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Old 10-24-2018, 08:15 AM   #1
Mikendebbie
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M.O.C. #21044
Bent leveling jack and mount

I clipped a high curb this weekend and bent the rear curbside leveling jack and shoe plate. The jack still operates correctly (thankfully). Yesterday I hammered the shoe plate back to near flat - but the frame mount bracket is slightly bent, and there is a very slight bend in the jack just below the lowest bolt. A new shoe plate is $30 + freight from LCI and DW wants a shiny new plate.

Will I need a body shop to straighten the mounting bracket? Anybody out there ever attempted this in the home driveway? It feels like a $200 - $300 ticket for a body shop (just guessing).
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Old 10-24-2018, 09:34 AM   #2
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M.O.C. #20448
I destroyed mine coming out of a fuel stop in Florida. Jacks are too low. Insurance paid for new one.
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Old 10-24-2018, 10:24 AM   #3
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I've never had an issue in over 80,000 miles with two rigs, but I carry a spare bottom plate because they have also been know to fall off. I got mine at a salvage yard.
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Old 10-24-2018, 11:09 AM   #4
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We've slid the jack plate a couple of times, but never bent anything. If the jack is still functioning normally, I would tend to not mess with it. When you replace the jack plate, a little Loctite on the bolt threads will help keep the bolt from coming loose. Had one of the bolts on ours come loose years ago, but not all the way out, and used a box end wrench and a hammer to tighten it, and did not put pliers on the ram. They have not come loose since.
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Old 10-24-2018, 07:12 PM   #5
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Since the ram took a blow hard enough to bend the mounting bracket I’d keep an eye on it. Good chance the seals will leak. Might make an insurance claim worth while. I just had 2 replaced due to leaks extended warranty covered, I was told parts and labor was over 1k but I didn’t get any cost breakdown on my paperwork. Just the $100 deductible.
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Old 10-24-2018, 09:58 PM   #6
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Mike,

I agree with Bob, if it is still working I would leave it alone. If it leaks then repair or replace it. Looking at it might remind you to use spotter when it looks close.
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Old 10-24-2018, 11:05 PM   #7
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Old 10-25-2018, 04:42 AM   #8
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Leaking ram?

I am curious...if you look at my pics above I notice there is some dirt accumulating at the top of the ram on what is probably hydraulic fluid. The connections looked clean to me. I have no idea if it is “new” dirt or if this is normal for all the rams and maybe this dirt has been there for a while. Honestly I have not looked at the other rams to see if they are “clean” or similarly dirty. I will check them tonight.

Is the dirt collection a sign of an ongoing hydraulic leak? Or is it normal? I guess I assumed a hydraulic leak would appear as very apparent with lots of red fluid dripping everywhere from the hose connections. I dont have any experience with hydraulics so I really don’t know what it could look like.
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Old 10-25-2018, 05:03 AM   #9
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I noticed my 2 in front of the tires would go down 1-3” while traveling. Not always, just random. Never noticed any trace of fluid loss but resivor was 2 quarts low. I topped off and cycled multiple times thinking it was air in the system. Checked after 50 miles and down again.
Took to CW in Robertsdale AL and they checked and said seals leaking, got extended warranty approval and parts ordered. Called when parts arrived and we set a date to take in. We were in and out in 3 hours.
Kept us on schedule for our next reservation.
Very good service experience.
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Old 10-25-2018, 06:44 AM   #10
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Firstly, I would try to bring everything back in alignment as best possible and use the 5er until it started leaking - and a bent ram will eventually wear the seals elliptically and leak. Next, I would save my pennies for a replacement if you can't cover it under a warranty or insurance claim.


To straighten the ram, you will need to find a good machine shop with a hydraulic press and an operator that has a good 'feel' for what it takes - probably someone that repairs snow plow or farm equipment hydraulics. The ram will need to be disassembled and new seals installed for that fix and at that point, you may be up against the price of a new cylinder.


Good luck and keep us up to date on your progress
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Old 10-25-2018, 07:40 AM   #11
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Just my Professional opinion from dealing with Loaders, Dozers, Excavators and Cranes. You can take the Ram out and have it straightened out at a machine shop. But this is a short term fix, they cant get it back to as true and straight as it was when it came off the Lathe/CNC. That is something we do, before rebuilding the whole cylinder during winter slowdown. I would check too see if you can get a whole rebuild kit that has seals, gaskets, and ram, and fix in the driveway. The only thing I cannot speak for is if the main seal has to be pressed in like on Heavy Equipment. In that case it is a trip to the Machine Shop, or go buy a Harbor Freight Special and do it yourself.....Or the last option is buy a whole new one, take out 6 bolts and disconnect 2 hoses and just swap it out......That is after you address the Mounting Plate.....


And I agree with others they are hanging way to low, you really have to watch....


Best Wishes and Safe Travels......
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Old 10-25-2018, 09:29 AM   #12
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Looking at your pictures it looks like it is bent below the bolts attaching it to the mounting plate. If the ram is not leaking I'd use washers for spacers and put them between the mounting plate and the leg assembly to bring the leg back square.
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Old 10-25-2018, 04:02 PM   #13
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If the ram was not extended, it likely isn’t bent. Looking at the photos, the mounting flange is bent but the housing appears to be straight. We were next to another Montana while in California a few months back and the neighbor asked me about his one jack leaking. I looked at it and it had a little dust on barely noticeable fluid at the upper part of the jack. I took him over to my rig and pointed the the left rear jack and said “this is a leak”. Our jack has had a small leak from the top of the jack for a while, and even set up a long time it does not move. No need to repair or replace until there is a real problem. I just check the fluid level every few months and add if needed.
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Old 10-25-2018, 04:41 PM   #14
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corrective action?

So - I measured the jack to get an idea how far the mounting bracket is bent and how far out of plumb the whole thing is (see pics below). I wiped off the grime at the top and it was more like a dry dust or road grime - it did not smear like it was stuck to red fluid. I'll bet if I took a brush to it it would all brush off...so I suppose no fluid spewed out or dripped out (yet!). I checked the other jacks and they are "clean" - meaning they don't have the same dirt on top as this one.

Without correcting the bracket bend - there is no way to bring the jack back into plumb in the "cab to rear" dimension - which is 5/8" out of plumb. In the curb-side to street side dimension it is 1" out at the lower bolt. I like the idea of using washers to correct the alignment - but 1" out at the bottom bolt feels like a lot of washers, plus a longer bolt - but it might work.

Then again - if the thing works now, and I do not see signs of a hydraulic fluid leak now - "if it ain't broke - don't fix it sounds like the right first solution"...Thoughts?
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Old 10-25-2018, 04:56 PM   #15
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You might consider raising your jacks on the mounts. There are several threads discussing the issue. Here's one: http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=72426
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Old 10-25-2018, 05:23 PM   #16
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Mike,

Good job with your pictures. I don't believe you will have an issue with it being out of plumb.
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Old 10-25-2018, 05:54 PM   #17
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I would remove the jack without disconnecting the lines and then see if I could straighten the bracket with a 2lb sledge hammer. Just be sure you're not bending the frame where the bracket attaches.
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Old 10-25-2018, 06:08 PM   #18
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If you look at these jacks as installed, they are splayed out to the sides, probably at least that much, I guess for stability when down, so you just have added stability front to rear. Doubt it will cause any problems. Beating on the frame with a big hammer might do more damage to you if the hammer slips.
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Old 10-26-2018, 07:11 AM   #19
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I had a severe leak a few years ago due to my error. Didn't want to turn in to insurance so I called Lippert direct, gave them my sob story and they sold me a new unit for about $300 shipped to my house. I then called their tech support and told them I needed to change the jack. They gave me step by step directions. It was very simple and had it totally changed in about 45 minutes. I do have an impact wrench that made removal of the unit much easier. When disconnecting the lines, DO IT VERY SLOW DUE TO HIGH PRESSURE!!!! They told me which line to disconnect first. Take pictures before disconnecting to ensure proper reconnect. Only lost about a quart of hydraulic fluid in the process. Have pan under jack when you start.
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Old 10-26-2018, 07:21 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rohrmann View Post
If you look at these jacks as installed, they are splayed out to the sides, probably at least that much, I guess for stability when down, so you just have added stability front to rear. Doubt it will cause any problems. Beating on the frame with a big hammer might do more damage to you if the hammer slips.
I think the jack bracket is bent towards center of frame. That would be opposite of the direction of the other jacks. While the others are lifting and moving toward center the bent one will be going opposite.
Possibly racking the frame?
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