birdwatchers05
Northern CA
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Joined: 07/24/2008
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Our new 5th wheel cougar has a broken landing gear. After pulling into the RV park, here in Logan Utah, I was extending the landing gear when I noticed that only one of the two legs was moving. I tried extending and retracting but to no avail. Now one leg drags on the ground because whatever connects it to the drive is apparently broken. There are three tubes that fit together, one fixed and two that move. It's the middle one that is supposed to move with the motor that now slides freely and I believe whatever supports it has let go of it. Any advice would really be appreciated. It's Sunday evening here so I plan to start calling RV dealers for service tomorrow. thanks for any advice.
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trnfla
Tampa
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Joined: 06/17/2006
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it sounds like a pin seared off.
Have a great time camping,
Terry
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1999 30' Dutchman Classic 5th wheel, 2005 F250
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donhov
near Jackson Michigan
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Joined: 01/31/2006
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Check the various parts of the leg looking for a small thru bolt & not. Maybe check the other leg for the same bolt. It is intended as a shear bolt and is designed to break under certain stress's. Usually a 1/4-20 or even a 5/26 bolt and lock nut.
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USAFBILL
Alabama
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Joined: 09/20/2002
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I agree and have had the same problem with my Cougar. I replaced with a #8 grade bolt and that was 5 years ago.
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plascell
Lynchburg, VA
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Joined: 01/13/2002
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If the middle tube moves freely (you can lift it and let it fall by gravity) it sound like the threaded nut inside the tube has come loose. Inside the leg there is a threaded rod that turns, powered by a 90 degree set of beveled gears on the top of the leg. The top gear may have lost its pin, or the nut inside the leg has broken loose.
The most common failure is the pin (bolt) thru the horizontal drive shaft that runs from the powered (with motor) leg to the opposite side. In this case one leg doesn't move, but shouldn't be free to move as you have refered to the middle tube.
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donawilcox
Taylor TX
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Joined: 02/13/2008
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My forest river sheared off the bolt a few months back found a galvanized lag and put it in until I could get a higher grade bolt. Still using the lag. the ones I bought were to big. Mine has a sq tube that goes across to the other side. The pin or bolt is where it connects to gear box by the motor.
Don Wilcox
Taylor TX
2006 Duramax 4X4
2007 295 Cherokey by Forest River
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pyoung47
MO
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Joined: 02/16/2005
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My bolt just came loose and fell out. I was able to get hooked up again, and later found the bolt lying in the compartment and replaced it.
I'd be careful about replacing this with a higher grade (hardness) bolt. My guess is that these are designed to shear under a certain amount of stress, just like the pins in the gears. Even so, any type of bolt will get you home in a pinch.
Phil
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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Joined: 04/21/2005
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Hope your are mechanically inclined or have lots of money. RV's tend to break and as such you need to acquaint yourself with the workings of things like the landing gear so that when it does break you can easily identify the problem and fix it. Three likely causes have emerged.
1) The cross bar that runs the non powered side has broken the shear pin and simply needs replacing.
2) The bevel gears have come loose or stripped on the top of the landing gear and need to be replaced.
3) The screw thread that actually runs the tube up/down has stripped out and is simply turning in the not and not moving anything.
It should take you no more than 15 minutes to do an inspection and decide which is the problem. Any local Keystone dealer should be able to get you the parts overnight to fix it. Good luck.
Donn
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grizzly660fan
Utah
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Sorry to hear of your troubles. If you need to get to a dealer, here is a rather large one that sells/services your model and is about an hour south of you.
Dealer: Blaine Jensen RV
Address: 780 N 900 W
City/State/Zip: Kaysville, UT 84037
Phone: (801) 544-4298
Fax: (801) 544-0513
Web: http://www.blainejensenrv.com
(I have no affiliation with this dealer and have not experienced their service).
If you need to get as far south as Salt Lake City, then there are many more dealers to choose from.
I have had service done at "Terry's RV" and really like the work they do. My brother has a Laredo and Heinz RV in SLC is the dealer, they are not good and I would recommend you stay away from them.
again, I am just trying to be helpful and have nothing to gain from any of these dealers.
good luck!
Garry
2003 High Output Dodge Cummins
2008 Sabre 28rets
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birdwatchers05
Northern CA
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Joined: 07/24/2008
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Thanks for all those great responses.
I called Gordon's RV in Logan and told them about my broken landing gear. They said to bring it in and after tying up the broken landing gear leg, I drove over there. What great service. A technician was looking it over as soon as I drove up and after the 2-1/2 hours it took him to tear into both legs and rebuild them, we were back on the road before noon. He found a sheared pin and bad gear on the broken leg and an almost as bad condition on the "good side". We were very fortunate our bad luck turned out so good. I'm camped tonight and everything works well.
About a week ago. I blew the in line fuse for the landing gear, I think that was a warning that things were't well.
While I was waiting I heard that they are seeing many more landing gear problems such as mine now than they did two years ago.
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