Jack alarm! HELP!

[karaokegal]

i have a HR Imperial class A MC. The jack alarm is ringing when i am in gear. Jacks are all the way up,but it says jacks down. i believe that i have found the jack motor in the generator compartment, even though my owners manual does not tell me where it is located. i also saw what i believe to be the slide out motor under the steps, but my manual states that it is in the generator compartment. when i opened the fill valve on the one that i beleve to be the jack motor, i found a clear fluid in it but my owners manual states add dextron2 auto transmission fluid. i am female and have never used dextron so maybe it is clear but i kind of thought that it would be black. what color is dextron? does anyone know how i can positively identify the jack motor as opposed to slide motor. does anyone know why the fluid is clear? i am going to put dextron on the jack shafts and grease the shaft to see if that helps. do you have any other suggestions. does the slide outs take dextron also, because that fluid is black in the one that i believe to the slide motor, but my manual does not say anything about adding fluid to that motor. please help.

[H. Miller]

Dexron is red. Sounds like someone may have used brake fluid (it's clear) if you have in fact found the jack pump. Normally the "jacks are down" indication happens when at least one of the jacks is slightly down OR the fluid is low. My system says to put one jack down 6" and fill the reservoir until the bell/gong or what ever it is - quits. Do not overfill. Sounds like a two person job. Mine also says to clean the "jack shafts" with WD-40 not an oil which will collect dust.
Your system will probably be different but cleaning the jacks and filling the reservoir (with the proper substance) should eliminate the problem.

[Jim Stewart]

What year MC and brand of leveling jacks?

Most likely the jack motor is the one in the generator compartment, It should have hydraulic tubes (3 or 4 hoses running off it to the jacks and little valves). The motor under the step is probably the step motor that opens and closes the step when you open the door.

Depending on the type of leveling system you have and the age, it may have springs that help retract the jacks back up. Sometimes the jacks will not come all the way up and can be due to the system being low on fluid or a jack shaft sticking. Unfortunately Dextron is not always pink and is made by some manufacturers in clear to amber color as well.

You probably should not use WD-40 on the jack shafts as that will eat the rubber seals over time. Use Heavy duty silicon spray to lubricate them.

You can try using a fulcrum (piece of wood turned one way resting on other pieces of wood turned the opposite direction) to try to push the offending jack back up to get the bugger to shut off while you driving until you can find and/or fix the problem.

[karaokegal]

thanks for the advice. you asked the yr of my mc. it is a 2006. i am very glad to hear that the fluid could be clear. i was starting to think someone at a repair shop put the wrong fluid in there. the motor under my steps turned a out to be the slide out motor. i can't find in my book what fluid to put in there, but it does look pink so it my be dextron as well. is that correct? tommorrow i will try all the hints and reply back if it works.

[Wayne M]

If in doubt, call the manufacture. Actually Dexron III is an improvement over Dexron II, but again, if in doubt check with someone who has your model and year MH. Dexron III is red and in my case on PowerGear/Kwikee levelers, it does not hurt to mix it with other fluid that is already in there. Do not use pure hydrolic oil unless your manufacturer recommends it.

I recently had the same thing happen, the alarm would not go off when the jacks were raised. In my case I can still start the engine and move. When I got to a level spot, I just happened to be dumping in my city, I added about 1 - 1-1/2 cups of Dexron III. then I extended the jacks all the way and then retracted them. Make DARN sure you are on level ground when you do that. This will generally purge all the air in the system, if any was sucked in.

Good luck. And again, the manufacturer is your best source of information. (in most cases)

[H. Miller]

Dexron VI (6) is the current General Motors standard and has been since 2005. VI can be used for II and III but not the other way round. Use what your owners manual requires OR a higher number. A parts store will know it as Dexron rather than dextron.
Assuming your owners manual is laid out like our '04 Beaver, please note under the Chassis Information chapter - Leveling System section:
"Occasionally, while the jacks are fully extended, wipe dirt from the jack rod. This will help lengthen the life of the jacks. This can vary from the amount and type of usage of the jacks. WD-40 (Monaco made it bold) will serve as a solvent as well as a lubricant.

[paz]

HWH hydraulic jack oil is clear (light amber), not red. Dexron transmission fluid is red and can be used in HWH jack systems.

DO NOT use standard hydraulic jack oil sold in auto part stores for HWH jacks.

[joneldbrat]

Now first of all I could be wrong this is just my theory and I have been known to stand corrected. I’m old but not stubborn!

If they are Power Gear w/springs on the cylinders low fluid will not prevent them from retracting. The spring is what pulls them up I don't think you will here the pump run on retract. pressure puts them down. The alarm is more likely from low fluid. When all the leveling pads retract it pushes the oil back to the reservoir. If it is low it will not make the fluid level switch. The switch is thinking one or all the pads are down.

[karaokegal]

thanks to all of you who helped me. i greased the jacks, lubed the jack shafts, and filled the chamber with dextron. the alarm has stopped. i did however find that the chamber has a small pinhole leak, so i have been losing fluid i guess for a while. now i have to fix that. i was under the motor coach yesterday lubing the shafts and this man saw me and was most amazed that i fixing something on that "big bus" as he called it. he said that had never seen a woman work on RV"s before and refered a repair shop to me that is near by. guess he didn't think a woman could fix anything. ha ha i fixed it all by myself, with a little help from my iRV2 internet friends. thanks.

[joneldbrat]

Glad to hear you have found the problem. Have you determined what brand Leveling System it is? And what year is your Coach? If you can drain the tank you could take it to a weld shop and have it repaired. I have Power Gear and the tank holds about 12 Quarts.

John

[karaokegal]

it is a 2006 holiday rambler imperial with hwh levelers

[Jim Stewart]

I am really glad you solved your most immediate problem. Now that the "Man" was amazed that a Woman was doing the work, put your womanly charm to additional use by calling HWH and asking for their help.

Even if out of warranty, their support is superb and they may help you without charge for the parts. I had a jack that went bad and they sent me a new one for free, it was out of warranty and I am a Man. With your new found skills and well deserved pride, think what you as a mechanic and Woman can do.

http://www.hwhcorp.com/custserv3.html

You go Girl!

Jim

[Wayne M]

Yep! The bleeding heart story of how you had to fix it all by yourself!!

It even works for men sometimes.

[justimagination]

Quote:

Originally Posted by karaokegal thanks to all of you who helped me. i greased the jacks, lubed the jack shafts, and filled the chamber with dextron. the alarm has stopped. i did however find that the chamber has a small pinhole leak, so i have been losing fluid i guess for a while. now i have to fix that. i was under the motor coach yesterday lubing the shafts and this man saw me and was most amazed that i fixing something on that "big bus" as he called it. he said that had never seen a woman work on RV"s before and refered a repair shop to me that is near by. guess he didn't think a woman could fix anything. ha ha i fixed it all by myself, with a little help from my iRV2 internet friends. thanks.

Give this a try, it has worked for me in the past. Get one of your old bars of soap, yes I did say soap, clean the pinhole area with some paint thinner, quickly rub the bar of soap back & forth over the small hole where it is leaking, and let me know what happens. Good luck.
david g.