LCI hydraulic jacks stuck up

Scottfr3 · 05-29-2023, 08:21 AM

2019 FR 3 30 DS
One day I raised my LCI hydraulic jacks...heard a strange noise and tried to lower my jacks a day later. No sound, nothing...Eventually found out that the motor had died. I replaced the brushes and now the motor works great. Rewired the connections fired up the panel (no error code) and heard the motor but no jack movement. Any idea how to get the jacks to lower?

bubbles · 05-29-2023, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottfr3

2019 FR 3 30 DS
Rewired the connections

Good place to start to verify correct rewire.

Scottfr3 · 05-29-2023, 10:05 AM

Thank you! Will do. Also realized that the jacks down light is lit and they certainly aren't down.

NXR · 05-29-2023, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottfr3

Thank you! Will do. Also realized that the jacks down light is lit and they certainly aren't down.

The Jacks Down on the LCI jacks does NOT indicate the jacks are down. That light is triggered by a pressure switch on the hydraulic manifold. It indicates that the hydraulic pressure in the orange hoses, the retract side, is below 2,500 PSI. Thus it may be insufficient to hold the jacks up if the pressure continues to drop.

It sounds like the pump is running but is not producing pressure. Are you sure the motor end is fully engaged?

Ray

bubbles · 05-29-2023, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottfr3

Thank you! Will do. Also realized that the jacks down light is lit and they certainly aren't down.

Something new to original post.

CONTROL PAD TURNS ON, COACH WILL NOT AUTO-LEVEL, JACKS DOWN LIGHT IS ON, JACKS ARE RETRACTED

As previously posted, this is typically an indication that the fluid is low. TYPICALLY??

Scottfr3 · 05-29-2023, 05:18 PM

Fluid definitely full. Pretty sure pin from motor was engaged. Gonna check hoses and a friend who knows hydraulics is coming by to help! I'll keep everyone updated. Thanks for the help!

**bikendan** · 05-29-2023, 05:35 PM

Moved thread from the General Community Discussion section to the FR3 sub-forum since the OP's questions are specific to a FR3 model and not general questions.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Forest River Forums mobile app

bubbles · 05-29-2023, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottfr3

Fluid definitely full. Pretty sure pin from motor was engaged. Gonna check hoses and a friend who knows hydraulics is coming by to help! I'll keep everyone updated. Thanks for the help!

Don't know if the pressure switch should be open or closed with jacks up but disconnecting it could be worth a try. Could be stuck in the wrong position? Use manual mode to test extending jacks. This is my system.

edm · 05-30-2023, 08:36 PM

Did anyone check the circuitbreaker?

bubbles · 05-30-2023, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edm

Did anyone check the circuitbreaker?

The "circuit breaker" supplies power to the motor and the motor runs.

bubbles · 05-30-2023, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottfr3

Fluid definitely full. Pretty sure pin from motor was engaged. Gonna check hoses and a friend who knows hydraulics is coming by to help! I'll keep everyone updated. Thanks for the help!

Did some searching and appears the pressure switch should be closed with jacks up. To test, remove connector from pressure switch and jumper the 2 pins in the harness plug. The jacks down light should go out if the harness is good and would indicate a bad pressure switch.

Scottfr3 · 05-31-2023, 06:26 AM

Thanks for the help. Will test the pressure switch... Biggest problem is where they installed the hydraulics. They put it in the small bay next to battery and getting my hand around the pump housing is near impossible. ��

bubbles · 05-31-2023, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

Did some searching and appears the pressure switch should be closed with jacks up. To test, remove connector from pressure switch and jumper the 2 pins in the harness plug. The jacks down light should go out if the harness is good and would indicate a bad pressure switch.

However, not sure if this is your issue. Many times with jacks already down (jacks down light illuminated) I start the engine and use manual mode to make periodic changes (further extension of jacks) to relevel due to settling after initial leveling.

Is it possible you somehow hooked up the motor in reverse?

Scottfr3 · 05-31-2023, 02:33 PM

Not sure how that would be possible? Tried raising as well to see itlf that would free the jacks. Will. Let you know if I have progress later.

NXR · 05-31-2023, 03:07 PM

Try following the instructions in the attached PDF. It details how to raise the jacks when the motor has failed by spinning the motor with an electric drill.

11. Run drill in reverse or counterclockwise to retract jacks.

If the motor is in fact building hydraulic pressure then running the drill counterclockwise will increase the pressure enough to turn the Jacks Down light off.

Spinning the motor clockwise should lower the jacks. I would not suggest trying to lift the coach that way but you should get at least one jack lowering if all is well hydraulically.

You also might want to just call Lippert. When I had a jacks problem I got to speak directly to a tech that worked on the systems.

https://support.lci1.com/

Ray

Scottfr3 · 05-31-2023, 06:05 PM

Well! Thanks everyone for the ideas. If you have the ability or find someone (that can rebuild the $1200 motor before buying it. The brushes and connectors cost less than $50.) We replaced the brushes and thanks Bubbles for the idea for the motor wiring. It wasn't an exterior problem as (I took a pic of wiring before taking it apart) but we must have put in the new brushes backwards. When I switched the leads, down came the jacks! Thanks again everyone! Another problem solved by the forum!

gmann32 · 06-09-2023, 01:15 PM

East lake marina sells that same motor for under $400! I think they use it as a bilge pump motor! I would like to know where scottfr3 got the brushes from? I would like to get a set to rebuild my old motor just in case! Gmann55

Scottfr3 · 06-09-2023, 02:14 PM

I actually got them out of a cap assembly very similar to the lippert motor. Should have taken pics, but this is the Amazon item. Removed the brushes.... Make sure you place the correct + and - contacts.
KFI Products SE-U-CAPKIT Towing Products & Winches SILVER MEDIUM https://a.co/d/hH9h4tt

Scottfr3 · 06-09-2023, 02:15 PM

Good to know about the other motor! The brushes in the Lippert were horrible.

FlaNative · 06-12-2023, 06:16 PM

There have been a couple of references to the re-wire work and I know this sounds silly, but what I've done in the past when I have to work in a tight area and need to do wire work, is simply take a picture with your phone of the wiring BEFORE disassembly. That silly method has saved me some headaches while trying to re-wire to the original posts.

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