Winter storage - put the jacks down?

[Domo]

Originally Posted by TripleEEE

^^^^ The best advise so far.

Read the owners manual for YOUR coach. Some manufacturers may differ from one another.

The manual will be the definative answer.

Not really convinced ANY manufacturer that builds and sell RV's and trailers actually KNOWS about them or bothers to read the installation manuals that come from their own suppliers...

Just sayin' -

[flamebuster]

Originally Posted by Domo

Actually, it's not redundant.

WD-40 is not a lubricant. The only reason is seems to lubricate is because of the temporary effect of it's surfactants. If you research enough, you will learn that WD-40 is a good cleaning agent - provided you wipe it off when done.

Most hydraulic leveler companies do tell customers to simply wash the cylinder shaft with soap and water and wipe off - they DO NOT want anything on them, including silicone. Anything on the shaft will attract and hold dust and dirt, then, when retracting the dirt will compromise the upper seals leading to premature failure and leaking.

Further, if the shaft is very dirty, you can use WD-40 as a cleaner - but you have to wipe it off.

This is something I have never heard and I am always willing to learn..Are the quality of the rams inferior in the build design? Most rams even cheapo's are coated with a layer of chome. Some have a thicker layer than others but the principal is the same. It is a hard smooth layer to a perfect dimension the full length and diameter of the shaft and it is smooth to the thousandths in porosity. This is to make a perfectly tight seal against the O rings and hold back the pressure used to move the ram outward. There is not an O ring I know of that can totally wipe off the oil film on the shaft when in use. That is why most rams have a wiper seal towards the outside and specially shaped to wipe the dirt that sticks to the shaft off as it retracts too save the O rings and oil from contamination. The chrome helps keep the shaft from rusting when left extended for long periods of time. Other wise we would be replacing shafts all the time on our construction and agriculture equipment.. So is there no wiper seal on these rams or is the seal really poor quality and does not hold up against the dust? Just trying to learn and no offense intended...Doug

[ThePowells]

Doug, Me thinks it is out of abundance of caution although (IMHO) the vast majority will never read the manual until something doesn't go right. It also provides an out for warranty issue. Maybe if Paul sees this he can shed some light on this..

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Domo

Most hydraulic leveler companies do tell customers to simply wash the cylinder shaft with soap and water and wipe off - they DO NOT want anything on them, including silicone. Anything on the shaft will attract and hold dust and dirt, then, when retracting the dirt will compromise the upper seals leading to premature failure and leaking.

Sorry, this is NOT true.

Well here we go again. Another subject that has all these conflicting opinions and will be argued to kingdom come.

First of all, here's the instructions right out of the manual from Power Gear which is the type of Jacks we have
4. If jacks are down for extended periods, it is recommended to spray exposed leveling jack chrome rods with a silicone lubricant every 5 to 7 days for protection.
5. In extreme conditions (within 60 miles of coastal areas), it is recommended to spray the rods every 2 to 3 days with a silicone lubricant.

In the past I was a Journeyman Millwright for many years—mostly worked in refineries and petro-chem plants repairing heavy equipment and machinery—and I will tell you that applying a silicone lubricant on these chrome rams is just plain common sense and a good regular PM item practice. That silicone film that's on the ram not only protects the ram but is also good for the shaft wiper seal. One of the biggest causes of failed seals is them drying out and cracking. That's one reason why there is a Zerk Fitting on those seals so you can grease them. I give my seals a quick shot of grease every time I grease the chassis.

Whenever we break camp and get ready to move, I ALWAYS clean my rams with silicone lube first, then retract. This cleans off all the dirt & debris that has accumulated during our stay and they are now ready when we arrive at our new location. If our new location happens to have a particular corrosive environment, right after I deploy the jacks, I'll spray and wipe them right off the bat to help protect them while we're there. I use 3M Silicone Lubricant (Dry Type). My leveling jacks are 6 going on 7 years old, look and operate like brand new and have NEVER has one problem with them.

You all do what you want, but I will continue this practice.