Hydraulic leak - Montana Owners Club

c214dick · 05-21-2012, 11:22 AM

The weather was so nice I thought I would start on replacing my decals. I know, the title says hydraulic leak and I'm getting to that.

We are going away for the holiday weekend and Louise mentioned that she has seen a couple of spots under Monty and I should check it out and make sure we didn't have any plumbing leaks. I crawled under the belly on my belly and found a slick residue along the black material, collecting on the black pipe and dripping on the driveway.

We have had a hydraulic leak for the last year but it was minor and I really couldn't find where it was coming from, only that I had to add fluid periodically. I hope tomorrow is as nice as today because it looks like I'll be spending the day on my back and not taking a nap. On the other hand if it's nice and cool I just might close my eyes for just a few minutes.

1retired06 · 05-21-2012, 11:24 AM

Good luck with your search!

helmick · 05-21-2012, 02:43 PM

Dick
Let us know what you find.
Ron

**DQDick** · 05-21-2012, 03:16 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by helmick

Dick
Let us know what you find.
Ron

X2. If it happens to someone else it will surely happen to us.

dieselguy · 05-22-2012, 05:04 AM

Hopefully it will be something easy like a loose connection at the cylinder. The fittings on the ends of the hose are 37 degree flair fittings ... unless they have cracked, just tighten them up as no sealer will help you here. The actual fitting in the cylinder is a straight thread o-ring fitting ... sometimes the o-ring goes bad ... just replace it and lube it before reassembly. Putting any sealer on these straight threads will do you no good ... the o-ring does the sealing. If the seal is out of the rod end of the cylinder ... you'll need a new one as none that I've seen recently are rebuildable. If the hose end is leaking at the swedge, you can either just have a new end put on or replace the entire hose. Tie a string to the hose end and pull the hose out from the underbelly ... use the string to pull the repaired hose back thru. These are several scenarios you may run into.

c214dick · 05-22-2012, 06:09 AM

Thanks dieselguy but I didn't get that far. When it comes to mechanics I usually take the easy way out and pay someone to do it. Now that I'm retired I'm trying to get back in the game by doing more myself. With that said, I removed the screws that attach the under belly to the frame and immediately had some excess fluid pour out. Even with the screws removed I could not take the piece out as there is a drain pipe that comes through it. I could cut from the drain opening to the edge but was afraid that I would not be able to seal the cut adequately. I did look up and saw the foil insulation which would have been the next item to remove.

Knowing that I had bit off more than even I can chew, I put it back together and have called my local dealer to drop it off after this weekend. I was afraid that after I got the preliminary removals done I would either not find the leak or it would be something beyond my capabilities.

c214dick · 06-04-2012, 10:28 AM

The leak(s) have been found, they think. The good news is the hoses are fine it seems the leak is where the fitting(s) are crimped to the hose(s). I knew of one but I not think it would generate the build up I found but there may be a second crimped fitting as well.

These are all new since my level up system was installed so........ They took the underbelly off, removed the foil and cleaned out everything. We ran the slides in and out today, at the dealer, while we were getting stuff for our west coast trip. If it is the crimp(s) than we will talk about what to do as they don't seem equipped to repair, only replace.

There is a hose company a few miles from me that can probably repair or replace cheaper than the dealer.

dieselguy · 06-10-2012, 06:13 PM

Most hydraulic hose fab/repair shops have the ability to crimp another end on the existing hose (if you have enough extra hose length)that is. Hopefuly they have a portable unit ... otherwise the entire hose will have to be removed to access their bench crimper in the workshop. If that may be the case ... tie a string or rope on the hose end before you pull it out ... much easier to pull the hose back in that way.

c214dick · 06-23-2012, 11:12 AM

We just got back from our 2 week trip out west w/o Monte and talked to our RV service mgr. There are 2 leaks at the front where the hose connections are located. It looks like the fittings need to be cut off and new fittings put on. Dealer does not do that but there is a hose place 10 minutes from me that does work for the dealer. Called the shop and they told me to bring it in next week. Doesn't sound like it will be a big deal. These are the new hoses installed when I bought the level up system so I hope the others don't start leaking.

**DQDick** · 06-23-2012, 11:54 AM

How long have they been on the rig?

c214dick · 06-23-2012, 06:53 PM

It will be 2 years in November, I think.

c214dick · 07-02-2012, 09:07 AM

The leaks are fixed and were part of the slide system not the level up. The old fittings had a series of small crimps, the new ones are one continuous crimp which should prevent any more seepage.

c214dick · 07-07-2012, 10:02 AM

And now the rest of the story.... As today was finally nice and sunny, in the low 80s, I decided to start working on my decal replacement project. I opened up the front storage so I could close the valves on 3 slides and open up the rear street side slide. There to my surprise was a leak, a big one. After wiping everything down and cleaning off the connections, Louise activated the slide switch so I could determine where the problem was. I found a damaged section of hose where the outside cover got ripped while the hose guy was rerouting the hoses. I put a plastic measuring cup under the damaged section to catch the fluid and will have to wait until Monday to call them. GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

c214dick · 07-09-2012, 06:34 AM

According to hose guy, the inner hose leaked causing the outer to rupture. $15 later and I'm good to go, for now. He still claims the original hoses are not very good so if I have another problem I will replace all of them.

c214dick · 07-27-2012, 10:19 AM

So here we go again. I know there's at least one of you (dieselguy) who can help. I have another hose that burst. This one is for the bedroom slide. I was able to disconnect one end but the rest of the hose goes up to the bedroom I think. Before I reconnect it to activate the bedroom slide, can anyone tell me for sure where it does go???? I was hoping to completely disconnect the hose, take it in, and have a new hose made. There is plenty of length to cut off the bad section and put a new end on but of course that means taking Monte on a road trip which I want to avoid due to the accident.

H. John Kohl · 07-27-2012, 10:31 AM

Pull the plywood storage floor out from under you bed and you will have access to the cylinder. I had to replace one of my bedroom hoses. I suggest you go to an auto parts store that builds hydraulic hoses. Take the old one in and let them build a new one. The replacement hose I got looked a lot heftier than the original. Besides if the original busted then the rest of the hose may be weak also.
Good luck. Let us know what you find.

richfaa · 07-27-2012, 01:24 PM

It is no doubt a hydraulic fitting. We had two spring a leak on the 06 3400. The fittings are OEM cost effective" We had a truck repair shop replace the fittings and they could not believe how cost effective they were.Replaced both hoses also as they were cost effective.

c214dick · 07-27-2012, 02:17 PM

Thanks John & Rich. I had 3 fittings replaced that were leaking. The hose shop also mentioned how cheap the OEM fittings and hoses were. Earlier in this post I mentioned that if I continued to have problems I would have all the hoses and fittings replaced.

In order to access the bed John I may have to run the slide out which is the hose that is currently damaged. Is there a way to temporarily patch it to allow me to open the slide and access the bed compartment? If I can, I will remove the entire hose and have a new one made on Monday. If I can't, we will not be going any where because of the accident. When I take it in for the body repair there is an RV repair shop next door and I'll have them remove and replace all the hoses with good ones.

H. John Kohl · 07-27-2012, 02:35 PM

Dick,
Yes it is easier to remove the storage floor with the bed extended. However if there are two of you. One on each side of the bed and you can raise the mattress access up you can pull the storage floor out without moving the bed out.If you have a queen size mattress it will be a lot easier next to the closet doors. I think the storage floor had four or six screws holding it.

Good luck.

dieselguy · 07-27-2012, 05:16 PM

Like John said ... the cylinder is right under the bed's storage floor. You can get to it without extending the slide. Unfortunately the bed's gas struts are screwed to the storage floor(at least on mine)so a second person or a prop rod will have to be used to get the storage floor out of the way. Once a hose ruptures, there is no sucessful way of band-aiding it as the system develops several hundred pounds of pressure. It's odd all this hose business after the level up system was installed. I'm not familiar with the level up ... does it have it's own hydraulic tank and pump or does it feed off the existing slide pump in your fiver? If it feeds off the existing pump ... did they jack the pressure up on it during the install? Fill me in here.

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