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Kober's avatar
Kober
Explorer
Dec 02, 2017

Landing gear issues

So I was ready to take our new to us 5th wheel toy hauler out for a shakedown overnighter and couldn't get the landing gear to lift the thing. Looked inside the cubby hole and found the transmission was missing a chunk of plastic that holds the transmission against the leg. I can't even believe that they make those things out of plastic!
Replaced it with a metal one only to find the motor only ratchets, still wont lift the RV. Called the dealer who sold it to me and he said that the motor is likely to weak and so I ordered a heavy duty 6500# motor from Amazon.
The joys of buying used.

6 Replies

  • NMDriver's avatar
    NMDriver
    Explorer
    Dec 03, 2017
    Rather than trying to jack at the pin, it is safer to use cribbing and jack at the frame just in front of the wheels and use jack stands too. It is a little more tedious going from side to side lifting two jacks incrementally but it is safer. Once you have the pin high enough then you can back the truck under and hook up.
  • Kober's avatar
    Kober
    Explorer
    Dec 02, 2017
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    Broke the gear box using manual crank...motor can't raise trailer with new gear box YET that single motor did the job for 9+ years


    Sounds like one of the legs is binding....bent/galled up etc


    You might be right. One of the legs is in the gutter at a slight angle and might be binding. I need to find a way to lift the trailer, probably by using the kingpin, to relieve the weight on that leg and retract it, put underlayment under the leg and let it go back down straight top see if it will lift the trailer.

    Might try putting the truck under the kingpin and then use my 2 ton jack to lift but need something to rest the kingpin in/on on top of the jack.

    Learning my lessons the hard way ...
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Dec 02, 2017
    Broke the gear box using manual crank...motor can't raise trailer with new gear box YET that single motor did the job for 9+ years


    Sounds like one of the legs is binding....bent/galled up etc
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    Dec 02, 2017
    If that is a Venture mfg landing gear, give them a call and order a dual motor setup. No more problems.
  • Kober's avatar
    Kober
    Explorer
    Dec 02, 2017
    BFL13 wrote:
    You should have a crank that will operate the front jacks for when the electric way doesn't work. I doubt the motor is too weak. It could be ratcheting because the gear is jammed. Using the crank would tell you if the gear works before getting a new motor.


    Thanks. I did and was barely able to lift it a bit before the plastic housing broke on the transmission. Since replacing the transmission I cant seem to get the crank lined up well enough to let it lock in ...
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Dec 02, 2017
    You should have a crank that will operate the front jacks for when the electric way doesn't work. I doubt the motor is too weak. It could be ratcheting because the gear is jammed. Using the crank would tell you if the gear works before getting a new motor.

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