E&P Levelling system

[Cozz nd Keith]

I have this system on my van, around 8 months old fitted by SAP.
Quite often it says incline too steep use manual. So I do. However I have done this twice now where 1 of the jacks has not been touching the ground. Also when on auto the van is not level.
Am I doing something wrong?
Thought I would ask here but will give them a call to what’s up
Cheers Keith

 

[bigtwin]

Yes, I often get that message even when the slope is relatively minor.

In terms of the manual levelling, you are not following the instructions provided with the system. IIRC, you lower the front pair first (until the front rises by 2-3cm), repeat with the rear, then adjust further until you are level, alternating between the fore/aft adjustment and the side to side adjustment until you are level.

Like you, when using the auto level function we were rarely level so I recalibrated the level setting (instructions are in the manual).

Ian

 

[TheAleMan]

I normally level up with auto, then refine using a level in the van with manual afterwards.

 

[TCG]

I sometimes get this warning, when I have forgotten to take the air out of the rear suspension. That then reduces the incline and good to go

 

[Gellyneck]

We just drink our levelling system!

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[Two on Tour]

Our shower only drains to the rear of our van, so I reset our E&P levellers to be nose up, but as bigtwin has said, we often have to operate ours manually.
To check that we are level and to fine-tune, I use the Truma app which has a level checking option in the app.
It's a freebie and available on Android and iOS.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.feo_elektronik.trumaapp&hl=en_GB&gl=US

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

We had ours fitted 5 yrs ago by SAP. At the time of fitting he told us that the van sat naturally very nose down (which was why we decided to have them fitted). When we put them to auto level the van often sits higher than my wife is comfortable with, so I do it manually where we can get it level without lifting it too high.
Wouldn't be without them.

 

[Live Life Now]

Two glasses of G&T whenever we arrive on site, one on the habitation step the other on the passenger step, can't go wrong.
The reward for getting it right, aint arf bad either.

 

[PaulW2]

I have this system on my van, around 8 months old fitted by SAP.
Quite often it says incline too steep use manual. So I do. However I have done this twice now where 1 of the jacks has not been touching the ground. Also when on auto the van is not level.
Am I doing something wrong?
Thought I would ask here but will give them a call to what’s up
Cheers Keith

I had one in my previous van. The way I did the manual was to get both sets - rear and front or left and right - down to ground level first so they just nudged the van up. Then, once they're all in contact, use the control to get them level. Usually used the remote and kept an eye on it from outside.

These systems often seem to say that the slope is too steep for auto when it's actually perfectly manageable.

I also used to also carry wooden blocks to help where the terrain would have been too uneven.

But have never experienced auto failing to level it when it was within its tolerances.

 

[Brella]

We had same system fitted with SAP, we get this sometimes too. We use manual also. But even when we level automatically we finish by manually lowering the front so when it rains it runs off the front and doesn't drip off the back when in bed. Sometimes we forget and the drip is annoying

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[funflair]

I normally level up with auto, then refine using a level in the van with manual afterwards.

It really helps that our vans have the VB air linked to the E&P levelling Steve, on our previous van I would often get the "too much slope" message and had to drop air manually.

 

[Badknee]

I find that sometimes when on auto the front gets quite high as in wheels in the air high so I just do it manually watching the arrows.

 

[Boaty]

Which bit is "level"?
It's personal preference for the floor, table, sink, shower tray and the bed. A&E told me, at the time of installation they level on the floor also explained the simple steps to re-calibrate what you consider "level".
We (very inclusive ) used the toilet door swing combined with red wine on the fwd table.

Further to earlier advice. Manually requires starting outside to ensure fwd and aft feet are planted before lifting to level.

 

[stewartwebr]

I always find the auto level lifts the van higher than need be. When you have 5 steps to get into the van you want the lowest one as close to the ground as possible. I lower the front until I see it lift, move to the rear until level back to front then adjust side to side. It keeps the van much closer to the ground, never use Auto.

 

[1967bowesj]

Mine’s developed a fault in that it won’t store a new level point so I’m stuck with manual levelling, not that much of an issue as you can get it level closer to the ground.

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[Brella]

While we are on the subject of levelling. Like the OP we had it done about 8 months ago. How many have a yearly service? How do you check fluid level of the box?

 

[stewartwebr]

While we are on the subject of levelling. Like the OP we had it done about 8 months ago. How many have a yearly service? How do you check fluid level of the box?

I have had 5 motorhomes with E&P and never had any of them serviced. However, I do regularly spray the legs with Wurth HHS 2000 lubrication. It keeps the seals lubricated and what E&P recommend. I extend the ram to the end of its travel, clean it to ensure no sand or debris is stuck to the leg then give it a liberal coating of the Wurth. I then run the rams up and down a few times. With regard to the tank you can see min and max on the tank.

 

[Brella]

Thanks for the reply, OH lubricates the legs too. Will have to have a look at the tank, is it in the box. OH thought the box was sealed What do you top tank up with?

 

[Two on Tour]

While we are on the subject of levelling. Like the OP we had it done about 8 months ago. How many have a yearly service? How do you check fluid level of the box?

I spray the jack legs regularly with silicone about once a month.
We had a service done on the levellers at SAP last August which involved the van going up on their hoist, all jacks extended for inspection and spraying with silicone. The hydraulic lines were inspected along with a look in the box containing the pump/solinoid and hydraulic oil tank, this was not in my mind good value at £150 plus VAT.

 

[Brella]

Thanks for the information. So you wont be going this year.

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[Two on Tour]

Thanks for the information. So you wont be going this year.

Had our levellers for six years now, and that will be the one and only paid service they will be getting.

 

[Old Gibber]

Having paid that much for a levelling system, I would expect it to automatically do that, and not have to faff about with manually tweaking.

 

[Boaty]

No need to lube with jacks down - seals will clean off on retraction. Annual service not required but usage will influence. Use it or lose it.
If no loss in function, what's to go wrong? Simple hydraulics except for the circuit board ?

 

[Boaty]

I spray the jack legs regularly with silicone about once a month.
We had a service done on the levellers at SAP last August which involved the van going up on their hoist, all jacks extended for inspection and spraying with silicone. The hydraulic lines were inspected along with a look in the box containing the pump/solinoid and hydraulic oil tank, this was not in my mind good value at £150 plus VAT.

Daft question but why did you?

 

[Cozz nd Keith]

Yes, I often get that message even when the slope is relatively minor.

In terms of the manual levelling, you are not following the instructions provided with the system. IIRC, you lower the front pair first (until the front rises by 2-3cm), repeat with the rear, then adjust further until you are level, alternating between the fore/aft adjustment and the side to side adjustment until you are level.

Like you, when using the auto level function we were rarely level so I recalibrated the level setting (instructions are in the manual).

Ian

Thanks
I’ll take a look at the manual
I now go outside and check all 4 pads are down when levelling

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[Cozz nd Keith]

Having paid that much for a levelling system, I would expect it to automatically do that, and not have to faff about with manually tweaking.

My thoughts exactly
Was surprised I had to manually level when on a small slope. If I can do it manually why can’t the system do it on auto

 

[Two on Tour]

Daft question but why did you?

Was at SAP having some other work done, and after 5 years it seemed reasonable to give them a "service".

 

[Boaty]

My thoughts exactly
Was surprised I had to manually level when on a small slope. If I can do it manually why can’t the system do it on auto

Think it's to do with the inbuilt safety margin.

 

[Two on Tour]

My thoughts exactly
Was surprised I had to manually level when on a small slope. If I can do it manually why can’t the system do it on auto

At what degree of a slope do you think it is past the point that it should operate on auto?

 

[Boaty]

At what degree of a slope do you think it is past the point that it should operate on auto?

That's the question!
So a van coups. Nowadays the first and second reaction is blame. Not me I used automatic.

Think of the parameters, angles, substrate, wind, rain forecast? Goes on.

Auto probably also takes account of idiots .