HWJ Hydraulic Jacks

[codgerbill]

I recently went to the coach to do some things to get it ready for the upcoming season. I attempted to lower the jacks to level the coach. The little green lite (or is it yellow) did not come on and it (the control panel for the jacks) kept on beeping. I turned it off to stop the beeping. I went outside the coach and checked to see if the jacks deployed and they had. I am wondering what the beeping means and if I will have to have the system serviced?

[codgerbill]

I recently went to the coach to do some things to get it ready for the upcoming season. I attempted to lower the jacks to level the coach. The little green lite (or is it yellow) did not come on and it (the control panel for the jacks) kept on beeping. I turned it off to stop the beeping. I went outside the coach and checked to see if the jacks deployed and they had. I am wondering what the beeping means and if I will have to have the system serviced?

[AFChap]

You had to turn on the ignition key to activate the jacks panel, right? The beeping means the jacks are down, the ignition is on, and you should not start the coach and attempt to drive away. When I just want to work the jacks without the beeping, I turn the key to the "acc" position.

With jacks down, I would have only 4 red lights on. When jacks are ALL up, I will have 4 green lights and a yellow "travel" light on until the panel shuts down (always let the panel shut down on it's own to ensure it has totally completed the raise or lower cycle).

[codgerbill]

Thank you AFChap.

If I am understanding this correctly, the side or front or rear that has the yellow lite on is the low one. I would then press the appropriate extend button. When the 2 jacks are automatically deployed the red lites come on and if I have the ignition switch in the on position, I will hear the constant beeping. I down loaded the HWH Manual and it says the jacks extend in pairs. Does that mean the unextended jacks must will be extended manually? I used the system last year but I dont remember if after automatically extending the first pair of jacks that the unextended jacks must be manually and indivudally operated? I am thinking that the unextended jacks must be extended manually and will only stop when one takes ones finger off the button.

To insure the coach was, in reality, level, I use a small torpedo level placed on the galley counter top. With this method I sometimes find the coach not to be true level, is this normal for others too?

[AFChap]

Yes, the low side/end has a yellow light indicator. My system is "automatic" in that I press the "level" button and it goes to work. My understanding is that it first lowers the two jacks on the lowest end together, then lowers the jacks on the lower side together. I can manually raise or lower jacks, but when I press a side or end up or down button I am controlling two jacks at a time on that side or end. That is to reduce the possibility of twisting the frame and popping windshields, etc out!!!

I would presume that if you have a manual system, you first have to level one direction, and then the other. What that means about having all 4 jacks down, I can't say, as I have experience only with the comptuterized automatic system. The automatic system does complete it's work with all jacks on the ground.

And yes, after the system has done it's automatic computerized leveling, it may not be "level" depending on what you check as a reference. (You might find the floor to be different from a counter top if you check with your level...). We normally open the shower and bathroom doors to verify it is "level" ...if they do not swing open or closed on their own, we are declare it to be "level." We often tweak one side up a "bump" or two to get it level to our satisfaction. The level sensor can be adjusted, but we have never bothered with trying that.

[codgerbill]

AFChap,
I had the opertunity to go to the coach yesterday. It was to allow the DW to learn to drive the coach and get comfy with it. Prior to the driving session I had the opertunity to extend the jacks. I am very thankful for your help enabeling me to understand how to properly use the hydraulic jack system. It again goes to show how valuable this web site is. Thanks again.

[Matt-n-Dede]

I have a 2000 Chieftain and probably the same jack setup as you.
Like AFchap says, I turn the key to ACC and it does not beep. With the manual system like ours, I do the sides first and then the front or rear. It moves the jacks in pairs and I usually do the highest side first until the jacks are firmly seated. Next, do the other side until sides are level.
Lastly do the front or rear to bring to level.
Never raise the rear where the tires are off the ground because those are your parking brakes and add stability even when jacks are down. After leveling be sure to turn key back off.
When it is time to leave, turn key to ACC, turn on the panel and then press STORE. The jacks should retrack and the panel should turn itself off in about 2 minutes.

Matt

[Hikerdogs]

A couple points to add to the discussion. First of all the red light for each jack is on when the jack is not fully retracted in the stored position. The light will come on if the jack is extended more than 1/2 an inch. It does not mean the jack is fully extended and touching the ground.

The coach is considered level when the refrigerator is level front to back and side to side. Any given spot on the floor or counter may vary slightly from the level of the fridge.

Once you get the coach where you want it using your level on the floor open the freezer and check the level on the lip where the door sticks inside the freezer. They should match or be very close to avoid problems with the amonia cooling system. The most the fridge is allowed to be out of level on our style of coach is 3*.

The level sensor is adjustable. Once you have everything to your satisfaction you can adjust the sensor to read level. Ours is in the storage compartment just behind the entry door. It looks like a silver upside down tea cup (but a little larger) mounted on a bracket to the wall between the door and the compartment. There are 2 adjustment screws in the bottom. One is in the lengthwise plain of the coach and the other is i the cross plain.

If the light always says the coach is low in the front when it's level back off the screw in the lengthwise plain until the light goes out. Just the opposite if it always reads low in the rear.

The same adjustment can be made on the cross plain screw if it always reads low on one side.