Slide Operation and Jack Leveling Sequencing..

Dwain65 · 01-30-2016, 09:58 PM

Today when I dropped my ACE 30.1 off for service the veteran service advisor and I had a quick conversation about the slide operators. Anything you read in the book or on Liepperts video manuals states that you should close a slide and continue holding the button for 4-5 secs until the motor stops completely. A tech and the service advisor strongly advise that you should release the button as soon as the slide contacts the sidewall of the coach! His reasoning is that continuing to depress the button causes undue stress (high torque) on the motors ,gears, and finishes on the slide and side wall.

Secondly he stated that you should open the slides and then level the coach! In all literature Thor and Lieppert state you should level first and the open slides. It seems to me that opening slides before leveling will cause unnecessary force on the slides, rails, etc. His take on it is the leveling system more accurately levels the coach after the slides are out. As we know the leveling system is pretty rough as it applies fluid to each jack to the coach leveled.

Any thoughts on either statement?

gmc · 01-31-2016, 01:09 AM

I'd have to disagree with both statements from all I have seen and experienced...

The slide controllers are counting revolutions to fully open/close... I don't hear the hum of a motor trying to continue to drive the slide at the extreme - I'm just waiting for them to completely turn off and insure the two sides of the slide stay in synch.

I can't picture the stresses on an extended slide while leveling the coach doing anything good. It certainly twists things around as it manipulates the jacks. We've been at our current location just over a month - and things have settled a little... DW wants to re-level... so I'll be pulling in the slides, re-leveling, and extending them again.

The only time I've extended the slides 'not level' has been in my driveway... Completely FLAT - just not completely level (nose down).
Even that I don't do often - as the fridge in my 2014 Hurricane doesn't like being 'not level'.
(The fridge in the 2000 Infinity didn't care...)

JamieGeek · 01-31-2016, 03:00 AM

Yeah the Lippert Schwintek system is computerized. When the slide closes (or is open all the way) it senses it and stops the motors. Thus holding an extra 4-5 seconds doesn't put torque on the motors for those 4-5 seconds. You're just waiting for a timeout for the controller to reset its counts.

**EA37TS** · 01-31-2016, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwain65

...

Secondly he stated that you should open the slides and then level the coach! In all literature Thor and Lieppert state you should level first and the open slides. It seems to me that opening slides before leveling will cause unnecessary force on the slides, rails, etc. His take on it is the leveling system more accurately levels the coach after the slides are out. As we know the leveling system is pretty rough as it applies fluid to each jack to the coach leveled.

Any thoughts on either statement?

My thought is that you do yourself a favor and get your coach before they have a chance to do anything to it.

Unless I am drastically mistaken , what they are telling you cannot be done without overriding a major safety feature on the coach.

The leveling jacks cannot be operated unless the engine is running. The engine will not start if the slides are out (major safety feature). In order for you to put the slides out and then start the engine to level the coach the slide open safety feature would have to be disconnected.

Please send me the name of the service center so I can make sure I never step in their door.

Metalman · 03-20-2016, 01:51 AM

Can the slide(s) be extended with the engine running?

Nevertheless, common sense tell me to level first, then move the slide(s) out. The instructions on the coach are very specific about the sequence.

JamieGeek · 03-20-2016, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metalman

Can the slide(s) be extended with the engine running?

No, typically there is a safety and the slide won't budge if the key is on.

Yosemitebob · 03-21-2016, 12:05 AM

I can't imagine the stresses that would be put on the slides if they were out before you started to level. In both scenerios. I have one large slide, imagine, if it was down hill and off camber to my left and the slide going out, wow, and on top of that, leveling in this state. No, I don't think so.

KKRIEPKE · 09-18-2016, 01:51 PM

I never would extend slides unless coach was level. My last Winnebago Vectra was owned by others for 7 years and slides were routinely extended before leveling.... the end result is after my 2 years with it Winnebago had to completely remove BOTH slides and rebuild the ramp system to the tune of over $3500!!

KKRIEPKE · 09-18-2016, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metalman

Can the slide(s) be extended with the engine running?

Nevertheless, common sense tell me to level first, then move the slide(s) out. The instructions on the coach are very specific about the sequence.

In the Tuscany, the engine MUST be running to both level and extend slides. there is a SLIDES READY LED that is off until engine is running. ALso Lippert leveling system will protest if you try to level without engine running. However there is an air bag dump switch to manually de-air the system B4 leveling.

SuperD · 09-18-2016, 03:28 PM

OMG, can't believe a tech is that stupid! Never, ever, extend slide without jacks down, that is just asking for a problem!!!

Someone stated the slide system counts revolutions, that is EXACTLY correct and why you hold the switch for an extra 3-5 seconds. There is an overload switch that protects the motors, so holding switch down will NOT harm them.

Our Tuscany required engine running to operate jacks and slides, our gas coach won't extend the slide with key on, safety interlock.

If you try to put transmission in gear it beaps loudly and won't go unless jacks are up. Once saw someone several years ago drive off with jacks down, bent all four which had to be removed before he could go anywhere. I asked him if it beeped when he put it in gear, he said yes but didn't think it was anything important!!! Expensive lesson on warning signals.

I would find a better tech somewhere else cause that one is dangerous!
The mother of stupid is always pregnant!!!

bandorr2000 · 09-18-2016, 03:44 PM

We have a warning label below 2 of our slide switches that clearly states that levelers MUST be down before operation.

RVCampingNut · 09-19-2016, 12:32 AM

Speaking from a Thor Challenger 37LX position:

Jacks - The engine should be running and the emergency brake set. The emergency brake is a must, but the engine running is optional if your batteries are charged up. If not, the display shows low voltage and will not operate. At that point, you must start the engine. I typically pull into my spot, give it a once around to make sure I am where I want to be while the engine is running and parking brake set, then level the coach, then turn off the engine. Also with the jacks, IF you forget to retract them and attempt to drive, once the parking brake is released or it is placed into drive, the jacks do an immediate emergency retract.

Slides - Cannot be moved while the engine is running. There is a safety interlock. While they can be moved on battery only, I never do that. Either the generator is running or I am plugged into 30 or 50 amp service. The one large full wall slide is huge and although Thor customer service reps say it;s fine to extend on battery or 110 power, it does not go well and can get misaligned due to not having enough power. I haven't tried to start the engine with the slides out, but for shi** and grins, I might try it to see what happens. I am thinking I shouldn't be able to start the engine, but I'll have to see.

KKRIEPKE · 08-25-2018, 03:42 PM

MY Tuscany XTE

Slides - can be extended/retracted with just key on. (LED is on) I personally always make sure I am connected to shore power OR GENNY RUNNING when I operate them (just me)

Jacks - NEVER extend or retract without engine running. Most times you will get a "low voltage" indication and Lippert panel will not function.
ALSO if batteries are NOT COMPLETELY charged you run the risk of blowing the 100A breaker in the coach battery compartment.

The jacks compressor takes a certain amount of power according to the equation Power=current x voltage. so if volts are down, current goes up and can easily exceed 100A

TurnerFam · 08-25-2018, 03:55 PM

everyone here may have a different coach, so your ‘answers’ will vary, but if you have Lippert Schwintech system, with rails and motors, then YES, hold the switch for several seconds after extract or retract, and allow the motors to then ‘sync’...

as for leveling - for your coach, it’s purely preference. We’done it both ways, and many time in between both - it’s hurts nothing, and your coach does not ‘care’ one way or the other!

chief90 · 08-25-2018, 07:23 PM

guess it would depend of the Thor coach you have, I have the Tuscany 40ax XTE, before the slides go out, the coach has to be level and I dump the air before I level the coach, the key has to be on (not engine running) in order for me to extend or retract the slide. I too hold in the button for 3-4 secs after the slides are in or out. In the control area above the passenger, it clearly states that the coach must be level before slides can be extended.

I have experienced twisting of the full wall slide, in order to correct that, I was told by Thor to extend 4 inches, retract and to do that a couple of times to correct the twist.

Suzzanne
Thor Tuscany 40 FT ax XTE

TurnerFam · 08-25-2018, 08:15 PM

yep, while most, if not all, our coach's will have a 'warning' for the same, the question may be more of what they are referring to as 'Level', as the process of using our Legs for 'leveling' is not always necessarily to 'level' a coach, but to provide a foundation for minimizing movement while we are parked.
If the warning states that the 'Leveling system must be deployed and the coach must be exactly Level before deploying the slides', or similar, then YES, you'd hang your hat on that process.

But, I believe that the factory is really referring to a SAFETY measure, meaning that the coach should be 'level', and not in any extreme angle, either side to side, or even front to back, before the slides are deployed. That makes all the sense in the world, THOUGH, there are many, many, and plenty of times we all park on fairly level ground, don't need to 'level' our coach, and can still deploy our slide, or slides, and have no issues.

The slides really don't care, but the idea is that you don't want any weight shift, even slight, to take the coach over in the event you are parked really out of level, though most of the time this is not the case.

Even factories disagree on the process. Newmar may say to put your slides out BEFORE you level(I know, crazy, right!??), Tiffin may say the opposite, and Thor may say differently DEPENDING on the make of coach, the make of slides and their systems, or even whether gas or diesel!
There really is no 'right' or 'wrong', as I'm sure that if an owner made even a simple mistake, the coach would not somehow break or cause it to no longer work - it's really more preference than anything.
We've done it both ways, plenty of times, in 85,000 miles over four years, and the coach know no different.

: ) Smile, travel.... enjoy!

Metalman · 08-25-2018, 09:05 PM

I have a 2015 Windsport on the F53 chassis, which is quite sturdy and heavily sprung. We traveled several thousand miles with the levelers disabled due to a leak in one of the jacks. (I removed the jack and capped the hydraulic lines). The first time I extended the side, I made sure the coach was level by using wooden planks. Having it level at the start of the deployment wasn't good enough. The extended weight of the slide caused the coach to lean on the side of the slide. So in the future, I made sure that the slide side of the coach was slightly higher that the other side of the coach, so when the slide was fully deployed, the coach was level.

rudyhehn · 08-25-2018, 09:29 PM

1 - On my Thor Palazzo I always level the coach with the engine running first, then I turn off the engine and extend the slides. It would put too much load on the slides to jerk them around in the extended position while running the levelling jacks.
2 - My Lippert manual and several techs tell me to hold the switch down after retracting or extending slides to allow the mechanism to synchronize. It does not stress the motors to do so as their is a circuit that cuts off the motor after synching.
3 - On my coach it is possible to start the motor and adjust the levelers with the slides extended. The only time I have done so was when my slide gear mechanism broke while the slide was extended. I tipped the coach so that gravity assisted with manually closing the slide.
4 - Consider finding a new service adviser.

Bob Denman · 08-25-2018, 09:34 PM

Once I find my spot on the pad:
Set the parking brake, and leave the engine running
Level the rig up with my Lipperts (I use the "auto" method)
Shut down the V-10
Fire up the generator
Let out the slide

Then I go play with the water supply system, the electric cords, and the stinky slinky!

TurnerFam · 08-25-2018, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudyhehn

1 - On my Thor Palazzo I always ...
3 - On my coach it is possible to start the motor and adjust the levelers with the slides extended...

:this is from a former Thomasville fellow, out on Rena Ridge, south of town...: )

actually, you don't even have to start the engine, just turn to 'ON', and the LCI Panel will work fine. It may show 'low voltage', but if you press Manual and then make the adjustment, it will still work just fine. You can even level the whole coach that way, even if you've turned off the engine before you remembered to level.
AUTO mode, as we've found, is too 'jerky', and raises the coach too high. Once I started Manually leveling the coach, it is much lower, and a much smoother process.
I don't do the Auto RETRACT either, without first pressing Manual mode, then pressing the retract button only a second or two at the time, to minimize 'jumping' as the legs are brought up and the weight is bouncing down.
Another great way to minimize retraction jumping is to allow the air bags to fully inflate, then 'deflate' them for a second or so, before then retracting the legs. This gives the air bags some 'room' to absorb the jerky 'motion'. Sometimes, once you've aired the bags, your legs are not even touching the ground any longer, and so the retraction is very smooth, of course!

You may also like: