Bounder: Location of leveling jack reservoir on Bounder 35K

[Bruadair]

We're having a problem with our leveling jacks, the right rear jack will go down a little bit but stops about six inches from the ground making leveling impossible. This jack is also exceptionally slow to retract. We're leaving tomorrow afternoon for Lepage Park (Oregon) and would like to check the oil level in the reservoir before we leave. Does anyone know where it's located and what type of oil to use if we need to add some? Thanks in advance.

[brian-nicola]

If my memory is correct it is behind the front drivers side wheel, you can see it with the drivers side slide extended. ATF is the fluid to use and the type should be on the label of the reservoir.

[Bruadair]

Thank you!

[Kpjp]

The right rear jack may not be going down all the way because you are overextending the jacks and lifting the motorhome. The reservoir in my 2014 Bounder 35K has just enough fluid to level the motorhome and not lift it very much. With all the jacks in their raised position, my reservoir is filled just below the fill cap. I use a couple plastic leveling pads under each of my jacks to limit the required extension. This is my first motorhome which I had to do this. I guess, Fleetwood used a small reservoir.

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by Kpjp

The right rear jack may not be going down all the way because you are overextending the jacks and lifting the motorhome. The reservoir in my 2014 Bounder 35K has just enough fluid to level the motorhome and not lift it very much. With all the jacks in their raised position, my reservoir is filled just below the fill cap. I use a couple plastic leveling pads under each of my jacks to limit the required extension. This is my first motorhome which I had to do this. I guess, Fleetwood used a small reservoir.

I assume the reservoir is as required by Power Gear. That said, our jacks work very well and we very seldom have had occasion to use leveling pads.

IMO, the OP's jacks may need to be recalibrated, which is easy to do.

[Bruadair]

Originally Posted by Kpjp

The right rear jack may not be going down all the way because you are overextending the jacks and lifting the motorhome. The reservoir in my 2014 Bounder 35K has just enough fluid to level the motorhome and not lift it very much. With all the jacks in their raised position, my reservoir is filled just below the fill cap. I use a couple plastic leveling pads under each of my jacks to limit the required extension. This is my first motorhome which I had to do this. I guess, Fleetwood used a small reservoir.

I doubt we're over extending, we're on pretty level ground. The right rear jack goes down about three inches, that's it. It's not even near the ground. The LR jack and forward jacks touch the ground, jack up just a little (very little) to level. When we were on uneven ground we drove the front tires up on 2" blocks and put 4" blocks under all the jacks. And again the RR jack wouldn't go down enough to touch that block either.

In Auto mode the RR jack only extends a few inches. But in manual mode I can extend that jack all the way to the ground with no problems, so I've been leveling in manual mode. But after a half day that RR jack has retracted itself, slowly over time.

No worries really, we'll be at the Coburg factory service center in a few days anyway.

[brian-nicola]

Sounds like a calibration is in order

[Kpjp]

I am currently camping and placed two plastic leveling pads my motorhome's front wheels in order to get the motorhome close to level. I then used the auto level jack button. The front jacks went down and touched the ground and the rear jacks also went down and touched the ground and then the front jacks lifted slightly more in order to level the motorhome and the passenger rear jack raised about three inches above the ground and the middle level light started flashing. I went out to the reservoir which is behind my drivers side front wheel and saw that the container was almost empty. I retracted the jacks and again checked the reservoir and it was completely full. After placing two leveling pads under the jacks and running the auto level once again, my motorhome leveled and I had about 1 1/2 inches of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir. Based on the diameter of the four jacks and the height the jacks extended, the volume of hydraulic fluid is not sufficient to fully extend all four jacks unless the motorhome is level. I called Fleetwood and confirmed that when there is insufficient hydraulic fluid, the level light flashes and the passenger rear jack will come up slightly. I guess with my 2014 Bounder 35K, I am going to continue to use leveling pads under the jacks in order to minimize the jacks required extension.

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by Kpjp

I am currently camping and placed two plastic leveling pads my motorhome's front wheels in order to get the motorhome close to level. I then used the auto level jack button. The front jacks went down and touched the ground and the rear jacks also went down and touched the ground and then the front jacks lifted slightly more in order to level the motorhome and the passenger rear jack raised about three inches above the ground and the middle level light started flashing. I went out to the reservoir which is behind my drivers side front wheel and saw that the container was almost empty. I retracted the jacks and again checked the reservoir and it was completely full. After placing two leveling pads under the jacks and running the auto level once again, my motorhome leveled and I had about 1 1/2 inches of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir. Based on the diameter of the four jacks and the height the jacks extended, the volume of hydraulic fluid is not sufficient to fully extend all four jacks unless the motorhome is level. I called Fleetwood and confirmed that when there is insufficient hydraulic fluid, the level light flashes and the passenger rear jack will come up slightly. I guess with my 2014 Bounder 35K, I am going to continue to use leveling pads under the jacks in order to minimize the jacks required extension.

Hmmmm, interesting. I would send an email to Power Gear describing the action of the jacks to see what they say. Our jacks always seem to raise the coach higher using "auto". We use the manual mode which works fine for us; we actually prefer using manual mode since it's easy to tweak. We have recalibrated our jacks several times, but the end result is always the same. Power Gear says they are "operating as designed."

[Bounder34B]

Our 2011 Fleetwood Bounder Classic 34B (Workhorse Chassis) has the pump and reservoir for the leveler jacks located behind the panel (stairstep riser) above the battery compartment on the entry steps. I had to remove the battery compartment lid first and then feel around for the big screws hidden on either end of the carpeted riser. Once that is removed you can see the pump and reservoir. Mine had the minimum and maximum sticker on the far side of the tank and I used an endoscope (Depstech) to see it. Mine was just a little low but was giving me alarms on the control panel.