Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Wood Waterstone on July 06, 2014, 01:43:56 am
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We're considering trading up to a new 2552 possibly this summer. I would appreciate feedback regarding members experiences with the HWH Levelers. Do you like the accessory and consider them a good value? How would you rate their performance (leveling and stabilizing the coach)? Would you include them again on a new motorhome?
Thanks for your help!
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We love ours! Leveling takes us all of about 30 seconds.
As far as our experiences with them......they work as advertised and they easily level and stabilize the coach. I only have one complaint, and this may be an individual thing. To extend the levelers you press the 'up' button. I guess I'm a bit dyslexic or something, because this took some getting used to.
Value? Considering how much we are (and will be) using our PC, I think it's a terrific value when considering the alternatives. Probably depends a lot on how much you will use the rig and what the alternative choices are for stabilizing/leveling.
- Mike
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Wood,
See my post of May 14, 2014. I have Hydraulic HWH levelers that DO NOT automatically level coach. You have to respond to the yellow lights to level unit. If I were to purchase a new (bought this one used) I would definitely go with auto-level vice manual. I would also consider electrical vice hydraulic. Per my post, I had an issue with one leveler. On the positive side, HWH tech was very helpful in diagnosing and guiding me via telecom while I was underneath the coach troubleshooting. Hope this helps!
Chuck
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And then there's the resale value. You get the use of the levelers while you own the PC, then get a lot of it back when you sell it. :cool
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I have had hydraulic HWH levelers on my five different motorhomes since 1989. The motorhome before that had electric jacks on it. Here in the mid Atlantic area there are very few level sites, so having levelers is very important to me for comfort. We find that out west the campground seem to have more level sites. So it would be up to you and where you camp if they are important, a nice convince or not worth it.
The electric jacks were quite compared to the hydraulic but much slower. They also required putting grease on the shafts and in the jack to keep them from rusting, while the hydraulic require spraying the springs. The spraying is easier for me.
Welcome to the forum.
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Welcome to the site.
We had the manual jacks on our 2008 2350 and when we ordered our 2012 2551 we also had the manual jacks installed. The manual jacks are not hard to use if you remember the arrows show the direction the PC is moving not the direction of the jacks. Friends of ours have the automatic jacks and they like that set up.
We think the jacks are worth installing for a few reasons:
1. No need to carry leveling blocks or pieces of wood.
2. On a level site extending the jacks will stabilize PC and remove any bounce or sway.
3. A good resale feature.
Barry
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We have the HWH jacks on our 2100 and love them. I don't see that anyone has mentioned that they are not intended to level to the extent you lift one or more tires off the pavement. You still need to carry leveling pads. We boondock/dry camp a lot in national forests where everything is uneven and still must get close to level with the pads, then put on the finishing touch with the HWH levelers. We are out west with lots of wind and they are great at stabelizing so we even use them on totally level sites. As someone else posted, it does take a bit to master all the buttons. We also called the factory early on and they were amazingly patient and helpful.
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We also have and like the jacks but wish each of them could be individually controlled.
I stress that you NEVER, EVER lift the rear wheels off the ground under any circumstances. I've seen too many rigs either bend or kick the jacks up when they started to roll.
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We also have and like the HWH leveling jacks that the factory installed for us.
The only problem we've had is that one jack (the front driver side jack) almost always fails to extend (drop the jack leg down from its store position) on the first attempt to start the leveling process. We than hit the "store" button to retract all of the jacks and start over. It sometimes takes two or three attempts (or some gentle pounding on the jack under the coach) to get this one to extend (make the leg drop down).
The HWH Operators Manual states that the jacks require very little maintenance and the jack rods should not be wiped and do not need to be oiled or sprayed with anything. But, maybe we need to add a touch of lubrication to the hinge(?) bolt to make the jack leg drop down. Any suggestions?
--Bruce
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We don't have hydraulic leveling jacks. We do it the old fashion way using Lynx leveling blocks. Every time I pull them out, I wished we bought leveling jacks. I know we could still get them installed. I just haven't gotten to that Popeye moment yet. >( "That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more" >(
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Many thanks to Mike, Chuck, GoPhoenix, Tom, Barry, RheaNL, Bob, Bruce and Ron for your thoughtful responses! I really appreciate the input - and, like most things on an RV, it is clear the levelers require careful consideration regarding their operation and maintenance! We are hopeful that levelers will be included if we can put an order together!
Thanks again!
Wood
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Just a note concerning noisy jacks. The HWH factory tech recommended we spray each jack spring with ORDINARY, over the counter, WD40 to quiet that nasty squeal each would emit when being deployed or retracted. Did that and they are much quieter.
chuck
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I am always interested in the post re levelers,,, previous owner had them installed on our 2350,, over $4k ouch,,, I've never used them.. keep using the blocks. I think I need to go to a local parking lot (concrete) and practice,, For some reason I'm scared to death they will get stuck.... I did extend them once at the storage yard, Again maybe going out and playing with them a little will give me the confidence to use them
sparky
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I am always interested in the post re levelers,,, previous owner had them installed on our 2350,, over $4k ouch,,, I've never used them.. keep using the blocks. I think I need to go to a local parking lot (concrete) and practice,, For some reason I'm scared to death they will get stuck.... I did extend them once at the storage yard, Again maybe going out and playing with them a little will give me the confidence to use them
sparky
Sparky, you just kill me. :)
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Like all mechcanal things, you should work them every now and then or they will rust and get stuck. I use mine everytime we go camping and once a month during the winter storage. I spray the springs with WD40 every year. I never had any problems with them. Use them a few times and you will not use the old boards except in extreme cases.
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Alright you talked me into it haha.... Ron please don't die we need you I need to go run the Beast this week anyway will give it whirl and see what happens
sparky
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LEVLER REPORT- went to the storage to exercise the Beast. the storage area is perfectly sloped and ideal to use the levelers. (rear area down,,) So following manual, hit the auto level and in about 2 minutes had perfectly level RV,, WOW,, what a DA I have been for not using them. Guess I will need to get some boards now.. I also like the Alarm button to let you know that you have in the front to let you know there extended... need one for the antenna haha... was playing with the TV a month or two ago nearly drove back into the storage with it up,,,, yeah I know,,, I usually put a tag up but was to lazy to get it out since I was just messing around
Anyway thanks all you guys for selling me on using them I am believer now
sparky
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Suggestion:
Put your keys on a ring large enough to fit over the antenna crank handle and hang the keys there when the antenna is up.
A little sign placed on the Driver's seat won't hurt either.
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Yeah I know,,, I have one of those plastic holders for cards I usually keep it there, but again was in storage,, guess should leave it there all the time haha.... I was about 3/4 ft from driving into the storage shed when I remembered lucky me haha
sparky
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Sparky
Here is a link to a previous post about jack pads. It may be helpful here.
http://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php/topic,1527.msg11452.html#msg11452
Barry
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We use a clothes pin that stays on the crank handle until it goes up. Then it goes on the gear shift.
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We never have a problem with our antenna because we NEVER USE IT. >( .....wishing we left it at the factory.
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Sparky, we have the factory installed leveling jacks on our 2552 and love them. They don't always get us totally level due to some extreme slopes we've camped on but they make it so much easier to get level most of the time. We are full time and have moved 54 times since October 2, 2013 (far too many times). Those jacks have been deployed just about every time. Even if we are level, we drop them to stabilize the rig. As noted previously, we wish they could be controlled individually but we manage as they are. Ours have never stuck down and only once did one jack refuse to extend on the first try, however, we retracted and tried again and it dropped down. The jacks are drive-off jacks so if they do get stuck down, you pull forward and they kick back up. We know this because in our newbie days, John jacked the rear tires off the ground and we rocked forward off the jacks (major no-no, those rear tires are your brakes). We do use little yellow jack pads to avoid digging into soft ground but they are lighter and thinner than leveling blocks. John's favorite set up seems to be front tires off the ground. I don't know why. Maybe it's a guy thing. Even when I think we are level he decides the front needs to come up. At least the back tires stay firmly on the ground now.
I suggest you oil those springs and test the jacks. Just drop and retract a few times. You don't have to be on level ground, just flatish ground. Lumpy ground sometimes makes it so we can't get them down under us but moving the rig a bit usually resolves that.
The jacks make set up so much easier, I can't imagine being without them at this point. I suspect that once you've tried them out, you'll seldom camp without them.
Holly
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Barry
Just read all the post re pads,, thanks informative,,, Ron,,, think I will make sure to exercise the Levelers along with the Genny,, easy to do.. also give me some practice,,, (I know you don't exercise your Genny) but I do...again thanks for all the advice,, good job,, BTW anyway to disconnect the buzzer from the warning ?? Darn thing is really loud,, will drive my dog nuts, realize it's a safety thing,, but the light is still there
sparky
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We have had our 2552 for almost a year and always deploy the levelers if nothing else to stabilize the vehicle. Even the so called level lots where we park aren't usually level and I like to lift the right side a tiny bit more than the left so the a/c and rain drain to the side we don't spend much time.
Ours aren't auto level and it takes some practice to figure out which buttons to push and how long. In fact, I'm still practicing! We have bubble levels in the kitchen and my wife tells me when we are level. I find the indicator lights on the unit that tell you when you are level can be off quite a bit. And like someone else said, the up arrow means move the vehicle up, not lift the leveler up. I need to cut some wood pieces to put under the pads when we park on loose gravel or dirt because we sink in a little over a weekend.
The levelers will completely lift the front end off the ground which should help in the event I ever have a front flat. I understand if the levelers won't respond after being deployed, you can drive off of them. I've never tried it and I wouldn't want to. I think they are a very worthwhile accessory. Mark