SMC jack Fluid level

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Our SMC jack hydraulic pump is under the entry step.  On the tank there is a threaded plastic pipe with a snap on vent cap.  There is no measuring device inside by which we can chect the fluid level.
Should the jacks be in the up or down position to check the fluid?  Perhaps it is like RVA jacks where all are up but one which is only down about six inches.
A definate answer whould be handy since we have no operation manual on this.

Thanks

Keith

[Edward Buker]

Keith,

Fluid level is checked with all the jacks fully up. I think the vented cap unscrews but maybe yours is different. I leave a small gap at the top of the tank for expansion, maybe 1/2- 3/4 inch. It is a round tank so that is not a lot of fluid volume. Basically you want the tank nearly as full as it is capable of being without expanding and leaking out excessively. With bumps the vented cap will get some splash out while traveling that coats the tank if your vented cap is like mine. I extended mine up a bit to avoid this.

Later Ed

[Gary Wolfer]

Wish Icould find my hydraulic leveler tank I would add some to mine. Who would think it would be anywhere but by the pump. Now I hear one is by the steps, The 95 diagram shows it under the hood in front of the drivers side. I was told it was between the battery cabinet on all 3 sides of the battery cabinet so who has filled one in a 98 Patriot Monticello. This is like an easter egg hunt. In my Safari there is a horizontal tank next to the hydraulic pump that has a chrome vent when I unscrewed the vent to clean it I found a dipstick. At least it was by the pump but it was made by HWH.

[Gerald Farris]

Gary,
Your reservoir is located next to your pump, and that is located in the RR of your coach inboard of the Battery compartment. You are confusing different model coaches with yours. Several models of the Marquis line had their hydraulic pump and reservoir under the front steps, but not the 98 Patriot. Beaver started building diesel pusher coaches over 25 years ago, and since they have been built on at least 4 different chassis using 3 different engine manufacturers with 4 different brands of leveling systems, the component locations vary. So if you are working on something on a 98 Patriot, use information that is referring to a 98 Patriot or very similar coach because a post about a 2008 Marquis will be useless. It is like the old saying "you need to compare apples to apples".    

Gerald

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Ed
There seems to be a difference between ours.  Did your rig not come with a two inch plastic nipple that has a plastic snap on cap?  On ours this screws into the hole on the tank creating a small stand pipe and making it tough to see the fluid without removing the pipe.  Perhaps this was a modification by a previous owner?
I believe I can make do with a home made dipstick and your 3/4 inch idea.

Thanks
Keith

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Wish Icould find my hydraulic leveler tank I would add some to mine. Who would think it would be anywhere but by the pump. Now I hear one is by the steps, The 95 diagram shows it under the hood in front of the drivers side. I was told it was between the battery cabinet on all 3 sides of the battery cabinet so who has filled one in a 98 Patriot Monticello. This is like an easter egg hunt. In my Safari there is a horizontal tank next to the hydraulic pump that has a chrome vent when I unscrewed the vent to clean it I found a dipstick. At least it was by the pump but it was made by HWH.

Gary
Gerald is right and that points out a weak spot on this forum.  Everyone tries to help but we have to be careful on any advice we get as it may be no good on your paticular coach model and year.
Sorry to let you down my friend.  I had thought I had answered this question for you sometime back.  I guess I slipped up.
On our 98 Monticello, the hydraulic fill for the jacks was just forward of the battery compartment on the passanger side but behind the rear wheel.  You should use aflashlight and you are looking for a black container with a long neck and a hex shaped cap about 3/4 inch across.
They didnt make this accessible since you don't check it unless the alarm goes off.
I only filled ours once ever but when I did I used an old fashioned oil can with trigger pump and flexable spout to get back in there.
Do you have instructions on proper filling for RVA jacks?

Best  of luck
Keith

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Ed
There seems to be a difference between ours.  Did your rig not come with a two inch plastic nipple that has a plastic snap on cap?  On ours this screws into the hole on the tank creating a small stand pipe and making it tough to see the fluid without removing the pipe.  Perhaps this was a modification by a previous owner?
I believe I can make do with a home made dipstick and your 3/4 inch idea.

Thanks
Keith

[Edward Buker]

Keith,

My tank use to get splash up into the cap while traveling and my cap is a screw on with air vents and I think a little foam air filter material in the cap.
The tank was always coated with some amount of oil which made it hard to determine if I had a leaking seal or a real problem. I raised the height of that stand pipe using some plastic fittings. Since then there has been no leakage. If you do not have seepage on your unit then there is no reason to make any changes as far as height of the vent and stand pipe is. I keep the level close to the top of the tank and dip a screwdriver until the handle rests on the pipe. For mine it is about 3.5 inches down the screwdriver shaft to be a bit shy fluid level from the top of the tank, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 down. This is not an exact science on this one just keep it near the top of the tank and not making a mess.

Later Ed

[Gary Wolfer]

Keith
I tooke the narrow panel off just ahead of the battery compartment and behind the drive axle and all there was behind it was a square metal encasement with the right rear jack inside. I saw nothing else. ( I remember your message and how you let one of the jacks down about 6" I never found the tank with the fill spout. I did see a vertical tank on the back side of the battery compartment but could not figure out how you could get atf in it if I could reach it. It must not have been the tank either.

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Gary
Baring a mid year change in 1998, yours should be just like ours was though it would not surprise me to learn the location was slightly different.  Perhaps while the narrow panel is off it is a chance to have someone operate the jacks a bit while you listen to the unit behind the batteries and so on.  That should help narrow it down.  The filler should be just like the one I described earlier.
We sold that coach over a year ago and it was several years before that since I had to do this.  The best of my memory says the filler should be between that jack and the battery compartment.  
Will you be making a trip over to BCS in the near future?  Once they point it out the whole thing will be a non issue.
Keith