No Slides, No Jacks, Oh No! DIY Hydraulic Fix in Mexico
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- čas přidán 24. 02. 2024
- Our RV hydraulics completely FAILED. So, NO Hydraulic Slide Outs and NO Hydraulic Jacks!! Is this the end of our trip? Can this RV hydraulic problem be repaired in Mexico? Here's the story of what happened while Baja Mexico and how we were able to fix it ourselves.
About our hydraulic system
The hydraulic system on our 2003 Winnebago Class A motorhome is manufactured by HWH and controls our two slide outs and four leveling jacks. The entire system is pressurized. So if there is a loss of pressure anywhere in the system, the entire system is affected. The hydraulic pressure created can be as high as 3000 PSI as the fluid moves from the main manifold throughout the system through an extensive network of hoses. There are electronic valves associated with component. These valves open or close allowing fluid to be pumped to that component. This creates pressure to either open or close the piston that controls that component.
Previously, the hydraulic pump motor had failed which also brought the entire system down. Replacing the motor fixed the problem. You can watch that repair in the video linked below.
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I have the same rig. I lost the same line. If in a hurry you can get the line made at Napa Auto parts. Also I left the old line in, disconnected and overlaid the new line. Saved alot of Hassel. You did a great job. You have to be half mechanic to own these older rigs. But built better than 90% of the new ones. Thanks for sharing.
That's very interesting. Thanks for the info. Yeah. I'm really pleased with the build quality of this rig. By the time I'm done, I'll probably have all of the old stuff replaced :) I'm about half way there.
I have the same HWH system on my class A. It is intimidating, but your video was very helpful. Though I hope I never have to deal with this situation, you explained it very thoroughly with great camera angles.
Great to hear. Yes. I hope you don't need to do this. If so, then you know what to do. James over at @AZExpert has a couple helpful videos on the topic as well.
In a pinch you could use hose for an airless paint Sprayer. Your family are very patient to wait a week for your part to arrive. My wife would have been making hotel reservations 15 minutes into the project
Funny! Well it's 75 degrees and we're on a beach :)
Luckily, my only hydraulic repairs were on a sailboat, and the fishermen all have spare lines and fittings.
I have been watching your videos for many many years and really appreciate your 'calm and non-drama' approach to any repair.
I don't know if it is edited out, but you never get mad ! Inspiring.
Thanks.
Hmmm. Maybe I'd get more views if I add more drama and lose my sh*t on camera 🤔 😃 Thanks for sticking around for all these years.
Once in a while would be appreciated. Would help us a little to identify to you ! 😂
😃 I'll see what I can do.
What confidence you have in tackling anything and you go about it with such quiet demeanor. My first Class C upgrade, Hellwig heavy duty anti-sway bar replacements, was done following your video on the process. You made it easy to understand and eased much of the trepidation. Thanks from all of us.
You're welcome. Glad those old videos were helpful. That was my first time doing that type of thing and I learned a lot. .
Great Job on the road!
Thanks! Getting smarter with every project :)
I had a similar experience many years ago as an owner/operator trucker. As I was jacking the cab up on my old F model Mack to replace a fuel filter, a hydraulic line burst and the cab came down. Worse, it was the middle of winter. Lucky for me I was in a truck stop that was right across from a Mack dealer. Still sucked that I had to do the work in the freezing cold but at least I was able to get things going again in a few hours. I bet you were pretty worried when that happened to you so far from home. Glad you and good friends got it all resolved.
Yikes. Good thing the cab didn't come down on you. Good to hear you got it done. Our worst case scenario would have been to secure the slides as best as we could then deal with it stateside. What we learned is that there's always a way. We learned of several ways to get the part shipped to us (for significant cost though).
We too frequent the Baja so your video really kinda hit home, great you were able to get the HWH hydraulic line made and shipped out to be replaced just off the beach! I too have a love hate relationship with HWH. We replaced all the HWH hydraulic lines on our 2007 Thor Mandalay a few years ago, but now the seals in the ram cylinders are starting to leak, so I begin a new round of fun with those. The turn around time from HWH for either new or rebuilt cylinders is either time or cost inhibitive so for myself, DIY it is. Finding the right seals locally is challenging but doable. Thanks for your video insights.
I failed to mention that earlier that day a semi took a chunk of our side mirror. Unavoidable since he was riding the centerline. I've got video of it for another day. I did share the videos on Patreon though. I'm sure the seals and valve O rings will be an issue for me in the future too. I've been cleaning and wiping my pistons and jacks with hydraulic oil. So hopefully that helps prolong the inevitable.
Nice work Brian!!
Thanks!
if the system has a return filter or a pressure filter I would change the elements. Glad to see you are up and running again
Thanks. Great to be up and running. I plan to go through the system again and do some upgrades this summer.
Nice fix Brian I’m glad everything went well I’m sure it would have been quite expensive for a technician to come out also getting the hose so quick enjoy the rest of your holidays
For sure. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here on.
Good job Brian. They kinda intimidated me to but like you once you fix one thing so long as you remember to release the pressure it's easy to work on.
Thanks. Yes I look forward to mastering this system, but I'm not quite there yet 😅
Great video. Thanks Don
😃 I appreciate that Don.
Thank you for the video.
You bet! Thanks for watching.
My hydrophilic jack system was not working right i thought I was going to have to replace it. Luckily the fluid levels were just low and old....OK really old. My motorhome is 31 years old, and the fluid was probably never changed. But changing out the fluid myself just allowed me to understand more about my motorhome. You never know when or where something will brake.
That's the best way to learn. Right? I'll probably flush mine out this year.
Sir. IM very surprised. This is the issue i just ran into.
No kidding?! Well I hope this helps you out then 😃
Good work. We'll send everyone to you now. 🙂 Did you check for leaks and double / triple check there are no spots for rubbing too? For the first few runs or uses make sure to have the level check a regular thing so you might catch a slow leak ... keep warm and dry ... looks like you already are. :-) I had 1" of rain here in the Bandon area over night ... a bit of a surprise.
Thanks. Yes. I'll be checking it for sure. I don't think I'll be fully confident until it goes in and out another 50 times 😆
You are vicious wicked good. Truly amazing
Thanks!! You can learn a lot through failure :)
Great Work......I Like....
Thanks!!
Thumbs up Brian!
Thanks!
Nice job Brian. We’ll be heading to Mexico in a couple weeks but just to the Puerto Peñasco area.
Ah yes. Haven't watched your video yet this morning (Brrr), but I will after answering these comments. Have fun! Visiting Brian and Shawna?
@@RVwithTitoyep we’re going down to see them and enjoy the beach. We did that a couple years ago too.
You came prepared, tools and coveralls
Oh yeah.😃 Always prepared with full set of tools and spare parts. Plus, no need to dirty up clothes when you're out boondocking.
I have the same motor home, too. No hydraulic issues, but I just heard an exhaust leak on the passenger side. It's loud! It happened over the winter in storage. Great video, though! Thanks for sharing!
Bummer. Is it on the manifold? Pop the dog house off to see.
@@RVwithTitoI was too cold last weekend and this weekend to look at it (ground is very wet, too). Next weekend it's supposed to be quite a bit warmer so I'll take a look next weekend. Thanks for the reply!
Good luck. Hope you figure it out.
@@RVwithTito Did it today. Someone stole one of the catalytic converters. :( It was in a gated, access controlled storage area. Oh, well... it's why I have insurance!
HI Brian,
Another detailed problem solved. I'm surprised that most of your hydraulic fluid was not lost. I suspect that you were quick to deactivate the hydraulic pump when the slide would not move.
Did you have to do anything special to bleed the air out of the new hose assembly...,??
D
You got it, WOW, but it all worked out.
So far so good :)
We have 2013 Winnie Sightseer 33C which has hydraulic levels. During one of our vacation trips to Cape May NJ, the day was so hot that our A/C couldn’t keep up, and the road surface was radiating the heat as well. We arrived at our campground, only to have a dash lite come on advising that our levels were down??? Getting to our site, I realized that the hydraulic hose burst just above the R/F level, behind the Hot engine. The system emptied all of the fluid on the road & gravel parking pad. Owners were not upset and not only provided a catch basin but advised that there was a hydraulic mechanic shop two driveways down from the campsite entrance. Visited them after all had cooled down and they advised that if I could bring in the defective hose the next morning (Saturday), they would made a new HP hose for me. As promised, I had a new 6’ hose with exact same fittings within an hour for $125. They even had one of their mechanics drive back to the campsite with me to ensure a proper fitment & install. They used 5200psi hose instead of 2400psi to prevent future failures. Once installed I had to acquire 5 quarts of hydraulic fluid from auto parts store and refill my Lippert hydraulic tank. Fired up the system and it showed total system failure with instructions to take unit back to manufacture for service. Of course with one level leg on the ground and two others partially deployed, that was not an option. Started pushing buttons in sequences to discover a reset code. Fortunately, I hit upon the sequence by holding various buttons at the same time, and the system reset!
It took about a half hour to get the system to completely self purge the air out of the system; but it worked! Cleanup was a task & a half, and somewhat successful. Apologized profusely to the campground hosts, who were ok with what had occurred. What an experience…
“An Adventure Isn’t Always Fun While It’s Happening!”
Glad that your experience was successful as well. Great video, thanks!
Good job. Not a fun repair but it is handy when you can obtain OEM parts and get them delivered.
Yeah. Pretty crazy how that worked out.
Add some motorcycle fork oil or stiction inhibitor to help with cylinder operation. Stiction is common on RVs hydraulic systems
Appreciate the tip!
Did you bleed the lines? I don't think you called that out in the video? BTW...GREAT work. Wanna come with us when we go to Mexico.... :)
Don't think it was necessary. The reservoir cap has an air vent. So after moving everything in/out a couple times, any air in the system should bubble up and out.
Interesting situation but glad you were able to get a hose and repair it. Good work
Thanks. Yes. We were both pretty happy with the outcome given our situation :)
You saved yourself about 2 k fixing it RV technician are not cheap 👍
Yes...BUT. Even your average RV tech would not have been able to fix it. In fact we have a friend down here who is a tech and he does not work on hydraulics. Plus the swage fittings used on these hoses aren't standard and require a special compression tool that most don't have.
Nice to have talent and the ability to do the repair yourself . Have people to figure out to make an ugly job turn out good.
Yes. Very thankful to our friends for helping with the logistics. With each repair you learn more :)
On the side of the road. We have HWH and this stuff is always a worry . I do carry the tools so the day comes I got it
Good thinking. Me too. I also carry a spare solenoid and a couple quarts of hydraulic oil.
Another very informative video, thanks for sharing!
Question: did you need to prime the new hose with hydraulic fluid, or did the reservoir have enough fluid to prevent the pump from cavitating?
There was plenty of hydraulic oil in the reservoir. I was just down about a quart. I didn't need to prime the hose. I believe just bringing it in and out a couple times purges everything through the cap in the reservoir. That's my understanding anyway. It's working.
@@RVwithTitoThanks for your quick reply, that’s what I guessed.
I'm confident you can take care of any issue as well! Amazing skillset and talent! But, be honest: Do you edit it out, or have you never bumped your head?? (from a bald guy with scars...)
While under the RV...all the time 😃
Thx for posting! Helpful if my 2004 Newmar w 325 HWH system ever breaks that line....Where in Baja is this? I used to go down there as a young surfer but don't recognize that beach...
You bet. Glad it helps. We're on the other side near Mulege.
Nice video. Have you ever done a video on what it requires to go into Mexico with your motor home and car?
I know you have to have a bond and insurance for the vehicles and need a form to leave the border zone. Also any recommendations on insurance? Thanks.
I haven't done a video on that, but the info is out there. Yes you do need Mexican insurance for your motorhome, for your car towed behind, and for your car when driving (not towed). Those are the expensive things ($400 - $700). We use a guy down in Puerto Penasco, MX. Travelers insurance is also a good idea. You'll also need a FMM (tourist visa for 6 months) that you can get at the border for about $40.
2 questions...
- Were you guys able to live in the rig while waiting for parts?
- Did you make some effort to reroute or protect the new hose from ending up like the old hose?
Yes to both. It got a little cramped during the week we waited for the hose, but it was manageable. There was some climbing in/out of bed and a couple drawers that were not accessible. About the hose, I rerouted both hoses going to the rear slide piston and zip tied them down good. Fingers crossed :)
I noticed that when you slid out the large slide that your slide topper was no longer turning smoothly. I had the same problem without noticing it until the topper brackets pulled out of the slide. I then removed the slide topper completely and I now drive without it. The slide (also from HWH) now goes out and comes in much better. About a year before this happened I had the cloth on the topper replaced and no one noticed that the fitting was badly worn. Just a heads up.
Thanks. Yes the topper tube is slightly warped but it works. I'm getting new fabric soon. Maybe I'll work on it then.
Did I miss you bleeding the system after the new hose was installed??
The reservoir cap has an air vent which allows air to escape the system. All I did was bring the slides in/out a couple times.
It was a bad idea to use the old fluid you got out of the hose. You don't want any contamination in the system. You did a great job showing how to fix the problem.
I didn't actually have to use the fluid from that hose. There was very little anyway. Luckily I had a couple spare quarts of new hydraulic oil on hand. I may flush the entire system out this summer.
A lot of auto parts stores can make custom hydraulic hoses. There is nothing special about the HWH hoses.
Thanks for the info.
What about bleeding the hoses? How did you do that ?
Nice video Brian...! Now If you have to go to a repair facility how much $$ it will cost to get it fix parts+labor ...$2,500 ? La Mesa dealer will not work in your Rv if is 7 yrs older...
That's interesting about the 7 year old thing. I suppose 20 years old is definitely a no go. When we purchased our first RV in 2007 the dealer went out of business shortly after. I've been able to learn what I needed to make repairs and upgrades myself which is how this channel started.
Yes you save a ton of money... we learned from your videos and how to service our Onan 4000 generator and from there I started doing things myself ...
Was bleeding the line required after the new hose was installed? I'm thinking San Diego would have had several hydridic shops that could have made you one in little time.
No, just cycling the system bleeds the lines as the fluid just returns to a reservoir.
Didn't need to bleed it. The reservoir cap has an air vent. So I imagine any air bubbles up when you pressurize the system.
Who needs a shop? Not Tito.
:) I carry lots of tools with me just in case.
Do you have the contact information for the HWH people you worked with?
Sure. Stuart's Services www.rvleveling.com. I've ordered parts from them in the past.
First!
Johnny on the spot :)
doh! :)
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Promo sm 🤪
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