Another landing gearbox fail

[Chuck Richard]

Hello all,

Just got my '09 Bighorn back from a week and a half of warranty work, when unhitching I heard a crazy noise. Looked at the landing gear motor and the plastic gearbox had broken like I have read about in other posts here. I think I have only hitched and unhitched the rig 6 or 7 times and it is broke already. Don't know if the dealer held the switch on after the gear was up or what. I have looked for loose bolts and have none and been very carefull to always release the switch as soon as the gear stops. What I am wondering is if anyone has a better fix to keep this from happenning again. It looks to be a very poor design with plastic holding all the force and torque from this motor. Hoping someone has come up with a good fix. This is such a critical part of the 5'er I'm just lucky it happenned at home. Heartland has offerred to overnight the part to the dealer or me but I think it will be the same weak plastic gearbox housing. Trip planned in four days, holding my breath.

Thanks

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

I don't know the mechanics of the gearbox because I've never had a problem with it. I never raise the legs to their limit either. I have a mark on the landing legs about an inch short of fully retracted and I don't go beyond that mark. I've never had a problem with the legs not being up high enough for clearance. I would think if they were consistently retracted to their limit and the gears/internal mechanism were stressed every time, it may shorten it's lifespan.

 

[buckeyebob]

mine failed on the trip home from dealer the day i bought it!!!!!2 hours and i was into the warranty.tried to put water in holding tank and it would only take 15 gallons.280 miles later and i had it back from the dealer vent hose was plugged with unknown material.i just hope the unknown material isnt gonna plug drain hose.the wardrobe closet in bedroom in my 2900mk had a clamp give way allwing th lomg clothes rod to fall.the screws fell out of the shelf bottom.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

the wardrobe closet in bedroom in my 2900mk had a clamp give way allowing th long clothes rod to fall.the screws fell out of the shelf bottom.[/quote]
Buckeyebob,
There's a few threads out in the forum about the cloths rod repairs. It seems sometimes the screws miss their mark under the shelf. Also they are screwing into pine and it splits because the screws are close to the edge of the wood. Most of us relocate the hanging brackets for the cloths rod and use 1/4-20 bolts all the way through the shelf with fender washers. End of problem.

 

[Chuck Richard]

Thanks Ray, I guess I'll mark mine also and have special instructions if I have any more warranty work done. I was looking closer at the unit this morning and just pleased to see it was made in China like the tires. Too bad if this unit is so weak Heartland does not give a warning about raising the gear all the way. I think you have the answer at least for now or untill someone comes up with a metal gear housing.

 

[Peteandsharon]

There might be another reason not to retract the landing gear all the way up. I (and apparently several others at my dealer) had a problem with the spring loaded pins (SNAPS) which pull out to allow you to quickly release the jack legs. The pin was stuck on one side. Try as I might, I could not pull out the pin and release the leg. Apparently what is happening is that you can retract the landing gears so far that it pushes on and bends the spring loaded pins. I am very careful with my second set to never retract the landing gear so far that the pins touch the underside of the rig. I pull it up to about an inch below the top and at that point there is plenty of clearance.

 

[TXBobcat]

I had a problem similar to PeteandSharon.
My dealer had moved my Bighorn to the shop with a fork lift. The drive to the shop had a slope in front, so they extended the legs on the landing gear and leveled the trailer. When they were finished working I backed under the pin box and started lowering the trailer to be low enough to make the connection. As I lowered the landing gear it went far enough to hit and actually bend and break the pins that hold the legs. Had to pull up and use a fork lift to raise the trailer and put new pins on and then lower the legs so I could pull under with the 5th wheel. I don't understand why an electric stop was not used to prevent this problem.

Can you extend the landing gear too far?? Never tried. I always have been leary of extending the landing gear for a long length of time due to possible heating the motor. I wished they used hydraulics for the landing gears.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

I guess as a rule of thumb, I always lower the gear using the motor at least 4" before dropping the legs. This way you should always have enough travel to raise or lower the gear enough to rehitch. If you're on fairly level hard pack or concrete you would probably only need to drop it an inch or so. Some owners don't like using them but I use a large block under the front pad. This just reduces the amount the sliding part of the leg has to come down. As always, make sure your tires are chocked front and rear before unhitching.

 

[wazz_zup]

Be careful with those spring loaded snaps for the landing legs. I was trying to lower my front end to get better suction from the front of the fresh water tank and ended up bending both pins. I was trying to lower too far. In retrospect, I should have raised the rear of the rig on some leveling blocks. Anyway, with the truck hooked up, I took 'em off and kinda bent them back with a sledgehammer.

 

[htneighbors]

I just wish I could raise my Cyclone more than a second or two at a time without blowing the fuse!

 

[jbeletti]

HT,

You have to get that thing fixed. Call Customer Service when you can to find out the fix. Maybe you can do it yourself. 877-262-8032.

Jim

 

[htneighbors]

I'll do it - it would be great to be able to fix it myself. I don't know fulltimers EVER have the time to take their rigs in - working all the time (currently in the middle of No Where, USA) I definitely can't! But...that's another thread altogether! Thanks, Jim!

 

[jbeletti]

Gotcha HT. Explain your situation to Customer Service and see if they will send you the parts to git'r done.

Where are you? I am in Gillette, WY for the Escapees Escapade. Are you still in Colo?

 

[htneighbors]

About 145 miles south of you - Glendo Lakeside RV Park. Big, gravel, level spaces (@40'x85'), full hook-ups, no trees, few hundred yards from a lake. Private owned park bordering state park. Working @ 40 miles away between Douglas and Casper.

http://www.glendolakesiderv.com

I have 4-6th of July off, DW flying in from OKC, gonnanvisit Mt. Rushmore on the bike. Micah at camp for that week. (BTW - she got her driver's license today! Smart car in the future!)

 

[Oldlthrneck]

I just wish I could raise my Cyclone more than a second or two at a time without blowing the fuse!

HT:
Get that horse you call a dog out of there when you crank that thing up and down, you might not have that issue. He's probably overloading the rig.

 

[ptillett]

I just wish I could raise my Cyclone more than a second or two at a time without blowing the fuse!

We have a similar problem I need to get checked out. Our 2900mk landing gear eats fuses. We can blow 1-3 every time we try to raise or lower our landing gear. I just need to get it somewhere and have the electrical part checked out. Any suggestions, please feel free!

We've only had it a few months, used it twice. Been too busy at work to get anywhere with it (for fun or maintenance).

 

[jbeletti]

HT,

There is a RVer with a Smart Car Cabriolet. Very cute. She'd love it. If you make it by this Sunday, maybe we can get your picture in it!

Jim

 

[rvv]

HT:
Get that horse you call a dog out of there when you crank that thing up and down, you might not have that issue. He's probably overloading the rig.

Better yet; Move horse/dog to back of RV. Go slowly; wouldn't want to tip RV onto tailgate! Lance

 

[Peteandsharon]

That's a good point too, HT. I don't have any problem with fuses but I do notice that raising and lowering the front of the BH is a huge drain on the battery. As much as possible, I make a point to stay plugged in whenever I am hooking up or setting up. Otherwise, I can just hear my battery being drained by the change in the motor's RPM's. It's possible that the battery that the dealer installed is not properly holding a charge but even after about 10 days of camping when it was supposedly charging it barely has one or two extension/retractions before it is turning real slooooooooowwww. Must be pulling a huge amount of current.

 

[htneighbors]

HT:
Get that horse you call a dog out of there when you crank that thing up and down, you might not have that issue. He's probably overloading the rig.

Poor Puppy! LOL!