Jack will not retract fully. Need help please

[asheville]

2005 Journey, right front jack will not fully retract, I have to take a board and push it up for 100% retraction? It only retracts about 1/4 way.Operates great going down although it does make a unusual noise that it never made before? Any help would be great. Do I need to go through the manual retraction procedure or continue using the board to push it up? I don't want to damage anything.Thanks

[smlranger]

My right rear was doing same thing recently. I replaced the springs and sprayed the jack ram with Super Lube dry lube. It is now working fine.

It could be weak springs or any number of other things. You might try the lube since it is easy to do. If that doesn't work, suggest you call HWH and see what they say. They have very helpful technical folks.

[lonestarace]

We have the same problem with our 2 frts. Our leveling jacks are HWH 13" straight acting 12k lb units, pt#AP9552. We changed the springs which helped, but not completely. We applied all types lubricants many times without success. We called HWH and they explained that they could overhaul the jacks for worst case $225/ea plus $30 shipping each way. We removed the frts and took them to a local hydraulic shop in hopes of saving some $$$. They couldn't fix them mainly because HWH wouldn't supply them with info or parts. So we called HWH back and made arrangements to have them overhauled. We shipped them a week ago and we should have them back in 2 or 3 more weeks.

[TomHinMd]

When I talked to the guy at HWH, he told me not to spray the jacks as they are self lubicating. He suggested that I might want to wash them with warm soap and water when they are extended to remove any dirt from the tubes. Rinse them with the garden hose. Then run them up and down a few times. He said the springs should retract the jack. If they don't you may need new springs. A couple of years ago HWH came out with a new stronger spring that will retract your jacks much faster, so they tell me.

[asheville]

Thanks for the input, yes I had new springs but on 3 yrs ago, for some reason I think there is another issue he, the jacks only move up a few inches. I just don't want to do any damage by pushing them up manually???

[denochs]

With relatively new springs, and if you have tried washing the cylinders while extended, give thought to checking into the possibility that it is bent. The reason they don't recommend lubricants on the cylinders is that some lubricants may damage your seals. i.e. they are designed to handle hydraulic fluids not lubricants that have chemicals that can damage them.

Dave

[zippo]

HWH seems to have a different fix every time their called and depends who you get as to what story is told that day. As far as rebuilding that's one thing I like about Power Gear they have a manual that tells in detail how to rebuilt theirs. Over the last 9 years with HWH jacks, I have found fully extending the jacks, wiping the dust and dirt off the rams and brushing on a coating of transmission fluid, then retracting the jacks takes care of retracting problems. Transmission fluid is not going to harm the seals as the fluid used in the jack system is ATF. Sometimes it takes wiping and wetting the rams with ATF more than once to get them to fully retract. But for me they then work great for several months. I suppose instead of being lazy I should wipe and wet them down about once a month and they might be problem free.

[wa8yxm]

If they were Power gear jacks I'd say "Lube them" but since you imply they are HWY I'm not going to argue with the HWH man

If they are electric jacks. I can't help you

If they are hydraulic then I'd say slide a floor jack under them and lift them at least an inch, have your parther press the RETRACT ALL JACKS button then keep pumping on that floor jack till they stop moving, have your partner hit the button again and so on till you are fully retracted

You will NOT damage them that way.

Then retract the floor jack and drive to the service center.

[Martind4]

I've been told by HWH customer service that if you can manually push the jack all the way up to stow, then the problem is not a bent shaft. You won't do any damage by using a board or your hand to stow the jack. If you want to speed the stowing process, relieve the pressure on the front two jacks by opening the middle two "T" handles on the solenoids.

[asheville]

Thanks "barn cat" thats what I wanted to hear, I will just keep pushing it up with my board til I get tired of it or figure out the problem.Thanks all

[lonestarace]

We got our leveling jacks back from HWH and put them on and they work like new again, $430 later.