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04-13-2004, 03:36 AM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1977 31' Sovereign
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 57
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electric jack...that darn fiber gear again!
I've got a '77 Sovereign and it has it's original electric jack. The problem is that it seems to eat up that big fiber gear about every two years, and this is with maybe 5 trips per year.
Is this normal?? Does anyone know of a source for these gears that's less than the nearly 30 bucks I've been paying?
Thanks for any leads on this....
Guy
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04-13-2004, 08:21 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
New Borockton
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,593
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That fiber gear is the biggest failure on the whole jack. I keep an extra one in stock all the time. They are available through dealers but $26 is the least I ever paid for one.
Randy
__________________
Randy...Converters, Inverters, Trimetric, Surge Protectors, Zamp, Smartplug, AGM Batts
888-828-1893
Bestconverter.com
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04-13-2004, 08:50 AM
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#3
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4 Rivet Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 279
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In the Nick of Time
Well this is bad news.
But I am so glad to read about this problem. I was just getting ready to buy the jack head from another list member for 85.00.
If the innards are junk-engineered I think I'll pass. Thanks guys.
I'm still able to crank.
However I have never heard others complain of this weakness in part eslswhere. Could it be a misaligned gear train, due to a dent etc? Seems if this were widespread I would have seen other folks much PO'd. I read alot of forums pretty thouroughly and this is my first encounter.
Could you all further ID the brand/model# etc. jack-motor you are condemning please.
Is the 26.00 part(gear) from the manufacturer? Or a retailer?
EDIT I just found some info thanks to the "similar thread" feature that follows this thread. http://www.airforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4069
But still wonder if this is the same model that you are talking about.
Thanks again
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04-13-2004, 09:05 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
New Borockton
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,593
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Don't buy a new jack head yet. The part is made by Barker Manufacturing. I think the key is to baby the switch. In other words, up or down with a pause between or it will eventually strip. Don't go past full up or full down. My first one lasted 24 years (that I know of because it looked original) and the second lasted only two years until I figured out how fragile they are. My dad has stripped a few too.
In edit, I would not say the jack innards are bad, or the whole jack for that matter and maybe there is a way to align the gears better but the fiber gear is under suspicion to me.
__________________
Randy...Converters, Inverters, Trimetric, Surge Protectors, Zamp, Smartplug, AGM Batts
888-828-1893
Bestconverter.com
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04-13-2004, 09:10 AM
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#5
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Just a member
1978 28' Argosy 28
Lutz
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,549
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The gear is likely engineered to be a failure component. It is cheaper to replace than a burnt up motor because the gearing jammed, Etc.
I did not have this problem in the past with my Jacks, but I babied them as I had heard that if you did not they could loose a gear.
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
-------------------------
1978 Argosy 28 foot Motorhome
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
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04-13-2004, 10:02 AM
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#6
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Still Working
1994 36' Classic 36
North Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,686
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Seat the head
It is imperative that the whole assembly is seated upon re-assembly.
As you may have noticed, it is tight quarters and the wiring is very short. It does not take much for the wire to get under the gear. This will provide for a weak mating between drive gears and rotary gear.
I did not have a problem with the gear but I have disassembled a couple and repaired other problems.
I would watch Ebay for a whole head, they come on there every now and then.
As for the 85 dollars unit. I would buy that any day over cranking, been there and done that. I guarantee if you ever go electric you will not crank back
But Jaco Cranko, kinda catchy
Smily
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04-13-2004, 10:17 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
New Borockton
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,593
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smily
It is imperative that the whole assembly is seated upon re-assembly.
As you may have noticed, it is tight quarters and the wiring is very short. It does not take much for the wire to get under the gear. This will provide for a weak mating between drive gears and rotary gear.
I did not have a problem with the gear but I have disassembled a couple and repaired other problems.
I would watch Ebay for a whole head, they come on there every now and then.
As for the 85 dollars unit. I would buy that any day over cranking, been there and done that. I guarantee if you ever go electric you will not crank back
But Jaco Cranko, kinda catchy
Smily
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There is nothing wrong with the head when you hear the spinning of the motor and no action from the jack. It's a sound you will know. It is the fiber gear. If you need a head, get the head but the gear is what's wrong most of the time. If your jack is dead, you can even get a motor and not a whole head from Barker or Ebay but I don't think that is the problem. I too would buy a whole new jack before cranking, that will wear you down quick.
In edit, Ken is right that reseating the cap correctly and making sure the wires don't get in the way of the gear is important but the fiber gear will still strip in time anyway.
__________________
Randy...Converters, Inverters, Trimetric, Surge Protectors, Zamp, Smartplug, AGM Batts
888-828-1893
Bestconverter.com
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04-13-2004, 12:22 PM
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#8
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MrTimbo
1975 31' Sovereign
Newberry
, South Carolina
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 20
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We have painted a red stripe on our jack right before it is fully extended and before fully retracted. This way you will always know when to stop the jack.
Tim
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04-13-2004, 12:28 PM
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#9
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Still Working
1994 36' Classic 36
North Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,686
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limit switches
If your jack is working correctly and it is synchronized properly, there is no need for indicators like red lines on the shaft, (although this is a good preventative measure). There is a limit switch in the head that stops the motor at both extremes. it is a small microswitch. This switch can cause some confusion for a novice electrician. There are more wires than you would think necessary. The extra wires provide for the limit switch.
Works good when everything is in its place.
Smily
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04-13-2004, 12:51 PM
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#10
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Moderator
2004 30' Classic Slideout
Fenton
, Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,403
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I guess the question was asked but does this jack require syncronization when the head is pulled off? If it does, and you aren't doing it after putting things back together, then you may be looking at why this gear fails so rapidly.
Jack
__________________
Jack Canavera
STL Mo.
AIR #56 S/OS#15
'04 Classic 30' S.O.,'03 GMC Savana 2500
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04-13-2004, 12:54 PM
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#11
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Still Working
1994 36' Classic 36
North Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,686
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Ding Ding Ding
Jack, I believe you have hit it right on the head. I dont remember seeing any reference to synchronizing in this thread.
We shall see soon, I am certain.
Smily
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04-13-2004, 07:35 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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All electric jack "heads" must be in sync with the jack post.
If it is, the internal switches will prevent the jack from reaching either extreme position.
Most fiber gear failures are not caused by wear and tear, but by being out of sync.
Andy
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04-14-2004, 05:16 AM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
1977 31' Sovereign
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 57
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Okay....that synchronization thing sounds plausible. Now that I think about it, the failures have occurred when someone other than me, was operating the jack!
Now the question.....how does one synchronize the jack??
Guy
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04-14-2004, 08:43 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Who's jack?
Andy
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04-14-2004, 04:45 PM
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#15
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2 Rivet Member
1999 25' Safari
Manchaca
, Texas
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 40
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Jack Sync instructions
If it's a Barker jack there are some PDF's here with instructions
http://www.barkermfg.com/product_ins...tructions.html
__________________
WBCCI 1845
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04-15-2004, 05:17 AM
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#16
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2 Rivet Member
1977 31' Sovereign
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 57
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I can't really tell what brand of jack it is...the logo is too faded. It does appear as if it is probably the original jack that came with the trailer. The up/down switch is located on the bottom of the motor itself on mine. I've ordered the fiber gear from an Airstream dealer several times, and they've always sent me the correct one without asking which jack I have, so it must be the original equipment one.
Guy
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05-04-2004, 02:34 PM
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#17
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2 Rivet Member
1977 31' Sovereign
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 57
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Well, I received the new fiber gear and was all ready to install and "synchronize" the jack today.
I removed the head and I don't see anything but two gears in there...no limit switches! I tried grounding the motor against the frame and running it to see if the limit circuit was in the motor housing, but apparently not. It just kept running.
Could this jack just simply not have limit switches, thus no need to synchronize? I wish I could read the make and model of the jack, but it's just gone.
Any ideas?
Guy
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05-04-2004, 05:10 PM
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#18
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Still Working
1994 36' Classic 36
North Charleston
, South Carolina
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,686
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A thousand words
I have an idea, send pictures!
We can help you if we can see what you are working on.
Smily
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05-05-2004, 05:25 PM
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#19
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2 Rivet Member
1977 31' Sovereign
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 57
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Hmmm...a picture.....good idea!
I hope I can figure out how to do that....Let's see what happens.
Guy
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05-05-2004, 09:18 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,190
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Hey DOH
Thanks for the barker link. I found the owners manual for my
jack and found out where the switch for the lights are.......BONUS!!!!!
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