Landing Gear Pins keep breaking (inside)

[bigbob7777]

Here's another crazy one. The bar inside the front storage that the landing gear motor connects to has a pin/screw on each side to lower/raise the landing gear. On the motor side, the pin has sheared off twice, and on the opposite side, the pin shears off every 4-5 times I raise the gear.

I've tried putting the largest and strongest screw I can find to fit, as a replacement; but, they keep shearing off. When they shear off, of course, the landing gear won't move. It's not hard to replace the pin, just a pain in the .... to have to keep doing it.

Any ideas? I don't believe there is any excess pressure on the pin.
bob

[JH Sechelt]

Hi Bob,

That's a good question, have you ever weighed the trailer?. I wonder if your pin weight is way over what the landing gear is rated for.
Do you ever bring your landing gear up too far, where it starts to make the loud clicking sound? I know if you try to bring it up too far the pins or screws will break. Keep us posted with what you find out. I've had 3 different 5th wheels over the last 12 years and never had one fail.

J&D

[HamRad]

Bob,

You definitely have something wrong with the thing. If it is under warranty then simply get it back into them ASAP so they can fix it. If not under warranty then get a well qualified mechanic to check it out.

We have had our rig for just over 5 years and have never had such a failure. There have been a few folks report about screws and bolts around the motor area not being correct but that is about all I've ever heard. Yours' is the first one of its type that I've heard.

Good luck and please let us know the cause and the resolution when you find out.

Thanks,

Dennis

[jpf]

We've had that happen to our passenger side landing gear screw once on our trip from FL to RI about two months ago. We have a 3400 factory prepped for Generator so it had an aluminun surround in place blocking access to that end of the rod. Naturally, the srews in the shroud were sealed with insulating paste/glue and couldn't easily be removed to take the shroud off while in travel mode. I was able to bend the aluminum enough to figure out why the landing gear would not retract, and then get my arm in side to replace the screw. Two hour delay in taking of from that Park.
Hasn't happened again, yet. I don't think were particularly heavy, although we do have a Splendide Combo on that side of the rig. It gave no indication of popping, that I recall, when we set up.
As I think about it, the screw that was on there was similar to the type used to secure the underbelly, one would think they'd use a cotter pin quality fastener, anyway we keep a variety of cotter pins in our "what if" spare parts collection now.

[Ozz]

Bob, be careful, the pin is like a properly sized fuse, if it shears, you have a problem in the gearing, motor, or weight. I know it is frustrating, but don't by-pass the safety feature of the pin.
Have you tried to raise the gear by crank to see if it is hard to turn? That should give you information in troubleshooting it.

[bigbob7777]

First off; I do not believe my unit is overweight. We've fulltimed for about 2 years and haven't changed any weight significantly; especially in the front.

I've been able to turn the bar by hand when weight is off the landing gear. No apparent bogging down.

I haven't raised it too far except 1 time over a year ago.

I don't really know about it being a safety issue. When the bolt shears, the landing gear does not freely go up into the "chute" like you may think it does. It will only raise when I install a new bolt and operate the motor. For the first time the pin sheared a week ago under the motor end. It has always been the other side.

It's possible that when I hook up the truck to the 5th, the 5th rolls back an inch or so; causing pressure on the pin. I really don't have any idea.

This is a "stumper". And no, it is not still under warranty.

bob

[BillE]

Bob,

Try what Ozz said...use the hand crank to feel for some binding. The inner legs (the ones that move) may be bent a tad. I went thru the same thing last year. Took awhile to figure it out, but the inner legs were bent. Because of this, the spur gear and worm gear ate each other. I was lucky, the legs were still on the 2 year warranty from Lippert.

Hope this helps some.

Bill

[Ozz]

Bob, by safety, I mean burning out the motor by installing a heavier bolt. It's like a shear pin, shears when too much pressure is on it.

Try contacting Dale MMMF ? I think. He used to work for Lippert and has been very helpful.
Ozz

[bigbob7777]

I'll check into these ideas. THX.
bob