Self Levelling - Up or Down?

[daveclare]

Hi All,

We won't be using Elsie the MH for the next six weeks. Question to all self leveller's out there, when not using the MH for a while, do you leave it up or down?

 

[David and Sally]

Down. Or up. Depends. No technical reason for either.

 

[Two on Tour]

I would leave them up so the rams are not exposed to the elements any more than they need be.
Ours are down because our van is parked on a slope at home.

 

[poppycamper]

I do not have self levellers however I would have thought up if only to keep pistons protected in housing.

 

[David and Sally]

I would leave them up so the rams are not exposed to the elements any more than they need be.
Ours are down because our van is parked on a slope at home.

Same as us but I use a spray of GT85 every now and again.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Ours are down (deployed) all the time, except when driving, either when on site or parked up in storage. The legs are designed to cope with the elements.
HPC

 

[Speve]

I would leave them down to (a) take weight off tyres and prevent flat spots
(B) security as someone trying to steal it won’t be able to move it.
you could just spray exposed rams with silicone to protect them

 

[Two on Tour]

Same as us but I use a spray of GT85 every now and again.

Ditto, but I use a PTFE spray on ours.

 

[David and Sally]

Ditto, but I use a PTFE spray on ours.

GT85 has PTFE in it.

 

[Gaston aires]

We bring our down low, parking mode. This sets it too low for any would be CAT thieves.
Phil

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Blackadder]

I would leave them down to (a) take weight off tyres and prevent flat spots
(B) security as someone trying to steal it won’t be able to move it.
you could just spray exposed rams with silicone to protect them

My thoughts exactly. Only had it (HPC) fitted a couple of weeks ago so haven't used it in anger yet but getting the weight off the tyres was part of the justification. HPC state in their User Manual that silicon oil should be sprayed on the rams periodically if they are extended for long periods. The installer strongly suggested that if they've been extended for a long time they should be sprayed immediately before they are retracted to ensure nothing stuck to them damages the seals. Sounds like good advice to me.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

I leave ours down, as it keeps the seals expanded against the shafts, also it reduces the load on the tyres, and it's one more thing to delay potential thieves.

 

[Clewsy]

We have ours down but van tilted so water runs off and does not pool on the roof. Spray with silicone lubricant from time to time.

 

[DerryW]

After reading here on the forum I decided to leave ours down, as an additional security aid. However, that's not strictly true, as soon as you release the handbrake the rams retract instantly, and I mean instantly. Still leave them down, as a deterrent as much as anything.

 

[daveclare]

Many thanks all. Will be leaving them down, sprayed with some silicon. But first I'll check and possibly clean them as we were in Yorkshire at the weekend traversing some deep, very large puddles. Best bit about the Yorkshire Dales in winter is there are no motorhomes around

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Two on Tour]

After reading here on the forum I decided to leave ours down, as an additional security aid. However, that's not strictly true, as soon as you release the handbrake the rams retract instantly, and I mean instantly. Still leave them down, as a deterrent as much as anything.

Only if the ignition is on on the E&P system.