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Old 10-13-2019, 07:26 AM   #1
Mroe67
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Stabilizer popping noise

Read this on another forum. That Lippert is aware of a popping noise. Adding a special anti-stiction fluid is supposed to stop it. Anyone have this problem?
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Old 10-13-2019, 08:35 AM   #2
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Lippert's hydraulic Level-up system had this "popping noise" occur initially around 2010 or 2011. Lippert published a technical bulletin instructing how to add the "anti-stiction fluid" in 2011. The latest update on that tech bulletin is dated 8/29/2018 and can be downloaded here: https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0002091.pdf

This TSB has been widely published on most RV forums. It's been a topic of discussion here since the release of the first TSB and is the topic of at least 6 or 8 threads.

Thanks for bringing it up again. With winter and colder temperatures "fast approaching" no doubt, more members will find that colder temperature causes thicker fluid which can cause increased "popping" that can be eliminated by adding the recommended fluid.
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Old 10-13-2019, 10:22 AM   #3
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We had the stiction popping problem early after purchasing our rig. I discovered the Lippert fix in 2013, and went to a local CAT dealer to purchase a couple quarts of the fluid recommended by Lippert. We haven't had any popping since.
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Old 10-13-2019, 12:18 PM   #4
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The “popping” noise is called stiction. It’s an inherent issue that will occur with ANY hydraulic piston Assy. Lipperts “stop gap” fix is to use a thinner oil viscosity by adding in one of their recommended fluids to thin out the current fluid.

Your fluid is either AW32 hydraulic fluid or ATF... if brown honey color it’s AW32.

Personally I’d learn to live with the popping noise as long as you aren’t actually getting changes in your leveled position.

Mixing fluids is just not really smart as you could get an interaction with the fluids causing internal piston seal issues.

You could however try cycling the levelers 3 to 5 complete retractions and extensions to purge any air that might be in the system

My 2014 Alpine is serviced with AW32. It pops on a cold day when sun comes out and warms up the levelers and fluid.

Landing gear struts on aircraft are basically the same concept build as your hydraulic levelers. They settle and pop with temp changes and have for the last 75 years
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Old 04-02-2022, 06:42 AM   #5
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All, I really need your counsel and help.

We started experiencing the popping condition after we weathered the severe storm that went through Panama City Beach last Wednesday. We move to Gulf Shores the next morning. No issues raising jacks and hitching up. However, when we arrived at Gulf Shores and went to unhitch, the popping occurred as did almost what I would call a screeching sound as we raise/lower legs and retract/extend slides. Also, there was a little slippage in the front legs’ height. Finally, I couldn’t get some of the rear jacks to fully extend.

I have scoured this forum, watched “all” of the YouTube videos and spoke with Lippert. The easiest and somewhat universal “answer” seems to be to replace up to two quarts of existing fluid with an equal amount of Fork Oil. Then, I need to cycle the legs up and down a put the slides in and out several times.

I am good with all of this. But in the back of my mind I am worried about how it so quickly went from starting to experience popping sounds to all the other symptoms, especially the screeching sound (this sound is captured on the video posted by the husband/wife traveling nurses who ended up replacing all of their fluid with hydraulic fluid).

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

John
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Old 04-02-2022, 07:44 AM   #6
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The screeching sound being heard from the hydraulic slide outs when they extend or retract is an issue that is most likely being caused by WORN WEAR TABS that are on the inside of each Guide rail on the slide out .. there are two guide rails that are attached to the bottom of the slide out frame..

These roll on separate gear packs ( one for each guide bar ) and are free wheeling.. As the hydraulic cylinder extends or retracts to move the lide in our out the guide bars track on the gear packs to keep the slide out in alignment side to side...

Have the hubby get a bright flashlight and inspect the upper and two side wear tabs located inside each guide bar frame tube for condition...

If they look ok then have the hubby get some dry silicone spray with PTFE and have him spray the ear tabs while you move retract and extend the slides...

Also a light spray on the gear pack brass bushing area on each side of the gear pack teeth wont hurt... Use only the spray Ive mentioned... NO WD40!
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Old 04-02-2022, 07:53 AM   #7
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Here are images of where to lightly lubricate the gear packs as well as images of the wear tan locations and what the wear tan looks like

This link will also help you with the squawking slide gear packs

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001864.pdf
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Old 04-02-2022, 07:55 AM   #8
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“The screeching sound being heard from the hydraulic slide outs…”

Thanks for the speedy reply, Chuck. The screeching sound is actually coming from the jacks. Listen to the sounds slightly before the two minute mark of this video. This is what I am experiencing.

https://youtu.be/o-BMbccZEkc

Thoughts?
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Old 04-02-2022, 08:02 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnybadger View Post
“The screeching sound being heard from the hydraulic slide outs…”

Thanks for the speedy reply, Chuck. The screeching sound is actually coming from the jacks. Listen to the sounds slightly before the two minute mark of this video. This is what I am experiencing.

https://youtu.be/o-BMbccZEkc

Thoughts?
That sound is DRY WIPER seals on the hydraulic cylinder pistons... wipe the outside of each exposed cylinder down with ATF or AF32.. then cycle the legs up and down a few times to clean the outer wiper seal and lubricate them..

Once this is done then wipe the cylinders down

I always wipe my cylinders down with ATF prior to retracting the fifth wheel six point hydraulic level up
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Old 04-02-2022, 08:06 AM   #10
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This shows you the wiper seal that is making the noise heard in the video
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Old 04-02-2022, 08:07 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnybadger View Post
“The screeching sound being heard from the hydraulic slide outs…”

Thanks for the speedy reply, Chuck. The screeching sound is actually coming from the jacks. Listen to the sounds slightly before the two minute mark of this video. This is what I am experiencing.

https://youtu.be/o-BMbccZEkc

Thoughts?
DO NOT USE WD40 on the strut cylinders... Worst thing you could ever use.. ATF fluid, AW32 fluid, motorcycle fork oil only...

Lippert used to say dry silicone spray, then they changed to dry silicone spray with PTFE and I have recently seen them saying use ATF...

Use what I told you to and throw the WD40 in the trash can.. there is no place on an RV I would ever use WD40 spray...

If you need a good lubricant for other things then use PB Blaster...
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Old 04-02-2022, 08:18 AM   #12
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After reading thru your issues with the front LG settling sometimes and the rear levelers not always extending or retracting correctly I would also do an internal bypass test on the front LG and the rear...

The front LG are in tandem and separate from the other levelers..

The left and right mid/rear levelers are also each in tandem on each side... What affects the mid leveler on the left side will also affect the rear leveler on the same side..

Each mid/rear leveler also has its own Hydac valve for fluid control when the pump runs..

If the Hydac valves are not electrically opening correctly OR or if the MANUAL OVERRIDE screw on one of those Hydac valves isnt closed all the way you will have issues
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Old 04-02-2022, 09:02 AM   #13
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Chuck, again, thank you so much for your generous counsel. This all is so helpful. I am awaiting an Amazon delivery of 2 L’s of fork oil, coming sometime on Monday. I will also check my inventory of lubricants (no, none of them are WD 40). I also have a couple mechanically-astute neighbors in our RV park. They have agreed to help guide me to do all of this.

I will keep you and the rest of this community apprised as Monday projects proceed.

Thank you again so much!

John
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Old 04-04-2022, 08:38 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
DO NOT USE WD40 on the strut cylinders... Worst thing you could ever use.. ATF fluid, AW32 fluid, motorcycle fork oil only...

Lippert used to say dry silicone spray, then they changed to dry silicone spray with PTFE and I have recently seen them saying use ATF...

Use what I told you to and throw the WD40 in the trash can.. there is no place on an RV I would ever use WD40 spray...

If you need a good lubricant for other things then use PB Blaster...
Don’t want to bother you any more than I have, but wanted to close the loop with you on my issue.

I have ordered two liters of anti-stiction fluid, one will arrive today and the other tomorrow. Also getting some dry lube spray (with PrFE sp?) for the hydraulic cylinders.

In anticipation of the first liter fluid arriving, I went out first thing this AM to see if I could get the rig on the truck. First brought in my slides (two are hydraulic). No popping or screeching encountered???? Next I wiped down each jack cylinder. Then Lined up the truck, and raised the rear two sets of legs. No popping or screeching encountered???? Slipped the pin into the hitch and raised the front landing gear. NO POPPING???? NO SCREECHING????

Unhitched, auto-leveled, and opened slides; you guessed it. No troubling noises at all????

Not sure what to make of this. My speculation is there might have been some debris or maybe a bit of water on the hydraulic cylinders from the storm the night before (we received a ton of rain and maybe our site flooded; my pre-flight checklist did not include wiping down and lubricating the jack cylinders before raising them). Whatever, when I raised the jacks the next morning, the water and/or debris was ingested so to speak by the cylinders/pistons and caused the dramatic popping and screeching when I went to unhitch and level when I arrived in Gulf Shores. Somehow that debris/water migrated deeper into the system, which diminished its negative impact on my system.

Regardless, I truly thank you for your patience.

John
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Old 04-05-2022, 06:08 AM   #15
ChuckS
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnybadger View Post
Don’t want to bother you any more than I have, but wanted to close the loop with you on my issue.

I have ordered two liters of anti-stiction fluid, one will arrive today and the other tomorrow. Also getting some dry lube spray (with PrFE sp?) for the hydraulic cylinders.

In anticipation of the first liter fluid arriving, I went out first thing this AM to see if I could get the rig on the truck. First brought in my slides (two are hydraulic). No popping or screeching encountered???? Next I wiped down each jack cylinder. Then Lined up the truck, and raised the rear two sets of legs. No popping or screeching encountered???? Slipped the pin into the hitch and raised the front landing gear. NO POPPING???? NO SCREECHING????

Unhitched, auto-leveled, and opened slides; you guessed it. No troubling noises at all????

Not sure what to make of this. My speculation is there might have been some debris or maybe a bit of water on the hydraulic cylinders from the storm the night before (we received a ton of rain and maybe our site flooded; my pre-flight checklist did not include wiping down and lubricating the jack cylinders before raising them). Whatever, when I raised the jacks the next morning, the water and/or debris was ingested so to speak by the cylinders/pistons and caused the dramatic popping and screeching when I went to unhitch and level when I arrived in Gulf Shores. Somehow that debris/water migrated deeper into the system, which diminished its negative impact on my system.

Regardless, I truly thank you for your patience.

John
Yup the junk that was on the exposed cylinders worked its way up past the wiper seals but will also ( usually ) work its way back out of the wiper seal when extended..

Get in the habit .. no matter what to take 5 minutes or less and wipe down the exposed cylinders.. Your hydraulics will last much longer if you do...

If you dont then the crap that is on those cylinders works past the outer wiper seal and the next seal in line ( look at image I posted of the lower cap ) will take a beating and start leaking...
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