Atwood Levelers Sticking

[Retired_VSP]

Have a Newmar Baystar with Atwood leveling system.
Lately when it's "dormant" for a few weeks I attempt to extend the levelers and the right front leveler "whines" and I get the red/green light....troubleshoot instructions says to hold the corresponding button and extend button....sometimes this works. I attempt to extend/retract a couple times and they work okay....Atwood tech said it will correct itself and should be okay. But I'm concerned it may hang up eventually and I'll be "stuck"...any thoughts on this?

[Retired_VSP]

You're right Lincoln4....I had to do the first procedure (3 separate times) this past winter but only after non use for a period of time....The Atwood tech said not to worry and just spray some lubricant on the jack...I hope he's right...I have extended warranty through April 2016..... $50 deductable.

[Lincoln4]

This is the reset procedure, I believe...

Reset

[Lincoln4]

I had a couple of mine stop about half way retracted. I found a "reset procedure" somewhere on the net (not sure if here). I followed the instructions and everything retracted. No problems since.

[katoomer]

You'll have to replace the whole unit. They do not sell parts. Mine was bent just a small amount and it failed eventually. Same issues as yours. About $500 for a new jack online. If you are at all handy you can replace it in about 15 mins. It is heavy so get a friend to help.

[Retired_VSP]

Gary I originally posted on this topic...so far this summer the leveler that seems to hesitate during cold weather and after setting awhile is working 9kay....I don't know if I have a real issue but I had to troubleshoot it a couple times during cold weather months.

[garymunson]

Has anyone gotten into the atwood electric jacks? I have one that occasionally fails...if I crawl under and turn the motor with the power off (there is a hex head that is for manually working the jack) it will start working again. I attribute this failure to the brushes sticking in the motor which should be easy to fix if it can be disassembled. I also think that the unit should get re-lubricated on occasion. Of course, Atwood's paperwork say nothing is serviceable and it must be replaced if it fails. Has anyone done this yet?

[dougrainer]

Retired VSP wrote:
Thank you all so much....tried them out again this morning...all is good...guess I need to "excerise" them frequently.....also, talked with the Atwood tech again today and he suggests getting a lubricant and run the legs up and down a few times.... just a "sticking" issue according to him....

Always ask how long that "tech" at Atwood has been working at Atwood on Leveleg MOTORHOME jack systems. I have never had or heard of a "sticking" issue. Please repost if and when that jack fails. Doug

[chili_s_trip]

I have been told that Levellegs need 14 volts to operate properly. Good luck.

[Retired_VSP]

Thank you all so much....tried them out again this morning...all is good...guess I need to "excerise" them frequently.....also, talked with the Atwood tech again today and he suggests getting a lubricant and run the legs up and down a few times.... just a "sticking" issue according to him....

[dougrainer]

PF&PM wrote:
I think they all stick . I've done a bunch of thing to my HWH jacks and they still give me grief !

You have hydraulic jacks the OP has electric jacks. If you have sticking jacks(HWH) that will not retract, you have bad sticking internal seals and the offending jacks need either rebuilt or replaced. Doug

[dougrainer]

Replace that jack. It should NEVER whine at all. What you have is a jack with the motor/Gear assbly going out which is a common problem with Motorhome Atwood leveling jacks. Most OEM's stopped using the Atwood levelegs over 5 years ago due to these problems as it is EXPENSIVE to replace an Atwood jack leg. You may be able to get a replacement upper motor/gear assbly, but it is best to replace the complete jack especially one 10 years old. It WILL fail at some point and either the jack leg screw gear will break and the jack leg fall to the ground or it will fail in operation and then the system will then beep and the touch pad flash AND if you have air suspension will stop the air suspension from raising the coach. You then have to remove the complete jack if it breaks and hits the ground and then bypass the air dump/fill on the Atwood main controller in the storage bay. Doug

[dougrainer]

imgoin4it wrote:
Had the same thing happen to my level legs one time. I assume yours are like mine in that the engine must be running to raise and lower them. Ever since that one time I put the engine (diesel) on fast idle and it has never happened again. I believe the alternator needs to be cranking out all the voltage it can because if the engine is not running the battery alone will not operate the jacks. Fast idle is better than slow idle.

Atwood only requires the Engine running to make sure you have the minimum voltage to run the jacks. Atwood jacks are 12 volt electric. Remember, it is the SAME RF jack that malfunctions. If voltage was a problem then other jacks would malfunction also. Doug

[imgoin4it]

Had the same thing happen to my level legs one time. I assume yours are like mine in that the engine must be running to raise and lower them. Ever since that one time I put the engine (diesel) on fast idle and it has never happened again. I believe the alternator needs to be cranking out all the voltage it can because if the engine is not running the battery alone will not operate the jacks. Fast idle is better than slow idle.

[PF_PM]

I think they all stick . I've done a bunch of thing to my HWH jacks and they still give me grief !

[Fleetwood_Coupl]

Hopefully it won't bust the shaft in the down position like happen to me this last summer. No emergency procedure can raise it once the shaft is broken. Which is about the size of my finger. I would cycle them up Down a few dozen times and maybe spray some lube on the leg part that goes up inside.