Class A motorhomes have a much more heavy-duty frame when compared to motorhomes of other classes, which also means they tend to weigh more. Hence, jacking them up tends to be more of a troublesome process for motorhome owners.
The need for suspension repairs and tire changes are pretty common problems, and both of them would require you to elevate your car to a decent height.
If you are the owner of a Class A motorhome, you are probably stressed out trying to figure out how to jack up a Class A Motorhome. We are here to end all your stress with our detailed article. So, let's not make any further delays and get right into the article!
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5 Steps To Jack Up A Class A Motorhome
Before proceeding, we must tell you that jacking up a Class A motorhome can be a pretty tiring job, but if you follow our instructions correctly, there's no reason why you would not be able to do it.
Before you roll your sleeves up to start working, get yourself an extra pair of hands to help you out, or else this will be next to impossible to complete.
Step 1: Park your Motorhome in a Safe Parking Space
Many people neglect this step because they think it's not a step of the process itself. However, you should never overlook parking the vehicle on flat level ground because this ensures your safety.
Make sure that the ground that your car is parked on is solid, unlike gravel. Otherwise, the jack and jack stands might start moving when you are jacking up the vehicle.
You must not forget to put your vehicle's parking brake on. Failure to do this may result in the motorhome tires rolling while doing your repairs, a considerable safety hazard.
Step 2: Check the Lifting Capacity of the Jack
When selecting a jack for your vehicle, one of the most important things to consider is the jack's lifting capacity. You must first know the weight of your motorhome to select a suitable jack. The jack's lifting capacity must be sufficiently greater than the load it is supposed to lift.
If you are jacking up your motorhome for changing tires, you will need to only elevate about half the load of the motorhome. For example, if the weight of your motorhome is three tons, then for changing tires, the jack you will use must have a rating of at least 1.5 tons.
On the other hand, if you have to lift the entire RV for repairs, then the jack must be able to support the whole weight of the vehicle.
You can easily find the lifting capacity of jacks. The box that comes with it will say it, and if you can't find it there, you will find a small inscription on the jack stating the lifting capacity.
Step 3: Positioning the Jacks
There is much debate around where you should place jacks on class A motorhomes, but we're here to settle that. Usually, you will find two flat metal bars on your motorhome.
These bars run along both sides of the vehicle and aren't hard to identify. The side panels are parallel to these flat metal bars. These are going to be points of support for your jacks.
Other motorhomes have these support points next to the front and back bumpers. You may even have a class A motorhome that will show the spot where you’re supposed to place the jack by putting a plastic block or even a tiny notch.
To prevent any more confusion, the best thing you could do is open up the manual of the motorhome. It'll clearly say where the support points are in your specific model.
Step 4: Lifting the Motorhome
Ensure that the jacks are in place; you can start operating them to lift the motorhome. You will have to move the jack's lever, which some may know as the crank.
Then, if you're using a hydraulic jack, you will feel the fluid moving, and the jacks will start lifting the vehicle off the ground.
Keep the lever on so it continues to pump fluid to lift the motorhome until the correct height is reached. This 'right height' will differ depending on your need to jack up the car.
For changing tires, you want the tires to be off the ground to switch them out quickly, but if you're going to have to go below the motorhome for repairs, you will have to elevate it to a greater height.
Step 5: Use Jack Stands
Once you have lifted your vehicle off the ground with the jacks, set up jack stands around the motorhome's chassis. These stands keep the car more stable and reduce the jeopardies of any accidents.
Which Type of Jack Should You Use for Your Motorhome?
First of all, there are two categories of jacks, those who work mechanically and those who work by hydraulics. For today's discussion, we will be talking about hydraulic jacks. There are two types of jacks for your motorhome: floor jacks and bottle jacks.
Floor jacks are powerful, and they usually have a very high lifting capacity, making jacking up class A motorhomes easy. To move them around quickly, they also come with wheels.
However, it's not all great. Because it is heavy-duty, it weighs a lot and has a large footprint, making it unsuitable for carrying around with your vehicle. But some of them come with carrying cases that make it easier to move whatever you want. So, you will find this jack mostly in automobile workshops.
You can easily carry bottle jacks with you when traveling because they are much smaller and lighter. They are not insanely expensive either. This jack is often referred to as a piston jack. It can be operated quickly, requiring just a few pumps to lift your vehicle.
Final Words
Now that you know all the steps to complete the jacking up of a class A motorhome, the next most important thing you need to know is that you have to be very safe.
Most importantly, try to call for assistance to avoid the whole process of how to jack up a class A motorhome on your own.
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