Hydraulic leveling jacks

[Nomad Vegans]

I am getting a leak in my front Jack. It’s not a horrible leak. Maybe a couple of teaspoons sitting in the foot. I would like to replace it. It’s on a 1996 34j Fleetwood Bounder. Wondering if anyone has experience with wether or not to just get a new one and how hard it is to buy the part or if I should just replace the seal. He said the shaft is a little pitted and that it would cause the new seal to leak sooner. I will be having a mobile mechanic do the work. He charges 100 per hour.
TIA

[Cooperhawk]

Join the ever growing club. On mine it has to be cut open to rebuild and then welded closed again. HWH system.

Good luck and I'll be watching your progress too.

[amosnandy]

Originally Posted by Nomad Vegans

I am getting a leak in my front Jack. It’s not a horrible leak. Maybe a couple of teaspoons sitting in the foot. I would like to replace it. It’s on a 1996 34j Fleetwood Bounder. Wondering if anyone has experience with wether or not to just get a new one and how hard it is to buy the part or if I should just replace the seal. He said the shaft is a little pitted and that it would cause the new seal to leak sooner. I will be having a mobile mechanic do the work. He charges 100 per hour.
TIA

You don’t say what brand you have but most are sealed welded units. I’m guessing you have a Lippert jack. They are about $500 but pretty easy install. I don’t think I would ever have rebuilt. Can’t be more than a couple hundred difference. When they manufacture them, the welding is done by a computer control machine. Unless you take it to a shop that does nothing but rebuild hydraulic cylinders. You mechanic can’t do the weld properly without the right equipment.

$100 an hour is cheap to have repair done on an RV

[Flanz]

Our last Motorhome was a 2000 National RV Seaview. Both front legs developed a leak around 5 or 6yrs old. The leveling system was Power-gear and they wanted a ton of $$ to replace the legs. I would do the install.

I decided that since the legs were leaking, and I could replace them, I’d just tear them out and try to break one down. Took about three hours to break down the first one. Two hours learning curve and the first leg was a part. I took the cylinder to a hydraulic shop and they fitted the leg with two new seals and a wipe seal.

I ended buying two sets and rebuilt and installed both legs. No leaks after the rebuild and install…….And the real nice thing about the repair, it cost me a whole 12 bucks for the seals plus my labor……..Bought a lot of beer from the savings.

Since your legs are leaking why don’t you take a look at what the repair would take to do yourself. It just might save you a ton of $$$$.

[Dutch Star Don]

Here is a POSSIBLE temporary fix, for small leaks, I used to use on motorcycle front forks. Find a role of 35mm film. Cut off a few inches of the film. Wrap the film around the shaft and push it up into the seal, all the way around. Sometimes it can dislodge dirt in the seal and extend the life.