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Regular
Posts: 99
Location: Phoenix AZ | Anyone know if there is a way to grease the mechanism that causes a gooseneck to go up and down? Mine seems to be getting harder to crank...it's an older trailer made late 80's. Thanks |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Some of the older jacks had a grease zert right below the crank on either side. Others, you had to remove the top cap off the jack. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | On top of the jack post, there usually is a removeable cap, accessable by removing a couple of small screws. Inside you will find some gears, probably bare and dry. Clean out as much of the gunk around them as you can, and then apply some new multi purpose chassis grease. If the gearbox is a two speed type, some have external grease fittings with zerk fittings. A couple of squirts usually is enough. When the trailer is on the truck's hitch, and you can easily crank the leg up and down, look for a hole in the top housing. At some point it will line up with a hole in the lower leg and with a light, looking through both, you can see the internal threaded jack post. Squirt some oil onto the threads saturating them as much as possible. Crank the leg up and down as far as it goes, return to the original position and oil the shaft again. If this maintenance is accomplished once a year, most manual jack failures will be eliminated. |
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Regular
Posts: 99
Location: Phoenix AZ | Thanks guys! Excellent advice...I'll give it a try this weekend and report back. |
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Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | We camped with the horses this past labor day weekend. First time out in a while and mine was very hard to crank. Will do this ASAP. |
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Regular
Posts: 99
Location: Phoenix AZ | It took some effort to get the cover off but I managed to do it. Inside there was some grease that appeared to be watery so I'm assuming it was time to regrease. I did everything suggested and so far so good. Thanks again. |
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Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | Well I removed the top cap, cleaned the gears and applied new grease (wheel bearing grease) to the gears. No improvement.....its actually getting harder each time I crank it. The hole in the shaft appears to be sealed ...or maybe it has a knock-out like a metal conduit box.....so I cant see the internal shaft. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | It sounds as if the jack screw is running dry. If no hoes are visible in the upper leg, a last effort would be to again pull the top cap and pour some oil into the housing, trying to get some oil onto the gimble nut and shaft under the gears. A flexible nozzel oil pump might work. Can you see any hint of a zerk or needle fitting at all? |
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Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | Good idea Gard. Will try the oil today. I did not see any grease fitting. Also next door farmer has some heavy construction equipment and has several large flatbed trailers to haul bulldozer, etc.....am going to get him to look at it. Surely he has encountered this before as well. Will keep y'all posted. |
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Expert
Posts: 2953
Location: North Carolina | Originally written by Ike on 2010-09-11 6:42 PM Well I removed the top cap, cleaned the gears and applied new grease (wheel bearing grease) to the gears. No improvement.....its actually getting harder each time I crank it. The hole in the shaft appears to be sealed ...or maybe it has a knock-out like a metal conduit box.....so I cant see the internal shaft. Ike ... Sounds like you have a hole in the outer casing. Have you tried to extend the foot, WHILE looking at the hole? It takes two people, one to crank and one to look. It's very easy to miss the corresponding hole on the inner case. I tried to do it myself... Then had to get wife to help. Much easier to do this while the trailer is on the truck and the jack foot is raised. |
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Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | Hosspuller, Gard, Thanks. I got help from the farmer who I share a land lease with. He has lots of heavy equipment an trailer experience. Seems my jack screw is "screwed up". We lifted the trailer with a tractor today an tried to move the jack with no pressure on it. Will only move an inch up or down. Can't access the hole....squirted break free lube in any hole we could get to to no avail. Have found a new Bulldog jack with grease fittings for $180. We can remove and install new here at the farm. Never had one do this....my luck I guess. Its only 6 yr old....anyhooo....will be sure to keep the new one well lubricated. Got a St. Jude ride coming up in a couple weeks, so best get to it. Thanks |
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