Lifting all 4 wheels off the ground at the same time.

[nugget]

Hello

To maintain and service the undercarriage of my Heartland Sundance 5th wheel I would like to lift all 4 wheels off the ground at the same time.
Would this work?
1. On a hard level surface use trailer landing gear to raise the front of the trailer until some weight is off the front wheels.
2. Place jacks (or blocking) to the frame as close as possible to both front wheels.
3. Using the landing gear lower the front of the trailer putting the weight on the jacks (or blocking) until all 4 wheels are off the ground.
4. Lower the rear stabilizer jacks to steady the trailer.
5. The weight of the trailer is now on the jacks (or blocking to the frame) just ahead of the front wheels, the landing gear and rear stabilizers.

Has anyone tried this method of lifting all 4 wheels off the ground to service the undercarriage?
Would it work?
Thoughts please.

 

[avvidclif]

When I had my tires replaced I went to the dealership and stopped in their level parking lot. Unhooked and raised all the jacks until the tires were off the ground. Level ground is the trick. Also watch the axles and make sure the center pivot doesn't flip to where the axle is below the pivot point. I carried the new tires in the back so that's why the ramp is down.

 

[jbeletti]

When I need to work under the RV, I lift it up as high as it will go using LevelUp. This allows me to roll around on a creeper and do what needs doing.

 

[porthole]

Hello

To maintain and service the undercarriage of my Heartland Sundance 5th wheel I would like to lift all 4 wheels off the ground at the same time.
Would this work?
1. On a hard level surface use trailer landing gear to raise the front of the trailer until some weight is off the front wheels.
2. Place jacks (or blocking) to the frame as close as possible to both front wheels.
3. Using the landing gear lower the front of the trailer putting the weight on the jacks (or blocking) until all 4 wheels are off the ground.
4. Lower the rear stabilizer jacks to steady the trailer.
5. The weight of the trailer is now on the jacks (or blocking to the frame) just ahead of the front wheels, the landing gear and rear stabilizers.

Has anyone tried this method of lifting all 4 wheels off the ground to service the undercarriage?
Would it work?
Thoughts please.

If I read your plan correctly, you will break your trailer.
Either bend the frame or bend the frame and stress-crack the side wall fiberglass.

You cannot support the trailer by the frame in the center only.

There is a reason when LevelUp is installed all 6 jacks are used in unison.

And before the 4 jack Levelup people get all jumpy about how it works fine with their 4 jack Levelup, there is a reason that the build time frame of 4 jack Levelup systems is very short, few months maybe.

 

[Gary521]

I agree, this is a bad idea.

 

[MissileMech]

Since the trailer normally sits on the axles placing the entire weight in one area of the frame I'm sure it is ok to use your method. If the frame could not take the trailer weight in the center area it would have broken already.

 

[LBR]

If I read your plan correctly, you will break your trailer.
Either bend the frame or bend the frame and stress-crack the side wall fiberglass.

You cannot support the trailer by the frame in the center only.

There is a reason when LevelUp is installed all 6 jacks are used in unison.

And before the 4 jack Levelup people get all jumpy about how it works fine with their 4 jack Levelup, there is a reason that the build time frame of 4 jack Levelup systems is very short, few months maybe.

^^Agreed""....the word "tweeking" comes to mind by high-centering a long frame and letting the rear half hang like that.

 

[jnbhobe]

Also remember the front is supported by the jacks or the hitch

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[GregP]

I don't see that the OP was referring to using Levelup. Is that feature on the rig? I agree that the method of supporting all the weight, even temporarily, at a single central point may be more stress than the frame was designed for. Not an engineer though, so certainly not an expert opinion. If Levelup is on rig, thenI would say it is OK.

 

[porthole]

I don't see that the OP was referring to using Levelup. Is that feature on the rig? I agree that the method of supporting all the weight, even temporarily, at a single central point may be more stress than the frame was designed for. Not an engineer though, so certainly not an expert opinion. If Levelup is on rig, thenI would say it is OK.

LevelUp wasn't mentioned by the OP.

What it sounds like by the description is a very expensive see-saw.

 

[mlpeloquin]

When upgrading my shackles, I used blocking two places with the level up jacks down. Most of the weigh on the blocking and the level up as a backup. My truck was hitched up to make sure the fifth wheel was not going anywhere with me under it.

 

[NYSUPstater]

Wether a 5er or TT, personally, I'd want to be hooked up to the truck up front regardless.

As for the rear:

-- No level up, then use bottle jack ON FRAME as close as possible to front axle in front of tire and jack up until you can place a jack stand that's weight rated or blocks of wood in front of the jack. Lower jack so weight of RV is on jack stands or wood. By lifting in front of the tire, this may also raise the rear tires off the ground in which case you can repeat w/ stands or wood. If not, repeat jacking procedure only behind rear tire.

-- If you have level up, place blocks of wood under landing pads and w/ control panel on manual, lower the legs to raise the coach. The use of blocks reduces the amount of travel the pads have to go before contact/running out of "gas". Use stands as safety precaution in same manner as above ON FRAME.

 

[porthole]

-- No level up, then use bottle jack ON FRAME as close as possible to front axle in front of tire and jack up until you can place a jack stand that's weight rated or blocks of wood in front of the jack. Lower jack so weight of RV is on jack stands or wood. By lifting in front of the tire, this may also raise the rear tires off the ground in which case you can repeat w/ stands or wood. If not, repeat jacking procedure only behind rear tire.

The OP has a Sundance, so most likely does not have LevelUp, maybe not even hydraulic front landing gear.

To do what you suggested here would take a bottle jack with a very long stroke. Otherwise you would have to jack, block, jack, block etc.

Either way using one jack on the frame could very well result in a permanently damaged trailer. And without a proper capture plate on the jack there is also the very real chance of the trailer falling off the jack.


Whatever the OP does, if it was mine I would just do one wheel at a time as it would be way less work then trying to lift the trailer off the ground without LevelUp

- - - Updated - - -

So, the OP's last post before this one was 7 years ago !

And if he has the same trailer he does not have LevelUp and has single motor electric front landing gear.

 

[NYSUPstater]

porthole,

Point taken, but don't see how any perm damage would happen if the jack is centered directly in middle of I-beam. I place 6x6's and add'l wood under base of jack to jack up. Once high enough, then place a jack stand in same manner under fame (centered). I've found by jacking in front of tire (even if just to replace it) also raises the rear tire off the ground, so can kill 2 birds w/ 1 stone so to speak by placing stands or wood under frame to support it if doing work on 1 side. Can repeat procedure on other side if you want to remove all 4 wheels. Kinda like what NASCAR does when they have the cars in garage and guys under them.

Tho OP as you said probly doesn't have Level up, I'd still put stands under the frame.....just in case and as a safety measure.

Either way, TT or 5er, I'd prefer to be hooked up to truck rather than have the front legs or jack support the weight, EVEN tho they are designed to. Just me perhaps.

 

[nugget]

Hey all
Thanks for your thoughts. I will rethink making a "teeter totter" to raise the 4 wheels. Sounds too risky. Undercarriage servicing has been put on hold until the weather warms up. I have a new problem i will post under Interior.