Just finished replacing the front springs. Wouldnt ya know...it took half the time. Go figure 😀

Brian...as always, you are the master of working smarter, not harder. Great video! :)

Brian, I have much information about this issue. I have the exact RV, with the exact HWH lift system , and had the exact same issues. I also experienced slow retracting jacks and have basically rebuilt the whole system. The tapered end springs are an upgraded spring and will help for a short time. But I’m sorry to inform you it is just a bandaid and the problem will return, which can cause other problems, and give you a bad day. The real problem lies with the lift cylinder itself. As far as I can tell the rod seal dries out and the increased friction slows down the retracting rod and will eventually stop it all together. When you hit retract, the system opens a dump to tank solenoid (one for each jack) that solenoid will latch on until the jack fully retracts and hits a proxy switch (breaking the latch). The bad part is HWH’s solenoids have a 20 minute duty time. If it takes more than 20 minutes for the jack to fully retract the solenoid will begin to overheat and can possibly burn out. They’re about $150 each and I’ve replaced most of mine. Here is the real sucky part - the lift jacks are not serviceable and must be repaired by HWH. The last ones I sent in were about $250 for a rebuild and $450 for a replacement. That was about 4 years ago so I do not know what they charge today. The good part is the turn around time is just a few days. I did take one of my jacks to work and figured out how to disassemble it (I’m a maintenance repairman in a plastics molding facility and work with hydraulic presses on a daily basis). The bad part is I cannot find a seal rebuild kit for it. I had three of our vendors check and they couldn’t cross any of the parts. So I ended up putting it back together and shipping it in to HWH for rebuilding. If you are interested I took a bunch of pictures of the whole process that I can share with you. I also have the complete schematics of the lifting circuit and room slide out circuits. Also just so you know there is a much easier way to change out the springs which takes about 10 minutes per jack. Leave the jack in the fully retracted position. With the worn out springs you will notice you can push down on the pad and separate if from the end of the cylinder. Firmly grab the pad and push down while rotating it (away from your body) off the end of the cylinder. Make sure you clear the bolt head on the rod end as you rotate it off. Also keep a firm hold of the pad until the springs relax. It’s so easy you won’t need any tools to remove the pad. When you are finished the pad will be hanging from the two springs beside the cylinder. Replace the springs. Starting with the pad hanging from the springs, rotate the pad back into place by using a pry bar and popping it over the bolt head as you rotate it back on. It’s a leverage game which is a little difficult with new springs but very possible to do without shims. Just be careful not to get any body parts between the pad and rod. I’ve done this numerous times without one issue. I can make a video if you want. Enjoy your rig and if you want any of that stuff let me know. I’ll be glad to share.

Take a spray bottle and put two drops of Dawn dish soap into the bottle. Fill with water and shake. The spray bottle needs to have a adjustable nozzle for a stream. Also this is not the case if two drops are good, more is better. Now go out and spray the cylinders of your hydraulic leveling system. Be sure to spray the whole cylinder. When I spray from the passenger side I also spray over to the driver's side. Then repeat from the driver's side. This helps loosen any dirt or debris blown by the wind. Also helps lubricate and protect the outer seal of the hydraulic cylinder. This seal is why only two drops of Dawn. To much soap can dry the seal out. Your levelers will start to retract faster. A tech at the HWH manufacturing plant. Advise me about this hack as a way to make the seals last much longer. Stay safe and enjoy the great outdoors.

OMG who would of thought? Not me 😊 great video thanks

Thank you so much for sharing your life and adventures with us.

Another awesome video Brian! I love how you (and help from others) figure out the easiest, simplest way of doing things. Great job!

I have been dreading putting these on my 1990 36' Chieftain! Thank for the video Tito.

Good job Brian, not sure if I would keep my face or any part of my body though that close to a stretched-out spring being pulled by a car.. I guess you're okay. So thanks for the video

Brilliant! I've been really irritated about how slow my jacks retract...now I know how to fix it!

Great DIY video. Not sure when I’ll need to replace my springs but now I’ll know how to do it.

You always have the best info and video's too. Thanks ed

Excellent video!

Nice job, you make it look so easy to install. I will bookmark this video when we will have to do the same. Thanks for sharing.

Jeff Knutter's advice on how to change springs makes sense too. Pasting here since it kinda gets lost in his long post: "Also just so you know there is a much easier way to change out the springs which takes about 10 minutes per jack. Leave the jack in the fully retracted position. With the worn out springs you will notice you can push down on the pad and separate if from the end of the cylinder. Firmly grab the pad and push down while rotating it (away from your body) off the end of the cylinder. Make sure you clear the bolt head on the rod end as you rotate it off. Also keep a firm hold of the pad until the springs relax. It’s so easy you won’t need any tools to remove the pad. When you are finished the pad will be hanging from the two springs beside the cylinder. Replace the springs. Starting with the pad hanging from the springs, rotate the pad back into place by using a pry bar and popping it over the bolt head as you rotate it back on. It’s a leverage game which is a little difficult with new springs but very possible to do without shims. Just be careful not to get any body parts between the pad and rod".

Wow that was really good

Hi I'm new to your channel. Happy to be a new subscriber. My wife and I are trying to buy our first RV. These kinds of videos are going to be so helpful to our future. Thank you for filming and posting

Another successful project.

I bought a 98 cent pack of 50 wooden clothes pens at walmart. Take the spring off and you have two shims. Worked great and a cheap fix.

I did pretty much the same routine a you did, yup worked great on our 2003 Kountry star, good job Tito

Seems like an efficient effective way to change Springs out.

I used paint stir sticks. Worked great. The method you used was better than mine. Thanks Brian.

humm, very interesting. would of never thought of that Thanks

Looking forward to your video how the new solar is working out

Great video

Some GOOD INFORMATION

How funny, I have this on my list of things to do for next week's projects. Great timing lol

Great job! Cool idea using the car. I know you're pretty meticulous about your work. I did notice that one of the spring's hooks was facing out, I would have made sure it was facing in, to avoid the possibility of hooking onto anything. Just my anal self, I guess. I did have my mechanic change two of them on my coach, and the way they did after the coach was raised in the air was to hang on the foot with their body weight and release the spring! Of course, it was in the air which makes that process easy peasy. I am about to do solar panels on the roof using your technique with the struts. Enjoying all your videos!

Used bolt cutters to remove the unbroken springs. 12 wedges worked perfect to preload the new springs. Wood shims are better because you can break off the edges to maneuver around to get the spring on.

Cool!

Can u add self leveling jacks on a Ford E45032 foot ?

Hey mister Tito I have a 1999 Winnebago adventure will the rear sway bar and front sway bar fit on a freightliner chassis

Great job as always. If by chance the jacks still jerk a bit when retracting you could try replacing 1 quart of fluid with 1 quart of 15w motorcycle fork oil. Mine are a lipper system and that is what they recommend. My system uses ATF fluid as the hydraulic fluid.

brilliant! thanks! I need to remove two of the rams for rebuilding....but the springs have to come off first

Ecstasy! Job finished! (Did you know there is no X in ecstasy?)

Nice job. Always best to work smarter, not harder. I have Atwood electric jacks so no springs to deal with. Still enjoyed the video.

where can i find the bottom jack plate any info would great

You have great videos Sir. I realize this is a long shot. But im curious if you by any chance know the location of the leveling jack reservoir on a 92 ford tropical coach?

Great video, my friend and have you had any of those snap pads fell off or any problem and what did you do to put them on to stay on?

Nice job Brian (oops I mean Tito). So I have been watching your videos on the improvements to the class A. It appears you have had it out in the desert. Did you spend the winter in Arizona, and if so, how well did the solar work for you. Maybe someday you can do a short video on oops and outakes.

Cool tip .. but my luck? That spring would somehow find its way into the rear window. 🤣

Nice job Brian were you out in the desert 🌵 doin that

I like the car trick but you better be real careful. That could definitely be a game changer if it got away from you. And yes I will be doing something similar to it when I change mine next week

Hi, I have question not related to springs. I noticed on your mud flaps that there are rubber extensions that were added. Were did you get those? I have a class C Fleetwood Tioga Ranger 25G with a mud flat mounted all the way across on the back bumper and rocks are still hitting my towed! I was thinking adding on to the mud flaps to see if this would help with this issue. Any advice you might have would be great.

Keep your eyes on it, because one of mine fell off

Do you think it would be possible to cut the springs off when they are in the up position (no tension) That way it would save having to shim them all to remove them what do you think?

Is there any way to vent a black water tank without running to the ceiling and out through the roof

Could you please show me the spring part number? I went to HWH website and couldn't find it. Thanks in advance!

Brian hello my friend. My name is Kirk I have the same exact coach only a 2000. Question do you know anything about the jack levelers. When I try to put mine down nothing happens but clicking noise?. Please help me if you can thank you 😊.

Why not just cut the old springs off. 🤷🏼‍♂️ I understand the install, worked well.

Anyone else just grab them and put them on by hand? No wedges I used a jack to hold the foot in place and just pulled them down. Once the paint broke it wasn't that hard.

✌🏻🇺🇦🏴‍☠️

HWH states to never use hydraulic jack oil.

There are some jobs that fall right off my radar screen after watching what is involved. This is not one of them. HOWEVER, it is now way down on my list, right under setting my hair on fire and beating it out with a tac hammer. As always, thanks for the information.

Be Careful!! There is a lot of energy in a stretched spring... i would run a cable through center of the spring tied off to the RV and other end to the car BEFORE stretching... if it comes off you want to keep it from launching into someone. A lot of garage door repair guys will tell you stories of springs hurting or killing...

Personally I would not use two vehicles like that. I know things are strong to connect etc. but "what if" ... could occur. Then the things could snap back to one or both vehicles and damaging it. If doing it with cars, It might be worth using plywood or something to protect them. I likely would or could try it elsewise with a come-along... but again the operator is in striking zone. I'd never seen these done before so going to have to think on it somewhat... maybe making or gigging up something and let the ram do it somehow... anyway... wish I had a better idea right now but ... I don't. It only took you 11 minutes for you to change them ... that is fast...

There you go again, under vehicles with no safety glasses...ugh

Instead of using a car, use a ratchet tie down.