You haven't lived until...

Semi-Hex

Grand Poobah!
Until you have a split hydraulic line (at a fitting) on the Thursday night before Memorial day weekend in the middle of Needles, CA. when the temperature was nearing 100⁰F. It decided to let go when the levelers were part way extended, I had just taken it off the truck and was lowering it to level.

It wasn't level. When I stupidity thought I could put the hydraulic sliders out and spend the night which we did. They are connected to the same hydraulic system as the levelers. Well, Friday most of the shops are closed, the mobile repair people are booked until next holiday, this site was down and no on was available to make a line for me.

What do you do? What I did was zip off the Mojave, NV and buy from the only stores that were open, Harbor Freight and Lowe's, two floor jacks, two jack stands a ton of cable ties and ratchet straps, and blocks of wood.

I lifted the 5th wheel back onto my truck, then spend half the day retracting the leveling feet and strapping the up using cable ties as a back up. Then I hand cranked the slide outs closed and ratchet stepped these too since they tend to open on their own.

We drove towards home, cutting out holiday short, waited until Tuesday and when to Kellogg's agriculture supply in Merced who made a replacement hose. I hooked it up refilled almost two gallons of AT fluid and cycled it four or five times and all is well.

Lessons:
I expect normal things to break but not this.
Don't expect you'll get help soon.
They claim you can cap off the hydraulic line with an odd sized bolt (I can't remember the size), you have to be able to find one and it wouldn't have helped anyway.
Learn as much as you can about your rig. I had help since I used to remodel homes and had a basic knowledge about stuff.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I think that it would be handy for us (this forum) to find a hydraulic line splicer (easy to use Sharkbite type?) to keep on hand for emergencies like this with the Lippert Hydraulic lines.

On edit: I did a quick Google websearch on this and found the following terrific posting on the Montana RV Owners forum:

I found the referenced spicer fitting with this link:


I couldn't find anything current on the Parker 9393-4-4 adapter fitting listed. I am out of time this morning and have to go. Maybe someone can call Parker and get a new part number for this.
 
Last edited:

Semi-Hex

Grand Poobah!
I think that it would be handy for us (this forum) to find a hydraulic line splicer (easy to use Sharkbite type?) to keep on hand for emergencies like this with the Lippert Hydraulic lines.

On edit: I did a quick Google websearch on this and found the following terrific posting on the Montana RV Owners forum:

I found the referenced spicer fitting with this link:


I couldn't find anything current on the Parker 9393-4-4 adapter fitting listed. I am out of time this morning and have to go. Maybe someone can call Parker and get a new part number for this.
They do make repair in the field parts though I haven't found them for this type/size hydraulic line (non metallic braiding).
Now I know I can fix almost everything on this rig.
 

SLO

Well-known member
Because of past problems with hoses, I carry two spare hydraulic hoses. One long enough to reach the furthest Jack. Also carry a couple of hydraulic hose fitting caps. The only time I used those caps was at MORRyde when they burned through one of my hydraulic hoses. I just capped that line off. The trailer was on Jack anyway. With that cap I was able to open the slides and sleep in trailer. Believe it or not, Heartland paid for the two spare hoses.


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