Front Electric jack failure

On sunday I loaded up the wildcat for a workcation as I call it. After hitching up I raised the jacks but didn't hear it top out because the truck running deisel is noisey anyway after topping out the gear box had rotated the gear box about 45 degrees and had blown a twenty amp fuse. I put in new fuse hit the button and fuse blew instantly. I took a wrench and rotated the gear box and broke the legs free. I put in new fuse and ran the gear down but as soon as it was loaded it would blow the fuse. I used several fuses at campsite just to disconnect and level trailer. When I hitched up and ran them up still working OK? Got home ran them down disconnected truck and raised trailer to level still OK? I think I will find a circuit breaker for it instead of the fuse thou still a little bit worried about the plastic gear box I need to remove it and check for something broken. Has anyone had a simular problem?

Fortunately, no. I hope you can find a permanent solution.

Tater

I never top out my front jacks. I have them marked about 1/4" from topping out and stop them there. I was told that they can and will cause problems if you top them. Looks like I was told right. Hope you get the problem solved soon. Doesn't make sense the way it's so random.

Surely topping them out is more or less the same as when you lower the jacks, because you will be loading the up with the weight of the front end of the Cat . But any way the replacing of the fuse for a breaker would be much better.
Sean

BobnPi wrote:I never top out my front jacks. I have them marked about 1/4" from topping out and stop them there. I was told that they can and will cause problems if you top them. Looks like I was told right. Hope you get the problem solved soon. Doesn't make sense the way it's so random.

Agree. When I first got mine I ran the legs all the way in and blew the fuse. Dealer showed me the error of my ways. Leave them out a few inches.

Usually I,m more careful but have alot on my mind right now. Seems that somebody not me (i wish) reported my messy neighbor and when the code enforcement officer arrived she pointed out my cement missing in my carport now I may have to tear it down to bring back to their code (city not county) since they annexed me in around august so I may loose it. I have been running to the city code department and a structrial engineers to try to make it right but every time I think it is going good I get a bad reply and boy it sure gives you bad stomach ache.

Surely topping them out is more or less the same as when you lower the jacks, because you will be loading the up with the weight of the front end of the Cat . But any way the replacing of the fuse for a breaker would be much better.

If you top them out, (raise them as high as they will go) they cannot move any more and you are applying force to an unmovable object. When lowering them to raise the front of the Cat, they are still free to move and are designed to handle the weight. I've never looked at the top of the legs and also never raised the front high enough (lowered the legs) to know if the legs have a stop built on the end or if they would just ratchet freely on the drive gear.

If they do have a stop built in, then you would have the same problem of force against an unmovable object. That could lead to several problems including broken parts, burned up electric motor, overloaded wiring, blown fuses, etc.

Well done.

[quote="onetonford"]On sunday I loaded up the wildcat for a workcation as I call it. After hitching up I raised the jacks but didn't hear it top out because the truck running deisel is noisey anyway after topping out the gear box had rotated the gear box about 45 degrees and had blown a twenty amp fuse.

Weell my bad today while looking at some photos I took I found this



and after Looking at the old fuse discovered it was a thirty amp so I went to autozone and bought a 30 amp reseting cicuit breaker everything now works as it is supposed too!

That's good news. I'm glad everything worked out.

Great find OneTonFord, I'll put that one in the back of my mind.

I got 2 of them nice things. That auto reset sounds like a great way to go if I ever start blowing mine.

onetonford wrote:Usually I,m more careful but have a lot on my mind right now. Seems that somebody not me (i wish) reported my messy neighbor and when the code enforcement officer arrived she pointed out my cement missing in my carport now I may have to tear it down to bring back to their code (city not county) since they annexed me in around august so I may loose it. I have been running to the city code department and a structural engineers to try to make it right but every time I think it is going good I get a bad reply and boy it sure gives you bad stomach ache.

I'm a structural engineer (only licensed as a civil in CA). What concrete is missing that is causing the issue? It must be the foundation not the slab correct? I don't think they can make you tear it down if it is existing and compliant with the code at the time of original permitting.

Jet - Depends if U are working with the city or the county. Some city's it is time to pile up sand bags and let the war begin. Some can be pretty nice. The Stanislaus County and others I have heard of, they have restrictions, but not like the city's. Working with a city is a heart ache nothing but a heart ache hits you went it is to late hits you when your down.

I've learned to work with city/county officials. If you piss them off, you never win.

I'd go to the building official in either case.