Kwikee Level Best 3000 Repair or Replace

[JustBS]

I have a 2005 Winnebago SightSeer, which uses the Kwikee Level Best 3000 levelers. I blow out the seals on the rear jacks after the RV has set in storage for over 2-years. It took me months to find a replacement solution, some said they could repair them and then said they couldn’t after hold the RV for weeks; but they did say they would replace the cylinders if I found them; others said they couldn’t be repaired and said they had to replace the entire system. Here is what I learned... 1. Kwikee when out of business in 2008 and are now serviced by Lippert... You should expect little service from Lippert on other than they will over to replace your complete system. 2 There are new Level Best 3000 jacks available if you look long enough... however the price ranges from $1600-$2200 per jack, You an replace the entire system for less that the cost of two jacks. 3. Kwikee, nor Lippert actual engineered or made the cylinders used in their Level Best 3000 system. The cylinders were actually made in Winchester KY, by company called Custom Cylinders International... in fact, they made these cylinders from several companies which rebranded them and sold them to different RV builders. 4. You will be told by "almost" everyone, except Custom Cylinders that the jacks can't be rebuilt. However, Custom Cylinders will and can rebuild them for less $380 per jack (plus Shipping - that was $130 from SC). My total to get two jacks back on the RV was $900, final cost rebuilding and shipping both ways. 5. Removing the jack from the Winnebago is relatively simple, but they are heavy... but using a small hydraulic floor jack makes that task easier. The jack is mounted with 6 large bolts. Remove the hydraulic lines (top and bottom), be ready for some fluid to leak out when you disconnect the lines. Unplug the sensor, easy clip and lock. Then lower the jack, I did this process by myself, however, two people would have make it easier. The most difficult part was removing the foot from cylinder (Jack), I had to use a breaker-bar with a spanner tool to hold the shaft, and use an air impact driver with 1 1/18 socket to remove the bolt. 6. It took 2-days for UPS to ship the jacks to KY, 3-day for them to rebuild and box to be shipped back, and another 3-day for UPS to get the jacks back to SC. 7. It took about 30-minutes to reinstall the jacks on the RV using the reverse process to remove them. 8. I followed the instructions on the install from the Kwikee install manual to fill and auto bleed the hydraulic lines. (note: they also have manual bleeding processors if needed, I did not need them). 9. I had to refill the reservoir several time during the bleeding process, and used about 1.5 gallons of Dexon III ATF as they recommended. The system hold about 2.5 gallons. Bottom line, I was happy with the job Custom Cylinder did, I was happy with the final cost to get the RV repaired, and I would recommend other consider this as a solution if you are having issues… it may not be right for everyone, but it is worth evaluating or even calling Custom Cylinders… they were very helpful and upfront about what they could do. I hope this information helps others that may have issues with their Winnebago Kwikee Level Best levelers (Jacks); or possibly other RV cylinders made by Custom Cylinders products.

[HarryStone]

Good info. Thanks and welcome!

[So CA Joe]

Originally Posted by JustBS

I have a 2005 Winnebago SightSeer, which uses the Kwikee Level Best 3000 levelers. I blow out the seals on the rear jacks after the RV has set in storage for over 2-years. It took me months to find a replacement solution, some said they could repair them and then said they couldn’t after hold the RV for weeks; but they did say they would replace the cylinders if I found them; others said they couldn’t be repaired and said they had to replace the entire system. Here is what I learned... 1. Kwikee when out of business in 2008 and are now serviced by Lippert... You should expect little service from Lippert on other than they will over to replace your complete system. 2 There are new Level Best 3000 jacks available if you look long enough... however the price ranges from $1600-$2200 per jack, You an replace the entire system for less that the cost of two jacks. 3. Kwikee, nor Lippert actual engineered or made the cylinders used in their Level Best 3000 system. The cylinders were actually made in Winchester KY, by company called Custom Cylinders International... in fact, they made these cylinders from several companies which rebranded them and sold them to different RV builders. 4. You will be told by "almost" everyone, except Custom Cylinders that the jacks can't be rebuilt. However, Custom Cylinders will and can rebuild them for less $380 per jack (plus Shipping - that was $130 from SC). My total to get two jacks back on the RV was $900, final cost rebuilding and shipping both ways. 5. Removing the jack from the Winnebago is relatively simple, but they are heavy... but using a small hydraulic floor jack makes that task easier. The jack is mounted with 6 large bolts. Remove the hydraulic lines (top and bottom), be ready for some fluid to leak out when you disconnect the lines. Unplug the sensor, easy clip and lock. Then lower the jack, I did this process by myself, however, two people would have make it easier. The most difficult part was removing the foot from cylinder (Jack), I had to use a breaker-bar with a spanner tool to hold the shaft, and use an air impact driver with 1 1/18 socket to remove the bolt. 6. It took 2-days for UPS to ship the jacks to KY, 3-day for them to rebuild and box to be shipped back, and another 3-day for UPS to get the jacks back to SC. 7. It took about 30-minutes to reinstall the jacks on the RV using the reverse process to remove them. 8. I followed the instructions on the install from the Kwikee install manual to fill and auto bleed the hydraulic lines. (note: they also have manual bleeding processors if needed, I did not need them). 9. I had to refill the reservoir several time during the bleeding process, and used about 1.5 gallons of Dexon III ATF as they recommended. The system hold about 2.5 gallons. Bottom line, I was happy with the job Custom Cylinder did, I was happy with the final cost to get the RV repaired, and I would recommend other consider this as a solution if you are having issues… it may not be right for everyone, but it is worth evaluating or even calling Custom Cylinders… they were very helpful and upfront about what they could do. I hope this information helps others that may have issues with their Winnebago Kwikee Level Best levelers (Jacks); or possibly other RV cylinders made by Custom Cylinders products.

I ran across this post recently. I have leaking seals and would like to get my jacks repaired as well. You mentioned bleeding the hydraulic lines based on instructions in the installation manual. I don't have that procedure in my manual. Could you provide that for me?

[So CA Joe]

I ran across this post recently. I have leaking seals and would like to get my jacks repaired as well. You mentioned bleeding the hydraulic lines based on instructions in the installation manual. I don't have that procedure in my manual. Could you provide that for me?

[JustBS]

Here's a link to the guide I referenced bleeding the cylinders. It is dated June 2003, and discontinued but the process still seems to be applicable. If the link doesn't work search for kwikee level best service guide. Hope it helps, and all goes well. https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws..._ksg002__s.pdf

[Mark_K5LXP]

I hope this information helps others that may have issues with their Winnebago Kwikee Level Best levelers

It helps immensely, I printed out this message and put it in my RV document folio. Thanks for taking the time to post!

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

[So CA Joe]

Originally Posted by JustBS

Here's a link to the guide I referenced bleeding the cylinders. It is dated June 2003, and discontinued but the process still seems to be applicable. If the link doesn't work search for kwikee level best service guide. Hope it helps, and all goes well. https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws..._ksg002__s.pdf

Thanks so much. Really appreciate your response!!

[So CA Joe]

Originally Posted by So CA Joe

I ran across this post recently. I have leaking seals and would like to get my jacks repaired as well. You mentioned bleeding the hydraulic lines based on instructions in the installation manual. I don't have that procedure in my manual. Could you provide that for me?

Do you recall how you shipped the jacks? What type container did you use?

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by So CA Joe

Do you recall how you shipped the jacks? What type container did you use?

I was able to find new jacks back in October 2017. Two of them with shipping cost $842 back then. Unfortunately, as has been mentioned here, they cost a lot more now,, if you can even find them.

Anyway, I believe the jacks that were shipped to me were cradled in that expanding foam stuff inside a heavy cardboard box. Not sure how they made the foam fit the jacks but I think it could be done spraying enough of it into heavy plastic sheeting (garbage bag maybe) then squishing the jack down into the plastic to form around the jack. Don't know for sure how that would work but I'd give it a try if I ever need to ship one across country.

I have read on here that the Kwikee jacks have to be cut apart and then welded back together after the rebuild is done. I also read here in one of the threads, that a good hydraulic shop may be able to perform this procedure. Might be worth calling around your area to see if someone can do it.

[So CA Joe]

Do you recall how you packaged the jacks when you shipped them to Custom Cylinders?

[153stars]

Do you have any foam board to support the cylinders. The foam bags the use for shipping is low density high expansion. But if it escapes the bag it's not a nightmare to clean off like regular Instafoam. You could support and center the cylinders on a box and try bagging some foam. If it gets on your hands or cylinders it won't be good. I'm sure you could find a video of DIY .

Originally Posted by So CA Joe

Do you recall how you packaged the jacks when you shipped them to Custom Cylinders?

[JustBS]

When shipped my first two cylinders I basically built a custom cardboard box using repurposed heavy duty cardboard from an old box used to shop RV batteries. I used layers of stacked cardboard to support the cylinder inside the custom box. Then I used lots of clear packing tape to hold the box together. The clear tape is fairly strong. Then when they returned the first two I used their box to return the second two.