Popping jacks after 2 bottles fork oil

[Hemiallen]

I have put 2 bottles in the jacks reservoir, didn’t have to remove any fluid and it’s below full line. Sitting stored in the shop the popping seems to have gone, but on our first long vacation parked on asphalt starting day 2 almost every time we move around the jacks closest to our movement pop- creek. Level shows little if any movement, but noise is worrisome.

Anyone resolve this noise?
Thanks, Allen

 

[bobbecky]

It may take a bit of time before you circulate the fluid enough to mix the oil with the hydraulic fluid. I always use the CAT fluid and have never had popping after the first use, but I guess the fork oil should work the same. I would just give it some time. About six years ago, I installed SnapPads on the leveler pads, and that might also help.

 

[AZ Traveler]

Allen,

The popping is not an indicator of a problem, it is just distracting. Agree with Bob's comment on cycling fluid. You might try cycling jacks a few times.

 

[Hemiallen]

Ok thanks for the replies. Makes sense, probably need to mix the tank fluid some also.

Allen

 

[ChuckS]

You can help mix what you added by cycling the entire six legs and hydrauilc slides several times..

This will max the fluid and will also purge an6 air that might be in the lines or actuators..

The slides also use the same reservoir so that’s why I suggest cycling them

Stiction is a known nuisance with hydraulic systems .. aircraft landing gear struts also often stick when the aircraft lands after flight and there is less fuel on board..

We wiped the exposed struts down with hud fluid prior to fueling to help keep the outer dust seal pliable and also let the struts settle better.

The same applies to the hydrauilc levelers..

My system is nine years old.. Lippert six point level up with 3 hydraulic slides.. I uses home made blocks of wood under all six leveler feet that are about 5 inches high.l

This keeps more of the piston inside the actuator case resulting in less issues with stiction

 

[Hemiallen]

Thanks, more good information to try. I do need to raise my jacks a few bolt holes up, so the block idea will be necessary especially after moving them.
Allen

 

[bobbecky]

Stiction seems to be a problem at the seals, and the fluid additive, whether it is fork oil or the recommended CAT fluid, adds detergents and modifies the lubrication characteristics of the hydraulic fluid to stop the stick-slip action which is what stiction is. Years ago, I drained the hydraulic reservoir and added ATF, even though some say stick with the type of fluid that was in there. I have since done this again, and I'm thinking with ATF, there is probably a higher percentage of detergents than there is in plain hydraulic fluid, even though ATF is hydraulic fluid too, just with dye and other additives that work with transmissions. Maybe the combination of ATF and the CAT fluid is why we haven't had a stiction pop in years. I'm not an engineer, but I doubt where the piston is located in the jack cylinder will change anything with stiction popping. I still have our leveling jacks where they were originally installed, and raising them would just make it harder to lift the rig for maintenance or tire changing.