bobcatcharlie wrote: I think the headline 'Beware' might be a little over kill. Workhorse makes a pretty good chassis. Had a W22 before our DSDP. No chassis problems.
Yep, I suggested some time ago that the OP change the thread name to more accurately reflect the REAL problem. Guess they want to blame Newmar for what is probably a jack or operator problem!
Deen - Vancouver, WA
'02 Dutch Star 4090 (41+', triple slide)
435/1200 ISC Cummins/Banks PowerPak
'08 Honda Civic/dolly
'05 Honda Odyssey/dolly
NRA Benefactor Life Member
FMCA f47302s, Life Member: Good Sam, Newmar DP Owners Group
51st yr of RV'ing
Bill S. wrote: you should Never lift your motorhome wheels off the ground with your leveling jacks.
We have HWH jacks (on three MH's so far) and have NEVER had a problem with frame twisting when lifting the entire unit completely off the ground. I did have the unit roll once when I got the rears completely off the ground, but never any other problems. Even HWH themselves says it's not a problem to lift the front wheels completely off the ground, just so you don't lift both rear wheels off at the same time. We do it all the time when necessary. Still no binding or popped windshields or doors not closing even with all three slides out. HWH says the system is designed to lift the entire MH off the ground, so we do. When stored beside the stick house I have the front wheels off the ground for weeks at a time, still no problems and I run the slides in and out as necessary too. When I change the shocks I lift the unit up with the jacks, no problem. If I needed to change a tire I'd use the jacks to lift the tire off the ground also.
Deen, yes, lifting the wheels (front) off the ground isn't going to twist the frame, or be a safety issue in itselt. But as you found out, lifting the rears off can cause a roll-off, and could result in somebody getting injured. It's always best to level lifting the motorhome no higher than needed. Since I didn't know if the OP knew this, I posted just for the safety aspect. I've seen some RV's "leveled" on a reasonably level site, with ALL the tires off the ground. An accident waiting to happen.
Bill, (aka Capt.Bill)
Indian River, De
2002 Horizon 36LD, Cat 330 Practicing retirement!
bobcatcharlie wrote: I think the headline 'Beware' might be a little over kill. Workhorse makes a pretty good chassis. Had a W22 before our DSDP. No chassis problems.
Yep, I suggested some time ago that the OP change the thread name to more accurately reflect the REAL problem. Guess they want to blame Newmar for what is probably a jack or operator problem!
The Newmar service tech said he doubted the problem was in the jacks, which I stated in my post. Operator problem? You push one button, do you think maybe I did it wrong?
2008 Newmar Grand Star, Brake Buddy, Blue Ox, Explorer Sport Trac 4x4, and (one brilliant Golden Retriever in spirit and memory) Toby our Corgi pup.
MJJ, it looks to me that people are trying to blame you for a defective RV that happens to be their favorite brand. A common 'brand loyalist' response.
There appears to be a design or assemble problem. Can't determine which over the 'interweb'. There should be nothing you can do with the jacks that would twist the coach enough to jam the door. I can lift each corner of my entry level Bounder and open the door. Any coach should do the same.
Get it fixed even if you have to go back to the manufacture.
If your door is binding you may want to make sure it is installed correctly and the latch is working. I knew of one manf. that the door lock would latch and you couldn't get out of the coach.
Also, if the coach is twisting or not leveling correctly you may need to go in and re-teach the system what level is. Go to powergearus.com and pull tip sheet 11003 or 11002 depending on which revision of controller you have.
Charlie in TX wrote: MJJ, it looks to me that people are trying to blame you for a defective RV that happens to be their favorite brand. A common 'brand loyalist' response.
There appears to be a design or assemble problem. Can't determine which over the 'interweb'. There should be nothing you can do with the jacks that would twist the coach enough to jam the door. I can lift each corner of my entry level Bounder and open the door. Any coach should do the same.
Get it fixed even if you have to go back to the manufacture.
I run a web site for Newmar owners, NO ONE has reported this problem there that's why I take the position that it's NOT a Newmar problem but a problem with this specific leveler unit. If it was a Newmar construction problem there would have been other reports of it. Think about it!
Newmar doors have a feature that usually prevents binding when the frame is "torqued". The metal latch pin that is mounted on the frame (not the door) should move up and down at least 1/2 inch if you push it up and down. IF your pin does NOT move freely, that is your problem. That give up and down allows the door to NOT bind when the door frame is "torqued". I am a Dealer Newmar Service Technician (15 years a Newmar dealer), and I have seen where inexperianced Service techs have adjusted that door pin to NOT MOVE (added extra washers) because they or the customer thought it was defective because it moved. I have NOT worked on a Grand Star yet (I only work on RV's when they need service), but if you have the Powergear Hydraulic jacks, this is unusual because Powergear Hydraulic jacks, the front jacks are on the same valve and equalize themselves. Did I miss a post? Do you have Powergear Electric Jacks? ANY dealership service dept that would claim that they have worked on this type problem for a month is NOT worth allowing them to work on my RV. RUN, to another dealership. Doug
Just to be fair to Powertech, my HWH's on my Tiffin would bind the door if one corner was a lot low..... So Beware Powertech is probably not fair either. Maybe, "help! Levelling my Newmar Grand Star trapped me in the Coach!" is a better description of the real problem.
OK, I give, what does this have to do with leveling? Sorry, having a slow night with the rusty ole cogs in the belfry.
Evaporative refrigerators aren't supposed to be operated in a non-level condition, except when running down the road.
Non-level has taken a beating, here, granted the evaporative cooled hydrogen/ammonia cooling system is a 40+ year-old physics exercise, they are made to be a little forgiving now. You should be able to go 3-5 inches out of level on a 35+' rig and be fine.
2008 Itasca Meridian 37H, All. 3000MH (6-auto), Freightliner XC Chass., Cummins 6.7L Turbo, (Sweet! Delivery 03/12/08). Tow: '07 Dodge Gr. Caravan, Me, Him; Sugarbear, Apr. Toy Poodle; Pepe, Blk Toy Poodle; Hero, fat Siam.-mix polydactyl cat/Alarm Clock.
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