Leveling the D is quite simple, but there are a couple important procedures to follow in order to not risk bending the frame:
Extend the front jacks until you feel them hit the ground. After you feel them hit the ground, you need to continue to extend the front jacks 2" - 3" so that the jacks will lift the weight of the coach off the suspension and put ensure that the majority of the weight is on the front jacks. (This is an important step and will be explained later).
Extend the rear jacks until you feel the coach starting to rise in the rear.
At this point, level the coach front to rear using the front and rear buttons on the touch pad.
Once the coach is level front to back, the leveling from right to left can take place using the right and left buttons on the touch pad.
The only time I have experienced frame bending while using the Power Gear jack system is when the operator was not extending the front jacks far enough to take the weight of the coach off of the front suspension. Power Gear uses only the rear jacks to do the leveling from left to right and the front jacks compensate for that. The front jacks are operated off the same valve. For instance, when you push the left button on the jack control panel, the left REAR jack extends. This will cause the coach to shift over to the right. At this time the weight of the coach is causing the jack hydraulic fluid to be pushed from the right front jack to the left front jack. Even though you have four jacks, the two front jacks are tied off the same valve and the system essentially operates as a 3-jack system.
When the front jacks are not extended far enough, the weight of the coach in the front is resting on the front tires. When you try to level from left to right, the rear jack is extending but because the front jacks are not supporting the weight, the force is being presented to the opposite (from the jack that is being extended) front tire. Without the front jacks being able to "piston" between themselves, the only place left to absorb this force is the frame.
- Thanks to Jim Pourroy of Fleetwood and Mike Snowberger of C-n-W Solutions (jack rebuilders, 1-866-CNW-REPAIR).
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