Rear Electric Stabilizer Jack adjustment - help?

[tallmandan]

The manual crank post of my rear stabilizer jack is too high and comes in contact with the interior fiberglass cover under the curbside bed.  It's causing damage to the underside (see photos). 

Anyone else have this problem?  Is there a way to adjust the positon of the jack down to stop contact?

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

I have not experience this but others have noted the jack stabilizer mounts may come lose possibly causing an upward shift of the jack and the unwanted contact?

[dewdev]

I would suggest as above, to check the tightness of the 4 bolts. Also, try looking at the unit while someone else is operating the jack.

If no change, try calling OTT for further advice.

Edited Tuesday at 03:09 PM by dewdev

[Galway Girl]

Haven't heard of that.

Here's a page showing how to "service" the rear jack that may help.

In it there is  mention of 3 allen set screws that hold the power head on the jack .

Maybe those have backed off an the head has popped up?

CS

 

[jd1923]

Dan, it's good you noticed this before it got worse. Check out my picture. The two carriage bolts, shiny round heads faced up, go straight down through the frame. Get under your Oliver just behind the wheel well and tighten the two large nuts. If there is a  split-ring washer that has lost its spring, replace it. If not use some blue Locktite (not red). Then check the other side as well.

Edit: If you find the main jack mounting bolts are tight which is highly possible, then the head of the jack has slipped up off the post. In this case, remove the head (2-3 Allen screws), check the post for vertical markings from it slipping to be certain of cause. Then remount head. Age of your hull, having it out would be a good time to do thorough maintenance. I'm the only one that has worked the complete service and if you will do so, let me know and I will supply the link.

In the meantime, do not use your stabilizer jacks.

Edited Tuesday at 04:18 PM by jd1923
See section marked EDIT above

[tallmandan]

Thanks for your suggestions. As  @jd1923 suggested, I checked the mounting bolts under the trailer and they looked tight visualy with lock-washers fully compressed.  I put a wrench on them anyway and was able to tighten both bolts (on both sides) by about a quarter turn.  This did not seem to change anything.  

Before pulling anyting apart, I started to measure differences between my curbside (too high) and my streetside (just fine) stabilizer jacks.  I've attached the photos and I'm stumped. The curbside jack seems to be somehow mounted about an inch higher than the streetside jack. 

The inside photos are measuring to the mounting bracket.  The outside photo shows that the cylinder for the shaft is an inch lower on one side.  

Is there some adjustment that I am not seeing?  I believe that the curbside stabilizer jack was always touching the fiberglass lid but I never thought much of it.  It seems to be doing damage to the lid now.  Both jacks operate just fine as always.

I am going to open a ticket with Oliver, but does anybody have a suggestion.....?

[Geronimo John]

That is strange.  Time to submit a ticket on this one.  

GJ

[jd1923]

On 4/22/2025 at 6:01 AM, tallmandan said:

Anyone else have this problem?  Is there a way to adjust the positon of the jack down to stop contact?

This is a bummer Dan. I see a few issues. In your very first picture there is a grease stain on top of the jack. In your last picture, the jack head looks somewhat cock-eyed to the post assembly and even more so to the fiberglass opening above. Neither picture looks normal, as I know for a fact that the tops of both of my rear jacks are bone dry/clean shiny paint and they are level, square to the cover that sits above them. 

I measured both of mine and they are left-to-right side identical within 1/16". They both measure 3 and 9/16" from the fixed post section to the bottom of the aluminum mount, where yours measures 4" on the good side and about 3" on the other. Your hull, 4 years newer, could have a different measurement but of course both sides should be equal.

My feeling is the weld of the mounting plate to the post assembly has failed. Not sure, but these mounts were likely fabricated and welded by OTT, as they do not look like off-the-shelf jacks like our standard front jack. 

Given the age of your hull, likely it would no longer be under warranty. You could remove the bad side, simple enough by removing the two nuts you tried tightening earlier and pulling the jack out from above. When it's out, you'd quickly see whether a weld has failed (please post picture when you do).

If so, then choices would be to get it welded locally and service the head <OR> enter a Service Ticket with OTT. If they did fab the mount and weld it, they may replace it for you or in lieu of a local repair, OTT could supply the replacement part. Again, don't use it until corrected as it would soon cause much more damage than the rub on your basement cover. I could be wrong but this is my best guess from looking at your pictures and measurements. You've taken all the right steps.

Edited 14 hours ago by jd1923

[topgun2]

5 hours ago, jd1923 said:

My feeling is the weld of the mounting plate to the post assembly has failed. Not sure, but these mounts were likely fabricated and welded by OTT, as they do not look like off-the-shelf jacks like our standard front jack. 

OTT DOES fabricate these mounting plates "in-house".

There were a couple of earlier models (in the low 100's hull numbers) where the welds did fail and Oliver both repaired these and changed the way these brackets were manufactured.

Bill

[Rivernerd]

16 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

That is strange.  Time to submit a ticket on this one

Please post Oliver's response to your service ticket, and your ultimate solution.  Yours may not be the only hull with this issue.

[tallmandan]

Thanks @jd1923 and @topgun2   JD, really appreciate you taking the time to measure your stabilizer jacks for a comparison!  I had previously noticed that it sat high and just touched the fiberglass but didn't really think much of it as it worked just fine.  I never had both of the under-bed compartments open at the same time to really see the difference until yesterday and then took measurments (should have done that a long time ago!!  -- just busy with life and the trailer has only had occasional use until now)

The bracket welds are intact, all bolts are tight and the unit is steadfast and operational.  It appears that the mounting bracket was improperly welded to the jack assembly - both in height and in level/plumb.  The jack shaft is plumb from front to back but not from right to left.

Mike from Oliver service responded via email to my service ticket within hours --- impressed!  I've emailed him more photos showing the welds and I've included photos showing the positioning out of plumb using a level.  Hopefully, Oliver will take care of me....

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, tallmandan said:

It appears that the mounting bracket was improperly welded to the jack assembly

Welded to the wrong height is a worse manufacturing defect than a weld failing after 5 years use. You’d think they would have a jig to hold the two parts at a consistent height. Probably do and the tech just got sloppy. Good find!

Edited 3 hours ago by jd1923

[Geronimo John]

12 hours ago, jd1923 said:

You could remove the bad side, simple enough by removing the two nuts you tried tightening earlier and pulling the jack out from above.

I believe one would also need to remove the jack foot plate from the unit to pull it out.  Easy to remove the plate bolt from below the foot plate.

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

You’d think they would have a jig to hold the two parts at a consistent height.

True.  OTT provides the bracket to Barker who welds it on to their standared jack.  Point is that it may be a OOPS by either OTT or Barker.  Or maybe both???

GJ

GJ