Are YOU Prepared for This? Why DIY Helps YOU Solve Problems | Boondocking | RV With TITO DIY
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- This is the story of how we turned this Oh NO! situation into a We Got This! situation while boondocking in Mexico. It validates why working on your own RV will help you when problems arise.
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Well done! This shows the importance of having the right tool on hand so you properly complete any job. In this case, it was the cerveza. 🍺 😁
Yes. 2 cervezas :)
Great DYI skills Tito. I'm a lifelong mechanic (68) and I can say without a doubt you did all the right things to retract the piston and get the foot back onto the bottom. Well done my friend. Thanks for sharing this with us all. The RV community is always willing to help someone in need.
Thanks for the validation. It means a lot coming from you. Hopefully there's no surprises like that in the near future. 🤪
Great video and shows that in situations to take a deep breath and work the problem.
Absolutely. There's always a solution, but one's always better than the other :)
About 12 to 14 years ago I had the same thing happen to me except I was in a truck stop on asphalt! When I leveled the coach it seamed fine, in the morning I went to retract the jacks and one jack did not retract. I looked and found the jack had sunk into the asphalt 4" to 6". Thankfully this truck stop had a repair shop on grounds. They had a BIG air over hydraulic jack. I have a 2003 40' diesel with an air compressor that we used to jack up the back corner of the motorhome. We had to go up high enough to get the jack out of the asphalt. Then like you it was no problem what so ever.
One hell of a kick stand :)
100% agree the more you can do yourself the better off you will be and wont ever be stranded.
Your encouragement and videos (plus bad big name repair shop experiences) are the reason I am so much more hands on and proactive with our coach and have more confidence to problem solve.
Great! Ya know what they say...if you want a job done right...
Hello Brian, You definitely did the right thing.! That's how I would've went about doing it myself. The only difference is I carry a 3 ton flour Jack on trips over 1000 miles just incase I have to put my RV up on Jack Stands to work on it. Its always very important to carry a good selection of tools. There's nothing on my RV that I can't rebuild on the side of the road or in a parking lot. And surprisingly enough it doesn't take that many tools to rebuild an RV on the road. Hope you are having a great time in Mexico and can't wait to hear about your journey back to the states. Wish you all the best and please stay safe and healthy God bless.🙏🏻👍
Thanks! We crossed the southern border yesterday and are almost home in WA now. It was a great 3+ months exploring Baja.
I can literally rebuild my 98 Ford van anywhere too
Great video Brian. Every time we go I'm at an argument with myself of taking more tools. Wish I could take all my tools but I'd easily be overweight. I would hate to be somewhere and need a large wrench I have back home but not with me.
I always have a ton of tools. Yes I don't use them most of the time, but at least I'm prepared.
Should name this episode Getting Jacked with Tito 😂 good work Brian 👍
Yeah, because Getting Your Piston Stuck would probably get me flagged :)
I had a jack spring break on a 1999 36' Bounder. I was able to have my wife hold the retract button, while I used a big ratchet strap to pull the piston back into place. This worked well, but the button had to be held, or the retract valve would shut, preventing piston movement.
Interesting. We didn't hold it in. There were other jacks still extended. So we just pressed "store" and tried to push it in.
Who'd of thought there would be that much pressure on that piston when the switch was in the stored position. Just goes to show to not buy an RV unless you're handy or have a pocket full of money. Lucky for you that whatever you ran over didn't cause even more serious damage like take out a brake line or something. You can always get where you're going without levelers but brakes are a different matter. Thanks for sharing though. It's always interesting to watch your thought process when figuring out a problem.
Ya just never know what's next! I'm going to keep my 10 ton bottle jack in my RV! Thank you for this video!.....because you just NEVER know!
Fore sure. I've also used it to help others as much as I've used it for my rig.
It was all that awesome, new, solar equipment you installed. It couldn't take it.
All that power I know :)
The same thing exactly happened to me. I dug a hole around the piston and use a piece of long 2x4 topry it up about 6 inches. Dug the hole a little deeper and put my small bottle jack in it and then just use that to jack it all the way up. I discovered that I should change the fluid in the system so I drained it all out and replaced it. Jack works flawlessly now.
Nice. I've yet to flush the system. I'm in the "if it ain't broke don't fix it mode" right now with this one
The more you know, the more you can do. Don't be afraid to get in there. Sounds like a good process to get everything lined back up. Good to have tools and practical knowledge. Trip saved.
Agreed👍
I never heard of a jack failing like that! About all I could figure out to do to retract the leg would be to wrap a tow strap (cloth) tightly around the stem, and attach a hydrolic jack to it, and have your wife just jog the jacks up slowly with you following with the jack. I don't know it that would work or not, but it might be worth a try, again, very carefully. And when you got it up out of the dirt, carefully remove the assembly and plug the hoses to it until you can get it fixed. Great call on the repair. We have never had a rig with leveling jacks, so I was just guessing.
Boarding the ferry to Whidbey, our RR HWH came into contact with ramp and was bent back over a foot. Long story short, never try to straighten a bent bracket. Per HWH, the structural integrity has been compromised and it will fail, as ours did after 3 cycles. We have a Winnebago Navion. The addition of Snap Pads, the tide, and my driving faster on loading than I usually do, all contributed to this occurrence. Expensive lesson.
15 years owning an RV in western Washington and I've never had it on a Washington State Ferry because I always figured something would happen. The previous owner though moved the RV once with jacks extended. Oops. So one of the jacks had been replaced.
Each cylinder has its own manual release valve, just open the one needed and you should be able to pry it back up.
I decided to put it in store/retract mode instead of releasing just that cylinder. I need to label the solenoids so I can quickly tell which one is which. Thanks!
I agree with you totally Brain. Get under your rig and get familiar with it. I doubt you will ever regret it.
That's right! So much to learn by crawling around under your rig 😀
Boy that’s a weird thing to happen. Glad you got it fixed and 45 min ain’t bad. I’d say it’s a win 👍🏼
Definitely a win. Thanks
I had the same thing happen on my 2001 Winnebago adventurer . Just a small lever aka piece of wood . Hit retract all button 5 min later all done . Easy fix.
Yes. Next time it'll go much quicker.
Well you will never believe what happened to us..Nice to have some one figure it out. A Handy Man jack on the hitch did the lifting, 4 2x4's for the blocking. It took about 20min to things back to normal.
Yep. Confidence is built by familiarity, and it reinforces the can-do attitude, as well as the realization of what one CAN do vs things that need to be religated to professionals. If complete familiarity is not established, over-confidence can lead to more complications. The standing joke among pro's is that they charge a certain amount for a job, but when they find out you worked on it, they charge double. Lol.
Haha. Yep. Similar to Me: "how much to do this job?" Tech: "$100". Me: "How much if I help?" Tech: "$500" :)
I use a shovel to pry mine up.
Dang, Tito! You’re heckin’ handy! 👑✌🏼
Heckin' :) I'll make my own word substitutions
Sorry to say it Brian, but it's always nicer to see someone else solve a problem than to have too deal with it yourself... Fun episode, Thanks.
That's what I'm here for. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing! I'm a big proponent of learning from other's (both failures and successes).
Same here 😃
You might have popped the foot off again so you could film it put back on (🙂 ha ha) ... nice job. You might have been able to dig down under it somewhat and slide the jack under straight away.
Ooops. Didn't think of that. :) It wasn't something I planned to do a video about...just get it done. I know lots of folks always have the camera rolling, but not me. I prefer to relax and enjoy myself. In this case I was more focused on getting it done. I'm glad she did film part of it though. I later thought "Huh? This could be a helpful tale to tell...and I've got some video proof" :)
On mine, I have valves at/near the reservoir that you open to release the pressure. Then you can almost push the piston up by hand. I've had to put the pad back on twice.
Same on mine. My manifold is in front. I'm not certain they would be that easy to push back on mine though. Worth a try. 👍
Our power jack ground out , I replaced it with a little extra work the lower hole section the out of round and it did not fit so I got my small impact with a step drill bit and used it as a grinder work great just took time
Great video! Informative and fun. Please continue this type. Thank you and safe travels for your family.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed it 😊
I have 2005 winnebago adventurer 37b. If this thing happens to you. Bleed the hydraulic jack fluid and make sure if you have a pry bar or you can use a wood. There’s a hydraulic fluid line every jacks on the top.
Great save, Brian. I recently changed the springs on the rear hydraulics....I was able to forego the shim method by leaving the jacks retracted, hooking the springs at the top then using a ratchet strap hooked onto the bottom of the spring hook and the other end hooked to the tow hitch. Ratcheted until the springs were spread far enough and I literally pushed the bottom hook right onto the pads. ☺️ Super easy! The pads are welded to the bottom of my hydraulics, this made it an easy process. I have a 97 Coachman Catalina Bunkhouse....all gutted and restored. What a long road it was. ☺️ Take care!
Nice. Lots of work I'm sure. Yeah. Next time I replace the springs I may make some adjustments to the technique.
Thank you for the video. Good information for lotta people that got Winnebagos.
Glad it was helpful!
I have had a similar issue with my jacks. One will not retract all the way when using normal retract system. I keep 2 different size bottle jacks just for this purpose. I have since found out you need to make sure the seal around the chrome shaft is cleaned and the shaft is oiled. I now oil the shaft before I retract jacks.
Yes. I do that too, especially when they have been extended for a long time . Clean and oil.
If there is a Jack Extended and stuck you need to release the Hydraulic pressure and open the T-Valves then you can push it up into the coach
I always enjoy watching your videos, Brian, and your approach to solving what life throws at you. I totally agree that the knowledge you gain working on your own rig is priceless when you get into a situation like this on the road. I'm currently working on lithium battery and inverter charger upgrade, and this really helped me to understand my motorhome power systems and wiring. Doing this upgrade has helped me to identify and fix many factory installation issues and bad wiring connections on my 2022 Thor Motorhome. Thor used non-water proof wire connectors in a bunch of places exposed to the elements, and since my rig was delivered from the factory in Indiana in February, the road salt had already begun to corrode these connections.
That knowledge of your electrical system will be invaluable. Plus you'll be able to make it better. Thanks. Glad you enjoyed this little story.
Nice job! I worry about knocking the jack pads off sometimes. Just came into a campground where I thought we did just what happened to you. I creeped in knowing it was a steep transition from the road to the park driveway and I heard both front jacks scrape on the ground. Did a thorough inspection before putting them down!
Eeek! I know the feeling.
You the Man !! Worked like a charm !
Never a doubt :P (well maybe a tiny one...nobody's perfect)
Good job. Smart thinking.
Thanks!
Great job and a beer well earned!!
Glug glug glug....ahhhh!
Good job, well done getting out of the problem
The way you did it took 45 minutes and worked. You worked on them before and understood the tension of the springs. Great job. I seem to overpack on trips bringing tools, a compressor, battery jump box, etc in case...
Oh I always over pack and bring all my tools (except for the big ones). if I don't use them on my own rig, there's always someone else who needs something.
Great field repair Brian, it’s all part of the adventure. I have a set of SnapPads for our 2007 Winnebago Journey that I have yet to install, including a set of new jack springs. Now wondering if the extra they will stick down might be a problem. However, you made it to Alaska and back with no issues so this is likely a one time fluke. 🙏 I am also adding a short and heavy duty bottle jack to my tool kit on the RV. It looks like the one you link to is the best deal I can find. Thanks.
Mine don't hand down too low to create a problem. I also installed air bags though which can add an extra inch or two when inflated.
Nice repair. I like our snap pads, but I did notice when installed they hang down an extra 3/4”, which has been a concern when out looking for boondocking spots, they have dragged on the rear jacks of our 5er, but it hasn’t been knocked off…yet
Yes they do. Same here.
If you powered the magnet on the spool valve at the hydraulic control unit -- wouldn't the hydraulic piston retract easier ? I guess a last resort to retract would be to crack a fitting loose on the piston - but the fluid coming out would cause a mess , and the system would be low on fluid afterwards. I've unplugged magnet at HCU to Disable a Piston (you need to identify which magnet controls what piston). Just Food for thought.
Fantastic job Tito
Thanks!
Very cool video. Did u do a video on the spring replacement?
I did (ua-cam.com/video/7BTVo9_LvFc/v-deo.html) but I know now that I could put the springs on and pop the foot on much easier with it fully retracted. Give it a watch though.
Always enjoy your content! Thank you.
Could you have dug into the ground below the ram, enough to get the scissor jack into place without jacking up the coach...maybe the ground was too compacted?
A last resort fix would be to loosen the hydraulic line on the cylinder, and use your pry bar like you did at the beginning...but you will lose oil doing that, so not ideal.
I did try digging a hole at first for the jack. Yes it was a bit compact and I quickly switched to the board. Also, it wasn't budging at all trying to pry it up with the the pressure relieved. Got er done :)
@@RVwithTito you did get it done, job well done!
Thanks for sharing. Stay safe
You're welcome!
my Hwh jack is having a hard day going up. i believe it is bent some so i use a shovel to lift it all the way i ordered a new one, but they said it will take a couple of months. it bent when we changed the motor in our 1999 aerbus
Hmmm. Might need a replacement...or a bigger shovel :)
I am so glad that I have watched this! Well done! 🙂
Thank you Brian, you are appreciated!!
Where in Baja is this? I would love to Boondock out there sometime.
This was in San Felipe just on the edge of town
Great job and good thinking.
Thanks!
Good info. 👍🦅😎🇺🇸
Thanks! Glad it was helpful
Could you have used a ratchet strap around the frame and end of jack?
Not sure if there's an easy part to strap it on the frame. Maybe. I'd have to crawl under and look.
I fear that issue so currently at shop whose removing all 4 hwh jacks. However, leaving the single slide out hydrylics hooked up.
I'm more concerned with the slide hydraulics than the jacks 😃
Great explanation and workaround to get’er done! I can’t think of anything different that I would try, I think the method you used would have been something similar that I would have tried, but don’t have those kind of levelers, mine is a 5th wheel and the system retracts them without springs.
Probably electric jacks. My friend has electric jacks on his too.
@@RVwithTito hydraulic leveling system on ours
Great problem solving exercise! - Lots learned - Thanks! - Cheers!
You're welcome!
Glad you got everything sorted out Brian I know the damage could have been way worse myself being a commercial driver I’ve had to get out of a few situations over the years very good video 👍
Thanks. Glad there was no actual damage.
On our HWH system there are valves on the pump we can open to release the fluid pressure. It would make it easier to raise a jack that wouldn't come up on its own. Does your system have valves?
Yes. There is one solenoid for each jack. The pressure can be released manually. I opted to just hit the store button and push it up as the other jacks retracted.
Few! Problem solve as always! BTW what size are the pads that you have?
I think it's the HiWay 8. You can get 10% off at rvwithtito.com/snappad or use the RVWITHTITO code at checkout.
Silly question....but did you release the hydraulic pressure valve on the motor. Makes the piston a lot easier to manually retract.
I hit the "Store" button on the controls and did it while the other jacks were retracting also. Yes. I could have loosened the screw on the jack solenoid as well.
From me, a warning: At a very non-level site in Salt Lake I used the auto level and the front wheels were WAY off the ground. A few days later in Moab I kept hearing a clanking sound. I had inadvertently STRETCHED the springs beyong their elastic limit, and the metal foot was dangling by the springs, and the pistons were retracted. So, on my 2008 Aspect, the springs DO NOT retract the pistons, but just hold the foot. I replaced the springs, and noticed they are really not that strong. The hydraulics work in both directions. I wonder if you just didnt overextend the piston (?). I do have an HWH system.
It has been fine since. We never lift the tires off the ground. We'll either put pads/blocks under the jacks or under the tires.
Hi Brian, thanks for all the tips and upgrades you show. We are starting to plan a trip to Alaska, in 2025. We will be leaving from Central Texas.
Can you give any particular routes to use after we enter Canada. I have read there is an alternate route to the Alcan. Have you traveled it
We have a 40 foot diesel pusher.
Thanks
Lynn
Sure. I did a full write up. Check it out here rvwithtito.com/alaska
Is there a bleed valve that bleeds the hydraulic system ?
There are valves on each solenoid (for each jack) that can be loosened to relieve pressure. Putting the jack controls in "Store" mode essentially does the same thing...that's what I did.
😃
:p
Now let me ask you why you didn't retract the jacks? Was it stuck in the ground that bad? Are the springs the ones that pull the jacks up when you press the retract on the panel? I would have been the other guy paying someone $$$$$$ to come and fix it for me. Great video as always!!!
I think the springs do, indeed, pull the jack shaft back up. Apparently there is no bi-directional hydraulic action, so that the fluid can pull/push the piston back up. On my campers, I like the electric type jacks, which will run both down and up, but a motorhome is a lot heavier and probably needs hydraulic.
Correct. To store (retract) the jacks, the pressure is relieved and the springs pull them back up.
Fix it.
Done!