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Front Landing Jacks Speed

Whiskey_River
Explorer
Explorer
The front jacks run at different speeds.
Its an 09 Keystone Everest. A single motor system with the long square bar that extends to the other side.
The motor side, right side (door side) runs the jack down much slower than the left side, (driver side).
The system does not seem bound up or any loud gear noise. It works fine with the exception if the slow side (right) extends down 2-3 inches the left extends 4-5 inches. I have been adjusting this with blocking.
Then when leaving, its the opposite. After retracting the jacks, the motor side is fully up and the other side (driver side) is still 2-3 inches down. So to leave & get the left side back up, I take the bar off the motor & spin that side back up by hand.
I bought the rig new & never had any problem until this started late last year. Confused yet? Any Idea's ??
I don't want to buy a new motor if its the jacks and I don't want to buy new jacks if its the motor.
Thanks for any help.....
25 REPLIES 25

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
I see, but from what I've seen when taking legs apart, the leg would not have failed in such a way that it would have collapsed. It simply wouldn't move, not that it would have allowed the trailer to fall on that side.

The other leg should be able to support the trailer, but that could result in the frame being tweaked from the stress. Best to do as you did and get it fixed immediately.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Fisher_Bill
Explorer
Explorer
Because when I tried to lift the trailer off the hitch the leg was not moving and was not supporting the trailer so I had to use a floor jack to support the unit until I could get it to the shop

Why did you feel that the failure would have allowed the leg to drop the trailer?
2006 Chevy 3500 Dually 6.6 Duramax Diesel & Allison Transmission
2010 Northshore 28RK by Dutchmen
Our first fifth wheel!!!

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
Fisher Bill wrote:
We had a leg fail and I could not get one side to raise so got the floor jack out and took to a repair shop, they had to replace the entire leg but the failure really scared me as it could have dropped one side at any time.
Why did you feel that the failure would have allowed the leg to drop the trailer?
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Fisher_Bill
Explorer
Explorer
We had a leg fail and I could not get one side to raise so got the floor jack out and took to a repair shop, they had to replace the entire leg but the failure really scared me as it could have dropped one side at any time.
2006 Chevy 3500 Dually 6.6 Duramax Diesel & Allison Transmission
2010 Northshore 28RK by Dutchmen
Our first fifth wheel!!!

Njmurvin
Explorer
Explorer
B.O. Plenty wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Njmurvin wrote:
I think this is the perfect excuse for getting a dual motor setup. My single motor setup is marginal. I have to lube it at the beginning of each season. Be careful about which dual motor setup you buy. Carefully measure the distance between your frame brackets. Some may fit your existing frame brackets and some may not. Unfortunately mine don't fit either of the major aftermarket kits. To use one of those kits, I would have to cut off my old brackets and weld on new ones in different positions.
You most like could have gotten by with welding on new tabs on each leg to properly support the leg and work with the positioning of your brackets. That would have been much easier than taking off the old brackets.
I got the wrong size leg when I ordered them. Just welded on a new tab and it worked perfectly.

B.O.

Actually, I haven't done anything yet. Good to know for when I decide to upgrade. The alternative is to buy the conversion kit that fits my bracket spacing. You basically remove the crossbar and add a second motorized leg and switch to the driven side.
2020 Chevy Silverado 3500HD Duramax 4x4 Crew Cab Standard box

2011 Arctic Fox 27.5L

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
cummins2014 wrote:
honda1 wrote:
roll pin sheared at one of the top bevaled gears .



Wouldn't that just put a stop to it, no movement at all ??


I suppose it's possible the gear has broken free from the shaft (shear pin failed?) but there is a little friction still directly between the gear and the shaft.

So when the good leg lifts the front enough that there is no pressure on the bad leg, it is able to turn the shaft but this doesn't happen until the good leg is extended a few inches more.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Explorer II
fj12ryder wrote:
Njmurvin wrote:
I think this is the perfect excuse for getting a dual motor setup. My single motor setup is marginal. I have to lube it at the beginning of each season. Be careful about which dual motor setup you buy. Carefully measure the distance between your frame brackets. Some may fit your existing frame brackets and some may not. Unfortunately mine don't fit either of the major aftermarket kits. To use one of those kits, I would have to cut off my old brackets and weld on new ones in different positions.
You most like could have gotten by with welding on new tabs on each leg to properly support the leg and work with the positioning of your brackets. That would have been much easier than taking off the old brackets.
I got the wrong size leg when I ordered them. Just welded on a new tab and it worked perfectly.

B.O.
Former Ram/Cummins owner
2015 Silverado 3500 D/A DRW
Yup I'm a fanboy!
2016 Cedar Creek 36CKTS

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
Njmurvin wrote:
I think this is the perfect excuse for getting a dual motor setup. My single motor setup is marginal. I have to lube it at the beginning of each season. Be careful about which dual motor setup you buy. Carefully measure the distance between your frame brackets. Some may fit your existing frame brackets and some may not. Unfortunately mine don't fit either of the major aftermarket kits. To use one of those kits, I would have to cut off my old brackets and weld on new ones in different positions.
You most like could have gotten by with welding on new tabs on each leg to properly support the leg and work with the positioning of your brackets. That would have been much easier than taking off the old brackets.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Njmurvin
Explorer
Explorer
I think this is the perfect excuse for getting a dual motor setup. My single motor setup is marginal. I have to lube it at the beginning of each season. Be careful about which dual motor setup you buy. Carefully measure the distance between your frame brackets. Some may fit your existing frame brackets and some may not. Unfortunately mine don't fit either of the major aftermarket kits. To use one of those kits, I would have to cut off my old brackets and weld on new ones in different positions.
2020 Chevy Silverado 3500HD Duramax 4x4 Crew Cab Standard box

2011 Arctic Fox 27.5L

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
honda1 wrote:
roll pin sheared at one of the top bevaled gears .



Wouldn't that just put a stop to it, no movement at all ??

honda1
Explorer
Explorer
roll pin sheared at one of the top bevaled gears .

Whiskey_River
Explorer
Explorer
OK thanks everyone, it appears the general consensus is legs & not the motor. I will take off the cap & check next week end.
I know both legs should run at the same speed & they did for years. I also can sit on the ground & press the extend switch & visually watch the left (drivers side extend faster than the other side.
And one side is not cranked up higher than the other side. I have the top marked with a sharpie on both sides.
As I said in the original post the opposite happens when lifting or retracting the legs. The right side gets to the top, ie the sharpie mark and I stop as don't want to over run that side and the left side is still 2"-3" from reaching the sharpie mark. I then disconnect the square rod and roll the left side up to the sharpie mark. So when starting to extend the legs they are both at the same starting point. And I put the legs both down 5 or 6 holes (both the same on the drop down before starting the power.
I know this makes no sense but you can't make this up.
I'm not an RV tech but have always done my own work. Some being installed a wet bolt system, repack wheel brgs every couple years, installed 2nd A/C in bedroom, toilet gaskets & other stuff. This has me baffled…...

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
Hopefully the OP will return to let us know. There is always a little noise, when running the landing gear, so a missing/broken tooth may go unnoticed. Now jumping teeth, pretty hard to not hear that!

Jerry

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
But if the gear is slipping on the shaft, it would have to be catching periodically also. That would generate noise too.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"