Monday, May 24, 2010

More troubles

I'm not sure what I did to enrage the RV gods, but it is fairly appearant that they are not happy.  Case In Point.

As I was all packed up and ready to depart the RV park today about 11:30 in the morning, I pressed the button to retract the jacks under the rig, and they began to retract.

The all of a sudden, they just stopped and all the lights on the panel began to flash.  In unison, and all at once.  No button that was pressed would gain attention of the locked up computer brain inside.

The jacks were still in contact with the ground, all four of them.  I wasn't going a place.  I turned off the engine, and shut down the entire coach, but to no avail, it all came back on flashing.

I got out the really big bag of books that Tiffin places in every coach they build, and began the sorting process to find the Atwood Level Legs manual.  I don't have a manual, but rather the installation guide. It had some suggestions, but everything I pressed was ignored as the brains seemed locked in a never ending loop.

I shut it all down again and waited as though some magic might reset things, but it didn't.

Finally, I held the brakes and put the transmission into drive gear.  Oh my land, it didn't like that!!!!!  The alarms sounded, and the lights flashed in a different pattern, and it scared me into Park gear instantly.

To my surprise, the jack under my seat rammed home in its up position.  Clack Clack Clack.  Followed by others, but I didn't hear all four.  I raced out the door, and did the inspection, and all four were in the up position.

Back in the driver's seat, the lights were all four green, and I was able to turn the panel off.  Not knowing if they would cycle again, I quickly decided that I would leave well enough alone, until I was safely parked in a place where it wouldn't matter so much if it failed again.

After driving to KC and unloading here at the house, I went to the storage lot where I parked on my spot, and turned on the jacks to auto level.  They all sprang into action, but the point of level is now gone.  One of the back ones fully extended, but the computer announced that we were now level.  No we weren't, so the memory has been erased.

I retracted the jacks, and they retracted normally.  Now I will have to re read the book, to learn again how to set a level point,  but it was just about dark, so that will have to come another day.

I confused it somehow, but the emergency retract command must have presidence over everything else, as it saved my bacon!

Retired Rod

5 comments:

  1. Seems like you read more and more of people having trouble with their levelor jacks, must be a weak link in the motor home chain. For now I keep it simple, put a block of wood down and run the jack down with a 24volt cordless drill. Hope you don't have anymore trouble. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

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  2. I must say that is one of the things I liked about our 5th wheel a few years back...no hydraulics!!!! We have had problems with our jacks on 2 separate occasions & right now we have been on our 3rd occasion since last year sometime. They didn't work all last winter so we just used blocks for levelling. A fellow is going to look at the problem shortly & he thinks it's a dead solonoid switch. Your problem sounds more like a computer software problem than a mechanical problem. Nevertheless, very frustrating to say the least & it sure knocks the stuffings out of one's confidence in the coach. I think jacks stuck in the down position & slides that won't retract are two of any RV'ers biggest worries.....:((

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  3. I think you must have crossed the "rv gods" somehow Rod as you are having a few strange problems happening. Have fun with the manual about setting a level point - sure hope the jacks work o.k.

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  4. I just can't wait to get rid of my 5th wheel, and I never want anything to do with a big RV again. I'm going to be a camper!

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  5. These new fangled things are meant to make life easier. NOT!

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