leveling a 2003 Friendship 8408 with Dewald Manual System

[ryananddavina]

Just picked up a new to us 2003 GS Friendship 8408 FS - First RV ever. In the midst of going through all the documentation from the previous owners and manuals I have found the power gear manual on the use of the Dewald Manual System but really want to know how will I know when it is level? Use a level on the counter/fridge? Justtrying to figure this adventure out? What method do you guys use? I looked and cannot find a bubble in the coach to show it is level as I have seen in other models...

Thanks!

[ToddPet]

I have a friendship G7 2004. I have two issues with the levelling system. First if I’m parked at a site where the front of the RV is higher than the back of the RV I can’t seem to get the jacks to lift the backend high enough to level. The front trucks are able to lift the tires off the ground but the back tracks don’t seem to be able to lift too much. Is that normal and due to the weight of the engine?

My second issue is with the auto level. Whenever I use it he drops all the jacks, of course the back went to the left too much. But even if the backend of the RV is lower than the front of the auto level will always love the front even higher. I’m usually left with the front of the RV one for her in the back of the RV. Even if I’m on level ground and I do this the auto levels will continue to raise the front more. I’ve tried using the directions from the manufacture to reset what level is, but the system doesn’t seem to respond to the corrections.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Restorium]

Originally Posted by ToddPet

I have a friendship G7 2004. I have two issues with the levelling system. First if I’m parked at a site where the front of the RV is higher than the back of the RV I can’t seem to get the jacks to lift the backend high enough to level. The front trucks are able to lift the tires off the ground but the back tracks don’t seem to be able to lift too much. Is that normal and due to the weight of the engine?

My second issue is with the auto level. Whenever I use it he drops all the jacks, of course the back went to the left too much. But even if the backend of the RV is lower than the front of the auto level will always love the front even higher. I’m usually left with the front of the RV one for her in the back of the RV. Even if I’m on level ground and I do this the auto levels will continue to raise the front more. I’ve tried using the directions from the manufacture to reset what level is, but the system doesn’t seem to respond to the corrections.

Any help would be appreciated.

The levelers should lift it. But if they can't then try this;
Leave the front all the way down and raise the back manually using both jacks at once. Then bring the front up to match.

[UAHaerospace]

RAYCHEZ1 made some very good points, I echo those comments - and even though I have a different coach, with LCI Lippert Electronic Leveling, I use the 'MANUAL' method all of the time, for the last 4 years and over 80,000 miles of traveling.

Whether your unit has it's own 'level' indicator, or bubble view, or you just use your own methods, such as the 'door swing' indicator(probably the best method), getting the coach 'close' to level is the goal - perfection will probably never happen, there are too many variables.

I use our hall bath door as my final indicator, no matter what my level indicator on the LCI panel says, though it's a good start. The swing of the hall bath door tells me, in the 'real world', that I am level, for my comfort, when the door does not swing in either direction on it's own.
If it swings 'back', away from the doorframe, I know I am low on the driver side.
If it swings toward closing, then I am low on the entry side.

I've also learned, though, to give me a little extra height on the driver side, since once the full wall slide is deployed, I'll probably see that hall bath door change slightly. Sometimes, after the slide is deployed, I'll re-energize the LCI panel and add a little to that side. The full wall slide is 22' long, or more, and contains the kitchen, bunks, and dining booth.

Also, it seems that Manual leveling provides for a much smoother and quicker leveling, and much less 'dramatic', as the auto leveling tends to 'jerk' the coach up and down and winds up sitting at a much higher stance when finished. I feel I can do it much better myself.


Level, and enjoy! You can do it.

[Restorium]

Right, the door thing.
I have to give the left rear side a little extra lift right at the end of leveling and the entrance door works better.