See full version: Leveling Jack Maintenance
Electric jacks fall in the middle for the amount of maintenance they require. It’s important to inspect these regularly for rust and check the contact points for damage. Some manufacturers recommend washing your jacks with warm, soapy water and sanding off any rust. After doing this, you will want to apply a coat of protectant spray. Most electric jacks do not require any lubricant which can actually collect debris on them and cause damage. more
Another important step to maintaining hydraulic jacks is to periodically check the hydraulic fluid levels. For most jacks, the fluid should be red. If it is pink, murky, milky, or white, then it needs to be changed. Some types of hydraulic jacks do not operate well in extremely cold temperatures. If that is the case with yours, then your manufacturer may suggest replacing the hydraulic fluid with a synthetic or winter weight. It’s also important to check all the electrical connections and clean them with an electrical spray. Be sure to check for loose wiring and check the hydraulic hoses for any signs of leaks or damage. If your jacks have mounting bolts, check them as well to ensure they are secure. [links]
RV owners who are thinking of upgrading their RV’s leveling jacks should think over the decision carefully. New jacks can be a worthy investment, while automatic jacks can save owners a tremendous amount of time and headache. If you take your RV out more than just a few times per year, or opt to camp in areas outside of campgrounds, (like Harvest Hosts) then consider upgrading! We hope this serves as a helpful place to start with maintaining the leveling jacks on your RV.
Before we jump in, let’s discuss the difference between leveling jacks and stabilizing jacks. Leveling jacks are used to level and, sometimes on larger rigs, also stabilize the RV. They have the capability of lifting the RV off the ground. Stabilizing jacks are specifically used to stabilize your RV after it’s already level. Stabilizing jacks prevent your RV from rocking or swaying while walking throughout it. This article focuses just on maintaining your leveling jacks. more
Manual jacks can include scissor jacks, A-frame jacks, aluminum stacks, and more. These are some of the easiest to maintain because they have no motor or hydraulic fluid to inspect. The main focus with maintaining these is to inspect them regularly. It’s important to inspect contact points and pivot points for damage or rust. It’s also important to inspect the arms (if applicable), checking for any stripped threads or loose bolts.
For all these reasons, and many more, it’s important that your RV leveling jacks are in tip-top shape. Not sure where to begin? Harvest Hosts has your back. As with any RV maintenance, always check your manual for helpful information pertaining to your RV’s specific jacks.
Electric jacks fall in the middle for the amount of maintenance they require. It’s important to inspect these regularly for rust and check the contact points for damage. Some manufacturers recommend washing your jacks with warm, soapy water and sanding off any rust. After doing this, you will want to apply a coat of protectant spray. Most electric jacks do not require any lubricant which can actually collect debris on them and cause damage. more
Hydraulic jacks require a little more maintenance than electric jacks. This is due to their many components, some of which are hydraulic, while others are electric or made of other materials. Each manufacturer will have different suggestions and recommendations for hydraulic jack maintenance. Some recommend to clean the leveler cylinder with warm, soapy water and then spray a dry lubricant, such as WD-40, and wipe off the excess. Other manufacturers recommend using a silicone lubricant. Be sure to do research for your brand of jacks before using any products on them. here
Another issue that we’ve heard about is electric camper jack remote controls unintentionally triggering the jacks of other nearby camper jacks. This has never been the case with Happijac wireless remotes. Other manufacturers had this problem. Happijac electric remotes have unique addresses and programming sequences. This eliminates the problem and avoids you accidentally raising or lowering your neighbor’s camper. [links]
There are some things that can be done in the field by the jack owner to maintain the jack. After removing the motor head assembly, there are two beveled gears in the top. Add white lithium grease, liberally, to the gears. [links]
The rating on the Happijac 4150 acme camper jack is 1,500 pounds per jack under the ANSI national standards. With the acme jacks, it takes six revolutions to move an inch vertically. Don explained that you have 34” of extension on the Happijac 4150 before you get a warning and the jack is overextended. Happijac does sell an extension kit for people who need more leg length in their jacks, which gives you an additional six inches. here
Don strongly recommended storing a truck camper with the weight off the jacks by using a support system under the camper to carry the weight of the camper. He also suggested storing the jacks so that they are out of the rain, if possible.
Moving down the square tube, the foot of a Happijac camper jack is shaped like a lifted cup. Don explained that this design feature helps to compensate for the fact that truck campers often lean and rock just a little one way or another when raised. This lifted cup design allows the jack to lean and rock with the camper while keeping the camper weight centered on the jack. Don suggested that if the foot were flat or cupped down the weight would be on the edge of foot and could over stress the jack leg.
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Next, try turning off the key and manually spinning the retractor nut a few turns (they're on the end of the motors near the top of each leg and should turn fairly easily) for the leg with the blinking red light. If you take a paper towel or rag with you, you can keep your hand from getting grimy. For me, that will usually clean up the contacts and it will work. I have to do this periodically when the rig sits for a month or so. here
Here's the ultimate solution if absolutely everything above fails. You can retract the jacks manually by turning the nut on the end of the motor. I believe 500 full revolutions moves that jack up one inch so you might rather just shoot yourself unless you have an electric drill with the correct socket attachment. If the jacks are retracted fully and the control unit won't shut up, you can unplug the jack on the back of the control unit and drive without the distraction -- just make very sure that you've visually inspected all the jacks to make certain that they are fully retracted before going anywhere. [links]