Issues with 2019 Keystone 5th wheel front jack motor

[jwldmn1]

I have a 2019 Keystone Sprinter Campfire 32FWBH and I'm having some problems with my front jack motor. For starters, my truck is lifted so I know I have some limitations with overall height, but I've had the truck and camper for two seasons now with no problems. The last couple of trips as its getting to the top range of the jack extension it bogs down really bad and then starts "jumping" (thats the best way I can describe it) and just barely gets high enough. I've tried setting the dropdown part of the jack in several different configurations to see if that was the issue, but the problem persists. When first starting out it doesn't run too bad.....still under a lot of stress but it operates. The last trip out it blew the 30A inline fuse BAD. Once we replaced it we limped it up onto the turnover hitch and got it back home, but I'm afraid to disconnect it from the truck. (Thankfully I have a daily driver car!) The shops in my area are booked well into the fall, so thats not really an option right now.

So, my questions are......
1. Has anyone had this experience and if so, what was the fix?
2. My initial thought was that the motor was bad and needed replaced.
- If that is the case, has anyone changed the motor on their own?
experiences??

I have an extended warranty on the camper, which I'm sure would cover this, I just don't want to cancel the rest of my camping season to try and get it worked in to a dealer.

Thanks in advance!!!

[chuckster57]

I would look for a tag on the motor for an amp rating, then use an amp clamp to measure. If it is failing, replacement is easy, but the “skipping” may be the gearbox or jack.

Some jacks have zerk fitting at the top to lube the inner leg mechanics. Have you tried that?

[jwldmn1]

I haven't checked either of those......but in reading through the forum I was beginning to think about the gearbox as well. The motor also "torque's" when it is engaged...it moves over 1/4"...and I'm not sure if that is normal. In your experience, are those all things that should be covered by a decent extended warranty?

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by jwldmn1

I haven't checked either of those......but in reading through the forum I was beginning to think about the gearbox as well. The motor also "torque's" when it is engaged...it moves over 1/4"...and I'm not sure if that is normal. In your experience, are those all things that should be covered by a decent extended warranty?

The motor is "mounted loose on the top of the drive landing gear leg", so it will "move a little when first engaged".

There is a torque tube that runs from the drive leg to the follower leg. There is a gear assembly in the follower leg to transition from "horizontal to vertical movement". Those gears are typically plastic and do wear, chip teeth and cause problems. You can buy replacement metal gearsets on EBay if you discover a broken gear in the landing gear.

But, I'd first look at whether there's a zerk fitting on the follower leg "head" and see if adding some grease might stop the binding.

Skipping or jumping is usually a sign of a chipped or broken gear and binding at extreme ends is usually either a dirty/rusted inner leg or a bent inner leg. The "problem leg" will work well until it "starts to bind from being dirty or bent" and then the motor begins to lag.... The way to determine if it's the "drive leg or the follower leg is to remove the torque bar. Engage the motor and if the motor binds with only the drive leg moving, that's your "problem leg"... On the other hand, if that leg moves up and down freely, it's the follower leg or a bent torque tube. If you do this "test" it's best to have the trailer connected to the truck so the front of the fifth wheel is "not sitting on the jacks and can't fall to the ground !!!!!