Installed BigFoot rv jacks on 2016 24.1 Vegas

[Mustang46555]

It's good te see everyone seems well pleased with their Big Foot systems. Our Quantum goes into Big Foot in January to get a platinum system installed. Just got a down payment made in time to lock in their sale price to boot. I can't wait for next season, no more lego blocks!!!!!

[Long & Winding road]

Yep, you will enjoy them.

But save a few block incase your camp site is crazy unlevel. I figured I will save 20 of my 40 blocks (Just in case). But that will open up some room for more "Spare Thor parts". LOL.

Have you figured out where to mount your control panel yet?

I like the DS either on the outside wall or on the dash under the lights. I want to keep the other side open for my toggle switches. I have several things I want to install this winter and I think that will be the ideal place for them.

Or next to the door either low near the steps or up next to the tank level gauges. Its one of those things you can only install once so you better like it. LOL.

But for now Im enjoying my 20 foot teather. I like to watch them like a little kid. LOL.

[JoeDS]

I have a 2017 24.1 which i suspect is pretty much the same as yours. Where did you mount the pump and tank?

[Long & Winding road]

I mounted the tank/pump (all one heavy unit) behind a small 2x2 cross member (which is right behind tranny - seems like it connected to a drive shaft support?). Its under the RV and behind the drivers seat location a few feet and to me was the best location.

I will try and take a picture of it and post next week.

I was able to mount it up high enough were its about even with other stuff hanging down under the RV (with about one inch of clearnace between it and the floor of the RV).

The only other location that would work on my RV was next to the step..... but you would have to cut a hole in the cargo compartment for access to fluid level - which is a good Idea... mine is hard to get to). Someone posted a few pictures of this either in this thread or another Big Foot thread (I forget which one).

[Long & Winding road]

I just looked back at the beginning of this thread and in the very first posting (#1) look at the last picture.... it shows his tank/pump location. If you look right in front of that you can see the 2x2 support that I bolted mine too.

Think my location allowed me to mount mine about 4 or 5 inches higher? Or I had more room? I forget. But this area (either mine or his or both) is where Big Foot recommends installation on the E350/E450 chassis.

They (BF Directions) were very vague. But I found some BF brackets (That I didnt use) that would allow my to mount to MY location perfectly but it would make the pump stick down about 2 or 3 inches lower and I wanted all of the clearnace I can get. Plus it pushed the pump back 2 or 3 inches which made it harder to install IMO.

[JoeDS]

Thanks much for the reply. Thats a lot of "stuff" to cram in somewhere. Had not thought about checking fluid level. Also guess it would be hard to add fluid as well.

[Long & Winding road]

I have to use a little hand pump I picked up at Habor Frt for like $6.

Any cheap hand pump should work.

[JoeDS]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

I have to use a little hand pump I picked up at Habor Frt for like $6.

Any cheap hand pump should work.

OK. Good info


Now Im just trying to decide if spending about $3K is worth it after spending the last 40 years doing it the "hard way"

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by JoeDS

OK. Good info


Now Im just trying to decide if spending about $3K is worth it after spending the last 40 years doing it the "hard way"

Well call Big Foot in MI directly. They might still have it on sale for $1985 (or something like that). Plus they will do the install. I think another member only charged him like $300 or $500?? Whatever it was I thought it was very reasonable.

IMO its worth it. Im not very old (yet) but its already a PITA to try and level with the lego blocks (or wooden block). I have spent 30 plus minutes trying to get it "good enough". Then some will move on you and mess up what should have been perfect and you have to start all over again.

Now it takes about "35 seconds" (According to BF) to deploy but with mine its manual so I might spend 1 or 2 minutes extra to get it just right. So lets say 5 minutes to be safe and all I have to do is press a few buttons.

Sometime I will put one or two lego blocks under the jack pads to get extra lift but I just made a pole with a hook on it so I can push the blocks under and reteive them without getting under the RV.

But to each his own. I think its worth it but if you only use them 2 or 3 times a year it may NOT be worth it.

[10scDust]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

.

I understand why you worked so hard installing your BF system, I am hard headed like that too.
I understand why you chose their system too.

But I must ask, didn't your rig already have a hydraulic leveling system installed?
You did not mention removing the old to install the new!

Our rig has a Lippert system, LCI.
It now has given us a problem, my troubleshooting has determined to be the pump.
Looking at replacement parts for it, nearly every part is replaceable, except the pump itself.
In order to obtain a pump, you must by the entire unit, from reservoir, manifold, to the electric drive motor with the pump in there too, and it is a bit pricey.

Has anyone had a problem their LCI levelers and needing the pump replaced?
Everything checks out okay, as far as, solenoid fire and motor runs.
In manual over ride, I cannot get any flow, plenty of fluid and all else.
I carry a marine offshore chief engineer license, so I trust my judgement, especially with all the hydraulic, and advanced trobleshooting training I have had.

I wonder if the pump unit itself can be changed out.
It has a gear pump in it now and am thinking a vane pump being better.
Or if someone like Big Foot can use the cylinders already in place.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by 10scDust

I understand why you worked so hard installing your BF system, I am hard headed like that too.
I understand why you chose their system too.

But I must ask, didn't your rig already have a hydraulic leveling system installed?
You did not mention removing the old to install the new!

Our rig has a Lippert system, LCI.
It now has given us a problem, my troubleshooting has determined to be the pump.
Looking at replacement parts for it, nearly every part is replaceable, except the pump itself.
In order to obtain a pump, you must by the entire unit, from reservoir, manifold, to the electric drive motor with the pump in there too, and it is a bit pricey.

Has anyone had a problem their LCI levelers and needing the pump replaced?
Everything checks out okay, as far as, solenoid fire and motor runs.
In manual over ride, I cannot get any flow, plenty of fluid and all else.
I carry a marine offshore chief engineer license, so I trust my judgement, especially with all the hydraulic, and advanced trobleshooting training I have had.

I wonder if the pump unit itself can be changed out.
It has a gear pump in it now and am thinking a vane pump being better.
Or if someone like Big Foot can use the cylinders already in place.

No, the Axis/Vegas RV's dont have any levelers installed from factory. I could have had Camping World installed something (but I dont want them touching my RV if I can help it). Plus most of the systems they are like $5000 +.

I know when I bleed my BIG FOOT Levelers (so diff than yours) for the first time it took a while for it to pump the air out. In fact it bleed dry and I had to refill on the first jack. But then afterwards it only would go down like a inch or so.

Mine only has the "central pump" (so one pump). Your might have 4 pumps (One for each jack).

Since mine didnt have any levelers installed from factory I had to install all of the hoses for each jack, the sensor wires for each jack, mount the central pump, hook up 12v power and ground, hook up control panel and circuit breaker. Not to mention drill holes for everything.

It was not hard but very time consuming (Did it all myself laying on concret driveway). All of my muscles were so soar. Not use to working this hard.

I had to use a floor jack to lift each jack in place and to hold the central pump in place while I bolted them down. Very heavy.

[Long & Winding road]

Ok, after using this system a few time. Two things I have noticed so far:

1). Once the system deploys the jacks initially – it does so two at a time then you have to adjust ONE at a time manually to level the RV (remember my system only has manual mode - not auto level). I was very surprised by this since it deploys two at a time upon startup – not like it don’t have the power for two at the same time.

I thought (Assumed!) you could hold two buttons down (Like LF + RF) at the same time to level the RV manually and evenly - NOPE. I tired this a few diff ways. Only one at a time to level RV.

Since its only ONE JACK at a time so its very herky jerky inside (My wife don’t like to be inside when I do this). So I go have to go back and forth a little at a time (so your not twisting the frame too much + its more stable?).

Not to mention you could crack the front windshield if your twist this RV too much (IMO).


2). The novelty of having the remote control outside (like my picture shows above) gets old real quick (LOL). I installed this way because I was not sure where I wanted to permanently mount on the inside…… plus I thought it might be better to watch them deploy (kinda fun at first – lol).

Well two flaws with this remote on a tether outside:

A). I have to unlock my outside storage to access the remote – not a big deal but it was lightly raining the other day…. So I think inside is better for rain/cold.

B). If you were at like a Wal-Mart Parking lot (sleeping or eating lunch etc) and your leveled but you want to make a QUICK GET AWAY for safety reasons (or some other reason) you will have to go outside and get the remote control first. I Cant close the door on the cord so you have to hold the door closed while holding remote.

Sure I could re-route to the inside where I can close the door but then it will be open during the summer time letting in bugs and my cold AC air out (that is if you want to watch the jacks with the tethered remote control – you could just leave on tether inside but where do you put this 15 + foot cord with remote unless you cut and splice it shorter??).

So I come to the conclusion that its just better to have the control panel hard mounted INSIDE the RV (I guess that’s why 99% of new RV’s are on the Dash (or by the door) .

I think I will mount mine inside the RV to the left of the dash (right next to the cup holder like someone posted above). I plan on installing some toggle switches for other things (in the future) on the right side of the dash next to my right knee.

I’m glad I waited on the permanent install because now I know WHERE I want it located at.

So if your looking at this BF Leveling system you might want to go with Auto level version. It cost more but it might be worth it to you.

My system works just fine for me ….. much better then driving on blocks ….and it was very cheap compared to all other systems I researched on the market.

I hope this helps someone make the proper purchase in the future.

[10scDust]

Update, not the pump on ours.
Our 2016 Outlaw 29 H has the Lippert level up leveling system.
After taking the unit off, one central pump, I found the directional valve stuck.
It is a logic solenoid valve.
After working the spool with an Allen wrench, blowing it out with compressed air, it seems to be okay.
In manual over ride there was no flow, making me believe it was the pump.
It is a gear pump, relies on the directional valve to deploy the jacks, or vice versa.
All the solenoids magnetized when they were supposed to, during my troubleshooting.
That told me the brain part was working okay.
As of today, 1/1/19, it works!
I have the valve info and will be calling some folks about getting one as a spare, I expect it to be about $90.
Fingers crossed.

[Long & Winding road]

Thats good news.

[VegasBaby!!!]

Long, I know when pressing the start button the front 2 come down first then the rear 2. But when I level I can push 2 buttons at a time like LF and RF or LF and LR and they will both extend at the same time

[Baddad53]

Had mine for a few years and still operating great. I have the E450 Auto Quad System. Price was ~$3,800 installed.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by VegasBaby!!!

Long, I know when pressing the start button the front 2 come down first then the rear 2. But when I level I can push 2 buttons at a time like LF and RF or LF and LR and they will both extend at the same time

Well c*&*, I tried that twice now and it didnt work.

Are you to hold down 3 buttons at the same time = "Extend", then "LF + RF"? I think I press extend, let go then is only one button at a time. I have not tired every combo of buttons.... I didnt want to screw it up.

I will have to try it again this weekend. Thats the way it "should work" IMO.

Are you press the start button and let the 4 jacks do thier thing (all lower about 4 inches) until pump stops on it own.... THEN press two buttons at the same time? Or are you pressing two buttons to begin with and extending without doing the "Start button" at all?

I have not tried that yet.... But I will. Thanks.

[VegasBaby!!!]

I hit start and the 2 fronts come down to ground then the 2 rear go to ground. I then look at level to see what needs to keep going down. I then hit extend and then I hit RF and RR at same time if right side is low ect...

[Long & Winding road]

Ok, I will try that again.... but I pretty sure I tried that and it didnt work.

Is there a delay? Like maybe 12 seconds? Before they start working? I know I had to hold them down for at least 5 to 10 seconds but perhaps not.

Thank, I will try this weekend. Keep your hydraulic hoses crossed.
LOL.

[VegasBaby!!!]

no delay at all after you let her run through her start sequence