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04-28-2020, 01:41 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: South Texas
Posts: 343
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Question for the hydraulic guys
For you hydraulic guru's, I'm trying to solve a problem that's totally got me stumped. My Alpine has been sitting for about 10 weeks on concrete. The front dropped about 1 1/2 inches. I noticed this morning it wasn't quite level. I have the tank marked with slides and jacks in and up. also when slides and jacks out and down. Tank shows good either way. I've checked all hose connections and anywhere else were a leak could occur. Nothing, all appears good. My question: what would make the front jacks retreat 1 1/2" ?
I'm also going to post this on the Alpine forum.
I would really like to solve this problem. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks
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Sandy & Ann
2019 Alpine 3401RS
2011 Ford F350 Diesel
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04-28-2020, 02:13 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,741
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I'm no "guru" but you can have a fluid leak that isn't external. The hydraulic cylinder can leak pressure from one side of the piston to the other, or one of the valves could leak back into the fluid resivor. One other possibility is air in the system. Hydraulic fluid cannot compress but air can.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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04-28-2020, 02:25 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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Mine does too. I changed hydraulic fluid last fall and still does it. I don't think I'm at 1 1/2" though. I'm not showing any leaks either. I would agree with what flybuoy says.
Do you hear an occasional pop or creak from the trailer? I do.
I just hit the auto level again.
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2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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04-28-2020, 03:37 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Prince George
Posts: 184
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You guys are suffering from the infamous jack popping. Common problem. There's lots of stuff on Google . The cure that works for most is to replace your fluid with 1 jug or 2 of "fork oil" or something like caterpillar antistiction fluid. It's a hydraulic additive.
I need to do mine this season. Pops every once in a while and wakes up the wife lol
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04-28-2020, 04:21 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big 417
You guys are suffering from the infamous jack popping. Common problem. There's lots of stuff on Google ��. The cure that works for most is to replace your fluid with 1 jug or 2 of "fork oil" or something like caterpillar antistiction fluid. It's a hydraulic additive.
I need to do mine this season. Pops every once in a while and wakes up the wife lol
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I added a quart of Torco motorcycle fork oil when I replaced my oil. Might should have added 2 quarts. I used Valvoline synthetic transmission fluid as a hydraulic fluid. My popping isn't bad enough to do anymore about it.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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04-28-2020, 04:23 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: "Murvil, TN
Posts: 2,210
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flybouy is most likely right on the head of the nail with his comments. Internal leakage that gets past a seal or piston and "vents" to the tank is not going to be seen externally....no visible signs. On a lot of these trailer systems, the is a common line for pressure to each cylinder and if one is leaking past and going back to the tank, since the lines are common to each other, both legs will move the same amount.
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2016 F350 King Ranch Crew Cab Dually Diesel 4x4
2018 Grand Design Momentum 394M
2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+
Excessive payload capacity is a wonderful thing
"If it ain't Fast....It ain't Fun"
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04-28-2020, 08:18 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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Fluid temperatures also affect the popping/creaking & the level fluctuations.
LCI recommends exercising the jacks monthly if stored for extended periods, wipe & spray with silicone spray each time they are retracted.
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Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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04-28-2020, 08:21 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Prince George
Posts: 184
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I've heard some units need the set screw on the valve tightened down. Apperently some slip past the scrupulous quality control folks
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04-28-2020, 09:41 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson
Posts: 822
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Add me to the list; over several weeks, my 6 point LCI Level-Up system will slowly drop the front rams. Not much, no "pops" or creaking, just barely noticeable. As already suggested, I put the Morryde steps up, then just auto-level again. No external leakage visible, so I just assume it is the front jacks valve leaking by very slowly. I have checked the valves (when I tested the manual emergency process) but have not tried a fluid change or additives.
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05-01-2020, 06:26 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Young America MN
Posts: 372
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Flybouy is right on. My Alpine has 5 new lefts out of 6 due to leak through. If you go to anyone go direct to customer service at Lippert for the way to test them.
Lippert didn't actually do anything other than suggestions for a year but finally send tech to where we where. He replaced fronts in Arizona (2nd time so new ones done by dealer in MN leaked through also) and 2 sides. This was February. Another of the same fronts going down problem in summer and they send a guy to replace in Minnesota.
Just to be clear ours is an add on system so we have 2 pumps and 2 tanks. Slide hydraulics and lift hydraulics are separate.
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39 foot Forest River Vengeance dragged by GMC 3500.
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