RV Storage Question

[lbassham]

Should I have my jacks down for RV storage to take the weight off the tires? Larry
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Larrybb

[DXSMac]

I don't, but I'm pretty new at having leveling jacks. I don't see a need. You aren't running the refrigerator in storage.

JJ
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Please check out my blog on RV'ing without a tow car:

http://rvingtoadless.blogspot.com/

Feel free to leave me any comments.

[TannerBee]

My 1993 35' Class A has never had levelling jacks; we use 2x10s under the wheels to level. Also, unless you are full-timing, your RV is almost always 'in storage;' you just use it occasionally. I keep the tires at the recommended 80psi and start out very gently when the coach has been sitting even overnight.

All that being said, taking some weight off the tires doesn't seem like a bad idea, but I don't think I would count on the hydraulic jacks to stay up for several months unattended. If I decided that raising the coach was a good idea (and I'd have to do some research on that), I would use the hydraulic jacks to take some weight, then put appropriate jack stands under the frame, then retract the jacks. Then I could spend a few months worrying that the hyd jacks wouldn't work when I wanted to go somewhere.
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Floyd and Tanner
Coachmen Santara 35
Rock Hill SC

Time is either spent or invested.

[utmtman]

I don't think I would want a long time pressure on my jacks when the RV is not in use.
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Lee and Fran
Holiday Rambler Vacationer
While traveling down lifes paths, stop to smell the flowers.

[rvauthor]

Leaving jacks extended in storage is not a good idea because

(1) It leaves the crhrome-plated cylinder rods exposed to the outside where pitting and corrosion can occur. Piitting and corrosion may cause premature wear and failure of the seals that are required to maintain pressure.

(2) If any of the jacks in fact fail by losing pressure, you may wind up with one corner of the RV settling and potentially twisting the RV chassis and coach.

(3) If any of the jacks fail, you are assuming that the springs will retract them when you try to raise the jacks.

(4) If you lose hydraulic fluid, you may lose the ability to extend the jacks or extend any hydraulic slides until you replace the fluid and service and repair any defective parts in the leveling and slide system.
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Alan, and his wife, Barbara, wrote the popular RVs Getting Out and STAYING Out book about extended RVing. They write the Roads n Toads RVing in Florida newsletter. Alan?s regular columns appear in Woodalls Regional Pubs and Diamond Club E-newsletter.

[d3yn3ll]

When not using an RV over a long period of time (2-3 months), is it best to leave power connected or disconnected? I have a fifth wheel.

[porscheracer]

Personally, I prefer to plug in - partly because, in cold weather, our holding tanks are heated. It keeps us from having to winterize. It also keeps the batteries charged - but depending on how good your charger is, you may want to disconnect them periodically to keep from overcharging them.
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Norm & Janet
'08 Winnebago View 24H / '09 Escape XLT AWD toad
'05 Winnebago Vectra 36RD / '03 Dakota QC 4x4 toad, or a 24' trailer with another car;
Probably somewhere in NA - or maybe on another continent.

[gasbag]

[Motor31]

d3yn3ll,

In the case of long storage like you mention, disconnect the battery. If you have the option, a small solar panel battery trickle charger will help keep it charged and slow down sulfation. That's the type that plugs into the cigarette lighter in a car. You can modify it to hook to the battery direct and disconnect the battery from the trailer.

When you set the rig up to store it, put the tires on a piece of plywood so they are not directly on the ground as well.
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Mike, Nancy and the Fuzzies
2005 MS 38 RL3
2001 Volvo MH (HDT)
2004 R1150RT (piggyback)
1996 Jeep Cherokee (toad)