Forum Discussion

javan114's avatar
javan114
Explorer
Jan 10, 2014

Replacing pin holding landing leg beveled gear

When we arrived at a campground yesterday and tried to lower the landing legs on our 5th wheel to unhitch the truck, one of the legs moved about an inch, then started making a clicking sound. Each leg has a separate drive motor and gears. Upon examination, I found that the pin which holds the beveled gear on the horizontal drive shaft had slid out about 3/4 of the way, and had jammed against the support frame. The drive shaft could rotate about 300 degrees in either direction, but the pin would jam against the frame. I rotated the drive shaft to the point where I could tap it with a pin and a hammer, but I could not get it to go back in place. I was able to put a bottle jack under the landing leg, and was able to unhitch.
I have been able to punch the pin out of the beveled gear. The hole in the drive shaft appears to be in line with the slot on either side of the beveled gear. In trying to get the pin back in, it seems to get started OK, but will not slide in place.
I am looking for suggestions on how to get this pin back in the beveled gear.
  • Veebyes's avatar
    Veebyes
    Explorer II
    Jan 17, 2014
    Glad you got youself sorted out. We went through the same performance in a CG last year. Damaged bevel gear. Transfered the weight onto a bottle jack, took the leg out, it had to be the one boxed in by the genny shield, finally got the whole leg out near beat it to death along with many choice words to get the pin out.

    I should be getting good at this. It was my third leg job.
  • javan114's avatar
    javan114
    Explorer
    Jan 17, 2014
    I stopped at a utility trailer repair shop yesterday and talked with the owner (who had been in the business ever since there was corn on a cob). He pointed out that one end of the pin was ever so slightly tapered, and said that I had to be sure that the pin was inserted tapered end first. He also said that I probably had not been hitting it hard enough with the biggest hammer I had. So today, with tapered end inserted, I started smacking the pin with as much force as the limited space permitted. Sure enough, it started going in, and after 20 or so whacks, it was fully inserted. Back in business!

    Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
  • A_hitch_and_hop's avatar
    A_hitch_and_hop
    Explorer
    Jan 15, 2014
    Here is a link to Atwood where you can get details on your landing legs. If you have a broken part, you should be able to locate the part number.

    http://www.atwoodmobile.com/chassis-components/stabilizer-jacks.asp
  • Allworth's avatar
    Allworth
    Explorer II
    Jan 11, 2014
    When I had to replace a thrust bearing in one of my Atwood legs, that pin drive in fairly easily with a drift once the weight was off of the leg. (To replace the thrust bearing the leg must be removed from the trailer.)

    My son, who is a GM Tech, says they sometimes can use a large "C" clamp to squeeze the pins into place fairly precisely. You can get a lot of leverage on those clamps with a short pipe extension in the T handle.
  • BTPO1's avatar
    BTPO1
    Explorer
    Jan 11, 2014
    I responded earlier to your post, when reading your last post I remembered how we would use large channel locks to get Spirol pins into the gears on our regulator drive gears. It would be like a press and you actually squeezed it into the hole. I would put a smaller pin into the hole from the opposite side and squeeze the smaller one out with the larger one. The smaller one is only used to line up the holes. Hammering on the pins too hard can do damage to the working mechanism. JMT
  • javan114's avatar
    javan114
    Explorer
    Jan 11, 2014
    Thanks for the tips.
    It is a Spirol pin. It does not appear to be bent. I have tried tapping it in gently, and then resorted to a "bigger hammer". Still, it will only go in about 2mm.
    It does appear that a new pin is going to be the only solution.
  • BTPO1's avatar
    BTPO1
    Explorer
    Jan 10, 2014
    Since this pin appears to be a Spirol pin according to the drawing it will have to be tapped or hammered into the hole once it is lined up. JMO
  • sonora's avatar
    sonora
    Explorer
    Jan 10, 2014
    It is possible that when the pin came out and jammed against the support frame that it became damaged (bent). Using a new pin will fix this.

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