Manually Raising Landing Gear - Montana Owners Club

seahunter · 03-08-2013, 05:54 PM

Hello,

I can't seem to find what I'm looking for with the search feature. We went to take the trailer out yesterday and we have no power. I hooked up the truck, but could not get enough power to raise the landing gear (have Level-Up too). Tried to start the generator, it would not turn over. I think there is a breaker and/or fuses blown, but the fuse panel is blocked by a slide that is in (3750FL dinette slide). I'm still under warranty so I don't want to try and do the slide by myself.

I need to try and take it in for service. I have never had to manually raise the landing gear. Is the manual override in the side by the propane tank or in the front by the hydraulic pump resevoir? Is there one override for both legs or one for each? I can't find any detailed information in the manual, so how exactly do I do this?

Thanks for any help and assistance!

Greg

Bill-N-Donna · 03-08-2013, 11:12 PM

I’ve never had to use the manual crank for the landing gear. However, I believe that it would be lifting both sides at the same time. It should be located somewhere around the propane tank on the street side. It might vary from model to model I’m not sure. As far as the stabilizers and level-up systems go I would think they should have an override but I’m not familiar with those systems.

bncinwv · 03-09-2013, 12:14 AM

You should have received a crank that was hung on the basement wall. It finds a gear in the propane compartment on the convenience center side that will raise and lower both legs at the same time. It is a laborous job, but until we installed the second battery and the isolation switch I can truly say, been there done that quite a few times. The easier alternative is to jump start your generator from the truck using the rig battery and a set of jumper cables.
Bingo

seahunter · 03-09-2013, 12:25 AM

Thanks Bill and Bingo. On jump starting the generator, I forgot to mention but after a while it seemed like a breaker or fuse blew. Even the generator seems to not be getting any power. Does it have a breaker or fuse for the generator? If not, and I try to jump it, how do the jumper cables hook up for two six-volts? Is it like for charging and you take the positive on one, negative on the other - the two terminals that are not running between the batteries?

Thanks!

snfexpress · 03-09-2013, 02:24 AM

Quote:

quote:Is it like for charging and you take the positive on one, negative on the other - the two terminals that are not running between the batteries?

Yes!

bncinwv · 03-09-2013, 03:11 AM

The only breakers on the generator that i am aware of are on the front of the genny. They control the output and should not have anything to do with starting it.
Bingo

**DQDick** · 03-09-2013, 03:37 AM

If you have one of the jump start emergency batteries you can also use that to provide the power you need. We always carry one for that purpose and if we ever needed to start the truck.

seahunter · 03-09-2013, 03:57 AM

Thanks for the replies gentlemen! I'm off to try and start the generator.

MIMF · 03-09-2013, 09:33 AM

Simply sounds like a battery issue to me. Make sure the chassis ground to the batteries is free of corrosion and snug. I do that by loosening the screw at that holds the ground strap or wire to the frame and retighten it. Do the same thing with the ground strap or wire coming off the side of the solenoid switch for the hydraulic pump. Especially, if you are seeing and determine the batteries are fully charged or the bargemen plug from the trailer to the back end of the truck is plugged in. 9 times out of 10, 12 volt issues are usually created by poor ground connections.

Greg, I see that you have a Ford. It used to be that the engine had to be running to provide 12 volt power to the Bargmen recept on the back of the truck. I do not know if that is still true or not.

c214dick · 03-09-2013, 04:11 PM

I believe with the Level Up, it's a different procedure to manually raise the legs than using the crank. Good luck

seahunter · 03-09-2013, 05:12 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by c214dick

I believe with the Level Up, it's a different procedure to manually raise the legs than using the crank. Good luck

Thanks, that's what I'm confused about too. In fact I didn't go over to the trailer yet until I figured this out. I found this video where it's talking about isolating slides versus landing jacks and then using a power driver to turn it by the hydraulic valves instead of out by the propane tank:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiwP7anoNTk

I don't have a cordless, so I'm still out of luck unless I can get the generator running but this looks like how it works.

Bingo, if you did the crank method, does that mean you can do it either of these two ways?

c214dick · 03-10-2013, 05:54 PM

If you contact Lippert they should be able to talk you through the manual process.

bncinwv · 03-11-2013, 02:02 AM

Greg,
I am at a loss when it comes to your new-fangled level up system, and do not feel comfortable offering advice with regards to it. If you still have the old landing gear intact, then the crank system in the propane compartment will work.
Bingo

seahunter · 03-11-2013, 02:38 AM

Thanks again for all the replies.

Thanks Bingo, I was thinking you had the Level-Up which is why I was more confused - well, more confused than normal anyway

seahunter · 03-11-2013, 09:32 AM

UPDATE:

Thanks again for all the replies. At least now I know in theory how to manually raise the landing gear on a Level-Up as per the video I posted above.

I went over today and was able to jump start the generator using the truck. Must be the batteries were just totally dead which had not happened before in that amount of time. Anyway, let the gen run about half an hour, which of course did not charge the batteries, but it did allow for dim lights in the trailer once I shut it off, so I know it was working. Now I just need to get her plugged in somewhere. That's one of the problems of not having electricity at the storage lot.

bncinwv · 03-11-2013, 09:49 AM

Greg,
My solution to the battery draining problem (there are phantom loads - controller board, propane detectors, etc. that still draw power even with the battery switch in the convenience center closed) was to install a switch at the battery itself to completely isolate the batteries. There are several ways to do this (I used a boat-type MBSS switch). Worst case is without a switch you can simply unhook the batteries. If there is no load on the batteries they stay charged until you return. Others have installed small solar-type battery chargers, but my simple way works for me.
Bingo

seahunter · 03-11-2013, 02:22 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

Greg,
My solution to the battery draining problem (there are phantom loads - controller board, propane detectors, etc. that still draw power even with the battery switch in the convenience center closed) was to install a switch at the battery itself to completely isolate the batteries. There are several ways to do this (I used a boat-type MBSS switch). Worst case is without a switch you can simply unhook the batteries. If there is no load on the batteries they stay charged until you return. Others have installed small solar-type battery chargers, but my simple way works for me.
Bingo

Thanks Bingo, that's a good idea. On yours, do you have it isolating each 6-volt? If you do, what are the advantages of that?

bncinwv · 03-11-2013, 03:11 PM

Greg,
Ours is a double 12 volt system, but the principle is the same. I used a marine type MBSS switch which has four settings which is made for dual battery installations. The settings are OFF, Battery 1, Battery 2, and Both. There are switches available for single battery installations as well, as well as a blade type switch that mounts directly on the battery. Here are some pics of what I did for info purposes:

Battery MBSS switch:

As mounted in the battery compartment:

And finally here is the blade-type switch that can be used as well. This would be the simplest solution:

Hope this gives you a couple ideas.

Bingo

seahunter · 03-11-2013, 04:27 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

Greg,
Ours is a double 12 volt system, but the principle is the same. I used a marine type MBSS switch which has four settings which is made for dual battery installations. The settings are OFF, Battery 1, Battery 2, and Both. There are switches available for single battery installations as well, as well as a blade type switch that mounts directly on the battery. Here are some pics of what I did for info purposes:

Hope this gives you a couple ideas.

Bingo

Bingo, thanks very much for the explanation and taking the time to post all the pictures, I really appreciate it!

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