Atwood power jack problem
Thread Starter
|
Jäger
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 5
From: Northern Arizona
Atwood power jack problem
I'm prepping my trailer for the rapidly approaching camping and hunting seasons.
After reading the manual for the auto-jack, I fully extended the ram a few weeks ago, cleaned it and then lubed it with the recommended silicon spray lubricant. It worked fine.
Went out this morning to check it again. Dropped the ram almost all the way down, then proceeded to jack the trailer back up to level which almost fully extends the jack ram. About 2/3 of the way up, the clutch starts to chatter, then it goes smoothly again, then it chatters again, then finally gets to full height.
I took the motor and upper gears off and tried it with the manual jack handle. When it's dropping there is no problem. When it's lifting, there's an audible squeak coming from the inside, top of the ram housing and the handle was very difficult to turn. Seems it's either dry in there or there's a bad spot on the ram screw drive.
I don't see any way possible to disassemble the ram unit and the manual states to either clean and lube the inner ram tube, which I did again to no avail, or to replace the jack housing and ram assembly.
I bought the trailer in May 2006. Would this be a common failure for this type of jack? Is there something I'm overlooking or do I just suck it up and buy the darn assembly?
After reading the manual for the auto-jack, I fully extended the ram a few weeks ago, cleaned it and then lubed it with the recommended silicon spray lubricant. It worked fine.
Went out this morning to check it again. Dropped the ram almost all the way down, then proceeded to jack the trailer back up to level which almost fully extends the jack ram. About 2/3 of the way up, the clutch starts to chatter, then it goes smoothly again, then it chatters again, then finally gets to full height.
I took the motor and upper gears off and tried it with the manual jack handle. When it's dropping there is no problem. When it's lifting, there's an audible squeak coming from the inside, top of the ram housing and the handle was very difficult to turn. Seems it's either dry in there or there's a bad spot on the ram screw drive.
I don't see any way possible to disassemble the ram unit and the manual states to either clean and lube the inner ram tube, which I did again to no avail, or to replace the jack housing and ram assembly.
I bought the trailer in May 2006. Would this be a common failure for this type of jack? Is there something I'm overlooking or do I just suck it up and buy the darn assembly?
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,904
Likes: 76
From: Wayland, MI
There is a ratcheting sound when I lift mine sometimes also. I figured it was over working itself. I keep mine lubed, and I don't normally have to run it all the way out. I would run it until the thing quits, it will go along time.
Toyman
Toyman
Thread Starter
|
Jäger
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 5
From: Northern Arizona
I tried taking the ram out of it but gave up before I ruined it!
After calling Atwood this morning and speaking with Janis in the Technical Department, I removed the unit from the trailer and took it to a local Atwood-authorized RV service/dealer where the Tech determined it to be a failing thrust bearing. Atwood is sending a replacement unit covered under their 2-year warranty.
Toyman, I believe that running it all the way out the majority of the time may have caused this problem. I'm going to mark the ram on the new unit to avoid that in the future.
After calling Atwood this morning and speaking with Janis in the Technical Department, I removed the unit from the trailer and took it to a local Atwood-authorized RV service/dealer where the Tech determined it to be a failing thrust bearing. Atwood is sending a replacement unit covered under their 2-year warranty.
Toyman, I believe that running it all the way out the majority of the time may have caused this problem. I'm going to mark the ram on the new unit to avoid that in the future.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
airbats801
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
1
Dec 7, 2016 06:38 AM
kermmydog
Ford vs The Competition
9
Aug 11, 2014 02:15 PM
Patriot_RAM
Excursion - King of SUVs
36
Jul 1, 2012 08:03 PM
