Community Forums

voltdoc · 02-26-2015, 03:20 PM

For the past month or so we have been hearing creaking or popping sounds every 15 minutes or so when the coach is parked and leveled out on the jacks. Never did this before. Sometimes it will happen when we are outside with no one in the coach and other times when one of us moves inside it will trigger the noise. The sounds can come from either the front or rear of the coach and sound like short creaks or clicks. It's kind of annoying to say the least.

At this point my theory is the Equalizer jacks have an internal leak. There is no visible oil leakage. Recently I measured the exposed cylinder portion of each jack just after setting up camp. Over a 6 day period the RF jack dropped 5/16" and the LR dropped 3/16". The RR and LF maintained their extension. I'm thinking the small changes in elevation and chassis twisting are causing the noises?

On one occasion at a campground with a nice level site that we stayed at for three nites I never put down the jacks and we never heard the noises.

Anyone else experienced this?

Thanks!

brobox · 02-26-2015, 03:23 PM

Rob, my guess would be fluid going past the check valves to the reservoir. I have heard of it before, but I have not experienced it.

mel s · 02-26-2015, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Rob, my guess would be fluid going past the check valves to the reservoir. I have heard of it before, but I have not experienced it.

Rob,
Brobox may be correct.

However, with my RVA Jacks... if a "manual retract valve" is not tightly closed, (or works loose), the corresponding jack can/will retract slightly over time.
Extending the jack electrically and then retracting it a bit, (by opening the manual valve for a few seconds....then closing the valve tightly), will usually cure the problem.
Yours may do the same.

Mel
'96 Safari

voltdoc · 02-26-2015, 03:57 PM

Brobox, thanks I had heard of that too.

mel_s, good info I will check that out, thanks!

loisjop · 02-26-2015, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voltdoc

Brobox, thanks I had heard of that too.

mel_s, good info I will check that out, thanks!

Rob, it must be contagious. Mine has been doing the same thing. I haven't actually measured the jacks, but I can't tell the mh has changed. Mine sounds like the front. I think same as you that one or both of the front jacks is leaking internally however, they just changed all of my jacks about a month ago for a different problem. Noel

RW8804 · 02-26-2015, 05:37 PM

I'd suggest that you call Equalizer in Elkhart. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

voltdoc · 02-27-2015, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RW8804

I'd suggest that you call Equalizer in Elkhart. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Did that today. The tech said "...well 5/16" isn't bad..." Really? Pretty much felt like he was brushing me off and I had to press him for more info.

When I suggested possibly air in the lines, he did say oh yeah that could be it and gave a a procedure to help purge any possible air. It basically involves fully extending and retracting the jacks several times.

He did finally mention that I make sure the manual valves were seated properly as mel_s indicated.

Also I did learn that there is only one check valve for the whole system so if that were leaking all my jacks would be dropping together, not only 2 of the 4 as is the case with mine.

I will re-seat the valves and run the purge procedure and see what happens...

voltdoc · 02-27-2015, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loisjop

Rob, it must be contagious. Mine has been doing the same thing. I haven't actually measured the jacks, but I can't tell the mh has changed. Mine sounds like the front. I think same as you that one or both of the front jacks is leaking internally however, they just changed all of my jacks about a month ago for a different problem. Noel

Bummer Noel! I'll keep you posted of my progress...

brobox · 02-27-2015, 03:51 PM

Rob, a word of caution on the purging method. One of the forum members was told the same thing......however the motor needs to cool between cycles. He did his several times as suggested and burnt the motor up. Thankfully he had just left Entegra and was able to get the motor replaced while he was still in the area.

I have also had a motor replaced so I don't know sturdy they are for several cycles in a row. Let us know how that works.

NRF · 02-27-2015, 07:34 PM

Mine did the same on my maiden voyage. In bed, I would hear a creak - perhaps a clunk. Seemed that it was the front jack lowering. Brought it in and they marked the jack and wouldn't you know it - it never happened again. So no resolution but it hasn't happened again

loisjop · 02-28-2015, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Rob, a word of caution on the purging method. One of the forum members was told the same thing......however the motor needs to cool between cycles. He did his several times as suggested and burnt the motor up. Thankfully he had just left Entegra and was able to get the motor replaced while he was still in the area.

I have also had a motor replaced so I don't know sturdy they are for several cycles in a row. Let us know how that works.

X2 for what Chuck said. Mine may very well be air since they just replaced the jacks, but I'm concerned about melting the brush holders in the motor. From what I was told they are plastic and melting them is what screws up the motor. Noel

brobox · 02-28-2015, 04:03 PM

Noel, Mine popped and creaked the fist couple of nights a LD and I figured it was air in the system on the new coach and didn't worry about it. When we picked the coach up at Entegra, it never did it again. Rob's is strange as he has a few nights on his and now it's popping. It does sound like air has entered the system.

PPAinPA · 02-28-2015, 06:00 PM

I'm not certain if this applies but I received a service bulletin from Spartan last week... (Csb14-260-002) " condition exists where noise it created from the steering system while static steering at idle". It sounds like what you are talking about. Hope this helps...

voltdoc · 03-09-2015, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PPAinPA

I'm not certain if this applies but I received a service bulletin from Spartan last week... (Csb14-260-002) " condition exists where noise it created from the steering system while static steering at idle". It sounds like what you are talking about. Hope this helps...

Thanks for the feedback, but I'm pretty sure that's a different issue - I got that same TSB. The noises I have are with the engine off. I don't have the steering noise issue or at least I never noticed it.