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Ramble On · 08-08-2008, 01:43 PM

While leveling the coach the other day the passenger side rear jack pad came down partly on a curb causing the pad to rotate to such an angle that the pad and springs came off. Luckily no damage, but now the job of re-installing the springs. Has anyone ever had to install or reinstall springs? Just had new springs installed so they are very tight.

Ramble On · 08-08-2008, 01:43 PM

While leveling the coach the other day the passenger side rear jack pad came down partly on a curb causing the pad to rotate to such an angle that the pad and springs came off. Luckily no damage, but now the job of re-installing the springs. Has anyone ever had to install or reinstall springs? Just had new springs installed so they are very tight.

Rick Coleman · 08-08-2008, 02:12 PM

Oh boy!!! I did exactly the same thing last year while on a trip. Of course, it was late Friday afternoon in a small town along the Columbia Gorge in Oregon. I lost the same one- rear passenger side. If your coach is like mine, the good news is that you can see the whole mechanism and have good access through the battery compartment. First thing to do is to force the jack shaft all the way up with a length of 2 x 4 or a pry bar. By the way I didn't even have any lengths of 2 x 4 so I used pieces of firewood and rocks to create a lever! You CAN do it. Then what I did was bring both springs to the front of the jack shaft and attach the round pad, tilting it up at the front of the shaft. There was NO way I was strong enough to pull the pad and springs down enough by hand to get it under and centered below the shaft where there is a pocket in the pad, so I put a length of 2 x 4 (again I had none so I used firewood) on each side of the jack shaft (between the shaft and springs) and levered the assembly down slowly and under the shaft bottom. It took a few tries and a lot of muscle and one time I got it under and it shot completely past the shaft and slipped up the back side. I had to disconnect it, re-assemble the parts and try again until I finally got it. Not fun, but it can be done. My wife had a tall gin & tonic waiting for me! I'd bet there is an easier method but I had nowhere to get quick help. Hopefully someone else can suggest an easy way. Needless to say I am extremely careful to look under my coach before lowering my jacks now.
It might be much easier if you have two strong people- one on each 2 x 4. It was very tough for me alone.

Good Luck

DAN L · 08-08-2008, 06:16 PM

RAMBLE...
i read somewhere on this forum that the easy? way to install the leveler springs is to bend the springs one way and install a bunch of washers, nickels, or whatever. then bend the springs the other way and do the same. this will lengthen the spring enough to install it.
when you put the jack down remember to save the nickels...
dan

Mike and Claudia · 08-08-2008, 09:02 PM

Had this happen in Indiana---struggled with it about an HOUR. Got plenty hot, tired and put out!

A fellow camper was watching and came over. He asked if I minded him giving it a try--

He gave the foot a mighty tug and pulled it back in place.

Boy--was I impressed. Turns out that he was a farmer. Had arms like tree trunks!

I have decided if it ever happens again, I'll send my DW out to work on it hoping maybe someone will show up sooner!

EngineerMike · 08-09-2008, 01:00 PM

IIWM, I'd live w/the condition till I could get somebody a lot beefier'n me to do the install. In the interim, I'd only let the jacks down when I had a good length of 2x4 to settle on, so I had a pre-installed lever to raise the jack.

Danny Gayhart · 08-09-2008, 05:54 PM

I have used this method. First get a helper to operate the air and jack controls. Keep your hands and other body parts away from the jacks while operating leveling controls or airing the coach up or down.

If the ram is not fully retracted, with the coach aired up stack some leveling wood under the ram and air-down the coach with the jack controls in the retract mode to retract the ram. Connect the foot to the inside spring with the foot positioned on the ram. Stack the leveling wood to contact the foot; it helps if you put one board across under the end with the spring that need to be attached to give a slight up angle to the foot. Gentle lower the coach by airing down until the foot is fully supported by the leveling stack. You should now be able to reattach the remaining spring with the help of a tire iron or large screw driver.

Hope this helps.

Ramble On · 08-11-2008, 11:17 AM

Thanks everyone for your responses. My neighbor and I struggled with Rick's method and eventually after a few attempts made it work. Wew! I suggest anyone else trying this to use a 2 x 4 to avoid damage to the underside of the coach. We used a 2 x 4 and I could see where we might have done some damage otherwise.

Renipladlo · 08-12-2008, 07:43 PM

FWIW - Although the Alpine owners manual states, to not put any blocks under the jacks I always do. I made up some pressure treated 4 X 6"s and put 1/4" or 1/2" plywood on the top and bottom so they won't weather check if they get wet. I cannot tell you the times in the Pacific NW when I have pulled into a spot, that looks solid, and without those blocks the jacks would have sunk out of site. I did it under the 5th wheel front and back jacks too, and never had one sink on me. Hope this helps someone to avoid this issue in the future.

Renipladlo · 08-12-2008, 07:47 PM

Old age, forgot the correct size is 4"X6"X10" in case you want to make your own.

In addition, I made some ramps to use to level up a tad if necessary. For those I took 4"X12"18" and again faced both sides with 1/2" plywood to give them additional strength. I angle cut them so driving up on them is not to sharp. This is for a real uneven spot, because that will give you about 5" of lift. They are wide enought for the back tires if necessary.

Renipladlo · 08-12-2008, 07:52 PM

Again OAIH, again the manual states, never to have the front or rear tires not having some kind of support under them. Since the parking/emergency brake only works on the rear tires, having them without some kind of support means you have no brakes in effect. And for the front, the only thing that would be holding them from dropping on the ground would be the shocks, and they are not designed to hold that kind of load.

I cannot comment on all the Motorhome owners who just jack their coach up till it just about touches the stars, with nothing under the front end. No wonder people complain about the way they steer, they are wrecking the front end every time they just hang all that weight out their with nothing to suppor it.