Am I just being cranky? What's wrong here?

[sreigle]

Awhile back we needed to hand crank the landing gear but the factory supplied crank would not slide far enough onto the spindle to engage the pins so I could crank the landing gear. There's probably a good explanation, likely having to do with operator error, but at this point it's beyond me. Here's some pictures.

This is the supplied crank.


I know it's the correct crank because here's a sticker on the crank.


Here's the receiver on the crank that is to slide over the spindle and engage the pins with the slots in the receiver.
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And here's the spindle and pins in the propane locker. The crank receiver is supposed to slide over the spindle and engage those pins.


The receiver will slide partway onto the spindle, then stops. It will not go far enough for the slots to engage the pins. There is nothing in the receiver opening to block engagement. There are no bumps or detectable abnormalities on the spindle prior to the pins. The only thing I can figure is maybe the opening in the receiver is tapered and thus not sufficiently large through its full length.

Any other ideas? Anyone else ever have this problem? I never even tried this crank until we first needed it, about 3 1/2 years after we took delivery on the rig. And, of course, it was 22 degrees outside and icy and snowy at the time.

[wingerphil]

maybe something as simple as a small burr or even a little too much paint on the spindle?

Got me thinking though, better go and try mine. On second thought I'll wait until it warms up some since the handle has to be buried in the bottom of the basement "stuff" somewhere.

[Ozz]

Steve, when you get back in town, I will weld up an attachment so you can use a H.D. battery drill to do the cranking.

[Art-n-Marge]

The two pictures you have of the crank and the spindle seem to be the same as on my rig (the spindle on mine is brass just like the crank but yours is painted black but I don't think this would make any mechanical difference). The crank goes over the spindle all the way to the notches and seats just fine.

What I can't see is how deep your crank's receiver goes or how long the spindle is to the notches. On my crank it bottoms out at 2 1/2 inches. If your crank doesn't have that distance then you might have something stuck up in there.

On edit: I forgot to mention, the end of the spindle to the pins is about 1 1/4" which leaves over an inch in clearance for the crank's receiver. Maybe the spindle is longer on yours. I do have a 2006 3500RL if this might make a difference, too.

I hope you get this figured out.

Hey Ozz, do you take orders for that drill attachment? I've not had to use the manual crank yet and I've only heard and read that it takes a loooong time, which is what I'd like to eliminate, when the need does arise.

[Ozz]

I probably would chop off the attachment end, weld it to a shaft and weld a drill attachment to the other end.

[exav8tr]

Steve, If your measurements are as Art suggests, maybe your spindle needs some sanding to remove some paint or some irregularity. I would suggest getting some flexible sand paper and doing a number on the spindle. That might be the easiest fix, or not......I just went out and double checked mine and it works fine. Maybe stick a screwdriver into the socket portion of the crank and see if you can dislodge something. Good luck pardner.....

[grampachet]

I wonder how many folks will go out and check theirs...I know I am right now in just case...
Thanks Steve for bringing this to our attention.

[Parrothead]

Ours worked fine the one time I (notice "I", Ed was sick) had to use it. It takes a long time and a lot of elbow grease.
Could the temp have anything to do with it????? It was in the 90's when I used ours.
Happy trails....................

[timandsusan]

I know my fits! I used it! These things are pretty standard on pin placement as well as the notch in the tool. Check for interference. Boy an electric drill fixture would really be great. Ozz could retire!

[randye]

Ours worked fine,when the landing gear motor when out. We have the 2007 3485SA. I was told that using a contractor heavy duty Drill motor would work in as well as the existing motor in the gear box. Haven't tried it yet.

[sreigle]

Jim/Ozz, I will take you up on that! But not until we can make that receiver fit the spindle. I may try cutting it and using it with the drill I use for the stabilizers. The shaft, as is, is probably too big for my 3/8" drill so I may have to wait for you on this.

I checked for burrs and found nothing that would keep the receiver from going all the way onto the spindle. I checked both the spindle and the inside of the receiver. I also checked for obstructions. In that last picture you can tell how far the receiver goes onto the shaft. I turned and pushed many times trying to force it to fit. This was when we were trying to get out of Kansas City, just before New Years.

I checked length of the opening in the receiver.. I didn't use a tape measure but I did put a screwdriver in the receiver, held the screwdriver at the point it protruded, then held it up to the spindle. It should fit no problem. But it doesn't.

Now, one thing I forgot to mention. That sticker (second picture) indicates the direction of rotation to extend the legs. But that direction is exactly the opposite of what it should turn. When I use the switch to extend, that shaft rotates in the opposite direction from what that sticker says it should. That makes me wonder if the crank is intended for a rig with the connection point on the opposite side of the rig. Maybe a different size shaft, too? Mine is on the street side, same side as the manual extend/retract switch.

[Ozz]

Yes, I think you have the wrong crank for it. After your monsoon subsides, you can scare up another Montana owner, or Rv supply house.

[sreigle]

Maybe at the rally I can get someone to let me try theirs. If I can find one that fits I will then know what to look for.

[MIMF]

Steve,

The real cure to all of this is hydraulic legs!!! :>) Then you don't need a mis-fitting manual crank handle! I'll bring my spare to you at the rally this fall!

The 'ol Challenger has had them now for 4 years and I have not had problem one with them.......yet.

Last summer when Gail and I were up at Mackinaw City and just backed into the site, a passerby on the street became a spectater when I was extending the legs to unhook. Appearantly, he had never heard of these.

[sreigle]

So, Dale, you're bringing me your spare set of hydraulic legs? Or did you mean the spare crank?

Unfortunately we won't be at the Fall rally. We'll still be somewhere way out west. I might be willing to pay shipping for it, though.

By the way, Vicki keeps saying I'm cranky enough as it is and don't need any help (spares).

[MIMF]

You are a funny, funny man, Steve!! A funny, funny man! I don't happen to have any spare hydraulic legs at this point in time. I simply have a crank handle I no longer need. Then, I'm not sure mine would work any better than your's does.

Since I made the post yesterday about these hydraulic legs in the Challenger, everybody, I have had several inquiries via PM about who makes them and the cost of them.

I got the hydraulic leg system from Lippert Components which, is where I worked prior to moving on to F^#@&) R!^#@. It was the fall of 2005, the unit happened to be setting behind the service and warranty building in Goshen when an issue came up of an R & D issue for a problem on a Heartland coach. That system was moved from the Heartland to my Challenger to investigate for a problem. That required cutting, removal, welding, testing, and painting.

I had to simple pay for a minimal amount of labor to have a couple of Lippert Techs install the system. And I must apologize now, because I told one of the guys who inquired about this in a PM that I paid for parts. That was not correct....it was labor.

As far as cost for the complete system, I have no idea what the actuall cost of that would be. Only a guess and I am not going to offer that here.

As I have said before, this sytem has been trouble free as long as it sees a good chassis ground and it is getting at least 12 volts of power. And, I won't have another coach without the hydraulic legs. Set up is so much easier...especially on uneven ground than with the electric legs.

[ragdoll]

I'm sure you tried this but a 1/2 inch drill bit inside the crank to clean it out or cut off the shift. Lippert charged me $100 for one leg because mine had just ran out of warranty 6mo. before. I think he said 150 or 175? good luck Jack

[sreigle]

Jack, no, I didn't try that. It's too simple. The kind of "duh, why didn't I think of that" potential solution. I'm going outside right now to see if I happen to have a 1/2" drill bit or one that fits the opening or is close. I will then see just how far it will insert. And if that proves to be the problem then I'll do some drilling. Thank you for the tip.

I have thought of cutting the shaft so the socket will reach. I have a hacksaw I believe I can get in there to cut it off. But I've not tried it yet. Thanks again.

[sreigle]

My 1/2 inch drill bit slides easily all the way into the receiver. I tried reaming the cylinder a little but since it's not a tight fit and there's not a good working angle I don't think it did any good. Either the shaft is slightly larger than 1/2 inch or perhaps the shaft has a bit of a taper. I tried filing the shaft, briefly, but I will have to wait until I have more time and can remove my hoses and the propane bottle to get more room to work.

[firetrucker]

Steve, we just got back from Las Vegas, but I've been following your crankiness. I just went out to the trailer with my calipers, and this is what I found:

1. The socket on the hand crank is slightly loose.
2. It fits the motor shaft with no binding.
3. The diameter for the hand crank is .50".
4. The diameter of the motor shaft is also .50".
5. I slipped a 1/2" drive, 6 point, 9/16" deep wall impact socket over the end of the motor shaft (the internal shoulder on the socket kept the 1/2" from seating far enough). Slots in the end of the socket and a speeder handle from Harbor Freight (or a drive extension in a drill) would complete the conversion without much effort or much cash.

Bob