Hello gang! I slightly pushed the right rear Atwood mount inward a bit when I made contact with my trailer. I didnt post a pic as it wouldnt do much. I have a slight wrinkle on the back, and the mount shifted enough I can see the jack is a bit inward from the side and back. Im planning on taking it off and using longer screws? I think it will re align okay, but would like advice on this. Its rather minor, but enough to have moved the mount. Thanks, Frank.
Duramax/Lance 835
KTM/Arctic Cats
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Don't approach this as slight damage.... it is always a big deal.
It holds a share off the weight of your camper up, down, and stored.
Any miss-fit when repairing will soon allow water infiltration... big time damage.
Any alignment promlems will make this jack push againest the other 3 jacks (sideways) putting a strain on their connections to the camper... which may make them leak around their caulk... and also affects the stability of the camper, especially when high in the air.
Check the (filon) siding for hairline cracks... they will let water in
To repair mine when it was nudged by a wrecker driver when my camper was parked... the whole back of the camper had to be removed and replaced... the filon was broke, and a new jack because it was bent ever so slightly... it made the camper "walk" when extended. (their insurance paid, the work was done at Lance... Lancaster, CA.)
Usually the brackets that hold the jack to the camper are what bend, though sometimes the jacks themselves will bend too. You can take the brackets off the camper and off the jack, put them in a vice and straighten with a large crescent wrench and a pipe. The jack can be straightened in a shop press.
As far as damage to the camper itself, that's a whole 'nother story. Mine were wood framed and aluminum sided. Drilling new holes in the jack brackets and using new screws in new holes in the wood is a good fix, as is using larger screws in the existing wood holes. Then caulk everywhere.
Thanks for the great responses! The jack and mounts are okay, its the mount that pulled away from the camper just a bit. There is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch gap at the top of the mount. Im guessing a Lance is similar to most other campers in that area of construction.
Wanderin fool wrote: Thanks Sleepy. You have a lot of good info to give. Being an 01 Im just guessing its wood,,,
dit: opps, you said not to guess, my bad!
That guess is pretty safe about the frame material... seeing that it's an 2001 model... after 2004 this question could be iffy depending on model.
I'm admittedly parinoid about repairing any camper with filon skins... water infiltration is a camper killer... as we occassionally see posted here on the forum.
Best of luck on your repair.
Remember... use no silicone caulking products... its in your Lance Manual
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dit: opps, you said not to guess, my bad!
