Electric Landing Gear Lead Leg not moving - 2010 Bighorn

[8amps]

We had this same problem leaving the Quartzsite, Arizona Rally in January, but with the other side (following leg). In that case, the leg wouldn't go up when we were leaving though it went down fine when we got there a few days before. Now roughly 6 weeks later, we have the same problem with the other jack (leading leg). This time when trying to unhitch, the leg wouldn't go down, though we hitched up an hour before just fine.

In Quartzsite, the RV shop said the whole leg needed to be replaced (approximately $500 for parts and labor). Now after reading this forum and countless others, we're not sure whether the leg really needed to be replaced or if a repair kit could have been used. But nevertheless, that is done. Now the question remains what to do with the other leg. We can find the lead leg locally (now in Phoenix area) for $325 or from etrailer for under $200 but in the meantime, we are still hitched to the truck so we don't want to leave it like that.

It seems like this is a common failure, is this just to be expected or is this operator error? Or lack of maintenance? We're going to pop off the cap tomorrow and look inside. The first time I ever read about lubricating this is in reading posts on this topic. Is there a list somewhere off all the maintenance that we should be doing? It's quite confusing trying to suss this out one component at a time.

Thanks always for your input.

 

[JohnD]

Sun City RV on Grande Ave and N. 91st Ave (about a mile east of the 101 West bypass) is where we had our axle fixed while on our way to Quartzsite . . . they were awesome!

Plus, the Ramada Inn next door has an RV park.

Hope you guys get this problem solved!

Here is a link to Google Maps:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5918508,-112.2557969,16z

Sun City RV is located right dead center on this map!

 

[jbeletti]

I have no ideas on repairing your landing gear. But an idea for getting the unit off your truck...

If you have access to some large wood blocks that can be used for cribbing and even some concrete blocks + a large bottle jack, you may be able to safely lift the trailer to add cribbing under it to then disconnect from the truck. Be extremely careful doing this.

 

[TGLBWH]

After replacing three sheer pins in the landing gear shaft and finding that the whole gear was almost frozen I replaced the leg. I bought one online from Stromberg-Carlson that was a perfect fit and and a grease fittng included. I supported the rig with blocks on the frame behind the jack. The actual replacement only took about 20-30 minutes. The new one works better than the old one even when it was new. Can't remember the price exactly but believe it was around 200

 

[danemayer]

Hi 8amps,

Your subject line says "electric" so here's some info about the electric landing gear.

Here's a link to the forum page with manuals, diagrams and parts information on the Venture electric landing gear (which is what it sounds like you may have). It appears there is a rebuild kit, as well as some specific rebuild instructions. Looking at some of those, you can also probably get an idea about disassembly and lubrication if you want to try that first.

From prior posts, if you haven't already done so, I'd suggest testing the operation with the manual crank. The legs should move easily (but slowly) with the crank. If not, the leg or gearbox/crossover needs to be checked out.

You did mention "leading leg" and "following leg" which sounds like hydraulic landing gear. If that's the case, you might take a look at this manual. Page 24 or thereabout has some service info.

 

[8amps]

I'm pretty sure they are electric. Lippert (and various posts and manuals) talked about leading vs followin leg. Here's a photo of how it sits now, other leg is down normally. .
Wasn't sure how those two blocks would do supporting the weight of trailer so we left it hitched. Is it ok to unhitch and leave it like that?


Opened the cap of leg at issue, bar is turning, gears are doing nothing.

 

[8amps]

This is a video with the cap off the leg in question. Motor is turning shaft, gears not engaging.

 

[danemayer]

I'd have to guess that there's a shear pin holding the gear to the shaft and it's sheared. Maybe someone with experience on these electric landing gear can confirm.

 

[justafordguy]

There is a shear pin and it must be sheared. Something must be bound up in the leg.

 

[caissiel]

Per the video the small or pinion gear is worn out and need to be replaced.
What causes this wear is the centering plate for the jack screw is loose and does not line up properly. I had to anchor the center plate with a clamp on mine on the first year of operation. I could not lift the unit manually.
The recommendation of a separate additional drive motor is a bandaid and not the solution. Additional motor only cause more wear.

 

[Gary521]

The entire leg needs to be replaced. I would guess that the jack screw is bound up and caused this condition to happen.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Look at the end of the square connecting shaft at the leg motor that does not work. These shafts do not have a shear pin...they have a small bolt on nut...well at least mine does. The nut either come loose and falls off or the bolt breaks. If the bolt fell off and fell into a black hole. Measure the square shaft...go to Lowes and get a 3/16th ( might 1/4") cant remember, bolt the correct length (not too long) and "nylock" nut. Run the good leg up to align with to bad side...align the holes in the square shaft and motor shaft..install the new bolt and nut. You might buy a spare nut and bolt or maybe 2 for spares.

 

[8amps]

Hi 8amps,

Your subject line says "electric" so here's some info about the electric landing gear.

Here's a link to the forum page with manuals, diagrams and parts information on the Venture electric landing gear (which is what it sounds like you may have). It appears there is a rebuild kit, as well as some specific rebuild instructions. Looking at some of those, you can also probably get an idea about disassembly and lubrication if you want to try that first.

From prior posts, if you haven't already done so, I'd suggest testing the operation with the manual crank. The legs should move easily (but slowly) with the crank. If not, the leg or gearbox/crossover needs to be checked out.

We did try the manual crank and it didn't move the gears. We ordered a repair kit from the local rv supply for about $60 but according to the directions on the rebuild, it said to rotate drive shaft until pin is vertical. We haven't been able to rotate shaft and we cannot punch out pin while it is not vertical. Not sure if that means "seized up" but it won't budge.

Maybe that means the whole leg does need to be replaced. However, we can't even get the motor off the gearbox because one of the two long screws holding it on is stripped from the inside (it's a flat head screw accessible from the front storage compartment.)

Don't know what to do from here...

 

[8amps]

Hi John,
I checked on the place you went to but they are nearly 40 miles from where we are...
We are long out of warranty so we don't have your specific issue with Heartland.

 

[JohnD]

Hi John,
I checked on the place you went to but they are nearly 40 miles from where we are...
We are long out of warranty so we don't have your specific issue with Heartland.

As far as repair . . . they were awesome!

Unfortunately . . . we did have to PAY (over $1000 dollars)!

But Sun City RV did take care of us . . . and I highly recommend them as they did us right!

They were awesome . . .



Hope to see you guys at one of the 2015 summer rallies!

By the bye . . . we are also considered one of the xxxxxxx members of the Arizona HOC chapter!

 

[jimtoo]

Hi Phil and Mary,

There is a repair kit available for your jack. I helped a friend repair his. You need to block frame of trailer and take pressure off the jack and remove it from the unit. The shaft from the transmission is turning according to the video but gear is not, so either the roll pin is broken or the shaft is broken. The gear looks like it has a lot of wear on the teeth, probably tried to jump gears and bound itself up and caused the pin to shear or shaft to break. The best way is remove the leg and then you can replace both of the gears and check the end of the shaft where the roll pin that holds the gear in place is not broken. If it is broken then you will need a new transmission or maybe able to buy just the shaft. But just make it easy and take the jack out where you can get to everything.

Jim M

 

[8amps]

This is taken from the front compartment looking at the motor and the back of the gearbox. (sorry it's lopsided, it's hard to get in that compartment!) The screw is stripped from the inside, spins and spins, so we can't get the motor off.
Any ideas?

 

[Gary521]

I Have repaired a few of these landing gear. The motor is held on with the perimeter screws. You will need to replace the entire leg and gear box. You can take the motor, leg and gear box out as a unit so that you can get to the motor. Call the manufacturer, Venture, and they have all the parts you need. The repair kit that people have mentioned will do you no good at this point. Remove the cross shaft first. There is no cheap fix for your problem.

 

[Gary521]

Actually, I recommend that you replace the Venture system with a Ground Control electric leveling system and don't fix the old system. You can get the original system or the newer v.3 system which is automatic leveling. It ain't cheap but its an amazing system. You can still fix the original system but the Ground Control is far superior and works much faster. The system is easily self installed.

 

[8amps]

Hi Gary,
Thanks for the info, checked the price for Ground Control 3.0 $3,000 unfortunately is out of our budget for now. It'll go on the wish list though!
After messing with this for about a day and a half, we called a mobile repair guy. We have an extended warranty (that we totally forgot about using - duh! - it came with the trailer when we bought it from original owner last March) and got approval for them to replace the entire leg. However, he ordered the wrong leg (29 inch vs. 33.5) so now that is setting us back another day because he can't get that in until Monday afternoon. Not feeling too confident that he ordered the wrong leg however. I only knew which leg to order after talking to Lippert.

Thank you to everyone for their help and guidance. We are really trying to learn!