Landing gear sleeve bent 3 degrees

[wamomof3]

Hello, 5.0 TA. We had a passenger landing gear leg extend while driving on I-5. Thankfully we were able to stop quickly and it retracted. Now the sleeve is angled to the rear 3 degrees from vertical. The leg extends and retracts with no issues. Should we be concerned? If it needs replaced, where would you recommend? We are on the road and will be in Quartzsite and Tucson later next week. Thank you

[Ron in BC]

Hard to answer without seeing the situation but my first blush answer is keep using it unless the situation changes.

Depends on what's bent. Metal bends and it can unbend, usually with the some hydraulic help. It might, if it becomes necessary, be possible for a machine shop to use a press and straighten it out.

On the other hand this might be a similar situation to a spade rubber on a sailboat. On a friends' boat I've successfully straightened a bent 1 1\2" solid s/s rudder stock by using a come along between the keel and rudder. Leverage is on your side. Depends on how adventuresome you are.

Ron

[wamomof3]

Thank you. Since the landing gear leg is not bent and extends well, we are thinking of using 4 Lego blocks under the landing gear feet to lessen the extension needed

[Suregrip391]

Any idea what caused it to extend while driving or was it not up all the way and you hit road debris?

[Ron in BC]

Good thinking.

But any chance you get talking and showing it to someone familiar with working with metal get their comment. They may be able to unbend it without any heroic effort.

Ron

[wamomof3]

@suregrip391,We are pretty sure that heavy rubber chocks fell against the landing gear extension switch in the storage hatch. The chocks are now in the truck bed. We were traveling south on I-5 and was able to get to the shoulder quickly. The landing gear foot pad is bent due to skidding on the asphalt. The leg appears to be unharmed, but the sleeve has a 3 degree rear shift from vertical

[rmitch]

How did this happen? Did something in the compartment shift and contact the switch? How did you know it was down? Just trying to understand how this happened. Never heard of this before.

[Suregrip391]

I see, thanks for the explanation….note to self, nothing inside that storage area!

[wamomof3]

@rmitch, we heard a horrible scraping sound while driving. My husband said that the chock was against the passenger side switch when he opened the compartment. We called escape trailers to get the part number to replace the landing gear foot pad and was told they had never heard of it is happening before. He said that he would relay the information to engineering.

[Centex]

It's sounding like you won't need replacement, but FYI the landing gear on my 2021 5.0 are the Lippert model 285318 and I've attached a replacement components info sheet for that model.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Suregrip391

I see, thanks for the explanation….note to self, nothing inside that storage area!

Or a simple guard over the switch.

Ron

[wamomof3]

Thank you. That is very helpful. Jamie at Escape suggested we just pound out the bent foot pad. ��

[DanandDaphne]

It's a really small compartment any way, I haven't measured it but I would say maybe half a cubic foot. It also has the toilet shut off valve in there if you ordered it. I never keep anything in there, just haven't ever had the need, but now I won't ever.

I had known that they were just trailer tongue jacks but didn't know anything beyond that. I just did a search and found them from $200 to $250. Looks like you would have to rewire it to put it in but that wouldn't be hard. But I would also try straightening it first.

Looks like they will probably last a long time rated at 3,500lbs each they aren't working very hard lifting the front of a 5.0 in tandem. It sounds like they are pretty tough too if dragging it while going down the highway only bent it three degrees and it still works.

I know I would have to fix it, having it bent like that isn't something I could just live with.

[Chris R]

In the front outside compartment above the propane tanks are removable panels into the area that house the landing gear. I would remove the appropriate panel and see if there is damage where the gear attaches to the trailer. The mounting bracket could be bent or the screws holding the bracket to the trailer could of pulled out. Worth a look.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Chris R

In the front outside compartment above the propane tanks are removable panels into the area that house the landing gear. I would remove the appropriate panel and see if there is damage where the gear attaches to the trailer. ....

Just FYI, IME the removable / gasketed panels at each end of the propane (lower) compartment provide much better access to, and view of, the base of the jacks where they attach to the trailer frame.

Just an alternative approach for consideration, Have Fun!

[occer]

Originally Posted by Chris R

In the front outside compartment above the propane tanks are removable panels into the area that house the landing gear. I would remove the appropriate panel and see if there is damage where the gear attaches to the trailer. The mounting bracket could be bent or the screws holding the bracket to the trailer could of pulled out. Worth a look.

I agree with this suggestion. Look inside to see what gave or bent. If it’s the screws or wood gave, then it will probably need fixing sooner then later. Easiest to remove the side wall in the upper storage space and look with a flash light. If you need access the side panel where the propane tanks sit can be removed. If you remove the side panel where the propane tanks sit, make sure you re-caulk / seal the hatch. The panels are caulk and take a little to break loose. Propane leaking into the trailer can kill you.

Let us know what you find. And pictures always help.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by occer

.... If you remove the side panel where the propane tanks sit, make sure you re-caulk / seal the hatch. The panels are caulk and take a little to break loose. Propane leaking into the trailer can kill you. ....

Hmmm, I guess another item that varies among ETI builds .... my 2021 5.0 does not have any 'caulk' there, it has a re-useable compressible rubber gasket to effect the necessary seal.

[wamomof3]

Thanks again. We on the road and it is dark. I will look in the side panels after we arrive at Valley of Fire state park tomorrow. We are in Boulder City tonight and the landing gear worked perfectly. We have 4 Lego blocks under each leg

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by Centex

Hmmm, I guess another item that varies among ETI builds .... my 2021 5.0 does not have any 'caulk' there, it has a re-useable compressible rubber gasket to effect the necessary seal.

That would be handy.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by wamomof3

Thank you. Since the landing gear leg is not bent and extends well, we are thinking of using 4 Lego blocks under the landing gear feet to lessen the extension needed

I use a couple treated 6x6s 10" long. I do this because we are most often parked on grass or dirt and to keep the legs from extending too much.

Originally Posted by wamomof3

Thanks again. We on the road and it is dark. I will look in the side panels after we arrive at Valley of Fire state park tomorrow. We are in Boulder City tonight and the landing gear worked perfectly. We have 4 Lego blocks under each leg

Our last trip south with my brother and SIL we camped there for a week and really enjoyed checking out the area. Beautiful.

Campsite #1