Community Forums

stanleyz · 08-19-2015, 10:27 AM

2005 Mobile suites, hydraulic front landing gear and rear stabilizers. Last spring the drivers side stabilizer started dropping from the up position. Took it to CW they kept it a month and charged me a fortune but when I picked it up it was just like when I left it there. To get it to camping World I had to chain up both stabilizers. When the drivers side was chained the fluid would escape and push the passenger side down. At least that is what I think was happening. So wanting to go on our summer trip I decided I would just chain the stabilizers up. I made a pair of short chains with hooks on each end for that purpose. I could pull the chains off and use the stabilizer and re-chain them to travel. Worked great for the first 14 stops and 6000 miles on our trip. Monday we started home and about noon pulled into a truck stop, as we entered I could hear a scrapping noise. The chain had fallen off the passenger side and the stabilizer was on the ground.

So, I run the stabilizers to the up position and find a good spot for emergency repairs. But both stabilizers stayed up on that very short trip. lowered and raised them a few times and they did not drop. So I put the chains back on loosely but tight enough that they would catch the stabilizers if they started to drop. Drove all day Monday, left them up Monday night and drove all day Tuesday and they never dropped. Worked like new. Used them last night and raised them this AM and they are still up. THEY SEEM TO HAVE REPAIRED THEMSELVES.

Sooooo, I'm thinking there was some sort of crap caught in the drivers side seal and it washed out. But, I'm sure not an expert so would anyone like to disagree and give me another explanation or agree and tell me why they agree. And, the most important question, "should I try to flush the system or just keep on RVing"? What does anyone think, or does someone have a similar experience? thanks.

Barlow46 · 08-19-2015, 01:17 PM

Was you fluid level dropping? If not, I would suspect that you may have purged air from the system but more than likely you have an internal seal leaking.

Snappy2265 · 08-19-2015, 07:23 PM

The most likely possibility that could fix itself would be a solenoid valve that is was not closing on the hyd. system. Debris in the seal would have caused a leak back resulting in the trailer settling. Check for moisture or debris in the oil tank, see if the oil looks dirty and flush the system. Electric solenoids in these systems all pretty much work the same, be it in a tommy lift or a piece of machinery, and they all have their share of problems sticking open or even closed. Also look at your solenoids and see if there is any damage, cracked seals covers, which would have let moisture in, causing rust on the solenoid and making it stick, I've had that problem with my tommy lift.

Appy · 08-19-2015, 07:36 PM

By the sounds of what you described, you had air in the system. Landing gear up slides in now check fluid level. Top off if not. Work the closest cylinder to the system first, the front Jacks then the rear. Now the bedroom slide then street side and last the curb side. Never stop part way with a slide then reverse unless it's absolutely necessary. To close up do everything in reverse. Curb slide first then street side then bedroom slide, rear Jacks then front jacks. Always in this order. The hydraulic systems in these units are touchy. I had a newer system installed in mine and had a hydraulic engineer adjust it up. Works great now. Check for any leaks at the manifold or at the jacks. Could be drawing air if there are leaks.

wingnut60 · 08-19-2015, 08:49 PM

FWIW,
I believe in the '05 model MS, the bedroom slide works opposite of the other two--fluid level in resevoir will be highest with 2 main slides in and the bedroom out. This is what I have heard/read, not sure I am right.

StanleyZ--met you at the Santa Fe CG, was great putting a face to a name. Wish my '05 looked as sharp on the outside as yours does.

Joe

Appy · 08-19-2015, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingnut60

FWIW,
I believe in the '05 model MS, the bedroom slide works opposite of the other two--fluid level in resevoir will be highest with 2 main slides in and the bedroom out. This is what I have heard/read, not sure I am right.

StanleyZ--met you at the Santa Fe CG, was great putting a face to a name. Wish my '05 looked as sharp on the outside as yours does.

Joe

Possible, you could run each slide or jack and check fluid level after each one and note the difference in fluid level.

missourijan · 08-20-2015, 11:54 AM

This has been a common problem with the Lippert Hydraulics. We had a 2007 Select Suite and had to have the rams replaced. Don't ever take your Mobile Suite to Camping World for repairs. Take it to a Drv dealer, they have seen this before, OR call Lippert directly. They should be able to diagnose the issue. Post any questions you have regarding your Drv on an owner's site, Thor has one for Drv OR on www.5thwheelforums.com under Drv Suites. There is a website for suites owners, www.suitesowners.com but it's been down for several months and hoping it will be back up soon. There's a world of info on there.

stanleyz · 08-22-2015, 08:09 AM

UPDATE AND BUMP Hi Joe, Seems like a year since we met, but I'm now two more driving days to home and time to deal with this problem once more. To pick up where I left off above: On Thursday morning my wife ran in the passenger slide and that caused the stabilizers to drop about half way down. I had already run them up. However from that point on they returned to failing every time they were raised. Of course I kept them chained. At lunch on Friday I decided I would try to recreate the event that caused them to start working right so I unchained the passenger side, left the driver side chained, and went to eat. When I got back the passenger side was down all the way. So I retracted the stabilizers and guess what, they started working correctly again. That's where I stand as of now. For the rest of this trip I will use the hydraulics in the order suggested above and see what happens. Right now neither a bad seal nor an air bubble make sense to me. I can't wait to talk to lippert again, lol.

JBurg · 08-22-2015, 08:38 AM

Dang. I think I'm going to install some chains on mine after reading this thread. Just in case.

stanleyz · 08-22-2015, 08:47 AM

Just a quick add on to my post above. Through out this period of failures the stabilizers have always worked correctly in the down position. A few weeks back I put them down firmly, marked them with a felt tip and when I checked 3 or 4 days later they were exactly where they were marked. So, who has a solution??????

schrod · 08-22-2015, 08:58 AM

Sounds to me like there is a switch valve and it is sometimes sticking.

Appy · 08-22-2015, 10:13 AM

Mine acted like that after new hydraulic system was installed. Dealer had hydraulic tech adjust before I would pay for it. Has been working great for a year now, up, down, in or out. Stays put whether up or down. Doesn't sound like anything major, just need to find someone who knows hydraulics.