2021 Elkridge - Landing gear collapsing while sitting and lowering while driving.

My mother has a 2021 Elkridge and has been having problems with her landing gear since new. If the trailer sits in her yard the front will slowly lower itself over time. While it is happening, they can hear a low clicking sound from the pump area. They are also seeing the landing gear lowering while they are driving. It is slow but gets to the point where it is almost touching the ground. It has been at an RV service center for months and they say they cannot find anything wrong. Anyone ever heard of anything like this happening?

Hi amadru,

The hydraulic fluid pushes and pulls the rams that operate landing gear and hydraulic slides. For that to happen, the switch does 2 things: applies power to the hydraulic pump motor in the correct direction, and open the valve that allows fluid to flow to the intended device; in this case the front landing jacks.

If the valve isn't sealing, fluid can move when the switch is not being operated. There are several possibilities. The jacks could be leaking because of an internal problem. Usually you would see fluid leaking down the jack. Another possibility is that the valve is stuck slightly open due to a little crud circulating with the hydraulic fluid. Sometimes, exercising the jacks will clear this up. A third possibility is that the set screw used to manually open and close the valve is not seated. It should be all the way counter-clockwise, finger tight.

I would have to say the holding valve in the pump body or valve body is leaking by... this is usually due to a piece of contamination stuck in the seat, or an o-ring failure on it... it can be removed and inspected, and cleaned of any debris that might have gotten stuck...

I would say I'm not surprised. My 2021 Elkridge has been in the shop many times for Hydraulic issues. Bad seals, doesn't function, they even found the hoses reversed on one leg.
The latest is we got home after a 2 week trip, parked it and removed it from the truck. Now I can't get any hydraulics to work, The motor just makes a single click when you press any button.
I even tried to do the manual override Heartland explains in videos, but no luck. The motor/pump will not work.

Now I have to figure out how to 'jack up' my fifth wheel to get it back on my truck, or have it towed.

I am not a happy camper...

Was experiencing same phenomenon this past year. Recently replaced the valve on the off door side front jack. So far so good

I assumed if the solenoid was getting power, so was the pump.
I have to hang my head in shame now. I found the circuit breaker finally. Buried at the back, it was a black on black lever (I've never seen a breaker switch like it.). If it was orange or yellow, it would have stuck out, but I flipped it and solved the majority of my hydraulic issues, although I still have leaking landing pads.
Thanks to everyone's posts, it made me go back and take another look.

bdavidh said:

I assumed if the solenoid was getting power, so was the pump.
I have to hang my head in shame now. I found the circuit breaker finally. Buried at the back, it was a black on black lever (I've never seen a breaker switch like it.). If it was orange or yellow, it would have stuck out, but I flipped it and solved the majority of my hydraulic issues, although I still have leaking landing pads.
Thanks to everyone's posts, it made me go back and take another look.

Click to expand...

You’ll find over time those automotive breakers will weaken and tripping will become more common. I replaced with several with better & larger marine breakers and heavier cables to carry the amperage

With 1 or 2 bottle jacks (maybe some cribbing wood) and 2 jackstands you should be able to jack up each side on the frame member a bit, then do the other side up some, and gradually get it high enough to hitch up. I have done a similar procedure when repairing/removing my conventional electric landing gear legs.

I wonder if those with hydraulic legs extending could install a small valve on the leg pressure line external to the hydraulic block to add a second level of stoppage for the hydraulic fluid pressure (much as we add a second external valve on our sewer water outlet)?

Maybe one of the owners with these hydraulic problems that lives in a rural/farm area might seek out one of the mobile hydraulic/tractor mechanics to get the hydraulic system on the RV REPAIRED RIGHT, then share the info with the rest of the forum.