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Old 06-13-2011, 06:09 AM   #1
srclink
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Raising Monty with Landing Gear

Another newbie question...I found myself in a situation where my hitch pin was about four inches below the air hitch receiver when it was time to hook back up. After researching the MOC and seeing all the posts about blowing landing gear fuses and other issues, I was concerned that I'm not supposed to be raising the front of the Monty using the landing gear motors. So I actually used two bottle jacks (one on each side while adding wood blocks) and raised it that way just to be safe. So my basic question: Is it OK to raise the Monty 4-6" using the landing gear motor when this occurs to line up the hitch pin with the hitch?
 
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Old 06-13-2011, 06:24 AM   #2
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You will have no problem raising and lowering the Monty with the landing gear as long as you don't run the legs all the way up. That is when you can blow the fuse. I marked one leg with black tape so I come within a 1/4 inch of binding the motor when raising the legs. Some have needed to replace the fuse as per Montana's instructions. I haven't had a problem.
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Old 06-13-2011, 06:28 AM   #3
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Stu you should have no problem raising the Monty with the front legs thats what they are for, I do it all the time, there are times that I have elevated mine a good foot, as for other post with diffaculties the batteries on some of those other Monties could have been low to the point of causing it to pause and not work as it should, or the legs could have dirt or old greese that has hardened there is a great topic by another member on how to disasemble and replace the gears and lube the legs.
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Old 06-13-2011, 06:30 AM   #4
Art-n-Marge
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I do this each time I hitch up. I recall reading that the landing gear has about 11 or so inches of travel. I have been able to use this distance to hitch and unhitch as needed. If you only need to travel 4-6" then you should be okay as long as the adjustable legs are at the right setting. The only caution I would have is that the ground is so far off level even 11" won't be enough. Don't forget to chock the wheels!!!

Twice I did not estimate the adjustable legs correctly. and used a bottle jack on each side to raise the rig's front end enough to reset the adjustable legs to the next setting. Other than the sites I've picked have not been too far off level. One of these days I might encounter one and will need the full extent of the motorized parts of the landing gear but I have enough tools and chocks to work myself through it.
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Old 06-13-2011, 06:45 AM   #5
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The legs are designed to raise and lower the height of the king pin, but you have a maximum and minimum length of travel. When you exceed either, you will increase the amps as the motor is over stressed and thus blow the protective fuse. There are other reasons the fuse may blow, such as binding due to damage, etc.

Most don't have a problem, but some of us have. I ended up replacing the legs on both the Big Sky units I have owned. The first, I replaced the motor and gear box with a larger, stronger motor. On the current rig, I replaced the whole system with the Lippert Levelup automatic leveling system. Whatever system you have, you need to learn the length of travel for it.
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Old 06-13-2011, 10:15 AM   #6
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Stu,
Stiles is right on. If you don't learn and mark your min/max travel you will learn the hard and expensive way. Either way, you will learn.
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Old 06-14-2011, 05:24 AM   #7
srclink
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Thanks everyone! I guess my only other questions are:
What is the best way to find and mark those pesky min and max travel limits?
Is there a way to tell that you're nearing or at a travel limit before blowing the fuse?
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Old 06-14-2011, 06:05 AM   #8
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I was pretty lucky with the minimum because when the legs were painted black at the factory they were retracted so that when I extend them the black mark is revealed. When I do retract them I NEVER retract them all the way to minimize how much they travel and same some time. I only raise them enough so the landing legs are about level with the bumper when the adjustable part of the leg is retracted all the way up.

As for full extension, I have found mostly flat sites and can eyeball 11" or in a pinch I have a measuring tape close by, but I've not gotten to maximum extension.

Like the slideouts when the legs are at either end of their limits you will hear a clicking sound. Since this would probably be the gearing fighting itself, STOP!!! Mark a location prior to that with a permament marker (make it noticeable). Then reverse the motor to that position to avoid the stress point. One of these days I'll have to do this. This is one of those things that once talked about, odds are I will probably encounter it at our next outing.
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Old 06-14-2011, 08:50 PM   #9
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

I recall reading that the landing gear has about 11 or so inches of travel.
Curious, I wonder where you read this. John Kohl has posted frequently on his experiences re-building the legs on a Montana and in post
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...13&whichpage=2
he wrote "The screw section is about 21 inches long I took a picture of it out when I did my last PM. so the screw jack portion travels about 20 inches."

20 inches is significantly further than 11 inches.
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Old 06-15-2011, 01:37 AM   #10
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Hi

I commonly carry a very heavy load in the basement. I have loaded the front landing gear within 100 lbs of their rated capacity. I also use them to elevate the trailer so I can move the load from the trailer to the TV.

The problems I had with the first landing gear I am convinced was the result of some one before I purchased the trailer exceeding the limits. After Keystone replace the front jacks the problems I had with popped fuses was the result of Lippert and Keystone not having provided proper power to the motor.

After I modified the power delivery system to a proper state I have not experienced and more problems.

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Old 06-15-2011, 11:12 AM   #11
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quote:Originally posted by srclink

Thanks everyone! I guess my only other questions are:
What is the best way to find and mark those pesky min and max travel limits?
Is there a way to tell that you're nearing or at a travel limit before blowing the fuse?
The extension limit was marked on our legs. It's a small arrow head. Came that way from the factory. You can make use of those bottle jacks if you want to confirm the marks are really there. That way you'll know what they look like if they're already marked, and if they aren't you can add them.

My only caution relates to extending/retracting the legs with chalks in place. The wheels will creep forward or backward when the legs move. So if you move the legs with the chalks in place there will be a binding load applied to the legs. It can make a scarey noise when the load comes off the legs as the weight settles on the hitch. That load is doing its best to bend the legs.
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Old 06-15-2011, 04:35 PM   #12
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I discovered this after a couple trips with the Monty.

The dealer told us to let the adjustable part of the landing gear out before extending the landing gear. The problem was to level the Monty I often had to raise the gear close to the limit. By extending the gear without the adjustable part I was able to get more to the center of the gear and lower the gear without getting as close. I also had to drop one side of the adjustable part a little to help level.

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