Sticking Atwood landing gear

[howardwheeler]

I have about an eleven year old Atwood dual motor heavy duty set of landing gear. My drivers side has become increasingly loud with a scraping noise, but only while under a load close to the beginning of when it starts to lift the fifth wheel. I've tried lubing what I could reach but it doesn't seem to help much. Then five days ago at the end of a long trip, the same side gained a new problem that I believe is related. The innermost tube, which has all the holes so you can drop it close to the ground before powering the legs down, started sticking when you tried to put it all the way up in the travel position. This happened fairly suddenly. One day I slid it back up after rehooking to my truck and right at the end of sliding it up it had resistance but went up. Then when I needed to put it down, instead of dropping freely as it usually does, I had to knock it lose. Then next time I put it up I could not even get it up to the last hole. The next time I couldn't get it up to even the second hole. Something is causing a bind up in the top of the tubes. How do I trouble shoot it? I'm back home now. That landing gear is hard to get to from the inside because of an Onan generator over on that side. I'm hoping there's someway to get to the top inside from the bottom of the tubes. My passenger gear works great and both motor gearboxes sound the same when not under a load and when the first few six to ten inches of pushing the landing gear down have passed. So it does not seem to be a problem with the motor and hear box but the tubes. That's my take.

[Brad_NSW]

Pull the foot off the leg and see if any shaving fall out. Mine had been binding for a long time, same symptoms as yours. About a month ago, I was raising it off blocks under the frame and the whole drivers side dropped 4 inches. When I took the foot off, a bunch of shavings from the worm gear came out. Evidently something (bolt/washer/nut??) was stuck in there, eating away at the gear every time I used it. Ended up putting in a new leg and it works like a champ. Like others said, inspect the top gears under the cover. If they are chipped or worn, you can get a replacement kit from Venture Manufacturing or even cheaper on the internet (less than $60).

[larry_barnhart]

larry barnhart wrote:
Howard I cannot help because of never having a problem with ours to learn how to repair but buying a new one would be my choice. do you have any atwood information from the factory. I will go and see what we have for information

chevman

Pm me with your email address I think I have information for you
larry

[larry_barnhart]

Howard I cannot help because of never having a problem with ours to learn how to repair but buying a new one would be my choice. do you have any atwood information from the factory. I will go and see what we have for information

chevman

[howardwheeler]

Larry, as I recall you also have an Alpenlite. I have the dual motor super duty legs that I think are the same as yours. Do you know what happens if I get the space to fully extend the leg down, will it fall out the bottom? Or will I damage it by fully extending it? I know the inner tube with all the holes will drop out completely but not sure about the powered tube.

[larry_barnhart]

Might have to dig a hole for extra space. Atwood made different landing gear for different weight so be sure to get the correct parts. Only think I would do is buy a new landing gear.

chevman

[howardwheeler]

What happens if you brace up the front of the trailer so that you can extend the leg as far as it will go? Does the moving leg just fall out the bottom of the square tube it rides in? Or is there a limit that stops it?

[CANAMKID]

Go to the Atwood web site they will have a diagram of your landing gear. That
should help you.