HWH leveling jack won't go up

Fishinghat wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Fishinghat wrote:
When problems occur with the HWH system and it has to do with the right front jack, it isn't the jack itself. For some reason, that's the jack that is the last to get fluid or have the air bled off.

I'd check the solenoid like Brett suggested. He knows this stuff frontwards and backwards. Check to see if the handle is partially turned in. It has to be all the way out.

Due to the age of your coach, I'd change the fluid. It uses MD3, or the old style GM transmission fluid. It takes about a gallon. Syphon out the old fluid, pour the new stuff in and recycle the jacks several times.

Finally, lubricate the shinny part of the jack with the same MD3, using a rag or paper towel. I spray my jacks with silicone spray and have been doing that for over 10 years. They retract and store in about 5 seconds, and work great. I understand you should not use WD40 for some reason.

My springs are all still original and the jacks are all still original. I haven't replaced anything except the fluid. The coach is 20 years old.

When I had a problem with my right front jack, HWH said to send it to them for rebuilding. I didn't. They didn't have any other suggestions. Others on this forum suggested lubricating the jack and that's what I did. I changed fluid as a preventive measure and since it so easy and cheap.

Do you have kick down jacks? The reason I ask is simple. There is NO WAY 4 jacks can retract in 5 seconds. There is NO way 1 jack can retract in 5 seconds. But, if you have kick down jacks, yes the jack can kick up in 5 seconds but then it still has to fully retract the cylinder. Changing fluid will not change any aspect of the jacks. Doug

Yes, I have kick down jacks. And, yes, they store in something like 5 seconds. I can hear them when they "park" up after retracting and my lights go out. I confirm they are up by physically checking. I don't know why my jacks should be so much faster than other owner's jacks, but I can only assume it has to do with the amount (quite a bit) of silicone spray I've used over the years. I don't think the return lines are larger or the springs are stronger. I don't have any other logical explanation.

I have worked on HWH jacks for almost 30 years.
1. Your jacks do NOT FULLY retract in 5 seconds. Impossible, period.
2. Like I said, you have kick down jacks, which went away on Class A motorhomes almost 20 years ago, you have one of the last Class A with kick down jacks. That means the jacks do indeed Kick UP within that 5 seconds, but the cylinder still has to fully retract. The Dash indicator does NOT show that. On Kick Down jacks, the dash indicator only shows when the jack swings up horizontal, NOT when the cylinder is fully retracted.
3. Your system is not at all close to what 99% of posters have on these forums.
4. Correctly functioning HWH jacks do NOT need the fluid replaced and do NOT need constant silicone lube or wipe down. Yes, doing that will make them work better, but is NOT needed on a correctly functioning system. ALL that is required is to keep them clean and free of dirt and mud by washing them down
5. YOUR system does have problems and does need to be cleaned and the pivot points lubed, like you do, ALL kick down systems require what you do on a regular basis. But straight Jacks require no such maintenance other than spraying down with a water hose if they get dirt/mud/sand on them. Doug