Drop down stabilizer leg crank has snapped

jamentas · 02-07-2018, 06:49 AM

Cougar 318SAB - I was manually cranking the front stabilizer legs down and snapped the rod that lowers/raises them. What will it take to repair this?

Tinner12002 · 02-07-2018, 06:59 AM

Did you actually break the connecting rod or just shear the bolt?

jamentas · 02-07-2018, 07:03 AM

I believe I just sheared the bolt - but I'd have to take a closer look.

Tinner12002 · 02-07-2018, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamentas

I believe I just sheared the bolt - but I'd have to take a closer look.

Hopefully that's all it is but then you have to wonder why it sheared. Could be it just needed replaced because of rust or possible binding at some time or another or possible gear demolition in the top of a leg.

jamentas · 02-07-2018, 07:53 AM

I honestly believe I was cranking it too hard in the wrong direction - do you know how difficult it will be to replace the bolt?

**JRTJH** · 02-07-2018, 08:28 AM

I have always used a broken jack as an excuse to upgrade to heavier stabilizer jacks. I've never looked for parts, so your question is one I didn't know the answer for. So, I "googled" the phrase, "scissors stabilizer jack parts" and came up with this link at etrailer.com (second time today for etrailer). https://www.etrailer.com/question-89311.html

According to their "experts" (whom I do trust) parts are not typically available for scissors stabilizer jacks.

Usually they are bolted to a "jack plate" that's welded to the trailer frame, so you should be able to "upgrade to heavier jacks" by unbolting the existing jacks and installing the new ones. Use nylock nuts and new bolts and be sure to replace both jacks on the same end of the trailer so you don't risk doing the same thing next weekend in a remote campground......

jamentas · 02-07-2018, 08:41 AM

just curious, did I make it clear that I was talking about the automatic stabilizing unit within the cubby at the front of the trailer? I was manually cranking because the battery had gone dead and I couldn't use the motors to lower the front stabilizers. The long rod that connects to the motor is where the bolt snapped from being over torqued.

**JRTJH** · 02-07-2018, 08:51 AM

I've never worked on replacing parts on the jacks in an auto leveling system. Maybe someone else that has faced that problem will chime in. We're still "walking around with a battery drill" in our evolution toward automatic leveling on our Cougar. Sorry, I've got no idea what you're facing.

jamentas · 02-07-2018, 10:17 AM

thank you anyway for your input

**chuckster57** · 02-07-2018, 01:19 PM

I wonder if you just sheared the drift pin. Seen that a few times.

jamentas · 02-07-2018, 01:35 PM

No idea what the drift pin is, chuckster...LOL

Tinner12002 · 02-07-2018, 04:03 PM

It should be a matter of rotating the shaft until you see the holes line up, you may still have a pc of the bolt still in the shaft that's in the center so you may have to get a punch and knock that out before the new bolt will go in.

**sourdough** · 02-07-2018, 05:23 PM

It's probably a drift/shear pin. If not, a new one will set you back about $670 installed....don't ask how I know

**chuckster57** · 02-07-2018, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamentas

No idea what the drift pin is, chuckster...LOL

Tinnner describes it well. The pin is designed to shear off before the jacks break. I’ve seen it more than a few times. Center punch to push out the piece in the center shaft. IIRC, Harbor Freight has an assortment of roll pins. We have ordered just the roll pins, but I don’t remember if they came from LCI.

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