HOW TO: Lengthen your emergency jack handle so it will fit the rear jacks with the gearbox removed

[John E Davies]

EDIT: see related thread - https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6812-check-your-rear-jack-mount-hardware-bottom-frame-bolts-were-1-turn-loose/

I serviced the two rear gearboxes and then to my dismay the right one refused to go up or down under a load - STUCK. I use the emergency crank tool to see what was going on, using the square shaft on top of the gearbox, and it was really really tight, something was binding for sure, so I removed the three Allen screws and lifted off the gearbox. And tried to turn the lower screw part using the other end of the tool. FAIL - it is too short to clear the surrounding fiberglass bed support, it would only move about 170 degrees.  I said some very bad words, and I am glad I did not have to deal with a failed gearbox in the boonies, I would have been stuck.

I needed a short length of heavy steel tubing with a 1/2” inside diameter so I could make an extension. I found that a 3/8” MPT pipe nipple works perfectly. Unfortunately that size is hard to find and about double the price of a more common 1/2” MPT nipple. Here is what the end of the tool looks like, the part that drives the lower jackscrew, under the motor unit.

I used a 3/8” MPT x 6” nipple, the longest I could find at Home Depot.

Drill out the internal burrs and the long seam weld using a 1/2” drill bit and cut off the threaded ends. Cut the tool in the center of the straight part and insert each piece into the nipple 1”. Drill and install two 5/16” roll pins and trm any excess material so you don’t cut yourself using the modified tool. It is a very snug fit, I considered adding epoxy but that isn’t needed.

NOTE I turned the end 90 degrees from the original orientation, so the tool will lie completely flat in a galley drawer without gouging the drawer bottom.

I was able to free up the lower part by turning it back and forth to get the jack working properly. THEN I found the true cause, the support bolts that go through the trailer frame were super loose. I turned all four (two per side) one full turn before they tightened to 43 ft lbs. Now both jacks run much better under a load. I started a service ticket and will make a new thread about the loose bolts.

I hope a few owners will look at their tool and measure the part with the pin in it. If it is 5 inches, it will be useless in an emergency. I am curious to know if everybody has a disfunctional tool like mine.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[SeaDawg]

We just had a similar situation with our 2008 Elite. Streetwise jack would raise, but not lower. We had to reset many times, as the supplied tool was too big. Used a socket for awhile.

Added a few blocks, dealt with it, with the manual jack adjustment. 

I think our issue is in the switch and wiring.. We'll see . Here for awhile.  Project for another day.

Thank @John E Davies for another timely and informative post.

[John E Davies]

Normally the tool end with the square drive works fine to turn the jackscrew, going straight though the gearbox parts. The square gearbox pin is tall enough that the tool clears the surrounding mattress support. Unfortunately, if a gear breaks, the gearbox could lock up completely, so using that top square shaft would be useless. So you would take off the gearbox, lay it aside, and turn the lower section, IF your tool isn’t too short, like mine was.

In my case it was an important troubleshooting tool, I had to know if the lower parts were frozen….

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Wanderers]

Wonder how these bolts could have got backed out? Did you add a lock washer or lock tight to prevent this from happening again?

Thanks for the update. Will be adding this to my annual logbook💯

PerryG

[John E Davies]

20 minutes ago, Wanderers said:

Wonder how these bolts could have got backed out? Did you add a lock washer or lock tight to prevent this from happening again?

Mine had a regular split lock washer and a flat washer under the nut - the other end of the bolt has a carriage head that fits into a square hole in the upper jack mount. I think the whole area shifts around when you are running them on uneven ground. Maybe the aluminum frame “settles”, I dunno. You need to be able to tighten these in the future, loctite prevents that. I don’t think it is dangerous, but it is unpleasant if your jack locks up. With regular checks and retightening it should not be a problem. I am anxious to see if the Ollie engineers will comment or do anything like a bulletin.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[John E Davies]

Bumping an older thread, look at this one too:

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/9807-manual-leveler-device/

John Davies

Spokane WA