I purchased my 2011 AF 27-5 used. Yesterday, I returned from short trip and parked it in my driveway which has a downslope. As a result, I have to extend the legs quite far to get it level to open the slides - even after placing 4" blocks under the legs. I have done this several times and it has always made it to level. This time, I heard a click and everything quit. A few seconds later, another click and it was alive again. I concluded that the motor was overheated (thermal breaker) so I waited a few hours to try again. After waiting, it started slowly like it was really straining. Then, POW, something broke loose and it motored right up to level. What I didn't notice at the time was that only the driver side jack was extending. When I later realized the other jack was dangling in the air, I lowered it until the weight rested on both jacks. That's where it now sits.My old trailer had a pin or bolt in the landing gear that engaged the opposite side jack and I had that break or fall out once. Does this one have something similar? I haven't had a chance to really dig into this yet - hoping someone else has faced this before and can tell what to do and how to get to it. If it isn't this, then some troubleshooting advice would be welcome.

Sounds like the gearbox has broken. The are made of plastic and if extended too far will break. I went through a similar problem with my 2010 A 24-5. They are made by Lipert but Lipert also makes an aluminium. Look on EBay. UTube has agood video on how to replace them,

Njmurvin wrote:My old trailer had a pin or bolt in the landing gear that engaged the opposite side jack and I had that break or fall out once. Does this one have something similar? I haven't had a chance to really dig into this yet - hoping someone else has faced this before and can tell what to do and how to get to it. If it isn't this, then some troubleshooting advice would be welcome.Sounds exactly like a broken pin in the equalizing shaft. Should be easy to find.I think the clicks you heard were the pin partially dislodged, and jamming. If you are lucky you may find the pin (it's actually a bolt and nut) and just put them back in place.

If you have just one motor to operate the landing gear you should have the same cross over bar that will have a pin/bolt that could have broken or sheared off, or it could be one in the gears of that landing gear leg.

Njmurvin wrote:I purchased my 2011 AF 27-5 used. Yesterday, I returned from short trip and parked it in my driveway which has a downslope. As a result, I have to extend the legs quite far to get it level to open the slides - even after placing 4" blocks under the legs. I have done this several times and it has always made it to level. This time, I heard a click and everything quit. A few seconds later, another click and it was alive again. I concluded that the motor was overheated (thermal breaker) so I waited a few hours to try again. After waiting, it started slowly like it was really straining. Then, POW, something broke loose and it motored right up to level. What I didn't notice at the time was that only the driver side jack was extending. When I later realized the other jack was dangling in the air, I lowered it until the weight rested on both jacks. That's where it now sits.My old trailer had a pin or bolt in the landing gear that engaged the opposite side jack and I had that break or fall out once. Does this one have something similar? I haven't had a chance to really dig into this yet - hoping someone else has faced this before and can tell what to do and how to get to it. If it isn't this, then some troubleshooting advice would be welcome.Is the driveway so steep that the drop extensions are fully extended before you start powering the legs down and you're =still= hitting the stop? If so, that's not a driveway =I'd= want to park on; that's probably 6' of possible extension. You should =never= be hitting the full-extension stop on your landing legs. Why none of the mfrs put a bright red band on the legs on =both= ends, has baffled me for years. On something that steep, I'd not want the landing legs on blocks, at all; I'd want them firmly on the ground with nothing in between to rock. IMO, what you =should= be doing is backing in, power down the legs 8-10" =then= drop the extensions. After this, unhitch, then level. If you have the habit, like some I've seen, of traveling with the legs in the fully retracted position, then you might want to drop them 12-18" before dropping the extensions.Lyle

laknox wrote:Is the driveway so steep that the drop extensions are fully extended before you start powering the legs down and you're =still= hitting the stop? If so, that's not a driveway =I'd= want to park on; that's probably 6' of possible extension. You should =never= be hitting the full-extension stop on your landing legs. Why none of the mfrs put a bright red band on the legs on =both= ends, has baffled me for years. On something that steep, I'd not want the landing legs on blocks, at all; I'd want them firmly on the ground with nothing in between to rock. IMO, what you =should= be doing is backing in, power down the legs 8-10" =then= drop the extensions. After this, unhitch, then level. If you have the habit, like some I've seen, of traveling with the legs in the fully retracted position, then you might want to drop them 12-18" before dropping the extensions.LyleNo. It's not that steep. I've managed this same driveway many times with this trailer and dozens of times with my old one. I didn't hit the stop. I overloaded the motor and it cut out for a few seconds (my radial arm saw will do the same thing). I had to let it sit and cool before continuing. There is maybe 3'-4' of lift total (I'll have to measure). But, something else is binding up somewhere because it seems to be working way too hard to lift the nose of the trailer. I noticed that one of the landing gear foot pads is crushed (basic Lippert style). I need to replace that. I wonder if that might be causing a misalignment (one leg extended slightly more than the other. For now, I have to get it up on the truck and only one side moves. I need to find that bolt or pin so the other jack moves. Once I transfer the load onto the truck, I'll be more comfortable getting under there and working on it. I know ... these jacks won't collapse, but it still kinda freaks me out.Is there some way to lube the gears in the tubes without tearing everything apart?

Landing gear problem | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

BB_TX
Nomad
Jul 08, 2016
Njmurvin wrote:
........

BTW, to get to level, the bottom of the trailer is right at 36" off the ground. Subtract 3.5" for the block and that means the jacks are extended 31.5". Is that too much?

If it were me, I would get some large boards and build some taller blocks with a very wide footprint for using at home on that slope. Footprint wide enough to there would be no danger of tipping over. 4 or 5 pieces of 2" x 12" x 12" long glued and screwed maybe. Generally no need to carry them with you when you travel.
Njmurvin
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2016
laknox wrote:

Glad it was a simple issue. Make =sure= you get the 2 legs sync'd before you install the new bolt, though. :-) FWIW, 32" of extension isn't bad at all. I've had near-40 on one site; lowest step was nearly on the ground. :-) FWIW, at our usual boondock site, I have to extend the legs nearly to the ground before I drop the extensions, then drop the nose nearly 2' from the hitched position to level. Tail ends up so high that I have to put a small step under the folding steps. :-)

Lyle

Yup. I plan to count the holes to sync it up - with a little finessing to get the holes lined up. And I will visit my local RV supply house to see if they have a footpad to replace the crushed one. Otherwise, they sell them on Amazon and I can have it in 2 days.
laknox
Nomad
Jul 08, 2016
Njmurvin wrote:
Found the sheared bolt. The square tube slips over the round shaft. I just have to get it lined up and replace the bolt. I had to do this same fix for my 1994 Terry. Couldn't they come up with a better design 17 years later?

I still think I have a problem with the motor straining too much to lift the nose. But, for now, it will be good to have both sides going up and down.

BTW, to get to level, the bottom of the trailer is right at 36" off the ground. Subtract 3.5" for the block and that means the jacks are extended 31.5". Is that too much?

Glad it was a simple issue. Make =sure= you get the 2 legs sync'd before you install the new bolt, though. :-) FWIW, 32" of extension isn't bad at all. I've had near-40 on one site; lowest step was nearly on the ground. :-) FWIW, at our usual boondock site, I have to extend the legs nearly to the ground before I drop the extensions, then drop the nose nearly 2' from the hitched position to level. Tail ends up so high that I have to put a small step under the folding steps. :-)

Lyle
Njmurvin
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2016
Found the sheared bolt. The square tube slips over the round shaft. I just have to get it lined up and replace the bolt. I had to do this same fix for my 1994 Terry. Couldn't they come up with a better design 17 years later?

I still think I have a problem with the motor straining too much to lift the nose. But, for now, it will be good to have both sides going up and down.

BTW, to get to level, the bottom of the trailer is right at 36" off the ground. Subtract 3.5" for the block and that means the jacks are extended 31.5". Is that too much?
BB_TX
Nomad
Jul 08, 2016
With one leg working and the other not, it is almost surely a sheared pin (bolt), or one that fell out. Probably a 1/4" or maybe 5/16" bolt. There should be a shaft going across from one side jack to the other. Look on the end at the jack that is not working and see if there is an empty hole in the shaft/coupling. If so, replace it with a grade 2 bolt of the same size.

If there is no bolt missing, the problem may be in the gearing for that side. You can have some one actuate the switch while you watch that side. If the shaft into the gear box is turning and the jack is not moving, then a problem in the gear box.
Njmurvin
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2016
laknox wrote:

Is the driveway so steep that the drop extensions are fully extended before you start powering the legs down and you're =still= hitting the stop? If so, that's not a driveway =I'd= want to park on; that's probably 6' of possible extension. You should =never= be hitting the full-extension stop on your landing legs. Why none of the mfrs put a bright red band on the legs on =both= ends, has baffled me for years. On something that steep, I'd not want the landing legs on blocks, at all; I'd want them firmly on the ground with nothing in between to rock. IMO, what you =should= be doing is backing in, power down the legs 8-10" =then= drop the extensions. After this, unhitch, then level. If you have the habit, like some I've seen, of traveling with the legs in the fully retracted position, then you might want to drop them 12-18" before dropping the extensions.

Lyle

No. It's not that steep. I've managed this same driveway many times with this trailer and dozens of times with my old one. I didn't hit the stop. I overloaded the motor and it cut out for a few seconds (my radial arm saw will do the same thing). I had to let it sit and cool before continuing. There is maybe 3'-4' of lift total (I'll have to measure).

But, something else is binding up somewhere because it seems to be working way too hard to lift the nose of the trailer. I noticed that one of the landing gear foot pads is crushed (basic Lippert style). I need to replace that. I wonder if that might be causing a misalignment (one leg extended slightly more than the other. For now, I have to get it up on the truck and only one side moves. I need to find that bolt or pin so the other jack moves. Once I transfer the load onto the truck, I'll be more comfortable getting under there and working on it. I know ... these jacks won't collapse, but it still kinda freaks me out.

Is there some way to lube the gears in the tubes without tearing everything apart?
laknox
Nomad
Jul 08, 2016
Njmurvin wrote:
I purchased my 2011 AF 27-5 used. Yesterday, I returned from short trip and parked it in my driveway which has a downslope. As a result, I have to extend the legs quite far to get it level to open the slides - even after placing 4" blocks under the legs. I have done this several times and it has always made it to level. This time, I heard a click and everything quit. A few seconds later, another click and it was alive again. I concluded that the motor was overheated (thermal breaker) so I waited a few hours to try again. After waiting, it started slowly like it was really straining. Then, POW, something broke loose and it motored right up to level. What I didn't notice at the time was that only the driver side jack was extending. When I later realized the other jack was dangling in the air, I lowered it until the weight rested on both jacks. That's where it now sits.

My old trailer had a pin or bolt in the landing gear that engaged the opposite side jack and I had that break or fall out once. Does this one have something similar? I haven't had a chance to really dig into this yet - hoping someone else has faced this before and can tell what to do and how to get to it. If it isn't this, then some troubleshooting advice would be welcome.

Is the driveway so steep that the drop extensions are fully extended before you start powering the legs down and you're =still= hitting the stop? If so, that's not a driveway =I'd= want to park on; that's probably 6' of possible extension. You should =never= be hitting the full-extension stop on your landing legs. Why none of the mfrs put a bright red band on the legs on =both= ends, has baffled me for years. On something that steep, I'd not want the landing legs on blocks, at all; I'd want them firmly on the ground with nothing in between to rock. IMO, what you =should= be doing is backing in, power down the legs 8-10" =then= drop the extensions. After this, unhitch, then level. If you have the habit, like some I've seen, of traveling with the legs in the fully retracted position, then you might want to drop them 12-18" before dropping the extensions.

Lyle
johntank
Explorer
Jul 08, 2016
If you have just one motor to operate the landing gear you should have the same cross over bar that will have a pin/bolt that could have broken or sheared off, or it could be one in the gears of that landing gear leg.
bpounds
Nomad
Jul 08, 2016
Njmurvin wrote:

My old trailer had a pin or bolt in the landing gear that engaged the opposite side jack and I had that break or fall out once. Does this one have something similar? I haven't had a chance to really dig into this yet - hoping someone else has faced this before and can tell what to do and how to get to it. If it isn't this, then some troubleshooting advice would be welcome.

Sounds exactly like a broken pin in the equalizing shaft. Should be easy to find.

I think the clicks you heard were the pin partially dislodged, and jamming. If you are lucky you may find the pin (it's actually a bolt and nut) and just put them back in place.
attuco
Explorer
Jul 08, 2016
Sounds like the gearbox has broken. The are made of plastic and if extended too far will break. I went through a similar problem with my 2010 A 24-5. They are made by Lipert but Lipert also makes an aluminium. Look on EBay. UTube has agood video on how to replace them,

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Landing gear problem

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