Buried the jacks in mud
Chris Lamb
might help others who never previously contemplated doing something so
stupid, and you might give me some ideas about how to solve this mess.
Solid ground under the tires. But where the rear leveling jacks hit
was soft mud and we couldn't see it in advance. Problem now is the
jacks won't retract. Called HWH and was told to unscrew the solenoid
valves to release the hydraulic pressure (model 325 if anyone cares).
The rest it appears is going to be getting under there and digging and
prying to get the jacks back up. Good news is this happened in our
back yard (ground was soft because my son rototilled it to plant a
garden while we were away, changed his mind and planted grass. Bad
news is we are supposed to leave for our next journey next week.
Thanks for any suggestions as I still have to get the jacks back up.
Sure glad it didn't happen in some remote boondocking area. Another
lesson learned.
Chris Lamb
Bob Hatch
news:40dc4d18...@news.central.cox.net
Bad
> news is we are supposed to leave for our next journey next week.
> Thanks for any suggestions as I still have to get the jacks back up.
> Sure glad it didn't happen in some remote boondocking area. Another
> lesson learned.
> Chris Lamb
Get (rent) a couple of heavy duty bottle jacks. Lay down some solid support
under the jacks (like 4x8 3/4 plywood) to spread the weight. One jack under
each side of the rear axle. Jack the MH up until the HWH jacks clear the
ground and at that point the springs should retract the jacks.
--
"Your money does not cause my poverty. Refusal to believe
this is at the bottom of most bad economic thinking." --P. J. O'Rourke
http://www.bobhatch.com
William Boyd
Get a piece of 2" angle iron beam long enough to go from one level jack
to the other, chain each end to the bottom of the leveling jack where
the bottom of the spring is, put a hydraulic jack under the angle iron
beam, close to one of the jacks, and jack the bottom of the leveling
jack out of the mud, go to the other side and do the same thing. BILL
Lone Haranguer
Another
> lesson learned.
I would wash away as much as possible with a garden hose with some
serious pressure. Have someone activate the jacks from time to time
while you are hosing the mud away. Let your son deal with the results.
LZ
HDinNY
I think I'd do the same except wouldn't try to retract till
the cylinder rods were exposed. Then I'd clean them up
before retracting.
HD in CNY
Chris Lamb
Chris
On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 17:09:03 GMT, Will Sill <wi...@epix.anet> wrote:
>I see where oz...@cox.net (Chris Lamb) contributed:
>
>> Problem now is the jacks won't retract.
>
>I regret to be the bearer of bad news, but I think the factory advice
>is Dumb. I am NOT a jack expert, but IMO there should BE no hydraulic
>pressure in the retract mode. Instead, springs pull up the pad -
>right?
>
>If so, I have more bad news - the way to get 'em outa the mud is
>digging and prying. The way to keep that from happening again is to
>carry some plywood pieces to pitch under the pads.
>
>You want luxury? You gotta sometimes get down & dirty to enjoy it!
>
>Will ---- the Curmudgeon of Sill Hill
>I post to help rv'ers and annoy the snot out of morons,
>idjits, fools and bozos - - and to irk their ilk.
>Often, I do both at once.
>If you feel annoyed, check your status.
Kevin W. Miller
Chris,
I sympathize with your plight. You've had some good suggestions and I think
digging is going to be the best along with HD's suggestion of cleaning the
cylinders. I'm curious, though. If you wouldn't mind sharing how you managed
to get the front wheels over the soft mud (assuming you drove it in
forwards)? Were you not able to feel it when driving over it? I appreciate
your sharing an embarassing incident and I'm not trying to make it worse for
you; just trying to picture how it happened so that I can avoid a similar
incident.
Thanks,
Kevin W. Miller
Lon VanOstran
writes:
>Get a piece of 2" angle iron beam long enough to go from one level jack
>to the other, chain each end to the bottom of the leveling jack where
>the bottom of the spring is, put a hydraulic jack under the angle iron
>beam, close to one of the jacks, and jack the bottom of the leveling
>jack out of the mud, go to the other side and do the same thing. BILL
>
DO NOT DO THIS. On HWH jacks, the plate is not fastened to the cylinder, but is
held against it by BOTH springs. Uneven pulling on that plate can result in
serious injury and damage to the system.
Dig until the jacks are free from the mud.
Lon
Eisboch
Will Sill <wi...@epix.anet> wrote in message
news:qmmod0l21olpj8e4l...@4ax.com...
>
> is Dumb. I am NOT a jack expert, but IMO there should BE no hydraulic
> pressure in the retract mode. Instead, springs pull up the pad -
> right?
>
Not true of all types. My Chinook has HWH jacks. They have springs that
pull them up, but the hydraulic solenoid has to switch to a return open
position in order for the fluid to return. I recently had a visit from a
HWH field service rep because I had two jacks that would not retract in a
timely fashion. He determined that I had two faulty solenoids. He also
showed me how to retract them in an emergency. There is a 1/4 inch nut on
the end of the solenoid and, by loosening it, it opens the return orifice
and the jacks retract.
I think the hydraulic solenoids lock in a return closed position which
hydraulically locks the jacks in whatever position they are in when
deployed. Otherwise, the jack would slowly retract due to the weight of the
RV.
Eisboch
Speedy
I don't know the various models but if they aren't swing up jacks, get
out the shovel, etc.
If they are swing up jacks...
I had a problem with my HWH jacks and during my conversation with their
tech support he said not to worry about the swing up jacks. You can
drive right off them without hurting them. I'm not sure I'd try it with
pressure on them but with the levers in the retract position there is no
hydraulic pressure holding them down. Just the suction of the mud. If
you roll forward about 2 feet it'll pull them out of the mud and they'll
swing right up.
I'd then get some wood under them, get them right down again and crawl
under there and do some cleaning. Wash and wipe any mud and debris off
followed by some lubrication. Everyone has a preference but I prefer a
really light oil or silicone lubricant. Grease just picks up and holds
on to sand and junk. That'll eat up those seals. You want them really
smooth and slippery. The strut needs to Sssslllliiiide on the seals not
stick to or abrade them.
Speedy
Chris Lamb wrote:
>Solid ground under the tires. But where the rear leveling jacks hit
>was soft mud and we couldn't see it in advance. Problem now is the
>jacks won't retract. Called HWH and was told to unscrew the solenoid
>valves to release the hydraulic pressure (model 325 if anyone cares).
>The rest it appears is going to be getting under there and digging and
>prying to get the jacks back up.
phil willen
getting the wheels off the ground and the jacks should fold up.
I found this out the hard way, when I jacked the back up too high, not realizing
the parking brake, being on the drive shaft, allowed
the rig to go forward off the jacks.
phil w
Bob Hatch
news:40DCFD3E...@earthlink.net
> If you can get hold of a couple or ramps, drive forward
> getting the wheels off the ground and the jacks should fold up.
> I found this out the hard way, when I jacked the back up too high,
> not realizing the parking brake, being on the drive shaft, allowed
> the rig to go forward off the jacks.
> phil w
>
straight up hydraulic retracts.
Chris Lamb
headache the fact that I am physically "disabled." I'm lucky to carry
myself around, much less be crawling under the motorhome with a
shovel. Digging around the dirt wouldn't be too bad. They are both
only down about 6 inches. Problem is on the right one, the footplate
and springs came off, and the springs is what makes the thing retract.
I think if I dig around the left one, it will come up. Then if I
release the solenoid valve on the RR, I came get a 2x4 under it and
pry it back up. But I was warned by HWH about putting the springs
back on. Guy told me there have been lots of head injuries and
missing fingers from people trying to do it alone. So I think I will
take it to the dealer to let them put that part back together.
Chris Lamb
On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 22:26:23 -0700, "Bob Hatch" <bobh...@go.com>
wrote:
Chris Lamb
house end of March, bought the new MH at FMCA in March and have been
on the road since April 1. So the turf is all new to us still. The
ground is Texas Panhandle rock hard right up to a foot behind the rear
tires. Like I said my son had rototilled the ground back there to
plant a garden, changed his mind and planted grass. So you couldn't
tell it was any different than the rest of the dirt.
Chris Lamb
Bob Hatch
> Bob is correct, the Adventurer 37B has straight up jacks. Add to the
> headache the fact that I am physically "disabled." I'm lucky to carry
> myself around, much less be crawling under the motorhome with a
> shovel. Digging around the dirt wouldn't be too bad. They are both
> only down about 6 inches. Problem is on the right one, the footplate
> and springs came off, and the springs is what makes the thing retract.
> I think if I dig around the left one, it will come up. Then if I
> release the solenoid valve on the RR, I came get a 2x4 under it and
> pry it back up. But I was warned by HWH about putting the springs
> back on. Guy told me there have been lots of head injuries and
> missing fingers from people trying to do it alone. So I think I will
> take it to the dealer to let them put that part back together.
> Chris Lamb
>
easy to stretch out and then attach to either the frame or the plate.
In May of 2000 we hit a tire tread on the road up by Spokane, WA. and lost
the plate on the RR jack. Didn't realize it until we put the jacks down
later that night (well actually it was the next AM when the jack wouldn't
retract) and the point was driven down about 1 inch into asphalt. Had to do
like you suggested and pry it up with a combination of boards and jack
handle until we could move it. Called HWH and told them the problem and
found out there was not one place on our route that could repair the darn
thing on short notice. They shipped the jack to our destination point and
refused to charge for it. My son in law and I put it one by it wasn't easy.
Take it to the dealer. BTW, where is your son in all this? Call him over and
hand him a shovel and a 2x4, then supervise.
Chris Lamb
timing on his part.
Chris Lamb
On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 08:23:38 -0700, "Bob Hatch" <bobh...@go.com>
wrote:
>"Chris Lamb" <oz...@cox.net> wrote in message
Bob Hatch
> #2 son left last Wednesday for a 3 week vacation of his own. Great
> timing on his part.
> Chris Lamb
>
What you can do in 2 hours they will do in 30 mins. It might well be worth
$25.00 or so to get some 18 year old muscle. :-)
Lon VanOstran
>easy to stretch out and then attach to either the frame or the plate.
I disagree. I removed ours with channel locks and my bare hands, and replaced
them the same way. You just have to make sure you get a good grip on them so
they don't bit you.
Lon
Lon VanOstran
>was Dumb of me, but I assumed Chris was bright enough to realize he
>had to have someone hold the retract control while he's digging in the
>mud and cussing. He seems to be a very bright fellow.
>
>Will Sill
My jacks retract without help after moving the two levers to "retract"
position. They don't require the pump, as those springs do the work. The jack
which the springs came off of will need to be pushed up quite firmly to get it
to go. I would use a floor jack to push it up.
Lon
Chris Lamb
happened in the back yard and not in some remote boondocking location.
Things could be worse. I have considered stopping by the local labor
pool and hiring a guy for a day. The kids in this neighborhood are
all too rich to have to do real work. This has been a great lesson.
I am glad to see I am not the only one it has ever happened to. You
can be sure everytime those jacks go down on anything other than
concrete, I am taking the time to put the 12"x12"x3" Lexan pads we
already had from the old motorhome under the jack.
Chris Lamb
On 26 Jun 2004 18:25:20 GMT, rv...@wmconnect.com (Lon VanOstran)
wrote:
Bob Hatch
> I am trying to look on the positive side of this and to be glad it
> happened in the back yard and not in some remote boondocking location.
> Things could be worse. I have considered stopping by the local labor
> pool and hiring a guy for a day. The kids in this neighborhood are
> all too rich to have to do real work.
>
Find out who the football coach is at the local high school. Get in touch
with him and tell him what you need. He will know more than one guy who
wants and needs the work and the money.
john Q pubic
>shovel. Digging around the dirt wouldn't be too bad. They are both
>only down about 6 inches. Problem is on the right one, the footplate
>and springs came off, and the springs is what makes the thing retract.
>I think if I dig
Maybe try digging them out with a high pressure spray from a garden hose or
pressure washer. Like using a sloosh (spelling?) box for dredging gold from a
creek bed.Water got em stuck in, water can get em free. Worth a try anyhow.
MLM
Chris Lamb
we worked closely with our sister plants in the area, and Lexan is
made at Mt. Vernon IN. I have some interesting pieces you normally
won't see as part of normal Lexan products. I have 6 beer steins and
I always love to take one to the shooting range for target practice.
Sure starts up a conversation when I put a piece of 3/8" steel right
next to it and drill a hole right through it with the .223. These are
just some pads I had from the old days, an experiemnt, nothing you
could go out and by anywhere. But I imagine 1/4" piece of Lexan would
stand up just as well.
Chris Lamb
On Sun, 27 Jun 2004 00:38:59 GMT, Will Sill <wi...@epix.anet> wrote:
>I see where oz...@cox.net (Chris Lamb) contributed:
>
>> . . . . You
>>can be sure everytime those jacks go down on anything other than
>>concrete, I am taking the time to put the 12"x12"x3" Lexan pads we
>>already had from the old motorhome under the jack.
>
>A typo, no doubt?
>Around here I am considered "Mister Lexan*" by some folks who know I
>have an inside track on Lexan (and similar polycarbonates) and use it
>for a wide variety of purposes. But I have yet to see the first piece
>3" thick. A piece 1" thick will stop a 30-06 round from fairly
>close range, and the current cost of a square foot of 1/4" Lexan is a
>bit over $10 if you buy a full sheet.
>
>Will Sill
>
>*Lexan is the trademark for GE's version of polycarbonate.
Neon John
>I used to work for GE. I was at the Owensboro KY Aerospace plant, but
>we worked closely with our sister plants in the area, and Lexan is
>made at Mt. Vernon IN. I have some interesting pieces you normally
>won't see as part of normal Lexan products. I have 6 beer steins and
>I always love to take one to the shooting range for target practice.
>Sure starts up a conversation when I put a piece of 3/8" steel right
>next to it and drill a hole right through it with the .223. These are
>just some pads I had from the old days, an experiemnt, nothing you
>could go out and by anywhere. But I imagine 1/4" piece of Lexan would
>stand up just as well.
The most amazing thing I ever saw Lexan do was when I tried to attach a new
belt clip to my ex's pager. I used industrial superglue and like I always do,
after the clip was in place, I touched a drop of accelerator to the glue
fillet to make it set instantly. That half of the transparent blue pager case
instantly took on a milky look. When I picked it up, that half crumbled into
rock-salt-sized pieces of milky blue chuncks. Boy, was I on the spit-list for
awhile.
Lesson: keep funky smelling liquids away from Lexan :-)
John
---
John De Armond
johngdDO...@bellsouth.net
http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/
Cleveland, Occupied TN
LKing37516
the work.
>What you can do in 2 hours they will do in 30 mins. It might well be worth
>$25.00 or so to get some 18 year old muscle. :-)
When the spring broke on ours My son (young muscle) and I (old muscle) couldn't
get the new one on. I was advised by a heavy equipment mechanic to buy a bunch
of flat washers and put them between the springs until the spring was as long
as needed to "hook" it back up. Worked great. I bought about 10 large washers
for the job. Cecil
Bob Hatch
news:20040627175056...@mb-m17.aol.com
>
> When the spring broke on ours My son (young muscle) and I (old
> muscle) couldn't get the new one on. I was advised by a heavy
> equipment mechanic to buy a bunch of flat washers and put them
> between the springs until the spring was as long as needed to "hook"
> it back up. Worked great. I bought about 10 large washers for the
> job. Cecil
Where the heck were you with this advice in May of 2000? :-)
BD
>
> When the spring broke on ours My son (young muscle) and I (old muscle)
couldn't
> get the new one on. I was advised by a heavy equipment mechanic to buy a
bunch
> of flat washers and put them between the springs until the spring was as
long
> as needed to "hook" it back up. Worked great. I bought about 10 large
washers
> for the job. Cecil
That is a great tip!
Thanks Cecil.
BD
Chris Lamb
That is a great inexpensive tip. THANKS
Chris Lamb
Bob Hatch
> While I dug it out I still don't have the springs and foot back on.
> That is a great inexpensive tip. THANKS
> Chris Lamb
>
years and would like to stop of and solve the worlds problems over a cup of
coffee.
Chris Lamb
full. We live in Amarillo. DeLores mentioned that she visited you
and your wife at your home. Stop in anytime for coffee, but if you
wait two years, there may not be a world left to solve problems about,
at the rate we are going.
Chris Lamb
On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 08:16:08 -0700, "Bob Hatch" <bobh...@go.com>
wrote:
>"Chris Lamb" <oz...@cox.net> wrote in message
Bob Hatch
> Bob, sent you mail at go.com but it returned saying your mailbox was
> full. We live in Amarillo. DeLores mentioned that she visited you
> and your wife at your home. Stop in anytime for coffee, but if you
> wait two years, there may not be a world left to solve problems about,
> at the rate we are going.
> Chris Lamb
>
bobhatch at bobhatch.com and it will get to me.
I don't have a lot of choice about the timing and IMO the world will still
be here. There will be additional terrorist attacks here and abroad until
the world as a whole finally gets an ass full of it and decide to combat
evil with a greater and overwhelming force. But we can talk about that over
coffee.
Yup, DeLores was here and IMO you got a great lady. Cannot comment on her
part of the bargain as I've not met you yet but trust her taste and
judgment. :-)
Lone Haranguer
> "Chris Lamb" <oz...@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:40dffd1...@news.central.cox.net
>
>>While I dug it out I still don't have the springs and foot back on.
>>That is a great inexpensive tip. THANKS
>>Chris Lamb
>>
>
> What part of Texas are you guys in? We may be down there in a couple of
> years and would like to stop of and solve the worlds problems over a cup of
> coffee.
>
Where does the wind never stop blowing? Where can you get hail the size
of grapefruit pelting your head? Where does it snow and the next week
hit 100 degrees? Where is Amarillo, Texas? An outpost in the
panhandle. Whatever is left of it after the tornadoes two weeks ago.
LZ
DeLores Lamb
tornado and grapefruit size hail hit. Blew the windows out and not a
body panel was spared. Adjuster just came today and totalled it.
Ype, that's Amarillo and we love it!
Chris
Lone Haranguer
> Yep, that's home! We had the BMW at a restaurant last Monday when the
> tornado and grapefruit size hail hit. Blew the windows out and not a
> body panel was spared. Adjuster just came today and totalled it.
> Ype, that's Amarillo and we love it!
> Chris
>
should drive a big, honkin, white Ford Diesel or the locals will take
you for an effete snob from back east.
Our weather is looking up although the wind still blew today. The
butterflies weren't wearing earmuffs anyway. Heck, we might see 80
tomorrow.
LZ