SMC Leveling System - Jacks will not retract

[RebeccaKlein]

Once again I find myself in the position of having jacks that will not retract. I have replaced the two rear jacks and solenoids along with several of the hydraulic lines in the past year. The problem that I am having now is very different from my previous problems. Hopefully there is someone who can give me some ideas.

Like I stated I am unable to get the jacks to retract using both the manual retract button and the automatic retract button on my panel. I am able to operate my main slide completely. I do hear the pump running. I have no leaks that I can see. The jacks worked completely fine when I took my rig to the dump last week. I have restarted the coach and releveled. The jacks do work to relevel. I can feel a "bump" when I press the manual retract button so it seems like it is attempting to retract the jacks.

Any ideas?? Thanks!!

[Ed Dubois]

It sounds like we have the same coach (2001 37' Patriot Ticonderoga). When we had some service work done at Cummins NW in Coberg OR last summer we were told that the SMC control panels were known to fail. A search through your records indicated that ours had been replaced twice. This had been done by previous owners - we've only had the coach a bit over a year. The tech who told us about this said someone who used to work there had made replacement panels but probably not any more. Although ours are working (or were when we winterized) we're keeping an eye out for replacements/altenatives as we understand the SMC panels are no longer available. So I'll be following this thread very carefully.

On our previous coach ('99 Monterey) there were hydraulic taps that meant if the jacks were stuck down we could release the hydraulic pressure and raise them that way. This was not an SMC system. We're not aware of this being an option on our current coach.

Are the rams operated by the same hydraulic pump as the slide? If so I wonder how they set it up so the pump is controlled by a different control switch from the SMC levellers.

I wish I could offer something useful for you. Please keep us posted about your progress.

Ed

[Keith Moffett]

REBECCA
Is the pad you are on pretty level or slanted somewhat.  We found there was more difficulty retracting on a slanted pad.
Is your air pressure reaching the ride height properly before retracting jacks.?

Try killing the engine and  manualy dropping the air completely.  Then start up and let the air come all the way up, then try the jacks again.
A prayer or two wont hurt.

[RebeccaKlein]

I am waiting for a call back from the service manager at Beaver. It may be a solenoid causing the problem. I've tried resetting the levelers. It will relev if I do an air dump and restart the coach. The jacks will just not retract. The hydraulic pump is running. The slide is operating and is on the same hydraulic system.

[LaMonte Monnell]

Rebecca, I used to have the same jack system on our coach. I believe that BCS is on the right track from past issues with ours.

I went to HWH in Iowa a few years ago and had the hydraulic jacks removed and capped off. They installed a completely new system including a new compressor that ties into the airbags of the coach for fast air leveling. Also all new custom made wiring harnesses and a new control panel.

I hope it is something minor to get you fixed up.

[Paul Meehan]

Rebecca, I wish I had something beneficial to offer.  I have the same coach and are new to Class A DPs.  We have owned the coach for one year and we experienced an extremely rough ride after our second trip out.  Took the coach to a local CAT dealer who pointed out the exact problem you have, rear jacks extended and would not retract.  They bled the lines and were able to retract the jacks.  After a closer inspection two jacks (one front and one rear) were leaking and the other two were probably close to leaking as well.  CAT found a shop in Jacksonville to cut them open and repack them.  During the six-month ordeal the shop ruined the jacks and found replacements (verified with the CAT dealer).  The new jacks were installed each with a new jack mounted switch and all seems to be working for now.  We are off on a trip on the 18th so we will see.
I am only sharing my experience as I have not seen any mention of a leveler switch in the previous postings.  Not sure if that should be considered or not.  By the way the wrong switches were initially mounted to each leveler.  Either the switch was a normally closed switch and it should have been a normally open switch or visa-versa.  The correct water tight switches were installed. 
Not to minimize your predicament which is most important to you now, but I'd like to keep up with you and Ed since we have the same coach to understand your experiences.
Best of luck!

[Keith Moffett]

Just FYI, BCS does make a (manual) control replacement panel.

A have been hoping for someone with better info than me to chime in here.  For now let me say that I remember a thread on here that mentions jacks, some with a hydraulic fluid return line and some that use springs for return pressure.  There must be a switch / valve that closes to hold pressure and releases so fluid returns and jacks go up.  Its like something is not allowing this valve to open.

[Paul Meehan]

Rebecca, any update on what was determined to be the problem with the leveling system?