Mobile Suites 2005 Lippert hydraulic system failing

[stanleyz]

OK citizens of the 5th wheel world, I need some help and I'm certain someone on this forum has the answers I seek. 2005 MS 36TK3

My off door (drivers side if you prefer) stabilizer started dropping of its own accord. I did a bunch of research on the MS forum (which has now been off line for a week or more) and talked with Lippert CS and concluded that I needed either a new valve at the stabilizer or a new stabilizer. I'm a decent shade tree guy and was confident I could change the valve but wasn't sure I could do it without getting a hydraulic shower. And, I am not a welder which would be required to change the jack. So i decided to follow Lipperts advice and go to a Lippert service center.

On the first of May I dropped the MS at Camping World. I won't say which one yet as we may still work the problem out. 27 days, 2 replacement valves and selenoids and 600 plus American dollars later I picked up the MS and discovered that I couldn't get out of the lot without chaining the stabilizers up. Just like when I dropped it off. Needless to say we had a long discussion and I did manage to get my bill adjusted.

So, has anyone had the same stabilizer experience and how did you repair it. I'm thinking the problem has to be the stabilizer. I know there is a test CW should have done and didn't, i think it goes like this: take all pressure off the system, remove the input hose at the stabilizer and press the retract button. If fluid runs out the input hole the stabilizer has failed, if not it's a valve somewhere. I'm not sure which is the input hose and I still don't want a hydraulic shower so I haven't tried that. I'm tempted to just order the parts and take it to a local welder and install a new stabilizer.

OK, open for comnments and suggestions. Thanks for your time

[golf_bears]

When you say stabilizer are you referring to the front jack or the rear stabilizer?

[stanleyz]

Duh. Lol

[wingnut60]

Stanley,
Give Paul Cross at Cross RV, LaGrange, IN. He will have the answer.

http://www.crossrv.com/

Joe

[billr]

Its the hyd cyl in the rear stab. The retract side seals are bypassing. Its gonna need to be replaced.

My front jacks had same issue years ago and it was the cyl. Several others as well. First rear ones I have heard of though. They must last longer as they don't do any lifting line the fronts just stabilize.

[billr]

Our 05 has the early model Hyd jacks with square tube and another square tube extends, the hyd cyl is inside that. To remove this type cyl, you need to have a space below deep enough to slide the inside tube out with cyl in it and change out. Disconnecting the Hyd lines and unbolting the inner tube at the top.

You can park over a ditch or dig a hole. Some shops have a pit to center it over.

Not familiar with the other type jacks in later models.

[stanleyz]

Thanks. I make it I need 25 inches total below the bottom of the stabilizer, does that seem right to you? There is seven between the bottom of the stabilizer housing and ground level so I need an area 18 inches below ground level. I have a spot in mind next to my RV pad, may require a little digging but should work. So, I relax the system, remove the two hydraulic lines, remove the two bolts and nuts and the ram just falls out. Is that right? here is the real question, will I get a hydraulic fluid shower???? Thanks for your response. Stan

[billr]

Sounds right. Be sure the hyd pump is not run at all or bath time. Best to get some caps or plugs to plug the lines when removed then no worries.

Once it's done and the new jack is in you can bleed it by loosening the line a bit and let air out when extending it will be a bit messy but easiest way to bleed the air out. Keep checking the pump resivior and keep fluid in it.

Good luck

[stanleyz]

Thought I'd give this a bump and an update. I did not replace the ram because I ordered one from the local DRV dealer and it didn't get in before I was scheduled to leave for the summer. To take the trip I fashioned two chains to hold up the stabilizers while I was under way. There were hooks on both ends and as soon as the stabilizers started down the chains would tighten and hold them up. When set up in a site I removed the chains and used the stabilizers. Took an extra minute at the most when setting up or moving out. I finally cancelled the order for the ram when after 6 weeks I found out it had not left LCI yet and still had to go through DRV then to the dealer. Would have been better off to order from LCI myself.

Anyway, we went all the way to the Pacific ocean and were started back to ATL after two months. Somewhere in remote Nevada it got interesting. We stopped at a truck stop and as I slowed I could hear a stabilizer riding on the black top. The chain on the passenger side had come off. I stopped and raised them and found a nice secluded spot on the ramp to do some emergency repair. Found some rubber bungees and a piece of cable to make an emergency repair. At that point I noted that the stabilizer had not extended while I was getting supplies. They were staying up on their own. We get under way and at the first hardware we can find I buy a piece of chain and some hooks and fashion two new chains, one spare. As I replace the missing chain I note that the stabilizer has not extended since I raised it at the truck stop. They were both staying up on their own, working as designed. However I didn't trust then so when we moved on I installed the chains with bungee cords so that if the stabilizers tried to extend while under way the chains would stop them but if they stayed up I would be able to tell it. As best I recall they reverted to failing three days later somewhere in Missouri. So, I got home and parked the trailer and the stabilizers were failing just like they were when we left. But they had worked correctly for three days or so which makes me believe the ram is OK.

I had a bit of time to mess with it last week. I recall that someone had said on line that all the valves (there are five) should be turned fully counter clockwise. I thought I had turned them all that way but a few days ago I got to checking and found one that would not tighten counter clockwise, the shaft would have screwed out. (don't forget the certified techs at CW worked on it) I then tried clockwise and when I hit what felt like the stop I gave an extra twist and it moved in a bit, so I gave several more twists and then tried the stabilizers and they seem to be working. I've tried most every order of opening and closing slides and raising and lowering landing gear and stabilizers and it seems that so long as the last thing I do is snug up the stabilizers they will stay up indefinitely.

I have no idea if this is going to be the end of it or not. I also have no idea what would have caused them to be repaired. CW replaced two valves but fixed nothing. I'm just playing with them and trying to make sure they are going to work. If I don't add anything here you may assume they are repaired. Life is strange sometimes.:confused::confused::confused::confused: :confused:

[Mike2338]

I have a 2011 that my rear stabilizers would drop. It was diagnosed as the internal seal within the jack was leaking.
Mine was repaired by robertsqualityrv.com just outside of Cinncinnati adtually in southern Indiana. They completely rebuild the jacks with a larger seal.
I highly recommend Roberts quality rv repair.

[stanleyz]

Thanks for your reply and the reference. I was convinced that mine needed rebuilt or replaced but now I'm not so sure. If they weren't welded on I'd pull one off and take it to the hydraulics shop anyway. I've already spent 700 bucks on the darn thing with no results. How long did it take for them to do the rebuild? I'm thinking it's a simple job once the ram is out. I've been told that the same problem can be caused by some trash getting between the seal and the cylinder wall and that if the trash gets washed out the seal will work again so I'm wondering if that's what's going on with mine.

[Chandler]

I've read (when it was online) on the Mobile Suites forum from several people that putting in some Seafoam trans tune helped their hydraulic system problems. You might want to give it a try. It says it is for hydraulic systems too.

[stanleyz]

Well darn, here I am again. Since my last report I have 1. Talked with Paul Cross who passed me off to a guy at lippert who Paul said was the best on the older units. He was very confident it was the seal and that the reason the seal kept passing the test was that when it would stay up it was holding so the test only works if we have to hold the stabilizer up. 2. Tried the Sea foam tranny flush which did not help. 3 Bit the bullet and removed the ram and took it to the local hydraulics shop for a rebuild. Got it yesterday and I now have about 750 bucks invested in the project.

I spent today trying to install the rebuilt ram and get it to work. Nope, wouldn't do it. So.... it may be my fault (more on that in a minute), it may be a faulty rebuild or the problem might not have ever been the ram. I sure don't know. The problem has now escalated to the stabilizers (both) staying down under pressure at all times. The only way I can get them up is to open the top hose and use a pry bar to force them up. An exercise that will force a lot of hydraulic fluid out of the stabilizer.

When I picked up the ram it was in the up position. So when I got started this AM the first thing I had to do was extend it so I could reach the ram bolt
with the foot shaft. I could not pull the ram shaft down by hand. I thought about taking it to the hydraulic shop and asking him to extend it for me but it's a 30 minute drive each way. I thought about connecting the hoses to the ram outside the housing and then extending the stabilizer with the switch but that sounded messy. So, I locked the ram in my vice, put a bolt through the hole in the ram shaft and used a small hydraulic jack to force the shaft to the down position. It was very dry and it occured to me that I might be harming the seal but by then I was pretty much committed.

I'm thinking that was probably an error and maybe ruined the new seal. I'll see what the hydraulic shop says about that.

I'm still open to suggestions.

[stanleyz]

A bump and a short message: "got it". I'm gonna start a new thread and leave a clean trail for anyhone who might be doing research on the same problem.