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Old 12-12-2014, 07:41 PM   #1
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Model: Citation 29TB
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THOR #1019
After Market Levelers

I want to add Levelers to my 2015 Thor Citation 29tb. Would like to get recommendations as to Brand, Model and where I can get them installed in the Dallas Ft Worth area.

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Old 12-12-2014, 08:15 PM   #2
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THOR #531
I will be putting levelers on my 28Z soon. I am tired of using 2x12 ramps.

I am going with Quadra "Bigfoot" levelers. I am waiting until January as the factory will be running an installation special. I live about 50 miles from the Quadra factory, so I will be having the factory do the installation. Their installation location is in White Pigeon, Mi

This is the one I will be purchasing soon:

http://shop.thebigfootleveler.com/Fo...em-QEZW-FC.htm

While I like to do most of the work on my moho myself, this system requires welding (one of the other brands I think was bolt-on). And although I have a welder in my garage, I am a neophyte when it comes to welding. I don't trust myself enough to do the installation.

Basically, I looked at three different brands; Quadra, Lippert, and HWH. There may be others out there, but those are the three brands I am aware of. Within each brand are typically several models, most characterized by manual (you have to activate the hydraulic cylinders to level the coach), or automatic (the system automatically levels the coach with one press of a push-button).

Here are websites for the other two brands:

http://www.hwhcorp.com/aftermarket4.html

https://lci1.com/level-up-motorhome-leveling-systems

I went to the Quadra factory and looked at them - I was impressed with them. I believe I also read on their website that they were OEM for Thor, Forrest River, and Jayco. This at least means they may be familiar with the load points on the coach.

I saw Lippert leverlers at the Hershey, PA RV show.

The Lippert install location is near Elkhart, In, but I am not exactly sure where.

But the salesman who I talked with never got back to me with a price (after promising to do so), especially since he knew I was ready to buy, and Lippert is also not much more than an hour drive from where I live, so they would have done the install at their factory. But the Salesman also told me they have not done any Thor installs to his knowledge.

Cross them off the list...

HWH levelers are also sold by Camping World and you can get them installed at some of their locations. HWH has a training program that I think at least some Camping World techs have gone to.

I did not like HWH as much, as their cylinders have a hydraulic down, and spring-loaded up. Probably is not a huge issue though - as if you lose hydraulic power, you can at least return the levelers to the stored position.

HWH also does factory installs if you don't want to go to Camping World, and they are located in Moscow, IA.
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Old 12-12-2014, 08:33 PM   #3
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THOR #1019
Thanks FW28Z. I'm glad you reminded me about HWH spring return. I had forgotten I had a coach a few years back with HWH and had problems with failures to retract. Sometimes I pried them up with a board.
I'll research Quadra and Lippert.
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Old 12-12-2014, 08:46 PM   #4
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Thanks FW28Z. I'm glad you reminded me about HWH spring return. I had forgotten I had a coach a few years back with HWH and had problems with failures to retract. Sometimes I pried them up with a board.
I'll research Quadra and Lippert.
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Old 12-12-2014, 08:50 PM   #5
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My wife wants to go with the Quadra automatic system, but I like the idea of the wireless remote controlled manual system. Just something about being able to walk around the coach with the remote and being able to tweak the level of the rig.

Besides, I really don't trust "automatic" as much as being able to level it while watching the spirit levels on the coach.

The other main difference is the manual system uses one pump, while each cylinder on the automatic system has it's own pump. To me, that means 4 times more of a chance of failure.

Also, the manual system always uses two cylinders in tandem (either both front, both rear, or two each side). That way, it is "self aligning" when it makes initial contact with the ground, in that the lower cylinder will stop until the other cylinder makes ground contact (which establishes equilibrium). At that point, both cylinders move.

So to level using the manual system, you bring the front pair of cylinders into ground contact and stop when you just detect slight lifting of the coach. Then you do the same with the rear. At that point, the system is "aligned" with no stress to the frame. Then you can adjust both front, both rear, or each side pair to level the coach.

This scheme to me would seem to ensure that the frame does not become warped or stressed, as each cylinder pair always finds equilibrium since the selected two cylinder pair is in "series" and uses fluid dynamics to balance the system.

The automatic system with 4 independent pumps must use some other scheme to prevent stressing the frame. I am not sure how it's done. It might work just as good, but I simply don't know how it achieves equilibrium. Perhaps it uses electronics rather than fluid dynamics in achieving balance between the cylinders.

But we'll find out soon enough...
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Old 12-13-2014, 03:58 AM   #6
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THOR #631
I'm interested in automatic levelers, too, and appreciate the information in this thread.
John
Athens, GA
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Old 12-13-2014, 12:56 PM   #7
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I'm leaning toward the Quadra manual system as well. Seems to me it would be more trouble free. Costs less, too.
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Old 12-13-2014, 01:11 PM   #8
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This is the one thing I was disappointed that the Axis/Vegas didn't have. I would figure that the class B/C system would work. Something else to add to the list...
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Old 12-14-2014, 04:09 PM   #9
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We pick up our new AXIS after Christmas and wondered what leveling is used by others? And do you mean the "blocks" you roll over with the tires when parking? Or do you mean "stabilizers" to keep the RV from rocking as one walks inside?
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Old 12-14-2014, 04:31 PM   #10
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I'm referring to electric or hydraulic jacks that extend from the chassis and level the coach.
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Old 12-14-2014, 05:01 PM   #11
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evergreen49: Currently I have 3 sets of Lynx Levelers that I use to level our Axis:
Lynx Levelers

So far I have only used them on the front (mostly to level the unit when its sitting in our driveway--our driveway is too steep to get the refer running). They seem to work ok although I'm starting to see evidence that the Axis is too heavy for them (cracking, some are flattening, etc.). We have to use all of them in the driveway:

As mentioned in this thread: I'd love to have an electric system. Even a manual one is preferable to ramps, or the "Lego" ones we use.
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Old 01-26-2015, 10:02 PM   #12
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Just ordered the Bigfoot manual/wireless level system today, along with factory installation.



I went with the manual system rather than the auto system as I like the idea of having complete control of the leveling process. There is only an $800 difference between the manual and auto system, which is not really a huge amount, but I basically like the manual system better.

I especially like the idea of the wireless remote and walking around the coach to level it with the remote.

They have a $500 discount on factory installation through the end of January (at their factory location in White Pigeon, Mi). The factory is about 60 miles from my home, so it is only an hour travel time.

Cost was just under $3k, and I will have it installed early March - depending on weather and how big of a snow bank I have to dig out to get the RV on the road.

Will post photos after the installation.

When we went to the RV show last week, I noticed that Jayco was using Bigfoot levelers, whereas it looks like Thor went to Lippert. I have always thought Jayco was a pretty good brand (and still scratch my head for not buying one).
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Old 01-27-2015, 02:47 AM   #13
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i've ordered the Bigfoot manual/wireless level system, too. I'll have it installed by RV-Max in Sherman, TX.
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Old 01-27-2015, 12:01 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
This is the one thing I was disappointed that the Axis/Vegas didn't have. I would figure that the class B/C system would work. Something else to add to the list...
If you go with the Quadra system, I think the only difference in the Class A vs. the Class C systems is the length of the hoses and cables (at least until you get into the very large systems which might have 6 cylinders).

Either way, you are probably no more than 3 hours from the factory. It would make a long day for sure, but the installation takes about 3 hours so it could be done in one day including round trip.

You would take I-94 West to Kalamazoo, then south on US-131 about 20 miles to White Pigeon, Mi. The factory is on US-131.

Alternatively, there is a KOA in Middlebury, Indiana also on US-131; less than 10 miles south from the Quadra factory - so it would be an easy over-night trip as well.

The advantage of having the factory do it is they could custom cut the hydraulic lines vs. having to order the specific lengths - which might not be easy to determine until the system is installed.

Of course, the Lippert factory is not that much farther - maybe 20 miles or so further for you than the Quadra factory - if you go with that brand.

If you ever get over to the Quadra factory, you might as well take in a tour of the Thor plant as it is within 20 miles or so as well. And if you are looking for any goodies, there is a large RV surplus/junk store in Elkhart, as well as the RV Museum.

And you cannot forget Shipshewana, In (summertime on Tue and Wed), which is one of the largest - if not the largest - flea market in the USA. It also is only a few miles from Quadra. And there are a couple more RV parks there as well.

You could entertain yourself for a couple of days with several side trips when visiting that area.
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Old 01-27-2015, 12:44 PM   #15
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When I saw your earlier post about ordering them I did the quick google search to see how far, etc. (of course then Google Now pops up and says: "Time to leave to get to White Pigeon"! LOL).
I don't think we'll be pulling the trigger so soon on the levelers as we have higher priority "wants" for the camper.
More than likely that trip would be a solo trip for myself as I doubt the rest of the family would be interested in spending all day at a factory (although if we did bring a 2nd vehicle it would make things easier--but that is one of the higher priority "wants").
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Old 01-27-2015, 02:50 PM   #16
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FW28z & JoeT, I'm looking forward to reading your reports!
This is something I hope to do some day..... although I seriously doubt I will be getting up to the factory from Florida!

I sure do wish they did a bolt on kit!
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Old 01-27-2015, 05:17 PM   #17
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Their website lists "Bigfoot of Florida" as a dealer in Lakeland. It appears they are the only dealer in Florida.
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Old 01-29-2015, 12:02 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by blw2 View Post
FW28z & JoeT, I'm looking forward to reading your reports!
This is something I hope to do some day..... although I seriously doubt I will be getting up to the factory from Florida!

I sure do wish they did a bolt on kit!
I dropped the coach off at the service center yesterday for installation. The master tech says he will bolt them on.
I'll let you know how that comes out.
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Old 01-29-2015, 12:07 PM   #19
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That's interesting.

The way I understand it, the cylinders themselves are bolt-on, but they bolt onto brackets that have to be welded to the frame.

Perhaps the dealer does it different than the factory - or I mis-heard them when they told me they were weld-on.

At any rate, it will be interesting to see how yours comes out. My installation is not scheduled yet for another 5 weeks. I could have had it done earlier - and still may reschedule to an earlier install date, depending on favorable weather.

Even then, March is kind of iffy when it comes to how much snow is on the ground - or more specifically, how hard it will be to get the snow off the roof of the RV so I can get the cover off.

The real issue though is that once I pull the cover, I really don't want to have to re-install it for just a month.
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Old 02-01-2015, 02:28 AM   #20
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Dealer called yesterday. Coach is ready. They welded the brackets on. I'll pick it up Monday.
I read a post on another forum a couple of weeks ago where a coach owner installed the Bigfoot levelers himself. He drilled holes in the chassis and bolted the jacks on.
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