Level Up System makes "popping" sounds

[Concours12000]

My unit is almost 2 years old now and the popping is very bad in warm weather.
I made up wood blocks about 8 inches high and place them under all the jacks so the jacks are hardly extended.
This has fixes the popping completely only do this when staying somewhere for a couple of weeks or longer.
If staying for a couple of day or week the popping does not happen.

[FranknRascal]

My 2013 34SK that I picked up at the end of June 2012 also malesthe popping noise.The popping seems tobe more at night as I walk around and sometimes even if I just turn over in bed.
Trying different things,I have found that if I manually level the RV it is not raised as high as when I use the auto-level feature where sometimes one or more tires are off the ground. I've also noticed that if I'm on concrete or well packed gravel I will experience the popping more. I've also put blocks under the leveling jacks to shorten the distance the leveling ram has to travel.

Sounds like we are all having the same issue and Redwood needs to do something about it.

BTW, I did take my unit for some warranty repairs and they checked the leveling system and found it to be within specs.

[jlandon13399]

Frank,



I too have a RW34SK. It got down to 30 degrees in Tucson Wednesday night and about 10:15 PM we had our first pop. I have worked with Bob Tigee of Lippert and they are working on a fix. We believe it may have to do with thermal expansion/contraction of aluminum cylinders vs steel frame. At this point I do not know what the fix may be but I do like the idea of using blocks to keep the cylinders from extending too far. Happy Holidays!!

[Beechguyjim]

Guys if you think they can fix this you are dreaming have you ever been around any heavy equipment at the end of the day as the temps go down all of the hydraulics pop and make noise if you can't put up with it convert to electric

[Dave&Ginny]

I sure don't want to go back to the old jacks....I'll deal with the popping.....more alcohol.

[Beechguyjim]

Dave
I ran out of Johnny Black and beer last night looks like a run up to Casa Grande to Walley World before lunch

[DonMac]

Yes jlandon the popping IS a problem for us full timers but maybe not for those that consider them a TOY. It is belived that the popping problem comes from the alum. cylinders and possibly the landing foot that is steel. The alum. tubes sit on the landing foot and expands and contracts at a different rate causing a very minute movement that translates to movement and noise. Possible that when you put them on blocks and raise the steel foot off the ground it changes the rate of temp change closer to each other and will minimize the popping to some degree. The ground stays warmer longer than the air temp. On other forums this problem has been going on for a long time and it is a problem when it is constant and waking one numerous times in the night. It does have something to do with temp change. If lippert has not found out why by now they are not trying or do have the answer and know that it will cost them a bundle to fix everyone. At least those who care are not just "campers". The ones who act like they work for Redwood. Check out the post at the begining of this thread.

[ddurkeeiii]

Ever since we left New Mexico (hot) and arrived in Washington (cold)…no more popping.

[DonMac]

Yes Ihave also noticed that if it stays warm or cold very little popping. But if there is a good temp change lots of movement and popping. Really bad on the sunny side of RV.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by Beechguyjim

Guys if you think they can fix this you are dreaming have you ever been around any heavy equipment at the end of the day as the temps go down all of the hydraulics pop and make noise if you can't put up with it convert to electric

Unfortunately, converting back to the electric jacks might be the answer however they aren't flawless either. I was going to buy a Carriage from a dealer the summer of 2011 until I asked the salesman to show me how the leveling system worked. They had 4 Carriages sitting on their lot and they couldn't get any of them to work due to blown fuses. Thankfully this kept me from buying a Carriage and a short time later they went out of business. The electric jacks also seemed VERY loud but the noise could have been echoing because the trailers were very close together.

Sadly a perfect leveling system has yet to be developed. Designing a leveling system that is lite weight, quick, strong, easy to maintain, reliable and quiet, is more difficult than what we thought.

[rcflame]

We have lived in full time in our 36RL since July. We were in SD until the end of Oct. and have been in the RGV of Texas since then. When we first got the Redwood, I noticed the popping. It was a little annoying at first, but we had to move the camper a couple times before we left and the popping seemed to be less noticeable. The jacks were up and down several times on our way down here and it seems since we arrived here it is less noticable yet. I do hear a little pop once in a while, but not too often, and it isn't as loud as it originally was. I don't know if running the jacks numerous times has had anything to do with the decrease in noise. We have had temperature changes that have been close to 40 degrees in 24 hrs., which is a bigger change than we had when we were up north and the popping was more prevelant. In any event, it isn't enough to really bother us. This is our third 5th wheel since we went full time, and none of them were perfect, but overall I am well satisfied.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by rcflame

We have lived in full time in our 36RL since July. We were in SD until the end of Oct. and have been in the RGV of Texas since then. When we first got the Redwood, I noticed the popping. It was a little annoying at first, but we had to move the camper a couple times before we left and the popping seemed to be less noticeable. The jacks were up and down several times on our way down here and it seems since we arrived here it is less noticable yet. I do hear a little pop once in a while, but not too often, and it isn't as loud as it originally was. I don't know if running the jacks numerous times has had anything to do with the decrease in noise. We have had temperature changes that have been close to 40 degrees in 24 hrs., which is a bigger change than we had when we were up north and the popping was more prevelant. In any event, it isn't enough to really bother us. This is our third 5th wheel since we went full time, and none of them were perfect, but overall I am well satisfied.

Rodger...I'm glad to hear you're happy with your unit and you're right there isn't a perfect RV made.