Best RV Landing gear

Congrats! You've found the ultimate guide for the best RV landing gear of the year. Keep reading to get some helpful intel on which one's best for you.

So you have a fifth-wheel RV? Well then you definitely have landing gear on that thing (if you don't then I'm a little concerned about what else your fifth wheel's missing). However, over time these can - like all other things - break, fail, and need to be replaced. Maybe it was a fault of your own because you exceeded the capacity of the jacks, or maybe it was just a matter of time before they needed to be replaced and you are getting ahead of any inconvenience. Either way, keep reading because below I'm going to discuss the top three landing gear systems for your RV, which level the rig front-to-back.

New to the fifth wheel world and not really sure what landing gear is? No worries, I will explain it all below. *Hint: you might want to pay attention.

What is Landing Gear?

Landing gear levels the front-to-back of your rig, and will be the first step to leveling your RV when you reach your destination and need to get unhooked. Landing gear is designed to lift and support a portion of your trailer's weight, which is why it's important to know the tongue weight of your RV and get a system that exceeds what you need (just trust me here, "just enough" is not a good idea). They come in a pair of two jacks, typically one lead leg and one follow leg. The legs can be 12V DC powered or have a manual crank. The landing gear legs will mount to the front of your Fifth Wheel RV with brackets that are typically welded to the frame, but the jacks can be bolted.

Below I am going to discuss the top three picks for the best landing gears of 2023. I am listing them in terms of price and quality, best being the premium option for those of you who consider your RV your home away from home. The value option is for those of you who travel very frequently in your RV and want the ease and effortlessness (that's a word, right?) of an electric jack, but still want enough money leftover for gas to get you home. And the economy option is for those of you who want to spend as little money as possible, yet still get a great, durable system that you can always upgrade later to be an electric system.

Top 3 Best RV Landing Gear:

Premium

Reese Electric Landing Gear Set

Value

Lippert Electric Landing Gear Set

Economy

etrailer Landing Gear Set

Reese Electric 5th Wheel Landing Gear Set

*Most popular with Keystone Cougar fifth wheels*

What We Like

Up to 8,000-lb lift capacity
Dual motors for independent and accurate leveling
Drop legs allow for quicker extension
Self-leveling footplates for excellent stability
Uniquely efficient motors travel at rate of 9" per minute

This is for you if:

You want the best system out there and you don't mind spending a little money to get it. You also don't want to do more work than you need to - you like to work smart, not hard. Honestly, all you need to do is flip a switch on the switch panel, sit back and watch the magic happen. No back-breaking, time consuming cranking necessary. Also, with 10" x 10" heavy-gauge, self-leveling footplates, tilting is not an issue, and you don't have to worry about sinking like Indiana Jones in quicksand.

Both legs have a motor, unlike most systems that only feature a single motor on the lead leg. And not only that, each motor is actually quicker than average, traveling at a speed of 9" per minute. This means you can spend less time waiting to get leveled, and more time roasting marshmallows (or your recent game kill, if that's what you're into).

This landing gear may require a bit of welding as most do, but that all depends on your existing mounting points. Otherwise, it's a simple install as long as you're somewhat mechanically inclined. Both jack legs have clear zinc-coated inner tubes and black-painted outer tubes, which is not necessarily as corrosion resistant as the powder coating of our other contenders, but will still hold up well over time. If you need something heavy duty and user-friendly that won't have you waiting around all day to level up, this is the one for you.

This is NOT for you if:

You want to save as much money as possible, and prefer to go with something that is lighter duty and lighter on your budget. Although this landing gear set is not the most expensive out there, it does cost a bit more than a single motor or manual crank option.

Lippert Electric Landing Gear Set

*Most popular for people who tow with a Ford F-350 Super Duty*

What We Like

Electric motor makes hand-cranking obsolete
Durable, corrosion-resistant black powder coating
Telescoping connecting rod for simple, tandem operation
Heavy-gauge, durable steel sure to hold up over time
Up to 6,000-lb combined capacity

This is for you if:

You are a very frequent RVer and you want the best system out there for the best price. These jacks are simple, reliable, with a no-nonsense operation. They come with all of the brackets and hardware you need for the installation, and even a crank handle in case you run into a power shortage. With a 16" drop leg, you can spend less time setting up your RV (your family will thank you).

This Lippert landing gear system has a combined capacity of up to 6,000 lbs, so as long as your rig is below that, these will last you longer than you ever expected. The jack legs also have a greater adjustability than the Reese landing gear, with a 1" higher lift and a 3" higher travel, so you have a greater chance of getting exactly level. If you choose to go with this landing gear set, I'm pretty confident this may be the last landing gear you will ever need.

This is NOT for you if:

Your budget isn't very high, and neither is your patience. As this landing gear only has a single motor, the jacks are a bit slower than the Reese set, but still quicker and easier than a manual crank. Also, the footplates are not as big as either of our contenders, with a dimension of 5" x 7-15/16", so even though you will be sufficiently stable, it will not be the same stability as what the other options have to offer.

With only a single motor and cross shaft, this means you will have a harder time getting as accurately leveled because both legs are giving you the same height and speed. Plus, this Lippert set only has a combined weight capacity of up to 6,000 lbs, compared to the 8,000 lbs of our other two competitors. So if you want to get a system that exceeds your minimum weight requirements (which I highly recommend), and you are pushing the limits, I would stick with one of the other options.

etrailer Landing Gear Set

*Most popular for people who tow with a Ram 2500*

What We Like

Affordable manual crank option w/ handle included
Connecting rod for tandem operation
Large footplates prevent sinking and help stabilize
Can add 12V DC motor M1230 separately for electric operation
Up to 8,000 lb combined weight capacity

This is for you if:

You want a simple, yet durable system that is just what you need and nothing more. You would like to save a little money, but still invest in a landing gear system that will hold up really well to corrosion with a powder coated finish, and zinc-finished inner tubes. If you have a smaller, more lightweight RV, or don't tow your RV very often, this is a great choice for you.

This etrailer landing gear set comes with a hand crank for a manual operation, which if I'm being honest, is a lot more work than most people would like to do. If you go with this set, I recommend adding on the 12V DC motor M1230 because this will save you a lot of time cranking, and also save you a few chiropractor visits. The footplates are also wider than our contender Lippert's, with dimensions of 8" x 6-1/8", which will increase its stability.

This is NOT for you if:

If you want something super heavy duty, and have to do as little work getting level as possible, this won't be the option for you. This system is not as efficient as the top two choices as it doesn't include a motor, so you'll find yourself taking more time and effort into setting up your RV.

This etrailer set also only has the option of adding on one motor, unlike the Reese system with dual motors, so only one leg will be doing most of the work, while the other leg is following. This means that you will most likely not be as level as you would be if you had dual motors both doing independent and accurate leveling, instead of just one.

Still have questions?

Give our experts a call at 800-298-8924, or contact us online. We're happy to assist any way we can!

About the Author

My journey with etrailer started in Customer Service, where I went through months of product training to make sure that I had all of the knowledge I needed to help our neighbors find a solution to any situation. Since it has always been my passion to write and express myself through words, I made the transition over to the content side of the website so I could combine my product knowledge and passion for writing.edit

In order to make sure that I am giving you the most accurate, current information, I am constantly doing research and talking with people who are doing what I am writing about every day. I am constantly striving to find out what questions you are asking, and to give you an answer to every one of those questions, plus answers to questions you haven't even asked yet - yes, I'm that good. Plus, I am constantly getting hands-on training with our vendors and asking them all of the hard questions, that way you can have all of the information you need before making a decision.

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