Lippert leveling system problems - bad front jacks

[Bama Camper]

Common problem with bad front landing gear?

I have a 2015 model High Country 305RL with a 4 point leveling system (electric). It works great - WHEN it's working. The model is a Lippert Ground Control 3.0.

The first symptom of failure is when the leveling system gets errors. This errors continue to get worse (more frequent) until one or both of the landing gear bind up and won't extend except in manual mode. The motors sound "labored" when this happens.

I'm on my THIRD set of front jacks. The first set was replaced by the dealer under warranty when the camper was 6 months old. That set lasted another 6 months. I've just replaced them again, same problem. When the dealer was testing the first set, one jack stopped and the other kept running, causing the camper to be supported by one front jack... until the internal screw in the supporting leg failed and the camper fell back it's retracted position. This happened again on the second set of legs.

Is this just a coincidence? I called Lippert who denys knowledge of any problems with the front jacks. They say the jacks will do that if they are bent, and maybe that's the problem. I can understand that, but what causes the legs to be bent? I am very gentle when hooking up to the camper, especially after losing the first set of legs. I always have good choks behind the tires when hooking up in order to minimize the pressure on the legs. I KNOW how to hook up a fifth wheel and have been doing it without problems with other fifth wheel trailers for over 30 years.

I don't think the legs are bent. If you look at the legs they are very thick square stock steel tubes that you could probably pull the trailer with without bending them. The problem seems to be the inner tube binds within the outer tube for some reason.

Lippert doesn't really have an answer and they say it's not a common problem. I'm not ready to say they are not telling the truth, but maybe they just aren't tracking a design flaw if there is one.

Has anyone else had a similar leveling system problem that required replacement of one or more front jacks?

[1retired06]

We have the six point lippert system. Only time our front legs error out, is if I try autolevel without first making sure the front end is higher than the back.

[tony d]

I have had a couple issues with one of the back ones sticking, but was able to get it to work after retracting all the jacks turning it off and starting over.

[richfaa]

You have the 4 point electric and most of us have the 6 point hydraulic.

[MHC305RL]

I have the same fifth wheel and had problems a couple of times with ours until I was told to leave the truck connected to the camper with the engine running to boost the voltage available to the jacks. We have the onan gen set and a combo washer/dryer on the front right side of the fifth wheel so that jack was always the problem, being too heavy on that side with one small battery I'm guessing.

Ours have never stripped out or bent, just the front right one would stop raising then give an error. I was on the phone at one campground with Lippert for an hour until I finally used the trucks bottle jack to raise the camper to get hooked up. After retracting all jacks, the error went away. I had the problem again a few days later (we were on a 3 week trip to Yellowstone) until I started leaving the truck connected and have not had a problem since. My battery is a cheap group 24 single battery. With all the weight up front, I think it is too much and drops the voltage too low and creates problems.

[Bama Camper]

quote:Originally posted by MHC305RL

I have the same fifth wheel and had problems a couple of times with ours until I was told to leave the truck connected to the camper with the engine running to boost the voltage available to the jacks. We have the onan gen set and a combo washer/dryer on the front right side of the fifth wheel so that jack was always the problem, being too heavy on that side with one small battery I'm guessing.

Ours have never stripped out or bent, just the front right one would stop raising then give an error. I was on the phone at one campground with Lippert for an hour until I finally used the trucks bottle jack to raise the camper to get hooked up. After retracting all jacks, the error went away. I had the problem again a few days later (we were on a 3 week trip to Yellowstone) until I started leaving the truck connected and have not had a problem since. My battery is a cheap group 24 single battery. With all the weight up front, I think it is too much and drops the voltage too low and creates problems.

Sounds like a familiar symptom sequence. Yes, Lippert says the leveling unit is sensitive to low voltage. I thought that may be my problem also (low voltage), but I did much testing with two parallel batteries and leaving the converter plugged in. I monitored the voltage during the testing and it never dropped below 12.2 volts. Didn't help in my case, but never-the-less, if it happens again I'll try that.

Having a lot of weight on the jacks does make the motor pull more current, but the jacks are rated for 14,000 pounds each. My pin weight is only 3020 pounds. Even loaded heavier, it should be well within specs. With my weight, the motors (when they are working properly) pull around 25 amps. When a leg is binding up, that's when the current exceeds 35 amps and the errors occur.

The bottle jack is a good idea. Also - Lippert says use an adapter with a battery operated drill to raise and lower the jacks manually. Using a 1/2" drive into the top of the gear box does not work - takes too much torque and the drill won't turn it. BUT, adapting it to the bottom of the motor really works well. Use a 5/16" socket. The gear box is probably 100:1 ratio, so it takes awhile, but you can raise or lower your camper easily with that. Remove the rubber plug on the bottom of the motor and put the drill on high speed!

Thanks

[baybum10]

I always extend the front legs manually about an extra 4" before dropping the inner legs. This gives the legs extra room for the leveling process. My error codes and binding stopped occurring. I do have the power connected most of the time.

[Bama Camper]

quote:Originally posted by baybum10

I always extend the front legs manually about an extra 4" before dropping the inner legs. This gives the legs extra room for the leveling process. My error codes and binding stopped occurring. I do have the power connected most of the time.

Baybum10,
If I understand you correctly, you drop the front (motorized) legs manually using the electric Lippert control about 4", then drop the inner leg (with the holes it in that you pin) next. Is that correct?
If that's correct, do you use the "Ground Front Jacks" command in the Lippert control panel?

[baybum10]

Bama Camper

Thats correct. I just push the button marked front until both front legs extend the extra couple of inches. Then I push the auto level button. Of course the Auto Level is after the unit is off the truck.

[Bama Camper]

quote:Originally posted by baybum10

Bama Camper

Thats correct. I just push the button marked front until both front legs extend the extra couple of inches. Then I push the auto level button. Of course the Auto Level is after the unit is off the truck.

Yeah, that's what I've been doing also. Sometimes I'll use the "Ground Front Jacks" command in the menu, but it does essentially the same thing. Thanks

[David.wolfe55]

I have a 2016 376fl and just had to replace right front leg. Took leg apart and the screw bolt was stripped. Replaced leg and worked fine, no problems. Replaced 11/2020.

[KenSharee1]

How do you reset the auto leveling system once you have an error?

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by KenSharee1

How do you reset the auto leveling system once you have an error?

Refer to the answers to your other Post --> Clicky

[Ram Montana High Country]

I never Auto Level without TV connected/running and shore power hooked up. This minimizes issues. Where I get errors is when left to right is out 3+ inches and it gets into a long lift run time. If the controller had a higher voltage sense and would stop, Evaluate and then raise some more. The higher voltage sense and stop would (IMHO) stop the LF Error Codes.

In addition, adding lube ports to the outer housing might also reduce friction. And maybe adding the ability to grease the screw would reduce friction and aid in slow screw stripping.

[Ram Montana High Country]

Originally Posted by Bama Camper

Sounds like a familiar symptom sequence. Yes, Lippert says the leveling unit is sensitive to low voltage. I thought that may be my problem also (low voltage), but I did much testing with two parallel batteries and leaving the converter plugged in. I monitored the voltage during the testing and it never dropped below 12.2 volts. Didn't help in my case, but never-the-less, if it happens again I'll try that.

Having a lot of weight on the jacks does make the motor pull more current, but the jacks are rated for 14,000 pounds each. My pin weight is only 3020 pounds. Even loaded heavier, it should be well within specs. With my weight, the motors (when they are working properly) pull around 25 amps. When a leg is binding up, that's when the current exceeds 35 amps and the errors occur.

The bottle jack is a good idea. Also - Lippert says use an adapter with a battery operated drill to raise and lower the jacks manually. Using a 1/2" drive into the top of the gear box does not work - takes too much torque and the drill won't turn it. BUT, adapting it to the bottom of the motor really works well. Use a 5/16" socket. The gear box is probably 100:1 ratio, so it takes awhile, but you can raise or lower your camper easily with that. Remove the rubber plug on the bottom of the motor and put the drill on high speed!

Thanks

In trying to learn, your Statement" With my weight, the motors (when they are working properly) pull around 25 amps. When a leg is binding up, that's when the current exceeds 35 amps and the errors occur." is it possible the wire gauge going to jacks is aggravating the condition?

[Pscott]

My experience is that front jacks of ground control 3 systems do not actually have the lift capacity that they are supposedly rated for. They have always sounded like they are struggling to lift my 5th wheel with a hitch weigh of about 3200 lbs. It doesn’t seem to matter how new the batteries are. After fighting with Auto Level for years I have come to the conclusion that it really shouldn’t be described as a leveling system, as it has very limited leveling ability and since it can’t stabilize if it can’t level it shouldn’t be called a stabilizer system either. The only job the system reliably performs is lifting the front of the RV to get it off the truck. Other than that it can’t be trusted. Hours spent talking to Lippert support after an auto level fail have made me realize that the best thing Lippert could tell you is not to use Auto Level on anything but a level lot.

[RMcNeal]

Originally Posted by Pscott

My experience is that front jacks of ground control 3 systems do not actually have the lift capacity that they are supposedly rated for. They have always sounded like they are struggling to lift my 5th wheel with a hitch weigh of about 3200 lbs. It doesn’t seem to matter how new the batteries are. After fighting with Auto Level for years I have come to the conclusion that it really shouldn’t be described as a leveling system, as it has very limited leveling ability and since it can’t stabilize if it can’t level it shouldn’t be called a stabilizer system either. The only job the system reliably performs is lifting the front of the RV to get it off the truck. Other than that it can’t be trusted. Hours spent talking to Lippert support after an auto level fail have made me realize that the best thing Lippert could tell you is not to use Auto Level on anything but a level lot.

This is actually a year old post, but I have a question about your comments.
If you have 3200 lbs hitch weight, shouldn't your rig have hydraulic jacks? That seems awfully heavy for a High Country rig. I thought most of the Montana's came with either 4 or 6 point hydraulics, and the electric jacks were just on the lighter High Country models.