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01-22-2014, 03:28 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Silverdale
Posts: 275
M.O.C. #7117
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Level-Up oil on "foot"
Hello all, still love the level up system after a couple of years of having it on the fiver. One thing I have noticed is that sometimes there is oil that collects on the top of the "foot" of the front right landing gear. It does not happen all the time and is not a lot of oil, but the lower seals on that particular hydraulic cylinder tend to leak a bit sometimes. I have checked the bolts around the lower seal several times and all seam tight. I am betting that it is quite a job to replace those lower seals. Has anyone tried that yet? -Glenn
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01-22-2014, 04:25 AM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Walla Walla
Posts: 141
M.O.C. #12821
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Hi Glenn, I have checked with Lippert about replacing the seals and they told me there was no repair kits available and the whole cylinder needed to be replaced, I say bull on that one, if you can take it off and find a hydraulic repair shop, IE tractor dealear, I bet they can fix it for you for a lot less than the cost of a new one..Good Luck
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01-22-2014, 11:00 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Salisbury
Posts: 561
M.O.C. #6935
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I had the same problem and CW checked and said one of the fittings needed tightening. They tightened it and so far it has not leaked any more.
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01-22-2014, 11:28 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Glenn the fifth
Hello all, still love the level up system after a couple of years of having it on the fiver. One thing I have noticed is that sometimes there is oil that collects on the top of the "foot" of the front right landing gear. It does not happen all the time and is not a lot of oil, but the lower seals on that particular hydraulic cylinder tend to leak a bit sometimes. I have checked the bolts around the lower seal several times and all seam tight. I am betting that it is quite a job to replace those lower seals. Has anyone tried that yet? -Glenn
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Interesting! We have the BigFoot levelers and the same thing has occurred to our system, right front leveler! According to BigFoot this will sometimes occur with temperature changes, which ours has experienced.
Orv
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01-22-2014, 11:32 AM
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#5
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Silverdale
Posts: 275
M.O.C. #7117
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Thanks guys. Everything seems tight "Chief".
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01-22-2014, 01:13 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chilliwack
Posts: 1,520
M.O.C. #12935
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It should not be difficult to determine if the leak is at the seal or one of the fittings. If it is at the seal the rod will be wet when the seal is leaking and the end of the cylinder at the seals will be wet, if it is a fitting the fluid will run down the length of the cylinder.
I am with Montana3800RL on this, I worked in a Hydraulic repair shop for 2 years and I would bet these cylinders can be repaired without having to buy a complete new unit.
Glenn I have the same model and year as you and have no indication of leaks on either side. I would check your pistons for scoring and if the unit sits for long periods of time wipe off the piston before you retract it to clean any debris from damaging the seal. You can also run the rams in and out several times when you are hooked up and see if any leak shows up anywhere.
A small leak is not a big problem but you should try to determine where it is coming from IMO.
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01-22-2014, 01:50 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,702
M.O.C. #12947
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Our left-rear unit has had a small leak for a while now, but the entire unit has had fluid on it. Our friend who is a tractor mechanic said the fitting on top of that jack, that has two hoses into it has an O-ring where it attaches to the top of the unit, and that is probably what is leaking. He said it is a quick fix, just need an O-ring. If there is no oil on the outside of the unit, then it is the lower seal.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
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01-22-2014, 03:29 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Victor
Posts: 940
M.O.C. #1709
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My front right was showing signs of leaking then quit. Now it has reappeared. also have a couple of the others showing signs but its on the whole length of the outside. Not had time to really check them out yet.
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01-22-2014, 05:18 PM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Renton
Posts: 362
M.O.C. #13959
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by chieflawdawg
I had the same problem and CW checked and said one of the fittings needed tightening. They tightened it and so far it has not leaked any more.
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I assume that was a hose fitting?? It sounds like there is a lot of these systems that leak to some extent, so would you say that's fairly normal as long as it's not a large puddle? I haven't experienced that on the MH levelers, but that was awhile ago. I agree that you want to make sure the piston isn't corroded or damaged. That could certainly abraid the lower seal. With all the heavy equipment in Silverdale area, I would think you can find a local shop that can work on it.
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11-14-2014, 01:58 AM
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#10
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Tubac
Posts: 57
M.O.C. #11165
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I have a new 3402RL and the left rear is leaking. I tightened the hose fitting to the cylinder. Still leaking a little but don't want to over tighten. I guess I will call Warranty service and put it on my itinerary! Would rather they break the fitting than me!
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11-14-2014, 02:24 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Arroyo City
Posts: 3,110
M.O.C. #13395
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I had the same problem, so I took it to Lippert before the rally. They found a bad gasket in the fitting. They repaired it and replaced the circuit breaker at no cost to me
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11-14-2014, 03:54 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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A couple of points I'd like to comment on. First ... Most fittings on our hydraulic systems are commonly called oring fittings. The thread is a straight thread (not tapered like old water pipes) with an oring under a nut and intregal flat washer. The orings get hard or torn ... without replacing the oring ... you can tighten the fitting all you want, but it will still leak. Pipe dope will do nothing.
Second ... I also work at a large manufacturing facility that has alot of hydraulics. Sadly many of the manufacturers whose names we are familiar with have gone by the wayside ... DoubleA, Schrader- Bellows, ISI, Oildyne. Yes many product lines are picked up by surviving companies ... that surviving company may go out the following year. Thru the progression of take overs, they don't support or manufacture all the previous manufacturers products. Parker for example is a big hydraulic / pneumatic company in the US, but right on most of its products is stamped "China". We've experinced a big decline in quality and longevity of products under the Parker label. The cylinders on our fivers are not exactly top of the line. Where I work, we've started getting some smaller replacement cylinders in now that are non-servicable. There are no snap rings or barrel rods ... they are sorta swedged or friction welded together and are throw aways when they fail. Some say right in the packaging non-servicable. Again, I'm not saying there are absolutely no kits out there, I'm saying it may be tough to find them to fit the quality of cylinders we have.
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11-14-2014, 10:27 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pensacola (mail forward service)
Posts: 3,198
M.O.C. #13740
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Never had a leak when I had my diesel pusher, but those were steel units. As far as I know so are the bigfoots. I read the patent paperwork on the level up rams and it saaid they were aluminum. Not sure what can be done to these. Keeping my fingers crossed as I love the level up system. John
__________________
2012 F350 6.7 L dually, 2013 3800RE with 6 pt leveling, Sumitomo 17.5" load range h tires, Samsung 18 cu ft residential fridge, 8k Morryde I.S. with disc brakes. Full timing since 2012.
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