Should I Level My RV With Slides In or Out?

by Edward
(NJ)

Why You Should Level Your RV With the Slides In

Why You Should Level Your RV With the Slides In

My question is,, Should the slides be in or out when leveling your RV using Hydraulic Jack‎s? I have heard both, I also was told by the dealer to level first but service has stated to have them out...need some help.

ANSWER: Hi Edward, the rule of thumb for the majority of RVs with powered hydraulic leveling jacks is to level your RV first then extend your RV's slides (check your RV's owner's manual to be sure). This procedure creates a level platform to start with and produces less strain on the leveling and slideout systems.

Let's try a little physics experiment so that you can get a better idea of why the level first method is best. For this experiment you will need a 10 pound weight or something that weighs close to 10 pounds that you can hold in one of your hands.


For this experiment your legs are going to act as your RV's leveling jacks and your arm is your RV's slideout. In this case we are talking about a 1 slide RV.

To start out just hold the weight in one of your hands with your arms relaxed at your side. That 10 pound weight is in your center of gravity and you should have no problems squatting with this extra weight. With the slides in the weight stays closer to your RV's center of gravity giving the leveling jacks an easier
job of handling the weight.

Now take that weight and push it straight out to your side at shoulder level. You can now see that the 10 pounds seems much heavier and it may be a little bit harder to squat up and down because you are having to adjust for the uneven weight distribution.

In multi slide RVs, the slides are very seldom the exact same size and weight, So it would be like holding a 50 pound weight in your other hand, except slideouts weigh hundreds of pounds and you can see how this uneven weight distribution can cause strain on the leveling jacks.

Another factor is that most slideout systems are designed to be extended and retracted when they are level. The less level your RV is when the slides are being extended the more strain that is put on the leveling systems trying to push the slides out at an angle. On some mechanical slide out systems this extra strain is a good way to break the shear pins on the gears that move the slides in and out. When this happens the slides have to be manually opened and closed.

I hope this information helped.

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

Comments for Should I Level My RV With Slides In or Out?

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Rating
starstarstarstar 		Leveling and slides
by: Doug S.

You say check your owner's manual. That's fine, except Forest River doesn't supply manuals. You must download and print it yourself. How many full-timers have a computer and printer to do that? And many are not techy enough to even handle this. Shame on Forest River.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		On the level
by: Keith

No one answer is right. Check the owners manual. Not the dealer but the manual from the folks that built it.

If you level first logic says slide goes straight out.

All things depend on the strength of the framing around the slide box. If your RV has a fridge in the slide it is more important yet to get it right because the weight of the fridge is not offset by similar weight in an opposing slide therefore if you are already level and too heavy on one side you are out of level when the slides are out. Moreover this puts a strain on the framing.

Our coach has a very detailed manual and it says slides out first and in only after reaching ride height.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		cant level camper
by: Lil

With the automatic leveling systems, you have to be almost level +/- 2 degrees for the system to work.

So park check the side to side variance..either move forward or back to get more level or if it's way off, then pull the camper onto leveling blocks or boards to raise the side that is too low. Get within the +/-2, and then you can unhook and level.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Should I Level My RV With Slides In or Out?
by: Lee

I agree. The next time you use the automatic leveling jacks you'll notice your RV goes up on one side or even one corner then another jack goes up. You can imagine the twist and and turns your RV goes thru now you can double or triple that with the slides already out.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rv leveling
by: Kim

I have a 36' Rv with 4 slide out and I can't get it leveled this is our first one to have
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Air leveling
by: Anonymous

I have a 2006 beaver 4 slides with air bag leveling system only, do you slide out first before leveling ? It does not have hydraulic leveling system.
Rating
starstarstar 		Should you?
by: One55chev

Check with the manufacturer period. I own an Entegra 44B (4 slides). According to the manufacture when I toured the factory in Indiana in Indiana they stated slide outs first, the level. When leaving site bring jacks up first the slides in. My friends Winnebago Tour does the opposite. So I would say call the "People" that build yours..
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Slide out
by: Anonymous

My slide out doesn’t have a manual feature if it gets stuck how will I get it back in or out?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Leveling
by: Anonymous

Does the RV have three or four leveling jacks. Mine has three and the manual says slides out first then jacks down. I can understand the reasoning. If you put the jacks downs first the single jack is at the front of my motorhome. The slide on each side of the living area, towards the front of the coach, are very heavy. If the jacks are down, front and back, extending either of the front slides would put a significant twist on the frame that would not be present if the vehicle was sitting on the four tires. Once both front slides are extended the coach is balanced ant the front jack can then be extended. The reverse procedure is followed when bringing slides in.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Leveling
by: Anonymous

What does your owner’s manual say? That’s the answer.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Slides
by: Ken

We recently purchased a new Newmar coach. We were told by the dealer to extend the slides, then level the coach. I questioned them using the same physics theory about stres torque etc.. I was told to reference the owner’s manual. The manual from Newmar clearly states to extend the slides and then level the coach. In addition it states in bold print if this procedure is not followed it voids the warranty on the coach slides. It is counter intuitive to me, but they could not have been more clear in their statement.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Slide stuck
by: Robert

How do you manually pull a slide out on a. Moyer home
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Check manufacturer's recommendation first..
by: R Roberts

The experiment is very convincing, but I will stick with the manufacturer's guide. I have a 2016 Mountain Aire ( Newmar) and the manual says to extend slides then level, and when breaking camp, retract the leveling pads, then retract the slides. I am a FT'er and have been doing it this way for 2 years with this RV, and I have had no problems with slides whatsoever. I will repeat, check the manufacturer's guide and follow their instructions. That way you stay out of trouble. Most salesmen don't own an RV, so there is no way I'm taking their recommendations as gospel.Some rigs on the market recommend you level first and then extend slides, yet others recommend you extend the slides then level. There is a distinc difference between towables and mototrized RF's. There are differences between manufacturers also. So do yourself a favor and check.......
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My experience
by: Anonymous

Have a 2017 travel trailer with2 sliders on the same side. We also level with boards BEFORE extending slides. The first few trips went well until when wandering around the unit I noticed it was out of level. Now I have learned how much the slides knock the unit off so I level it with the slides in but leave the bubble off the amount that the slides tip the unit when extended. I also bought slide supports to cut the wobbles that amount of weight hanging out there causes. Just don’t crank those supports too high. Not meant for jacking, just for preventing seesawing.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Walk around before extending
by: Buly

I walk around the coach ( Dutch Stat) and check the gaps around the slides. If there is a gross difference in the gaps, it will let me know there is a twist in the chassis. Than I level and check again. So far it works well for me.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Air suspension or springs?
by: Just a thought

We are looking for one answer to cover all slide outs & there is no one solution. All coaches are NOT created equal, all slides are not created equal, all foundations / frames are not of equal strength. Generally, with the air suspension coaches the frame is on a more stable foundation with little to no twist / torque on the frame. Some with the air suspension will compensate for the weight changes as the slides are extended. Thus Entegra & some others recommend to slide the extensions out before using the leveling jacks. Coaches with spring suspension, (& some air systems) the possibility exist for the frame / foundation to have a slight twist or as the slid is extended will create a weight problem thus creating a bind on the slide. In this case leveling would be preferred before extending.
( I know the adds state solid foundations with special bracing to create a non twisting, solid foundation, some do as they advertise. Please, I know of brand loyalty, and personal experience...) SO Check with your manufacture, if they say slid out first, do it. If it is not recommended do not. Remember NOT all coaches, not all slides are created equal, even different model coaches from the same manufacture.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Diffrent strokes for diffrent folks
by: Bob

A 2011 Monaco Cayman has only 3 jacks one only at the front. The manual says to put the slides out only when sitting on fully pressurised air bag system which has self levelers. They don't say why not to jack first to level but I gather that the frame can be twisted slightly when only 1 jack is used on the front, and that could upset the sliding mechanisms.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Slide levling
by: Anonymous

I have been told that having a 4 inch block under the foot of the leveling Jack decreases the movement inside. The shorter the rod sticks out makes it more stable.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Entegra Motor Coach
by: One55chev

We visited the Entegra Manufacturing plant for our 2 year inspection. While not only going thought assembly line, we had PJ give classes and answer questions.This was brought and he stated that on
On Entegra Coaches to let the slidesoutfirst, then the leveling. Reverse order when leaving.

Thanks,
Stan
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Slid out
by: Earnies2

When I jack and level my JAYCO 25E the slid out binds
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		There isn't an answer.
by: Anonymous

If you talk to the manufacturer of the slide; they want the unit level to not damage their product. And the statement is the same for the leveling. They would like to minimize any load change from running hundreds or thousands of pounds outside center of gravity. As a master technician my experience tells me if the product is installed properly (slide outs and leveling system). I doesn't matter. If something fails it can almost always attributed to another issue.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Leveling with slides in or out
by: Jim

My question is this. Once the slides are out and you notice that you're not as level as you thought, could it be harmful to do a little "fine tuning" without bringing the slides back in?

Note from RVing Al: To prevent damage to your slide outs or leveling system, I would not ever recommend trying to adjust the level of your RV with the slides out.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Dumb
by: Anonymous

The only dumb question is the one not asked !! Maybe you should keep your derogatory comments to yourself !!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		dumb
by: Anonymous

Whats a shame is that people can not ask questions without a self proclaimed expert throwing in some smartass reply.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		slides in or out when leveling
by: Anonymous

I mostly agree with your comments and reasoning; however, our motorhome has a different leveling system and explicitly says to put the slides out before leveling. My advice is to look at your manuals to make sure. I know that our previous motorhome and 5th wheel both said level and then put slides out.
I think the one we have now is one of the few that is different.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Dumb
by: Anonymous

I hope that this is made up if it's not people this dumb should not own a rv with slides.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		leveling
by: Jeff Jones

What would be the proper way to level if you dont have the leveling jacks ?? I have wood blocks that i drive up on to get level. Never thought about it before but(i know safety 1st)should i do the slideout first then drive up on my blocks or get on blocks first then do slideout ?? Thanks much. Jeff Jones

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