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Old 01-07-2017, 09:06 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 27K
State: Kentucky
Posts: 881
THOR #2817
Leaking Lippert Leveling Leg Repaired

2015 Windsport 27K
A few days after our thirty-day used RV warranty expired more than a year ago, the left front Lippert leveling leg began leaking hydraulic fluid. The problem was only in the “retract” circuit, so it leaked when traveling and when parked, but not when the levelers were deployed.

When I called Lippert about the problem they told me that if the leak wasn’t at the hose fittings, there is no fix for the problem because the hydraulic leveling legs are not serviceable. There are no parts available, and the only way to solve the problem is to buy a new leveling leg for about $550.

After attempting to have the leveling leg rebuilt by two “experts” and after isolating the leak with compressed air and soapy water on my workbench, it was evident that the leak was caused by the method the manufacturer used to seal the 2,600 psi of hydraulic fluid between the under side of the head of the banjo bolt and the top of the cylinder head. They simply placed a rubber O-ring between the bolt head and the aluminum cylinder head and expected the crushed and deformed O-ring to seal the hydraulic pressure whenever the leveling legs are in the up position. It’s interesting that their method works (perhaps temporarily) in three of the four leveling legs on our RV.


The leak was between the underside of the banjo bolt head and the top of the cylinder head.

I recently sent the cylinder head and banjo bolt to my brother-in-law who owns and operates a machine shop in Kuna, Idaho. He made a new banjo bolt with a larger diameter head to provide a good contact surface. Then he cut a circular groove on the underside of the banjo bolt head to accept an O-ring. He also lengthened the lower shoulder of the banjo bolt to prevent damage to the inside O-ring from the threads when assembling the cylinder head.


The old banjo bolt on the left and the new banjo bolt on the right.


The underside of the new banjo bolt showing the groove for the O-ring


The underside of the new banjo bolt with the O-ring in position.

I re assembled the cylinder using his modifications and remounted it on the motor home two weeks ago and after using the levelers several times and traveling 100 miles, it is not leaking.

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