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Old 12-14-2017, 05:36 PM   #21
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Brand: DRV
Model: 2019 MS 39DBRS3
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Originally Posted by Hunter11 View Post
Ok guys I have a question, when hooking up my truck I have always manually raised the rear jacks then connected my truck and then manually raised the front jacks. So those that are using the "Auto Retract" are you leaving all the jacks down then manually raising the front jacks to get the trailer connected then once it is going to the AR function and raising all the legs together? With the known issues with this system I want to do the best I can to keep ours working correctly. My assumption is the AR function can be accessed in the "manual" section of the control panel.
I used to just use the front jack control when hooking up then the auto retract.

But - just one time - when doing a brake pull test I had my center jack a little lower then desired, and it dug in as I did my pull test and bent the ram.

So I now always raise the 4 rear jacks at least enough so I see 4-6 inches of daylight.
Use the front jack control (I also have a separate front jack switch) to hook up, then I use auto- retract to bring them all up.

Auto retract is one of the scroll options on the menu.

I also do a visual check to make sure all the jacks are indeed up with auto retract. Maybe 1 out of 10 times a jack may not be completely retracted.

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Old 12-14-2017, 05:55 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by Porthole View Post
I have yet to see a motor coach with levelers like we have on 5th wheel trailers.
And I have yet to see 5th wheel trailers with funky springs hanging down.
Really? Maybe you ought to get down on the ground and look a little closer. MHs use Lippert leveling systems with a central reservoir and pump with 4 hydraulic jacks that probably look just like those on a 5th wheel, but probably shorter than the front two jacks on the 5th wheel.

Now the control system may look different but on a DRV with rams front and rear it probably functions pretty much the same.

There are some MHs that use an external spring to return the rams to their stored position but those are usually older models; Newer spring return to stowed rams have internal springs.
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Old 12-14-2017, 06:05 PM   #23
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Thanks Duane, I will give that method a shot when we head out again next week.
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Old 12-14-2017, 06:21 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by Tfryman View Post
Really? Maybe you ought to get down on the ground and look a little closer. MHs use Lippert leveling systems with a central reservoir and pump with 4 hydraulic jacks that probably look just like those on a 5th wheel, but probably shorter than the front two jacks on the 5th wheel.

Now the control system may look different but on a DRV with rams front and rear it probably functions pretty much the same.

There are some MHs that use an external spring to return the rams to their stored position but those are usually older models; Newer spring return to stowed rams have internal springs.

So newer MH's use the same/similar Lippert leveling system. I said I hadn't seen them. And I'll admit I don't on a regular basis crawl around and look under MH's.
Although the last MH I had the pleasure to look under (while hooking up straps to help pull them out of the mud at a CG) did have the 'spring' version.

DRV's as well as most of the towables adding LevelUp use 6 point leveling, with the rear jacks on the same side floating as the front is raised or lower.
The Lippert jacks are dual action, hydraulicly moved up or down and no internal springs.
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Old 12-14-2017, 07:27 PM   #25
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I always use the auto retract. I use the front to attach to the truck. After I am on the hitch, I check to assure I'm correctly hooked up. We have a Trailer Saver hitch. I check to make sure the jaws are completely closed, check to see I'm not high hitched, and make sure the control arm of the hitch is in the locked position and then plug in the trailer. I then use the auto retract. I walk around to assure all the rams are completely retracted. (I never found any not completely
retracted). I leave the chocks on the wheels. I then do the tug test by setting the brakes on the trailer. When I do the tug I carefully watch the trailer for any movement.

I use this method because I feel the pressure fore and aft, and side to side unless you are absolutely aligned with the trailer, puts great stress on the front levelers, which I feel increased the chance of failure. So far so good.
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Old 12-14-2017, 08:32 PM   #26
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I was just looking at this issue on another forum and it seems a possible solution is to use auto retract each time you store the legs. This allows the system to build up to a certain pressure bore it shuts off. If you use the manual retract it may not build the need pressure to balance the system,

Anyhow, worth a try and I agree it certainly is a safety issue.
This information reportedly came from LCI and seems to have cured the problem for some on the other forum.

As I said before is is worth a try before spending big bucks.
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:19 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by Bobi, Dick and Ruby McKee View Post
I use this method because I feel the pressure fore and aft, and side to side unless you are absolutely aligned with the trailer, puts great stress on the front levelers, which I feel increased the chance of failure. So far so good.
I leave about 1/2" or so of space between the front jack pads and the ground.
I also have a trailer saver (not currently using though). Once locked in I give the handle a good tug, as long as it doesn't move you are locked - still do a pull test though
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Old 12-15-2017, 01:36 AM   #28
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Is the DRV section forbidden to everyone else?
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
Negative comments? I guess I see it as an attempt to remind folks that the "Sky isn't falling...".

I'm very active in a Can Am Spyder Forum.
(www.Spderlovers.com)
We had an actual recall on some 2013 model year bikes because they were catching fire!
In my book: dangling levelers just doesn't quite come up to that level of concern...
But that's just me!
Ok Mr Keyboard warrior. Please re-read the first post. Did he ask for help or for your advice or opinion? Adding comments like Man that sucks, so sorry that this happened to you. I hope that you get it worked out. Or even state what other DRV members have stated. Maybe if you try the auto retract method that it might solve the problem. As they or some other DRV member went through this and past on this information.
I am sure that you are not like this way in person. But some people show different colors behind a keyboard.
I have been on and moderated forums for over 10 years, and met hundreds of people from these forums.
So there is no real need for you to respond to me about this. So can you please stop stirring the pot? If you wish to continue this, then keep it off the open forum and PM people.
Tell Lamonster on the Spyder forum that I say hello. He is a very nice guy and knows how to run a forum.

If this type of posting and commenting is going to continue, I will just PM the admin and ask them clean this thread up and lock it with a sticky.
Happy travels.
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Old 12-15-2017, 04:28 PM   #29
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One additional comment on auto retract and the build up of pressure to keep the rams up. I have noticed that on auto retract that our pump "screams" for a second or two after all the rams are up. Perhaps it is building up pressure to keep the rams retracted. Just a thought.
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Old 12-15-2017, 05:19 PM   #30
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ryno,
I'll let Lamont know that you're thinking of him...
Oh... The OP was talking about a complaint to NHTSA.... my comments were directed toward that action.
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Old 12-15-2017, 06:13 PM   #31
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One additional comment on auto retract and the build up of pressure to keep the rams up. I have noticed that on auto retract that our pump "screams" for a second or two after all the rams are up. Perhaps it is building up pressure to keep the rams retracted. Just a thought.
That noise you hear may be the relief valve opening to control high pressure after rams reach full stroke (in either direction). I'm not sure how these low-cost hydraulic systems for RVs are engineered compared to those in industry, which I'm more familiar with.

Unfortunately, hydraulic fluid is essentially incompressible for all practical purposes, so when problems are caused by leaks in cylinders or valves, it won't really help much to start out with higher pressure. In my experience, unless there is a sizeable accumulator, pressure will leak down very fast anyway. After that the problem should be the same as before.
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Old 02-02-2018, 10:50 PM   #32
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The landing gear on my Fullhouse would leak up or down regardless of using the auto retract. When the trailer was parked the gear would leak down until the rams were fully retracted and the front was on the ground. I then got the trailer up enough to put the truck under and hitch up. It took only a few hours for the rams to leak down enough to touch the ground. I can drive nonstop for about 8 hours and if the rams chose to leak down during that time i would not know it until they contacted the road with dangerous consequences. And THAT is why it is a safety issue.
As it turned out Lippert did change the rams out on a good will warrenty but i had to drive 1500 miles and pay for accomodation at my expense. It was a big job and took 3 guys 9hrs to do but so far they are still holding up.
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Old 02-02-2018, 11:03 PM   #33
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The landing gear on my Fullhouse would leak up or down regardless of using the auto retract. When the trailer was parked the gear would leak down until the rams were fully retracted and the front was on the ground. I then got the trailer up enough to put the truck under and hitch up. It took only a few hours for the rams to leak down enough to touch the ground. I can drive nonstop for about 8 hours and if the rams chose to leak down during that time i would not know it until they contacted the road with dangerous consequences. And THAT is why it is a safety issue.
As it turned out Lippert did change the rams out on a good will warrenty but i had to drive 1500 miles and pay for accomodation at my expense. It was a big job and took 3 guys 9hrs to do but so far they are still holding up.
When I called they said that if was more the a year old, it was on me.
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Old 02-02-2018, 11:21 PM   #34
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I wonder if the OP has found a fix for this yet?
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Old 02-03-2018, 01:37 AM   #35
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When I called they said that if was more the a year old, it was on me.
Well there is a whole storybehind the "good will" replacement. The trailer was at a local repair place and they were in touch with lippert techs who told them to try this or that and when that didnt work they said it could only be the pump. That cost me $1400! When a new pump didn't solve the problem they then sent new legs but they were weld in not bolt in so the repair shop was not comfortable doing the repair. I emailed lippert with my tale of woe and that is when they relented and agreed to do the repair if i came to them. It still cost me $1500 for the trip and the now useless to me pump but they did a nice job installing the new legs! My Fullhouse is a 2015 and this all happened this past fall.
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Old 02-03-2018, 02:15 AM   #36
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WOW, all these motorhome owners replying to this thread. I guess if there Jacks starting falling down in transit that they might not have the same reaction.
It is a safety issue. They are not designed to lower and hit,drag on the ground while in transit. The key word is designed. DRV has switched to a different style because of issues with them.

If you have nothing positive to add just keep it to yourself. This thread was designed to inform DRV owners of an issue and that they should file a report if they have the same issue. If NITSA gets enough reports, they will investigate it and might force a recall.
I guess all of the people with Takata air bags could have rigged, disabled there air bags to be OK. But NITSA did not think that they should.

Bottom line, please stop trolling and giving advice that no one has asked for. I believe the posting member has already spent $1500 plus to get them rebuilt. And I think his $100k plus unit is just over a year old.

Rant over....


If I remember right my MOTORHOME has the Lippert leveling system so this doesn’t just apply to drv. This is good info for every make and model that has that style of leveling system. I guess mh owners can’t complain about there system because it’s not a 5th wheel. Almost one of the dumbest things I have read on this forum.
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Old 02-03-2018, 04:06 AM   #37
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Scary thread

Anybody ever hear of an accident being caused by a down jack?
The reason I ask, 10 yrs ago we were towing our 5th wheel in Arkansas.
A box truck doing about 45 beside us suddenly slamed on his brakes.
OUCH I was wondering what had happened when we crossed a railRoad track and got most of our tires off the ground .
After reading this thread I can't help but wonder how bad the wreck would have been if 1 of our jacks had dropped and snaged one of the rails.

Our dealer, for the Citation wouldn't let us even do a test drive till they replaced a "dropping" jack, NOW I know why!
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Old 02-03-2018, 07:37 PM   #38
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What know one mentioned is when the jacks come down they are under pressure. They just don't drift down. I chained my jacks up and they broke the hardware holding the chains up. The chain and hardware were not lite duty ether.
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Old 02-03-2018, 09:24 PM   #39
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Woodman,
Thanks, was going to mention that some had chained them up and snapped the chain. Bungee cord???good luck with that....
Both my front jacks have drifted down, each time when stopped overnight and still hitched up. Kinda odd to see one jack down--takes a moment of thought about what you are seeing....
I have been manually retracting the jacks for some time and holding the up button long enough to hear the strain--no more drifting. Been set up in a CG for five months and the jacks are holding--so far.
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Old 02-04-2018, 04:18 PM   #40
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"I have been manually retracting the jacks for some time and holding the up button long enough to hear the strain--no more drifting."

I have always held my retract button on the slides and landing gear for a second or two after they are in. Maybe that is why so far I have not had any issues???
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