HWH leveling jack stuck in soft ground on 2002 Chieftain 36

[Timo1]

So I got my 2002 chieftain 36ft stuck in some soft ground after some heavy rain. I waited a week for it to dry out and was using the jacks to lift the wheels up to put done boards under them. The front right jack base plate popped off the cylinder when the board under it sank and tilted in the grass. I've dug out around the cylinder and placed a floor jack under it. I stayed the rv up and hit the store button and tried to jack the cylinder up, but it won't move. The cylinder doesn't look bent or damaged in anyway. Has any one had a similar issue. Thanks in advance.

 

[Morich]

Couple questions first as there are several different "series" and different brands of jacks out there. I feel like you likely have HWH brand jacks but that is step one to finding the best manual to reffer to for the correct troubleshooting ideas.
When looking at the jacks, do you see big springs on each side of each jack? Those are what lift/fold one type of jack or some act to lift the inner part back.
Can you get some pictures of the controls panel as one part and also a picture of one of the jacks will help to sort what you have?
If the type with springs, it may be a case of them getting too weak to pull it up.
If not springs, it sounds like something is wrong with the hydraulic setup. Understand that it may have simply quit at the same time and not really much to do with the jack stuck in the ground as the hydraulic that is strong enough to lift the RV, will have no trouble pulling the jack out of the mud, even if iced down!
The type without springs, uses hydraulic to both extend and retract and it takes a lot of muscle to keep it from going back up if the hydraulic valves/solenoids are working correctly.
If it was stuck hard, it may have simply blown a fuse? But to get to the best info, there are some basic things to sort which series jack you have.

 

[Timo1]

Yes it has the 2 springs, but there are hook to the base plate which is no longer under the cylinder. So they are no help. I've had to use a pry bar to lift the rear jacks back up when the spring were too weak. So I know it doesn't take much pressure to raise the jacks. I'm wonder if I over extended the jack and it some how locked in position.

 

[Morich]

I have not used the types with springs to help return but it was my thought that the springs were needed! If they are no longer attached, does that mean no return on the jacks? Are they straight acting or kick up style?
I know folks who have changed out springs when they no longer worked and I have assumed, without actually knowing that they were required to raise the jacks.
Maybe somebody with more experience/knowledge of that type will be along in a bit?

 

[RayIN]

Cannot over-extend the hyd. cylinders. Are you sure the solenoids were manually opened to allow hyd fluid to return to the reservoir, or the store button was lighted?

Rich, springs are required for single-action cylinders to retract, but it sounds like he didn't open the solenoids to allow fluid to return to the reservoir while attempting to pry the cylinder back up.

 

[be happy]

I have used the HWH customer service tech support in the past for getting help with my slide. They are great folks seeming there to really help I would give them a call.

HWH Leveling Systems

With that said I have had an issue with one of my rear jacks w/springs not wanting to retract. I used the manual extend and retract button. I first pushed the extend button while another person watch to see what happened I then pushed the retract button. I did have to help the jack to up but it did go up. You might also try and spray a good lubricant on the exposed jack rams. I use the 3in1 product for slide outs on my jack rams to help with the retraction process.

Good Luck

 

[HiBanky]

You probably have an HWH 310 leveling system. A call to the manufacture would be a good first step, (563 946 6002), but while you are waiting for a call back, there are a couple of things you can check.

If one jack will not retract with the control panel in store mode and the help of a floor jack under it, that solenoid valve is not opening. This can be a bad solenoid valve, a bad connector, or just a blown fuse.

First, locate the HWH pump, valve, and manifold assemble. Using the manual locate the solenoid valve associated with the stuck jack. Open the valve manually by turning the "T" handle counterclockwise until you hear or feel the fluid passing thru the valve. This may take more than four turns, but do not turn it until it stops.

If the jack comes up with the help of the floor jack or with springs attached, look for a blown fuse on the control box or a bad wire connector. There are four 10amp fuses on the outside of the box, one for each jack.

If replacing the fuse or fixing connectors doesn't help, you could have a bad solenoid valve and that can be repaired or replaced.

These are just a few things to check, There could many other possible causes.

See this earlier thread on the subject. LINK

 

[Cooperhawk]

I've had jack pads stuck in the mud after the CG had a water leak. The springs just weren't strong enough to pull them out and I had to dig them free.

 

[3MyaNwjDRV-RVLSSOUID-1625]

Unfortunately been there and done that. If foot is off, you will Have to turn on retract the jack while applying pressure with shovel or hoe to get jack back up. Place it under the cylinder and put foot back on after the jack is up. I keep a hoe in basement for this very reason as I have had this happen more than once, especially if you are in one place for a while.

 

[RayIN]

This why I always place a wide board under each jack foot, even on blacktop.

 

[3MyaNwjDRV-RVLSSOUID-1625]

I know it’s a lot, but I put 2 2ft 4x4s and a 2 ft 2x4 under each jack. I put them in a plastic tub in Tow vehicle when traveling.

 

[Robitasca]

I have not used the types with springs to help return but it was my thought that the springs were needed! If they are no longer attached, does that mean no return on the jacks? Are they straight acting or kick up style?
I know folks who have changed out springs when they no longer worked and I have assumed, without actually knowing that they were required to raise the jacks.
Maybe somebody with more experience/knowledge of that type will be along in a bit?

In my limited experience, if they have springs, the hydraulics are only to extend. When in retract they just open the circuit and the springs do the retracting.
I had issues and it turned out to be bad shuttle valves, just a piston that opens and closes flowpaths and its normally just the O rings. !

 

[Morich]

Considering the power hydraulic has to move things, adding springs to help the jack go back up would not seem logical if the hydraulic was meant to do the job.
That would leave me thinking two things might be involved. If the springs were too weak would be an obvious idea but also there has to be some solenoid control involved to release the pressure that was holding the jack extended!
Once the pad and springs slip off the jack, I would assume the hydraulic might/ might not be correct to release the pressure but in either case, I would assume extra effort is needed to get the jack back up and reattach the springs and pad.
But it really seems doing it the hard way if we don't look at the manuals that are online when we don't fully understand what we are working on!