Slides and Being Level - Montana Owners Club

jackandh2o · 05-29-2009, 03:32 AM

I always level out front to back and side to side before opening slides (2)

Can I open the slides before I unhook and level it front to rear??

Thanks
Ray

HamRad · 05-29-2009, 04:08 AM

Hi Ray,
Sounds like you folks are having a good time. Except for you furry friend getting sick. But you found the best place to take care of him so that is good. Thanks for that info.

"Can I open the slides before I unhook and level it front to rear??"

Yes. You can open the slides before you unhook. We always try to level side to side before we unhook. After you have unhooked, of course, you then can level front to back.

Wish you guys had been able to join the Rally group we have going. Sure is nice up OR way.

But Santa Fe is THE place to spend some time if you just have to!

Take care and get the doggie well and hope to see you on down the road one of these days.

Dennis and Mary Kay

Bill-N-Donna · 05-29-2009, 04:28 AM

I’ve opened and closed them both ways. I can see very little or no difference in the performance. I would only hope that the frame is strong enough to where it shouldn’t make a difference.

However, I do believe that it would be better to get a system worked out like what you have described. I believe that leveling first and then opening the slides would be better. I also believe it would be better to close them before you hook up and remove the trailer from being level. I am by no means an expert on this subject and this is only my opinion.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 05-29-2009, 05:37 AM

IF we are running, we frequently do not unhook. CountryGuy prefers a pull through site and one that is low in the front end. We level side to side, try to level front to back as much as possible, then slides go out.

When we are unhooking, level side to side, hook up sewer hoses, sometimes electric and water hookups first as well. Unhook, level front to back and THEN open the slides.

Our Montana, our way!

8e3k0 · 05-29-2009, 06:11 AM

To reduce any resistance of the slide rails, hydraulics, and its tracking, it is advantageous to have the Unit level before extending slides. This should not interfere but allows the slides to track on a level suface rather than a tendancy to moves its weight to the lower side of the slide (when unlevel from front to back). I am not an expert on this either, but want to eliminate any possibility of binding or premature wear and trouble. Ellis

azleflyer · 05-29-2009, 09:48 AM

Not really sure if it makes any difference but we level side to side, unhook and level front to back, then we put our slides out.

exav8tr · 05-29-2009, 10:32 AM

We do as azleflyer does. Works great for us. BTW, the DW does this task. Once we are level side to side, I unhook and start hooking up utilities while she continues to level front to back and then she sets the stabilizers. She's a great help and a KEEPER!!!!!!

sreigle · 05-30-2009, 11:39 AM

We always level first, then unhitch. However, when hitching to get ready to leave, if Vicki hasn't yet retracted the slides and I only need to unlevel a small amount front to rear in order to hitch up, I'll go ahead and do that. But I wouldn't go very much. The potential problem is bending something in the slide mechanism when retracting and seriously off level.

Parrothead · 05-30-2009, 01:12 PM

I seem to remember that one bubble off was okay to open slides. Someone told us that at one of the rallys - CRS has set in.
Happy trails......................

ols1932 · 05-30-2009, 01:43 PM

One of the things that has made me so happy about leveling is our Bigfoot Hydraulic Levelers. I push one button to turn the system on. I push another button to lift the rig off the truck and then move the truck. I then push the Auto button and the rig automatically levels itself fore and aft, side to side. Of course I have to have the unit close to level side to side when I'm first parked before removing the truck.

Have only had the levelers two months but with all the moves we've made, whew! Things are a lot easier now.

Orv

sreigle · 06-01-2009, 05:27 AM

Orv, would you mind telling us approximately what that system costs? It sounds great!

ols1932 · 06-01-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Orv, would you mind telling us approximately what that system costs? It sounds great!

Steve,
It was more than I really wanted to pay, but because of my back surgery, I find my back really tires fast if I have to stoop, bend or kneel. So we paid the money and I'm now very happy I did. It cost us $5300. I really like the fact that it takes all the work out of setting up.

Orv

Waynem · 06-01-2009, 11:44 AM

Orv,
I will never tell my dear wife that it only cost $5300. When I went to the dealer they told me to get the auto levelers I had to buy the whole SOB MH. If she ever found out I could have saved SOOOOooo much money - wow!

Yep! The push the button and let them do there thing is nice, and for all the reasons you stated about "pain."

jackandh2o · 06-04-2009, 04:56 AM

Thanks all for the input and Dennis thank you for the concern for Marlowe. He is doing great. You all pretty much answered my concerns about being level.

The real reason for the question was when we travel we have the dogs in the back seat of the truck and they get pretty restless after about 4+ hours. They are not real good about sitting in the truck when I'm setting up and I'm not real big on barking dogs, especially when they are mine.

The diesel is a little noisy so I don't leave it idling when I'm setting up and sometimes it gets a little stuffy in the truck. It works much better if we get the hounds in the FW as soon as possible, but with the slides in it is pretty cramped. Marlowe goes about 85 lbs so he needs a little room. On this last trip most sights we stayed at were pretty level and it worked out real good for us to open the slides and Janet and the dogs could set up the inside while I finished up outside.

I did notice that the slides seemed to open easier if I wasn't totally level.

Again thanks for the input.

Ray

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