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Lippert Levelers Education


SWharton

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I thought my question to Lippert and their response might answer some questions you all have.
 
In our Winnebago we have the Lippert Electronic leveling system. The

system generally works fine but when we are in an unlevel location by
more than a few inches one leg always is off the ground by 1-3 inches. I
have re-calibrated the system numerous times, plenty of hydraulic fluid.
It is not always the same leg. It doesn't make any difference if we put
a block down or not. Happens whether auto or manual. What can I do to

get all 4 legs to go down to provide stabilization?
 
Lippert Response:
 
Our system does not have a ground detect to know if all the legs are on the ground. Once the system sees that the unit is level, it will stop operating the jacks. You may have one or more jacks not touching. This is perfectly normal. You can put leveling blocks down under the legs that are not touching and this will help with them touching the ground and adding more stabilization.
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Unreal!!! How stable is a rig that doesn't have all the levelers on the ground?!!! By design!!! Apparently, Lippert thinks level is fine with stable not being an issue. Obviously, they have never been in a rig with the jacks up while Dave is walking about. :)

Linda

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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2 minutes ago, SWharton said:

Re-calibrating helps for a while, then it starts again, sometimes manual resolves the problem.

I wonder why Winnebago stopped using HWH levelers and slide mechanisms?  I had levelers by Big Foot and have worked on a few different brands but not Lippert.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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2 hours ago, SWharton said:

It is called a leveling system not a stabilizing system.

A good leveling system does both. I suspect that you are right about cost being at least part of the problem but, having met Winnebago design people they all seem to be genuinely interested in improving their products ability to meet customer needs. Winnebago has sent a team to the last 2 Escapades to discuss what RV owners want and need while not even showing their products to attendees. If you haven't been in contact with Winnebago on the issue, I think that you should at least give that a try. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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19 hours ago, SWharton said:
 
 
Lippert Response:
 
Our system does not have a ground detect to know if all the legs are on the ground. Once the system sees that the unit is level, it will stop operating the jacks. You may have one or more jacks not touching. This is perfectly normal. You can put leveling blocks down under the legs that are not touching and this will help with them touching the ground and adding more stabilization.

Not sure how new your system is, but a friend has a 2016 Thor Challenger Class A and experienced about the same thing.  He had it back to the dealer several times over a 4 or 5 month period and they couldn't figure it out.  They called in a Lippert factory tech and apparently he finally found what was wrong.  The situation was resolved but I'm not sure what they found was the issue.  

He, and I, have had Lippert systems on both gas Class As and past fivers, never had just 3 legs go down nor heard of what Lippert told you.

Joe & Cindy

Newmar 4369 Ventana

Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks)

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I have my first response:

This is something that I have heard before.  There was a little more to the story that I was told.  What I have heard is that when in auto level, if the coach levels itself and even if all the jacks are touching the ground, it will shut the system down.  A customer, if they wish can put it into manual mode and bring the jack/jacks down just to the point where it contacts the ground.

My response:

I have no problem with the coach perceiving level and shutting down with all 4 jacks down. If one leg is up a bit and I switch to manual mode that does not help because both legs will go down together, twisting the frame. This could easily be resolved by 1) having a pressure switch of some sort to make sure all legs are down and grounded prior to leveling and/or being able to control each leg individually.
 

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I have no experience with your system but I do have farm experience with hydraulics, electronic controls and replacing one with the other. There should be a way to put shut off valves in the line to keep the down cylinder from going any further. Or if it is controlled with electric valves, witch I suspect as it has auto level, you should be able to install  switches to isolate the valves and only run the one you need. This would probably meen turning off power or ground to the valves you dont want to activate. 

Another thought would be Jack stands or Jacks on the side with the Jacks down then raise the Jack and relevel on auto. Have you tried old fashioned blocks under the tires to get it closer to level before putting the Jack's down. With my living quarters horse trailer I have to use  blocks or a Jack at the rear before putting my "self leveling" Jack's down on the front or I get the same problem. 

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  • 6 months later...

We have a 2014 Winnebago Vista which came equipped with Lippert leveling system.  A year or so after it's purchase (new) we started having a problem with the system either not retracting or extending.  Several visits to RV repair shops (Tucson to Spokane) ensued but repairs turned out to be temporary (1 week to 3 months).  We finally bit the proverbial bullet and went to HWH plant in Iowa and had the entire system replaced.  It has worked unfailingly ever since!!!  Before the replacement, our frequent communications with Winnebago and Lippert brought no relief.  We have not communicated with either ever since though we still own and travel in the 2014 Vista.

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Winnie probably dropped Lippert slides as they had so much trouble. I forget the name of the system but it is something like shcwintek?? Lippert has  become the largest supplier to the RV industry. But almost everything they make is cheaply made.  They have bought out mfrs. of various components and then cheapened the product.  I think Lippert means junk in Swahili!!!

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  • 1 month later...

Don't believe a Schwintek slide mechanism has any relationship to either the LCI or HWH leveling systems.  We have had both manual and auto LCI hydraulic systems and both worked fine if I operated them correctly.  

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On 3/14/2020 at 6:33 PM, Bobbyb said:

Winnie probably dropped Lippert slides as they had so much trouble. I forget the name of the system but it is something like shcwintek?? Lippert has  become the largest supplier to the RV industry. But almost everything they make is cheaply made.  They have bought out mfrs. of various components and then cheapened the product.  I think Lippert means junk in Swahili!!!

Schwintek is a Lippert (LCI) product. 

https://www.lci1.com/slide-outs

Rob

2012 F350 CC LB DRW 6.7
2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
Full-time since 8/2015

 

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