Something Everybody Needs To Check!

caokgafamily · Feb 13, 2008

I pulled my 3400 in the driveway to get ready for this weekend. I set the legs down and started running them to get the 3400 off the truck. The motor started make a wierd skipping noise then I noticed the legs were not moving.
There is a screw with a allen head and nut at both ends of the square tube that ties into the leg gear. I guess the nut fell off on the motor side of the screw tie in. The screw came out about 3/4 of the way and when I was running the legs in, it got bent in there and was tearing up the motor drive stud. It took me about an hour to fix everything with no permanent damage. I found a new bolt and nut. The hardest part is getting the bent bolt out. Everybody needs to check theirs and make sure everything is tight. This not a complaint, I guess as overall maintenace I should have checked them. 07 3400, been out about 16 times, weeked trips.

vangoes · Feb 13, 2008

Steve,

This is an apparent problem with our units. At the Southeast ralley I had the same problem as well as a Landmark unit. There has been many postings on this forum about this problem. I replaced both of mine with fiber self locking nuts and used loc-tite with them. Note, that the self locking nut/bolt on the motor end will just clear the motor housing so the loctite was used as an extra precaution. So far, things are ok.

Jimmyt5 · Feb 13, 2008

The same thing happened to my unit two weeks after delivery.

Jim

azbound · Feb 14, 2008

Sounds like something Heartland should address. I think the right thing to do would be for Heartland to do a recall and have the nut replaced by a local dealer.

Uncle Rog · Feb 14, 2008

Check to make sure that the leg extensions are equal, mine fell apart at the shop and they just bolted it back up with out checking. I had to disassemble and adjust when I got home, not that big a deal............

ChopperBill · Feb 14, 2008

The one on the right fell out when I took mine in for warranty repairs. Good timing I thought. I told them put a lock nut on it and check the other side while they were at it. You guessed it about 6 months later the left side fell out! NO LOCK NUT! Seems like I have to do every thing myself to get it right. I have heard this happens to just about everyone. Why cant they just put on stinking lock nuts?

Cheryl · Feb 14, 2008

vangoes,
Does your Landmark have the hydraulic system for your jacks?

Goldenwingers · Feb 14, 2008

Is this just a problem with electric jacks or does it affect hydralic jacks as well?

Don

jpmorgan37 · Feb 14, 2008

I never had a problem with my hydraulic jacks.

BJ'sDad · Feb 15, 2008

After I helped Joseph fix the lost bolt in his Big Horn at the Southeast Rally, I checked my Sundance which was only a couple months old and only on it's second camping trip. Both locking nuts were loose as the bolts hadn't been tightened enough to get into the locking portion of the nut. I tightened mine down just enough to thread the bolt completely thru the locking portion of the nut and it's been fine since.

There's so little room on the motor end of the shaft that you have to use a bolt that is just barely long enough to contact the self locking portion of the nuts. Be careful you don't overtighten the bolts as you will cause the open end of the tube to crush which will cause it to be difficult to remove from the drive end on the motor.

Larryheadhunter · Feb 15, 2008

well folks i picked up my 3400RE yesterday and guess what, as soon as i stopped at my first campground, i got help from 2 guys working there and the nut was loose on the right front leg and about to fall off, when i was trying to unhitch for the first time. they were nice enough to tighten it for me but grumbled how that should never happen and blamed it on poor quality control. personally when i think it occured during the pdi when we were trying to hitch up for the first time and that leg seemed to bend a little. the service guy didnt even check it out for me and said it was fine.

geeksrus · Feb 17, 2008

Thanks for the heads up! I checked mine & the nuts on each end had come off. Put on locking nuts that have the nylon inserts & hopefully these will hold.

It is very annoying & worrisome when something like this goes awry.

Heartland needs to clean up their act when they use inferior materials on such critical components.

Once again, my confidence in Heartland has slipped a notch!

EH!

Goldenwingers · Feb 17, 2008

I would still like to know if the units that this is happening on have electric or hydralic jacks?

Don

vangoes · Feb 17, 2008

Goldenwingers,

I've seen this happen on a Big Horn and a Landmark and have read on the forum about it happening on all of the other 5vers.

bpmills · Feb 17, 2008

When I picked up our new 2009 3400rl, the mechanic who did the walk around with us said he had to replace something on the front landing gear, said he used a better product to repair it. Being new I was glad he had noticed it, and replaced it with something better, I should have paid more attentionat the time. Maybe he was talking about these bolts that are coming loose.

ziggy · Feb 18, 2008

Could someone please post a picture of what you are talking about so I can describe it to my husband better? Thanks.
Kristy

jwb187 · Feb 18, 2008

Ditto Ziggys post, I'm not to mechanically inclined but have an 08 3055 and would like to know exactly where this problem is and do I have to remove something to be able to see the loose nut. If someone has the know how to take pictures and post them I would be very appreciative. Thanks,

JWB

katkens · Feb 18, 2008

jwb187 said:
Ditto Ziggys post, I'm not to mechanically inclined but have an 08 3055 and would like to know exactly where this problem is and do I have to remove something to be able to see the loose nut. If someone has the know how to take pictures and post them I would be very appreciative. Thanks,

JWB

Just open the front storage compartment and at the top there is a square shaft running the whole length. If you look , feel , at each end the is a bolt that goes through that connects the shaft to the motor and gearing on the the other end. The bolts on mine took a allen head wrench and believe the nut was 3/8's.......Ken

tcbrady · Feb 18, 2008

This is something we will address with Lippert, they install the landing on the frame, however we will 100% check prior to the unit leaving the floor department from this point going forward. This shouldn’t be an issue with the Landmark product as it has always used the hydraulic system.

ziggy · Feb 18, 2008

Thanks Ken for the description. I'll show it to Mark so he can check ours. And thanks Coley for making sure it gets taken care of at the factory level. Heartland steps up again!
Kristy

Something Everybody Needs To Check!

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

goldenwingers

Well-known member

Active Member

X-Rookies Still Luving it

Well-known member

goldenwingers

Well-known member

Active Member

Retired Oregon HOC

Active Member

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired

Well-known member

Retired Oregon HOC

Similar threads