trouble with h&h rear jacks

[padutchmnm]

can't get right jack to go down......goes up....not down. otherside works fine. pulled switches and found a tear in the boot over toggle. looks like water got into it.....corrosion around body. called fretz and they are getting me a new switch and boot. anybody else have a similar problem?? how do you operate them manually?? can you pull the power head and hand crank them like a trailer hitch jack?? glad i'm at home. might call barker manufacturing and ask them.

[rockintom]

I know we've talked about this subject some time back but I can't find it. I have had lots of experience with these jacks over the years. When you say it goes up but not down.....does the jack make noise like it's trying to work but won't move or not make any sounds at all? If it makes a racheting sound.....you'll have to take off the power head and manually turn the slotted driveshaft clockwise to lower the jack. You can use a very large straight screwdriver (I use a large chisel and a large creasant wrench). The shaft get frozen sometime from water and/or rust. If the motor doesn't even try to run when the switch is moved down, then your guess is probably right, in that the switch is bad since it will move one way and not the other indicates the fuse is good. Hope that helps. rockin'

[KU9L]

Our right rear stabilizer had similar symptoms last spring, it would go up and ignore a go down request. It turns out the mechanical switch housing itself was broken and the internal contacts to the switch had shifted. Somehow the switch body was broken or defective and vibration from the road caused it to eventually come apart. Lucky for us the failure mode allowed us to go up and not just go down. During our visit to S.C. last spring Ralph removed the access cover underneath and popped in a new switch. He also gave me a tool socket to attach to my drill to manually retract the stabilizer if it should ever become stuck in the down position (after disconnecting a minor amount of hardware). Fortunately a failure here is just an inconvenience (PIA) and not a catastrophic failure at least.

The mode that the switches are mounted could be partially responsible for their failure. Any big hit to the switch may cause that symptom to occur I am thinking, so it is possible road debris could do it although I didn't see any marks on the coach nor remember hitting anything I would have been alarmed seeing bounce down the highway.

Dave

[davydee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by padutchmnm anybody else have a similar problem?? how do you operate them manually??

I think (and as you've surmised) what's happening is that you're not getting electric power to that leg so it can reverse the valve. On our 2009, we were taught (the hard way) how to take a hex drive and turn the valves near the hydraulic pump (for the rear legs and slides) to reverse the valve and let the leg move (or slide, etc). Trouble is how to determine which valve you need to turn. Curtis helped us tremendously during this exercise. Unfortunately, I can't recall which valve runs which leg/slide. Sorry! David

[padutchmnm]

thanks for the info guys. rockin, nothing happens when you flip the switch for up......dead. tried to reverse connections on switch to run opposite and raise......nope.....blew fuse. now both jacks dead. what a time to find fuse. its an inline barrel type tucked in the harness off the circuit breaker for the landing gear up front......no lable. like working on 50's cars or early farm tractors. put in new 30 amp fuse.....back to square 1. hope the new switch gets here before 3ft of snow gets blown in around it. yep, have it parked right where the drifts pile up.....naturally. good to know you can operate them manually. will have to check on that driver for my drill. always have a cordless drill along. used to use it to run my manual sissors jacks up and down......never had one fail. isn't modern energy saving technology wonderful.......mjf

[padutchmnm]

hey davy, thanks for the reply. sorry to mislead you, but these are the electric jacks in the back. but, i have already had a problem with the bedroom slide getting stuck half way in/out .....would move 3" either way and stop. quickly learned about those hydraulic valves. found the internal spool was stuck in that one. had to turn that allen screw to bypass position and actuate valve to freeup. works ok now but i'm getting a spare valve just in case. lucky again that it happened at home.....mjf

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by padutchmnm thanks for the info guys. rockin, nothing happens when you flip the switch for up......dead. tried to reverse connections on switch to run opposite and raise......nope.....blew fuse. now both jacks dead. what a time to find fuse. its an inline barrel type tucked in the harness off the circuit breaker for the landing gear up front......no lable. like working on 50's cars or early farm tractors. put in new 30 amp fuse.....back to square 1. hope the new switch gets here before 3ft of snow gets blown in around it. yep, have it parked right where the drifts pile up.....naturally. good to know you can operate them manually. will have to check on that driver for my drill. always have a cordless drill along. used to use it to run my manual sissors jacks up and down......never had one fail. isn't modern energy saving technology wonderful.......mjf

Yeah....sounds like the switch....however reversing the wires shouldn't have blown the fuse....unless you got hot to ground by accident without realizing it. Easy to do. Sorry you had a problem finding fuse. There are lot of electrical stuff like fuses and breakers up there in the gen box area on the driver's side. Everyone learns that very early in the ownership experience. Let us know if the switch fixes it. rockin'

[padutchmnm]

rockin, you are probably right. i put hot to ground by reversing wire positions on the same side of the switch. the switches are special in the way they reverse polarity to run the motor in the opposite direction. should have crossed them to the other side......mjf

[Ol-Forester]

Yep, happened to me today. Was trying to leave the campground on the first use of our new Winslow. Tried to switching the wires on the switch to no effect. Ended up retracting the left side then using that switch to retract the right side. By the way the gear would lower but not raise. Of course it was already bearing weight, so I was stuck.

I think the rubber boot cover on the switch leaked. Am thinking that I may put some extra silicone were the boot meets the gelcoat once I get the switch replaced.

I looked and looked for some way to operate the gear manually but did not see any--kind of scary! I guess the more bells and wistles the more stuff can go wrong.

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol-Forester I looked and looked for some way to operate the gear manually but did not see any--kind of scary! I guess the more bells and whistles the more stuff can go wrong.

OL,

It's not a problem to raise the jacks manually by removing the power head (motor assy.) and turning the drive screw counter clockwise to raise the jack and visa versa to lower the jack. I use a very large screwdriver or a large chisel as a tool to turn the screw. After you done it a few times....it takes like 5 minutes. There has been stuff written here in this forum in the past. HTHs rockin'

[Ol-Forester]

Thanks rockin, The electric motor on the jack looked really enclosed. I did notice that there was a plate on the top of the motor assembly that had machine bolts attaching the plate. Are those what I would have to remove in order to manually operate the jack?
BTW, I did look at the paper work for the system that was included in all the owners manual type publications. No where did it mention any kind of manual back-up operation.
Just beginning to learn----my first RV.

[chief02]

If you notice, the cavity behind where that these switches are installed is wide open to road spray. I have heard about so many corrision related issues I filled cavity with spray expanding foam, They will never get wet now or even move around and come loose. LOL, I just hope I never have to remove them,,,haha...I'll show them lil buggers!

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol-Forester Thanks rockin, The electric motor on the jack looked really enclosed. I did notice that there was a plate on the top of the motor assembly that had machine bolts attaching the plate. Are those what I would have to remove in order to manually operate the jack? BTW, I did look at the paper work for the system that was included in all the owners manual type publications. No where did it mention any kind of manual back-up operation. Just beginning to learn----my first RV.

I thought we covered this a few years back......but I can't find it. I'm relying on my wined soaked mind.....so here goes. You have to remove the power head (motor, clutch and gear mechanism). It is attached with 2 bolts that have a 9/16" head and 1 allen headed screw which I believe to be a 3/16". These bolts and stud are staggered 120 degrees apart on the tube of the jack. Back them out quite a ways. Next pull the power head off and have something to lay it on as the power wires are still connected. They aren't long enough to allow you to put the head on the ground. This exposes the screwed driveshaft which moves the jack up and down. Turning the shaft counter-clockwise allow the jack to retract. Simply reinstall the power head back until you can get the issue on the switch fixed. Wished I had pix to show you. You are pushing the ol' threshold as this was 2 Excels back and a few bottles of wine!!! rockin'

[Workshop]

So far I haven't had a problem with the rear jacks. I have removed them from the unit for repainting, lube under the gear cover and replace a worn brass bushing....but haven't removed the power head to see what it looks like. Don't have the tool that others have spoken of, but guess I need to do remove the head at some point and play with it at home rather than when on the road. But as they say...if it works...

My switches have a rubber boot that covers the switches, they screw on the switch and would assume seal the switch better than a slip/press on boot. Would upload a photo but will leaving for a 'work' trip south shortly.

Good luck.