Bair Hydraulic Trailer Leveling

[slowmover]

Anyone ever heard of these, or, better, seen one in action? I came across this in a Streamline Trailer Owners Manual:

SELF-LEVELING SYSTEM AVAILABLE
*****You can order the newest hydraulically-operated, coach-leveling system at the time of your trailer purchase. Every Streamline coach is fitted*with four spots marked "JACK PADS," and each one is drilled and tapped for installation of the Bair Hydraulic Jacks. These self-adjusting jacks can be controlled from a central point using a small hand pump. The use of auxiliary stabilizing jacks is then unnecessary. This one system handles the entire operation. Ask your Streamline dealer for a demonstration.

From post #39 of this thread,

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f232...ream-4522.html

I see one of my fellow Texans is familiar with the system, and, prior to PM'ng him, thought I'd ask if the rest of you knew something about it.

Thanks!

[slowmover]

Had a PM from StingrayL82:

I owned a 1968 29' Streamline Empress, 1969 September Trailer Ad. and it had Bair hydraulic jacks. They were located on the frame of the trailer, kind of close to the corners. You had to pull a spring-loaded pin to get them to swing down and then pull that pin again to stow them back into position.

The reservoir tank for the jacks was located on the curb-side frame, right behind the propane tank; it was actually mounted to the side of the frame, not on top of it. It used Ford Type-A transmission fluid and had a valve you had to turn, in order to jack up each jack. If you put the valve in a certain position, you could jack up the rear jacks at the same time or the front at the same time. There was a handle that you inserted by the reservoir, in order to jack the jacks up.

To tell the truth, they were a real pain: They leaked and they weren't very reliable; sometimes they wouldn't retract, when you turned the knob by the jack lever, so you had to push them in by hand.


An idea, it sounds, a bit ahead of the technology. I still like the lack of electrical controls. Maybe an overhaul of the individual jacks with new seals, etc, and a go-over of the system could get one into better shape.