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10-09-2015, 09:02 PM
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#1
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3 Rivet Member
1997 21' Excella
Carson City
, Nevada
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 213
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Tongue jack dropping during travel
Well i am on a trip here and for the first time, my tongue jack dropped down. Talk about a shock while driving!!!! I checked it periodically after that, and it dropped again. So now I am going to have to lock it up with a chain or something. Has anyone else had this happen to them? This is a first for me.
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10-09-2015, 09:33 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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Could the switch be shorting and motoring it down? Pull out the fuse and see it that makes a difference while driving.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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10-09-2015, 10:16 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1999 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Hillsboro
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,406
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Usually a switch is "bouncing" causing the motor to run in spurts, eventually "winding" the tongue down.
Removing fuse is a good idea. Also, painters tape over the switch to see if that the "bounce"/vibration is enough to trigger the motor with fuse installed of course.
Thee is the outside chance that something inside the switch has come loose and bounces around during towing.
Lastly, and very unlikely, the bouncing during tow is letting the tongue wind itself down.... Very unlikely, but could be a worn out gear or the internal screw of the jack itself has worn out.
__________________
Peace and Blessings..
Channing
WBCCI# 30676
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10-13-2015, 06:58 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2019 22' Sport
High River
, Alberta
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,176
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My old jack did this. Eventually it destroyed itself and I replaced it with a manual Atwood. I actually prefer the manual jack.
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10-13-2015, 08:01 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
Princeton
, New Jersey
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,070
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If you try the fuse removal idea I would also put a Slack Chain from the bottom of the jack post to the frame of the trailer. I say this because the jack post has a mechanical system within it that may have failed and the bouncing is allowing it to creep down. If with the fuse removed it still drops, to the limit of the chain, the problem is in the jack post not the motor.
__________________
WBCCI 12156 AIR 3144 WACHUNG TAC NJ6
2004 Excursion 4x4
1991 34 ft. Excella +220,000 miles, new laminated flooring, new upholstery, new 3200 lbs axles
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10-13-2015, 11:11 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Taos
, New Mexico
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 566
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I went to a manual jack also. No worries with a manual jack plus I suspect the electric jack (aftermarket unit) in blowing my electric converter
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10-13-2015, 12:23 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
Princeton
, New Jersey
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,070
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Your converter should never see the jack if the jack is wired right. The jack should be wired and fused directly to the batteries.
__________________
WBCCI 12156 AIR 3144 WACHUNG TAC NJ6
2004 Excursion 4x4
1991 34 ft. Excella +220,000 miles, new laminated flooring, new upholstery, new 3200 lbs axles
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10-13-2015, 07:30 PM
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#8
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3 Rivet Member
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Currently Looking...
Hahira
, Georgia
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 175
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Is there a maximum size where a manual jack would not be advisable?
__________________
From my Pecan Tree
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10-13-2015, 07:49 PM
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#9
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4 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
ottawa (greely)
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 390
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Just my 2 cents on manual jacks , be careful not to force Jack handle too much in up or down position or you will destroy the gears in Jack , I did this on my boat trailer just before leaving on a long trip and gave it a little more force up at end of its travel because I was worried it might unwind down slightly while bouncing up and down on rough roads for the next 900 miles , fortunately I made it home with no problems and I took the top cap off the Jack and noticed I Broke one tooth on one gear , luckily the Jack on cost forty dollars.
__________________
2012 silverado ext cab 4x4 ,5.3 L , 6 speed trans,3:42 final drive,tow package standard box 6 1/2 foot . 2014 honda forza 300 scooter, #2 2015 honda crf 250 L (Dual sport)
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10-13-2015, 08:11 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2019 22' Sport
High River
, Alberta
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,176
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A manual jack would be fine for any Airstream. Most are rated for 2,000 lbs or more. Of course, load on the jack increases as you lift the trailer.
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10-13-2015, 08:19 PM
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#11
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4 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
ottawa (greely)
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 390
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I'm happy with my manual Jack on my airstream but wasn't happy with the power Jack on my previous 2012 airstream ,
__________________
2012 silverado ext cab 4x4 ,5.3 L , 6 speed trans,3:42 final drive,tow package standard box 6 1/2 foot . 2014 honda forza 300 scooter, #2 2015 honda crf 250 L (Dual sport)
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10-13-2015, 11:31 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1965 17' Caravel
1983 27' Excella
Walnut Grove/Laguna Woods
, California
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,635
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My money is on a problem in the switch.
Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums
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10-14-2015, 07:19 AM
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#13
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3 Rivet Member
1997 21' Excella
Carson City
, Nevada
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 213
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Opened up top
So I opened up the jack. Plenty of grease. So yes, the little cog slips when you want to bring the jack up. Engages fully to put it down. So I am not going to deal with it until I get Tin Hut home. So bought some chain and will secure it up while traveling. But I will add this to my list of things to check while on the road.
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10-25-2015, 01:28 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2012 23' FB International
Woodstock
, Ontario
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,423
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The "cog" is actually a shear pin I believe. If it is deformed then you can probably get a new one. Had a '72 that would go up but not down....turned out the pin was deformed and only drove in the "up" direction.
The other possibility I thought of might be the limit switches on the head. They can break if you run the jack to the end too many times, but you seem to have found the problem
JCW
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