Just over night

Camping family · 08-02-2021, 08:15 AM

We are getting ready for our first long trip. Will need to spend one night before we reach our distention. We are stopping to rest only. Can I leave my 5th wheel connected to the truck and still level it so I can put out the slides? I have the auto level system.

**sourdough** · 08-02-2021, 08:22 AM

I don't know if it "could" be done but I wouldn't do it. Leaving it on the hitch in the truck is going to really mess up the auto level trying to raise/lower the front. I would opt for trying to find a level(ish) site and deal with it or just unhitch. It doesn't take 5 minutes to get loose and I do every time I stop.

Javi · 08-02-2021, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camping family

We are getting ready for our first long trip. Will need to spend one night before we reach our distention. We are stopping to rest only. Can I leave my 5th wheel connected to the truck and still level it so I can put out the slides? I have the auto level system.

Unless the parking spot is terribly unlevel it won't hurt to put the slides out for a night... done that many a time although I rarely deploy a slide that I don't need out...

jasin1 · 08-02-2021, 09:10 AM

I agree you could also take a level and use a board or two to drive one side of tires onto to level a little better….front to back I’ve slightly lowered the rear jacks to raise back of trailer manually ..but you need to have truck emergency brake on and wheel on rv chocked….it may not be the best idea but I did it once on the way to Florida

Northofu1 · 08-02-2021, 09:48 AM

I have spent a few nights in parking lots with my travel trailer. I never unhitched, it was perfectly level when hitched to truck, also had air bags so with the aid of the stabilizers it was never an issue to open kitchen slide as the bathroom was in back. Mind you, it was always a long drive and I was exhausted so all I wanted to do was sleep, and crashed hard.
Now, my 5er is also level when hitched so I wouldn't have an issue using the jacks to just keep stable. Fortunately I chose a layout that I could get to everything I need without opening any slides.

To each their own.
Good luck

Camping family · 08-02-2021, 10:03 AM

Thank you everyone thinking I will just connect power so I have ac. Leave all slides in and hooked to truck. Seems the safest don’t need the slide out anyway. If anything maybe just the small on in the bedroom so it’s easy for the wife to get in n out of bed if needed. Then again might just change side for the one night n

jasin1 · 08-02-2021, 10:35 AM

Attachment 35067What’s funny is the dealer and manufacturers tell you to make sure the rig is level before opening the slides but if you get at a dealer like mine they have hills and most rv’s are parked on slopes with all the slides open and no wheel chocks

They would probably deny a warranty repair if YOU admitted to opening them without being level

CedarCreekWoody · 08-02-2021, 01:52 PM

Don't walk on the slides if they are not fully opened. The floors does not have good support.

**sourdough** · 08-02-2021, 02:16 PM

Just for my clarity;

Are we advising OP to stay connected to the truck, find a semi level spot, level up with the auto level then go to bed? Auto level while connected to the truck? The first thing mine does is drop the front which won't happen when connected to the truck??? If folks are doing this does it not cause it to error out?

jasin1 · 08-02-2021, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

Just for my clarity;

Are we advising OP to stay connected to the truck, find a semi level spot, level up with the auto level then go to bed? Auto level while connected to the truck? The first thing mine does is drop the front which won't happen when connected to the truck??? If folks are doing this does it not cause it to error out?

I don’t use auto level connected to truck…I was suggesting possibly to level under tires side to side with boards and on one occasion I used just the rear jacks to raise the back of fifth wheel about an inch…although it’s all probably overkill. Maybe the refrigerator is the only thing that is really needing close to level?

Northofu1 · 08-02-2021, 02:20 PM

I didn't advise auto level.

**sourdough** · 08-02-2021, 02:22 PM

In the initial post the OP seemed to be asking if it was OK to stay connected to the truck and then use auto level which prompted my first response.

Like the other responses, if you don't try to use the auto level using the methods described are the way I've always done it if staying connected to the truck. Since no one said not to use the auto level to set up I wanted to clarify that for the OP in case he thought he could use it.

gearhead · 08-02-2021, 02:31 PM

I have used the manual mode to level the 5th a little bit while connected, once. It was about all side to side though. If you're out a lot front to rear I would go ahead and unhitch then use auto level.

MotoDad293 · 08-02-2021, 02:56 PM

If my 5th seems reasonably level while connected to the TV in a rest area, I pop the slides out. Should not hurt anything.

I also recently did a boondocking trip for a few days somewhere that was inconvenient to disconnect from the TV. The truck and trailer were nearly perfectly level so I put the system in Manual Mode and dropped the jacks to use more as stabilizers than levelers. Worked out great!! I might do that more often.

jamtracy · 08-02-2021, 03:06 PM

We always plan to unhook even for one night. It doesn't take long at all to unhook and hook back up. Just my opinion. I'm not sleeping in my trailer with the slides in.

K_N_L · 08-02-2021, 05:06 PM

When in a campsites and still connected to the truck i have put the jacks down manually to either level slightly or to take some load off the truck and put slides out. If we were boondocking in a lot somewhere we might level a bit from side to side if way off level. Then we only put the slides out about 6-8 inches to allow us to move about. Not sure that only putting the sofa slide out a bit is good or bad but not gonna get too worried.

jwfrede · 08-02-2021, 08:37 PM

For one night stops I try to pick pull through spots because they are fairly level. I then use the anderson leveling blocks left over from my travel trailer to level side to side. If that is level enough I run out my sides and don't do auto level. If the site isn't level enough it's time to unhitch. I don't do auto level hitched. From experience I now what about 1 inch is side to side is on the bubble and what 2-3 inches front to rear is and I call that good enough to run out the sides.

Wyldfire · 08-02-2021, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camping family

Thank you everyone thinking I will just connect power so I have ac. Leave all slides in and hooked to truck. Seems the safest don’t need the slide out anyway. If anything maybe just the small on in the bedroom so it’s easy for the wife to get in n out of bed if needed. Then again might just change side for the one night n

Just remember it is not safe to walk on/in, sit in, ect on slide that is not fully extended. Slide floors are not supported unless they are extended fully. Walking on or sitting in an unopened slide can pull the floor from its side and not covered by warrantee.

Stircrazy · 08-06-2021, 06:35 AM

I have left it hooked up and leveled it manualy , I wouldn't do auto level. this only works if you are pretty level to start with and you have a dual piviot hitch. other wise you can just unhook and pull just enough forward to be out of the way and do it.

Steve

dutchmensport · 08-06-2021, 07:31 AM

The OP posted on Aug 2, and responded on Aug 2. If he's left on his trip already, its now too late to respond any more. But, if he hasn't left ....

Your decision to stay hitched and leave slides "in" is the best.

If you do need to level, then you do need to unhitch, pull forward a couple feet so the truck bed clears the king pin, then level. If there is still clearance between the truck bed and the over hang of the fifth wheel, then back up so it "appears" you are still hitched. (if you are in a Wall Mart parking lot or somewhere like that). When you re-hitch, all you need to do is back up a couple feet and you are connected again. Easy peasy. If you are in a campground for an overnight, you can simply pull forward a few feet, then just back straight up in the morning. If truck and trailer are aligned, unhitching and hitching this way is very quick and easy. And it gives you peace of mind knowing an unlevel situation is not hurting your slide outs.

We always unhitch, even for overnights. But we always overnight in campgrounds. We've never done Wall Mart's.

Remember..... you've invested thousands and thousands of dollars in your camper .... don't crap out or cheap out to cut corners or "save time". The potential damage is just not worth it.

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