Manual rear jacks?

jjj wrote:
I also have the manual jacks and this year I used something different. I bought some Proyect all slide out lube for my slideouts and had some left over. I decided to try it on the jacks and it seems to make them work very well. If it helps the metal slides work and not collect dust it should do the same on the jacks. Just my 2 cents worth.

X2 This is what I use also. I use a different brand but it works very well. I don't recall the brand name but I would think just about any brand of slide out seal lube would work.

I also have the manual jacks and this year I used something different. I bought some Proyect all slide out lube for my slideouts and had some left over. I decided to try it on the jacks and it seems to make them work very well. If it helps the metal slides work and not collect dust it should do the same on the jacks. Just my 2 cents worth.

mtofell1 wrote:
I sheared one of mine off last year taking my 5th wheel on a road I probably shouldn't have. I replaced it for $35 at Harbor Freight. The originals were welded on and I had to get creative with mounting the new ones. I say new ones since I just replaced both and made them removable to prevent another problem. The manufacturer just had them ridiculously low and hung right near the rear bumper.

My main point is I wouldn't spend much time trying to fix old ones when you can get a new one for so cheap.

I thought about just replacing them and mine are screwed on to the frame so it would be easy to replace.

allen8106 wrote:
My scissor jacks are Bal brand and they recommend periodic cleaning and lubrcating with WD-40.

3 campers ago I ruined a jack doing this wit WD-40. It became so slippery, it never held again. When weight was put on the jack, it would unwind. I had to keep the hand crank attached and keep it touching the ground to keep the jack from unwinding under a load. I NEVER got that jack to work correct again.

Since then (3 campers ago), I have never used any kind of lubricant on the cork screw part of the stabilizer jacks.

My scissor jacks are Bal brand and they recommend periodic cleaning and lubrcating with WD-40.

I sheared one of mine off last year taking my 5th wheel on a road I probably shouldn't have. I replaced it for $35 at Harbor Freight. The originals were welded on and I had to get creative with mounting the new ones. I say new ones since I just replaced both and made them removable to prevent another problem. The manufacturer just had them ridiculously low and hung right near the rear bumper.

My main point is I wouldn't spend much time trying to fix old ones when you can get a new one for so cheap.

I was thinking that the graphite would be a better choice. They are the ind scissor type jacks and not electric. Thanks for the tip on the brake cleaner. I have also noticed the front snap jacks are getting corroded inside the tubes so I'll use the graphite on those as well.
Thanks for the help

brake cleaner to clean off all dirt/debris/grease etc. Then I would do as noted above and use a dry silicone or teflon that wont attract more dirt as you travel. Just the nature of the beast that the rear legs will be in the path of everything thrown up by the wheels

Daryll

a spray dry graphite lube.

Goes on wet then instantly dries

Does NOT attract dirt/grim

Good lube.

For 10 yrs I have been using it on front landing gear legs....inner drop and driven legs
Also on rear stabilizers.....mine are electric but I use it on screw and all pivot points

Are they the individual scissor jacks or the other kind? Grease is pretty much not a good idea for that application since, like you've discovered, it attracts dirt and stuff and that creates a pretty nasty paste.

A brush and solvent should clean out the threads and then I'd try some kind of dry lubricant, maybe a graphite spray, or something that goes on wet and then dries. And has some staying power. Not WD-40. :)