Difficulty Leveling — resolved

kimmerfnp

I’m a fairly new RVr with my 2019 T@b 320. I’ve had trouble the last few trips with leveling front to back. I do put on the front wheel after disconnecting from TV. When I try to lower the front to level by cranking at hitch , it only goes so far and then wheel starts to elevate. Can’t get front low enough. Would appreciate any help. 

Thx
Kim

AirBoss

How is the wheel elevating off the ground if the trailer is disconnected from the TV? What's holding the front of the trailer up at that point such that the wheel will no longer touch the ground? Maybe I misunderstood your post...

I'd consider using a foot plate similar to this instead of the wheel: https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Bulldog/BD018564.html...will give you a few more inches and you're less likely to "roll."

May also want to raise the axle of the trailer by using something similar to this: https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Leveling-Blocks/Ultra-Fab-Products/UF48-979052.html...if the trailer axle is a bit higher, you'll find "level" sooner when lowering the jack. 

Then again...I could have totally misinterpreted the issue. Been known to happen! 

kimmerfnp

This is the lowest I can get it before wheel starts elevating. I feel so crazy stupid

falcon1970

By any chance have you deployed your stabilizers before you try to level fore and aft?

kimmerfnp

No. I try to level before I put down stabilizers

MuttonChops

kimmerfnp said:

. . . had trouble the last few trips with leveling front to back. I do put on the front wheel after disconnecting from TV. When I try to lower the front to level by cranking at hitch , it only goes so far and then wheel starts to elevate

{{ This could be a time when a wider angle picture would be more helpful than a close-up
    (in reference to your later picture post) }}

With the stabilizers up the trailer only has three points of contact with the ground, the two tires and the jack wheel.  The Jack Wheel cannot elevate unless something is holding up the trailer forward of the tires (axle) or in other words acting as a jack so the trailer front can not be lowered.  This "something" "acting as a jack" could be the tow vehicle hitch, tow vehicle bumper, or even a storage box you have slid under the trailer front section after stopping at the campsite.

Suggest you try front-2-back leveling at home to establish a pattern of steps:
 -   Stop at campsite.
 -   Block/chock trailer wheel(s)
 -   Install trailer jack wheel, or non-wheel foot plate
 -   Unlatch coupler and use trailer jack to raise coupler off the tow ball
 -   Disconnect chains & 7-pin
 -   Move tow vehicle forward one or more feet
 -   Check that nothing is under forward section of the trailer (except jack wheel)
 -   Now you should be able the lower the trailer front as far down as the jack will allow.
At No Time should the Jack Wheel elevate off the ground.

Marceline

kimmerfnp said:

 I do put on the front wheel after disconnecting from TV. 

What? 
Sounds like you are doing things in the wrong order.
How is it possible to get the wheel on the jack after you've disconnected from the trailer? 
1. Chock trailer wheels
2. Attach your trailer jockey wheel (actually, if you don't intend to move your trailer after disconnecting, this isn't strictly necessary. You could put a block of wood or yellow leveling blocks under the jack tube).
3. Crank your jack down so it is just touching the ground. 
4. Open the hitch lever and crank some more until the hitch receiver comes off the hitch ball. The weight of the front of the trailer is now resting on the jack.
5. Release the tow chains, emergency brake wire, and 7pin connector from tow vehicle.
6. Drive tow vehicle forward. 
7. Lower or raise front jack to make trailer level front to back.
8. Deploy stabilizers.

I'm sure that someone will chime in if I've forgotten something.

kimmerfnp

Thx everyone for your help. 

Kim

ColoradoJon

Maybe the TV hitch is too high and the jack is not tall enough to raise the hitch off of the ball?  When connected is the hitch 14-16" from the ground?  If not then you may need a longer drop on your draw bar.  This is my best guess.

ScottG

@kimmerfp, are you perhaps saying that as you crank the tongue down, at some point the jack reverses and the tongue starts going up again (with the wheel still firmly on the ground)?

While this would also be a very unusual circumstance (likely involving a manufacturing defect in the tongue jack) it would at least not be in defiance of gravity...

CCTab_400

Sounds like you have to much weight in the rear your trailer, or not enough tongue weight. 

Bayliss

@kimmerfnp, I agree with @MuttonChops's suggestion that you post a photo from further back so we get a better look at what is going on.  I am unclear as to what you mean by your post (with the photo) that states "This is the lowest I can get it before wheel starts elevating."   (It sounds like the jack tube may not be retracting properly, but it is unclear.) 

Also, in the photo you posted, is your tow vehicle still attached to the trailer.  I assume so, but I may be wrong.  If still attached, I agree that maybe your hitch ball is too high.  I'd also be interested in seeing a side-shot photo that shows the tow vehicle and trailer connected in a level position.  If you are unable to get the two close to level, then the "drop" on your hitch is likely too high.

As far as the unhitching checklists above, I would only add that you should first level the trailer side-to-side before unhitching.  Sometimes that can be easy to forget in the rush to set up camp and you end up having to hitch back up to accomplish that initial step (because you need to move the trailer wheels onto leveling blocks.)  Leveling side-to-side is just a matter of using "lego" blocks, wood boards, etc. to raise one or both tires as needed to level the trailer.  There are other methods of leveling side-to-side, but that does not seem to be the issue you are dealing with.  Regardless, there are discussions about that on this forum.

MuttonChops

FYI - = - = -  Issue has been Resolved

Received a PM from @kinnerfnp today.  A screenshot/copy follows.

falcon1970

So, the issue was that the hitch was not off of the tow ball when you tried to lower the tongue?

kimmerfnp

The trailer was off the tow vehicle 

falcon1970

Did you ever determine what it was that was holding the tongue up?  If it wasn't the nose wheel what could it possibly have been?  You said the stabilizers were not down.  I can't think of anything that could have kept the nose up.

Tabulating

This is the most intriguing post I have read on this forum.  I, and probably a few others, are titillated and are waiting to hear the cause of this unique issue.  The the DOD UAP report out, anything is now possible.

BrianZ

As presented, this is a real head scratcher.  I can only surmise that the situation was inadequately described in either words or pictures to convey what was the real issue.  Another guess might be that the trailer was on enough of an uphill incline to prevent leveling with the tongue jack alone, without blocks under the tires.  Perhaps "lowest I can get it before wheel starts elevating" means the jack wheel was cranked to lower the tongue as low as it could go, which was not low enough to be level, and from there could only be cranked up.  Blocks underneath the wheels or finding a new spot or different direction might be the answer to getting the wheels higher, unless there really is a problem with the jack post, which seems unlikely.