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Gray_Fox's avatar
Gray_Fox
Explorer
Jul 26, 2020

front jacks

I have a 2009 Hitchhiker and having trouble with the front jacks. The book says I can lubricate them from the top from a front access panel. Has anyone done this?
  • I have a 2006 Carriage 5th wheel I bought new and I did the front jacks a little differently and it was very much easier. On mine at the top of the leg is a plastic cap that covers the gears. I pull the cap and make sure their is plenty of grease in their. Then when I first got the RV I drilled a small hole in the side toward the top of the square tubing that houses the shaft. The hole is just big enough to put my oil can in and touch the shaft. I put synthetic gear oil in the oil can. I squirt the oil on the shaft and let it run down. then I run the front jacks up and down. I squirt some more oil on the shaft. The next day it has made its way down and has run down on the bottom leg. I wipe the excess off and that is it till next time. Been doing that for 14 years now.
  • Here is a YouTube on this very question:

    HitchHiker Front Jack Lube

    I did it much simpler. I just used "foam pipe insulating material"--cut it lengthwise and put some lube grease inside and pushed it up into the landing leg screw.

    Hope this makes sense!
  • I don't know about Hitchhiker (and I assume you're talking electric landing gear), but there were Zerk fittings at the top of the Lippert struts inside the front compartment on our last fifth wheel. I used a grease gun with a flexible hose fitting on it to reach the fittings.

    Rob