Tires, Jacks, and Steps

Tires, Jacks, and Steps

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It all started innocently enough. Take the RV about 50 for M to stay in while volunteering in Jerome. Simple enough. Ready to leave and the jacks down alarm won't stop. OK, pull the fuse for now and check it out when we bring it home. 

Found the right front jack is leaking, so after I get it home crawling under it why not check out the step that has been spongy for a while, the same one I broke a few years ago, lowering the way off level rig, with the door open and a block acting as a step that was way too close to the steps. Anyway, the step came down the block and broke a pivot bold, and I fixed it, kind of. 

Found out that the long bolt holding the step frame to the RV frame had pulled through. Easy fix, found some old shock bushing washer in the odd parts pile and bought a longer bolt and that took care of that.

The leveling jack, not that easy. Read, searched and researched the fix or replace options on the RV forum that I follow and other places. Seems that I have the pre 2004 Power Gears Jacks that were no longer supported. Newer jack kits have the same numbers, but it now states that pre 2004 had a finer threads and no longer supported, even though I had an old copy with the same kit number. I think the kit was above $200 but not sure, I quit looking and forgot about it. I found a local shop in Chino Valley, AZ. Called them and they said sure, bring it in. $110 later and I have it resealed. 

In the mean time I have ordered a 20V impact wrench for the RV tires and used it to reinstall the jack. It was so much better than the air wrench that I fell in love with a few years ago.

While moving the wheel/tire around I let it fall on the ground... just at the wrong place. I had left the tire extension on the valve stem and it hit a rock and broke the valve stem off.

So I take the wheel in to have a new valve stem installed. They told me the tire was bad, broken cord and tread separation. The tire was ten years old so replacing it was not a bad deal, except I might as well do both as they are the same age. I ordered a couple of Hercules tires and came home to remove the other one and get it in the truck to take in the next day. 

So $500 later I'm back home, front tires back on the rig with new impact wrench and everything is looking good and in working order.

Except for the the hydraulic fluid tank. It's been eight years since I changed the fluid so this would be a good time. I drained just over a gallon from the resuivor and put nearly two gallons in. It had leaked more than I thought.

All of this started with just a little little drip...

H