Electric Jack seems to be dead

nachtmsk · 08-20-2015, 02:07 PM

Hi All,

Just as I finished hitching up my ST, Jack stopped working. I thought maybe the battery was dead (I was not hooked up to power). But I checked the lights and they were fine.
Then I got home and hooked it up to power. I thought maybe the jack was just stuck, so I got out the hand crank and started moving it. Still no response from the switch. Luckily I'm home so I have time to take care o this. But first I need to hand crank the rig off my truck.

I'm a few months out of warranty, so I'm probably on my own. But I'm wondering, how hard it is to install a new one of these jacks?
I guess I need to get some cement blocks and put them under the front of the RV and then lift the jack up off the ground??
Any help is greatly appreciated. I don't want to break my trailer and I don't want it to fall on me either!
Attached is a photo of the top/front of my jack.
Thanks!
Mike

cw3jason · 08-20-2015, 02:11 PM

Just a thought. in place of cement blocks, when it comes time to swap out the jack, just couple to your tow vehicle and raise the jack off the ground. then you know it wont fall on you or go anywhere.

nachtmsk · 08-20-2015, 02:22 PM

Good idea about the tow vehicle -- makes sense! I wonder if these jacks are all pretty standard when it comes to fitting them on the trailer?
Found this one on Amazon. Seems fine.

http://www.amazon.com/Jack-Quick-HH-...+electric+jack

Russb · 08-20-2015, 02:58 PM

My tongue jack has an inline fuse, check the fuse if you have one. It would be on the positive wire from the battery to the jack.

**mark5w** · 08-20-2015, 03:03 PM

That's a good point Russ.

MartyinSC · 08-20-2015, 03:14 PM

Agree. Designed to be changed when on the tow vehicle. Three bolt pattern is standard. Likely cause the in-line fuse/fuseholder. My fuse doesn't blow, but every so often I have to wiggle the fuse inside the fuseholder. If jack has onboard light, the light will tell you if you're getting power to the unit or not. Change-out, if needed, is easy.

8iron · 08-20-2015, 03:17 PM

Does the light on the jack turn on? If so you know it's not a fuse. Power jacks are pretty generic in fitment there is either a 2" of a 2 1/4" hole in the A-frame that needs to be correct for the jack if you buy one. Make sure to match the weight capacity of the new jack too. Hopefully it's just a fuse.

**Lloyd** · 08-20-2015, 03:31 PM

Here is some reading for you.

Might give you some ideas.

http://www.crossroadsowners.com/foru...rade-9747.html

http://www.crossroadsowners.com/foru...jack-8561.html

AmericalVette · 08-20-2015, 07:26 PM

The responses to the OP is just one of the many reasons this is such a great forum!

nachtmsk · 08-20-2015, 08:49 PM

Thanks everyone. The light on the Jack doesn't work. I will look for fuse in the morning. I'll report back to the thread.

nachtmsk · 08-20-2015, 08:51 PM

AmericaIVette: Indeed this is a great forum! I have learned much already. I'm pretty new to owning and RV. I first panicked a bit when the jack died but I knew I would be put in the right direction once I posted here.

MartyinSC · 08-20-2015, 09:04 PM

If you don't find the problem in the 12V supply/fuse, check your ground. These things often do not have a negative wire, but the return goes through the steel ground. They are installed with star washers to get a good ground "grab," but anything can corrode. A simple bypass wire from the jack case to the negative on the battery will test the ground.

nachtmsk · 08-21-2015, 07:43 AM

So, I've been reading the threads that Lloyd posted. A few people are saying they made "rookie" mistakes in letting their trailer pull back and scrape/bend the jack. I too made this same rookie mistake the first time I went out. Luckily the Jack didn't bend at the time. I quickly found out I needed to put some chocks on the TT wheels before I de-hitched. However, even with the chocks on the wheels, it sometimes move back just a bit while de-hitching. So far no major problems because of that but I'm wondering if there is some other better method to keep the trailer from moving while de-hitching.
Thanks.
Mike

nachtmsk · 08-21-2015, 07:46 AM

marty -- when you say "check the ground", I don't understand how you do that. I am pretty helpless when it comes to electrical work. You said " A simple bypass wire from the jack case to the negative on the battery will test the ground." I have no idea what the means or how to do it. Can you please elaborate?
Thanks
Mike

**Lloyd** · 08-21-2015, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtmsk

So, I've been reading the threads that Lloyd posted. A few people are saying they made "rookie" mistakes in letting their trailer pull back and scrape/bend the jack. I too made this same rookie mistake the first time I went out. Luckily the Jack didn't bend at the time. I quickly found out I needed to put some chocks on the TT wheels before I de-hitched. However, even with the chocks on the wheels, it sometimes move back just a bit while de-hitching. So far no major problems because of that but I'm wondering if there is some other better method to keep the trailer from moving while de-hitching.
Thanks.
Mike

A set of home made chocks will pretty much hold it rock solid in the spot.

MartyinSC · 08-21-2015, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtmsk

marty -- when you say "check the ground", I don't understand how you do that. I am pretty helpless when it comes to electrical work. You said " A simple bypass wire from the jack case to the negative on the battery will test the ground." I have no idea what the means or how to do it. Can you please elaborate?
Thanks
Mike

Mike, I hope that by now you've found a bad fuse or connector. That's the most likely culprit. If not, you've just stepped into the area of electrical troubleshooting. Simply put, power comes from the battery to the fuse and on to the device. Switches route that power to move the motor up or down, or to turn on the light. But after that, the circuit must return to the battery, which is done by a metal connection of the jack frame to the trailer frame to the battery negative lead.
At this point it would be best to find a friend with a voltmeter or at least a trouble light. However, the test I mentioned above would be this. Find a heavy piece of plastic-jacketed copper wire, about 3 ft long with exposed copper ends. Turn jack light "on." Assuming the light does not come on, then touch one end of the wire to the battery negative terminal, and touch the other end of the wire to a bare metal part of the jack. If the light comes on, you have a grounding issue. If that is the case, place the tongue on the TV, unbolt the jack, and wire brush the mating surfaces and reassemble with clean washers and bolts. If this is not clear to you, please get a friend or a pro. I don't want to see you getting zapped!

nachtmsk · 08-21-2015, 01:32 PM

Thanks for the electrical lesson. I understand what you are saying. I guess that is why there is only one lead going to the jack. The positive lead is going to the Jack I assume? Just got back from Hardware store. It was a bad fuse. So glad I posted here first rather then start by installing a new Jack.
Thanks every one!

Tim D · 08-21-2015, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtmsk

Thanks for the electrical lesson. I understand what you are saying. I guess that is why there is only one lead going to the jack. The positive lead is going to the Jack I assume? Just got back from Hardware store. It was a bad fuse. So glad I posted here first rather then start by installing a new Jack.
Thanks every one!

Great. Glad it was simple. There really is some great people on this forum.

baddfeets · 08-22-2015, 10:59 AM

hi Mike, I had a similar problem, except mine would extend but not retract. i removed 4 screws from the bottom of housing and played around with switch, don't really know what happened but its now working. i suspect that switch connectors may have been loose. i will probably have problems in the future, but its working for now. (always be sure to have a ratchet and socket when on the road just in case) good luck.

MartyinSC · 08-22-2015, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baddfeets

hi Mike, I had a similar problem, except mine would extend but not retract. i removed 4 screws from the bottom of housing and played around with switch, don't really know what happened but its now working. i suspect that switch connectors may have been loose. i will probably have problems in the future, but its working for now. (always be sure to have a ratchet and socket when on the road just in case) good luck.

Loose connections around the switch are likely; they are simple push-on's that might need a tighter crimp. However, remove the fuse before doing so, or you'll get sparks!

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