Community Forums

jhanan · 09-05-2011, 08:32 AM

Hi, the RF HWH jack footing plate that holds the 2 springs slipped off the jack when my block slipped out from under the foot. Ideas on how to get it back on? Initial attempts with 6 foot breaker bar to pull the plate down back onto the jack proving difficult. Help appreciated.

hoppers4 · 09-05-2011, 08:37 AM

Slip shims into each spring, one by one, until the springs have been lengthened enough to put the foot back in place. Rocking the foot back and forth should open up enough of a gap to slip in some type of shim.

SVTotem · 09-05-2011, 08:47 AM

Let's see if I get this right. You now have a retracted jack with the base plate hanging by two springs. All components are still serviceable, not broken.

If this is the case, this is what I would try. Remove the plate from the springs. Place plate beneath jack and lower jack. Align hole on plate with pip on end of jack. Finish lowering jack until weight of coach presses pip back into place in the hole. Raise jack using 2x4 and or jack from toad with level system in stow or solenoid valve open. Replace springs. The later my require removing the springs and expanding them with some mechanical advantage and the placing spacers between coils to keep it elongated until you hook them back up.

I have had to do this my self yet. Does this approach make sense to others with moremexperience?

greystroke · 09-05-2011, 09:18 AM

Here is what I do.

For the first spring I hook it on the base plate. Use wood shims as necessary so the hwh jack will reach through the base hole. Put the center of the baseplate over the bottom of the hwh jack. Take a regular car jack and jack up the unconnected side of the baseplate as high as possible. Put wood shims in the spring to be installed. Connect the new spring. A light tap with a hammer will get the spring in the hole on the base plate. Extend the HwH jack and remove all shims.

Caution: Just replaced my front springs but I damaged one spring by opening a spring area too much with a shim. Better to use more shims that try to expand the spring too much with one shim. Lesson learned. Will replace the damaged spring this week by putting in shims to the damaged spring. Use car jack to hold the defective side inplace while I install the new spring after installing shims.

Good threads on this shim method. Search hwh and you will find pictures of it. Thats where I got my info.

jhanan · 09-05-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVTotem

Let's see if I get this right. You now have a retracted jack with the base plate hanging by two springs. All components are still serviceable, not broken.

This is correct, it just slipped off the jack and now is hanging about 3 inches up from bottom of the jack as the jack is fully retracted (I did that with my shovel and block). I do not want to remove the spring - I think this will make the job more difficult. I think I will try the shim approach offered above - I see that people are using the shim approach to replace weak springs as well. My springs are still fine on this 10 yr old coach. So I will give the shim approach a try using big screw drivers and other item to get the shims into the springs - if I can get it close I can slip it on with my breaker bar and crow bar.

Thanks, Jeff

jhanan · 09-05-2011, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greystroke

Good threads on this shim method. Search hwh and you will find pictures of it. Thats where I got my info.

I found this thread - great pic's - I get the idea. And thanks for tip on using small shims - I'm digging out the paint sticks.

TurtleKent · 09-05-2011, 03:23 PM

In the past I have just used a crow bar(3') to slip the plate(with both springs attached) back onto the jack. Keep your head back to prevent a hospital visit for broken teeth/nose, etc. You may need to drive the m/h up on blocks to get more vertical working room. After doing it several times I'm now very proficient. Practice helps.

jhanan · 09-05-2011, 04:46 PM

Got it. Used my 4 ft breaker bar and my 5 ft rock bar and with both was able to be enough leverage to get it back in place and knock it into the hole. All is good. Did not need to shim it. If I had to shim it, that would have been a big job. The trick for me, and why I did not get done yesterday, was to back out the bar farther under the MH (near the gas tank) which allowed the base plate to be lowered in a level fashion, and then slip it under the jack. Thanks for the inputs from everyone. Another on the fly repair into the book.

Mr_D · 09-05-2011, 10:55 PM

I guess mine are different, I just held the plate to the side of the retracted jack and pushed it on by hand. Kind of rolled the socket in the foot onto the ball on the jack. And yes, my jacks all retract just fine with the springs as is.

jhanan · 09-06-2011, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I just held the plate to the side of the retracted jack and pushed it on by hand.

There is no way I could do that on the Horizon. Using my breaker bar and applying my body weight down on it, I would guess I was applying well over 100 ft-lbs of torque onto that base plate to bring it down under the jack.