.
Once you are level side to side and have your wheels chocked, lower the front landing gear and unhitch.
Then use the front landing gear to level front to back.
You will not need any blocks under the front landing gear.
Hope I am on the right track to help you.

Peace
Dave

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

I blocked the frame so I could raise and lower the landing gear to try and level. Gave up for this weekend and turned our bed around 180 degrees. Have 2 other threads going looking for some answers.Thank you for the reply, Porthole.

 

[kakampers]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

I blocked the frame so I could raise and lower the landing gear to try and level. Gave up for this weekend and turned our bed around 180 degrees. Have 2 other threads going looking for some answers.Thank you for the reply, Porthole.

If I understand..you are trying to use JUST the landing gear to level side to side, without a complete leveling system. NOT a good idea...this will twist your frame. You have to level side-to-side using blocking under the tires...BEFORE you take the unit off the truck. Then, and only then, do you put down the landing gear which will hit the ground at different times, keeping the frame straight and in line with the running gear which is leveled on blocking....

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

Used 2x. 2x10s under the drivers side wheels. Then the living area was too high. Backed up a little and removed blocks completely and was level. Unhooked and expected the front to work themselves out. Kinda got close so I left until bed. Drivers side front low and giving me head ache while in bed. Went back out, blocked frame so landing gear can be raised and lowered to add blocking to raise up drivers side. So far what I have added doesn't raise drivers side.

Typing on IPhone and is painfull.......

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

Nope. Leveled wheels first then unhooked truck.Short answers as I am typing on IPhone and is painfull for me.

 

[cookie]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

I hear ya on the painful phone typing. You might want to try the Swype app in place of typing.
Something is not right with your leveling. How do you determine what level is? Do you use a level? What kind and how long? Where is it placed?
We gotta get to the bottom of this.
Placing blocks under the front landing gear will do nothing for level.
Hydraulic landing gear work on equal pressure. When you put the landing gear down, one will make contact with the ground before the other. It will stop and wait for the other to make contact, then they will lift together equally.

Peace
Dave

 

[danemayer]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

blocked frame so landing gear can be raised and lowered to add blocking to raise up drivers side.

As Dave explained, putting a block under one of the landing jacks won't level your coach side-to-side. Leveling side-to-side is done with boards under the wheels. Leveling front-to-rear is done with the landing jacks. Do the side-to-side first. Then front-to-rear.

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

I have a 3' long spirit (carpenters) level that I put on the floor just inside the door. As I was messing with the front, I was using bottom of bedroom slide.

Unless I find this plate for adjusting the landing gear, gonna leave for the rest of this weekend. Will try and find level concrete/asphalt and unhook on it and see if I'm out to lunch, or the hydraulics are.

Thanx Dave. Dropping by dealer on way home, Monday.

 

[porthole]

Re: Give Heartland your feedback on the 2012 Landmark - what do you want?

Short answers as I am typing on IPhone and is painfull for me.

I feel for ya!

How about putting that iPhone to good use. Shoot a video of what you are doing then upload it to YouTube and give us the link???

 

[MaxOwner]

Re: Leveling Adjustment For Fron Landing Gear -Key Largo

On the way home today I pulled over to a chain up area. Asphalt was pretty well "even" all along where I stopped. Put landing gear down and took weight off truck. Drivers side is still low. Landing gear rams are still uneven.

The dealer is in limbo between technicians. May try Heartland customer service and see if they can point me in the right direction.