Some Hydraulic Fluid beneath the pump. How serious?

danemayer

Well-known member
I opened the generator compartment up front and noticed that the flooring under the hydraulic system had a light coating of hydraulic fluid. Not much. Wiped it up with 2 sheets of paper towel - not enough to soak the paper.

I plan to check again tomorrow morning after pulling in the slides and raising the leveling system landing jacks. I'll be looking for new leakage and also at the fluid level in the tank.

Assuming no additional leakage after using the pump tomorrow morning, how concerned should I be? Is this abnormal? Is it a total failure waiting to happen? Our rig is 10 months old and it's been a few months since I've been in this compartment.
 

caissiel

Senior Member
Pass your hand on the hydraulic fittings if one leaking it will be wet with oil.
Oil is not like water it stays wet and sticks for the slitest leak.
 

hriker

Well-known member
Dan:

We have had our 20011 Rushmore for just 3 weeks and we had what we thought was a hydraulic leak. Initially thought we had blown a line. We had hydraulic fluid all over the compartment and our driveway. But after looking more closely I found the fluid came out of the top of the cap when we were of all things backing the rig in our driveway. Once the rig was level it no longer leaked. I had to put 12" of solid block under the front landing gear (courses crisscrossed to make them stable) and the front landing gear extended 14" to make the rig level. I never considered our driveway at a steep angle but it is for an RV. I checked with our dealer (RV's for Less in Knoxville, TN) and he indicated this would occur on a very unlevel surface. According to the dealer with all level legs and slides in the fluid tank should be 3/4" to 1" from the top. I'm not sure yet how much I lost but will find out when I reattach to the truck and get it on a level surface. I need to figure some way to extend the fill tub so we don't leak each time we bring it back home. Somehow elevate that tub and cap. By the way no further leaking while its been level and we have been able to successfully bring our slides in and out. The tank is currently half empty with all hydraulics out.

Have you recently been on a very unlevel surface when all hydraulics were in and the tank full? I actually put a container under my tank because I know its going to leak when I go to connect to the truck again.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
The catch pan under my pump (slides only) was filled with fluid last spring after sitting over the winter. Came from a bad o-ring(s) in one of the valves (entertainment slide). Lost about a 1/2" of fluid from the reservoir. The leak was actually behind the plate the valves are mounted to. I had the dealer fix it while in for some other routine maintenance items.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Caissiel, I don't feel anything on the hoses/fittings on top of the pump assembly. I think I've felt them all, but it's a little tough reaching around without seeing.

Hriker, in fact I was on a very unlevel site at the Heartland Rally in Goshen. I used a couple of inches of wood and the front gear were still extended pretty far to get the rig level. This is the first time I've opened the compartment since Goshen. It wouldn't have been sitting for a long time before extending jacks and slides. The area around the cap doesn't seem wet though.

JohnDar, I think I remember seeing some valves in front of the basement access hole that's used to manually operate the pump. I'll look at those in the morning. If it's an o-ring leaking, I assume that won't result in a sudden failure of the system - just gradual loss of fluid.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Dan, you're right in my situation. The slides still worked since it was more of a slow drip, not a gusher. Fortunately I found it while examining the trailer after the break-in on Dec. 31, and had to install the battery to move the slides. I jammed a rag under the pump to sop up the fluid before it dripped onto the battery cover. It was the entertainment slide and I didn't have to move that one to survey the interior. Once the snow and ice melted enough (we entered the Ice Age around here the day after I went to the rig), I hauled the rig to the dealer.
 

PUG

Pug
I just purchased an 11 Cameo with the bigfoot system. i noticed a small puddle of hydraulic fluid leaking onto the foot and got to looking around. I at thought it was a seal in the ram but after cleaning it all off real good it is a bad weld around the top cap on the cylinder. I guess this does happen occasionally. Anyhow I called the big foot makers (under warranty) and I have a new cylinder setting in my garage waiting for me to install it. You may have to raise it up and down a few times and really clean it good with soap and water.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I removed the front basement access panel and checked all the valves/hoses. All are dry. There is more fluid in a drip pan just under the pump, which is probably the intermediate source of what I found on the floor of the compartment. Fluid level with everything in is about 1" below top of the reservoir. I think it was 3/4" last Fall when I had occasion to check. Everything worked this morning when leaving Montana and again setting up in Idaho.

I'll be cleaning the drip pan and checking underneath the pump and will monitor.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
In Idaho, I added about 12 ounces to the tank. All of it, and probably more leaked out at our two stops in Utah. I cleaned it up again before leaving Moab this morning. We're now in Durango and everything is still working. For our setup today, I put blocks under the front jacks to reduce the distance they have to extend. I'm hoping I can nurse it along until we get home after 6 more stops and then it's off to our local dealer for repair.

By the way, Walmart had an inexpensive filler with flex tube in the automotive area. There's a large bowl with measurement lines so you know how much you're adding. The top has a press on cap so the fluid stays put while you position the bowl. The bottom of the bowl has a twist valve to start and stop fluid flow. I removed the flex tube and put the bowl's drain over the opening in the tank and twisted the valve to open.
 

PSF513

Well-known member
The Lippert factory tech came to my house because of an electrical problem in my AutoLevel system. During checkout, he noticed I was a little low in the fluid reservoir. The push on cap on my reservoir has a small hole on each side of the groove that catches in the o-ring. He said that is normal from bouncing while towing. He filled with Automatic Transmission Fluis and suggested I get some and check at least twice each season. You can see leakage on my front landing gear pads from time to time. Apparently, that is normal.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
My unit has lost more than a little fluid. I'm just hoping it doesn't get worse. I have 5 more stops over the next 3 weeks before getting home and to a dealer.
 
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