How to Level a Fifth-Wheel Trailer

[dadse]

OK. We found our used fifth wheel trailer (our first trailer other than the utility and the boat). I am setting up in our driveway for now (we plan to take a break-in trip next weekend but don't plan to take off for the season until January).

The section of the owner's manual dealing with leveling is one short paragraph about the importance of leveling (plus some comments about 'digging out under a high wheel' or driving up on blocks presumably for motorhomes - it even refers to 'my mini-motorhome' in this manual for a fifth-wheel trailer).

For a fifth wheel, what I THOUGHT was that one parks on as level a place as possible (check) - then adjusts the leveling jacks until the unit is pretty level. (I pictured one on each corner). Somewhere, I swear, I have even heard or read comments like, "First, level front to back with the power landing gear - then, level side to side with the stabalizer jacks".

That made sense to me. But here I am, in my level concrete driveway (no way to dig under the low tire if I wanted to) and I have made a discovery which I ought to have noted earlier. THE POWERED LANDING GEAR WORK IN TANDEM. How is one supposed to keep the trailer level (e.g., side-to-side) if one of the gear is longer than the other? I've watched two demonstrations (previous owner and the man who installed my hitch) of disconnecting the trailer from the truck and neither one of them made ANY effort I could detect to insure that the landing gear adjustable-length mechanism (a pin-in-the-hole method) would keep the front of the trailer level side-to-side.

So now the trailer is off my truck and on its landing gear and is NOT level side to side - possibly BECAUSE those landing gear are not the same length - though the holes are an inch apart so fine-tuning is hardly likely anyway. But it is too late to adjust them now - the weight of the trailer is on them and they are holding up the front end. Sure, I can still level front-to-back with the landing gear, but I see no way short of hooking up the truck again to make any adjustment to their relative lengths - and then I'm not certain how I would be able to assure a level stance without taking the trailer off the truck to check. This seems quite cumbersome and tedious. What am I missing?
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Bob and Bettie
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel
Glendale Golden Falcon Presidential Series Fifth Wheel Trailer 34RKP

[Motor31]

OK, since you are not equipped with extra heavy duty hydraulic jacks like some motorhomes, you can't lift the rig on the jacks. BTW, that's the way most all 5th wheels are anyhow so you are not unusual.

First find the space you want to park on. Move the trailer into position and check the side to side level. If you are off about a half bubble to almost a full bubble (small torpedo level on the floor), use a 2x6 or a 2x8 to place under the low side wheels. Either move the trailer forward or back, then put the wood in position and put the trailer on the wood. If you need more, you can add more wood or those plastic Lego-style blocks to do the same thing.

Once your rig is level, set your pins on the front jacks to contact the ground as close to the same time as possible, then level fore and aft and set your rear stabilizers. You may have to shim the front jacks to contact the ground at the same time. You're done.

We full-time and have a rather heavy trailer, and that is the method we use. It gets very easy after a bit of practice and you can estimate quickly how much you need to raise one side or the other.
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Mike, Nancy and the Fuzzies
2005 MS 38 RL3
2001 Volvo MH (HDT)
2004 R1150RT (piggyback)
1996 Jeep Cherokee (toad)

[georgeh]

Mike has got it pretty well laid out. Point I might add, use the little stick-on bubble levels (install once you have it level, front to back and side to side) on the corner nearest where your jack control is. They will let you check level without running back and forth to check floor level inside.
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George, Juanita and Mandie the Shar-Pei
01 F350 Dually, PSD, Superchip, K&N, Walker BTM, T-flow combo
(2) Honda 2000i
05 Carriage, Carri-Lite 32' 5er

[dadse]

Thanks Mike, Nancy, George and Juanita for your rapid and helpful responses to our question. I see from your detailed explanations that much of the work of side-to-side leveling is to be done BEFORE un-hitching. Clearly you have experience to share.

I agree one DOES become better at things with repetition, and when you are good at a thing - even if it is a bit tedious or complex or tiring - you tend to enjoy doing it. For me the amount of effort and skill required to operate the power switch for my landing gear is just about the right amount to keep me happy. Making physical adjustments down on the ground or in other awkward positions exceeds my current comfort level (and possibly my strength). And, as the plan is to do this only a few times a year (e.g., set up the trailer) it might take a long time to get good at it.

George and Juanita, I quite like the idea of adding a bubble level visible while operating the power switch. Mine is located within a forward-left-side compartment and (at least, once I get it level this time without it) I should be able to affix therein such a device in an appropriate position to read out side-to-side level status. There is a bubble level on the king-pin assembly of our trailer, but it is not possible for me to see it (e.g., from within the truck bed) when the trailer is hitched no matter where I stand on the ground. That is probably why I didn't notice it until AFTER I had driven the truck out from under.
Bob
_________________
Bob and Bettie
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel
Glendale Golden Falcon Presidential Series Fifth Wheel Trailer 34RKP

[hitchup]

[minerz]

Set your 5er up any place it is level, front and back. Then mount an oversize level on the front so you can see it from the driver's seat for side to side. Then mount a small level at the leg control so you can see front to back level. You don't have to get out of the truck to check side to side level, and if you use the Lego levelers, one notch means one block. Have a good day.
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BILL AND CLAUDIA
97 STROKER, CHIPPED, BIG EXHAUST, GAUGES, EXHAUST BRAKE, TRANS COOLER, ELECTRIC WIND DEFLECTOR
30 FT CHEROKEE WITH AUTO-TRACKING SOLAR, STORAGE SYSTEM, GENERATOR BACKUP. BEEN CAMPING AND RVING SINCE 1970.