Lippert Electric Tongue Jack Blowing Fuses

[TucsonJim]

I'm Boondocking about 50 miles outside of Boise in the mountains of Idaho. When we got to our boondocking spot, I tried to unhook the trailer. But the LCI electric tongue jack sounded like it was running very slow and bogging down. After blowing two 30 amp fuses, I gave up and resorted to hand cranking with the manual nut on top. I was able to separate the truck and raise the foot plate on the jack. When I go to hook up again, I plan on using my 12 ton bottle jack to hoist the trailer back onto the truck.

So my questions. Has anyone ever disassembled one of these jacks? If so, would cleaning and lubricating the jack screw aid in resolving the issue? Is this something I could do in the field? Of should I just wait till I get back to civilization and replace the jack?

Thanks,

Jim

[AlexPeterson]

TucsonJim
Jim - your post reminded me that I've been remiss in posting my photos of disassembling and changing out the grease in the gearbox of my tongue jack. I have company today, but will try to make time tonight after they leave. I would not suggest trying to disassemble it in the field. The problem could be in the gearbox or in the motor. I can't imagine it is a lubrication issue all at once, unless it's slowly been getting worse and worse.

How was it to turn manually? The manual crank goes directly on the output shaft of the gearbox, which is also the jack screw shaft. Besides doing the work of the jack screw in lifting the tongue, manual operation back drives the motor through the gearbox. (My problem that triggered putting low temperature grease in the gearbox was that I simply could not turn the manual crank last winter at -10F, too much drag in the gear grease.)

A couple suggestions: when you are ready to hook up, use your bottle jack to lift the tongue, then see how/if the unit runs under no load. Another idea is to directly power it from a jumper (truck?) battery.

The one I disassembled is on a 2022 Imagine and looks about like this:

[Jlawles2]

I'm with Alex, hold off till you get somewhere that you can pull the head and inspect. With it blowing fuses, first thing is excessive force requirement. Inspect grease areas. Second thing and a bit more invasive is to find the motor and check the brushes to armature. If the armature is black, you can try polishing it with rubbing compound (had to do this with a cable slide motor). I suggest you add a grease zerk to the body of the jack when you have it apart. One shot of grease a year can be your best friend.

[howson]

I'm Boondocking about 50 miles outside of Boise in the mountains of Idaho. When we got to our boondocking spot, I tried to unhook the trailer. But the LCI electric tongue jack sounded like it was running very slow and bogging down. After blowing two 30 amp fuses, I gave up and resorted to hand cranking with the manual nut on top. I was able to separate the truck and raise the foot plate on the jack. When I go to hook up again, I plan on using my 12 ton bottle jack to hoist the trailer back onto the truck.

So my questions. Has anyone ever disassembled one of these jacks? If so, would cleaning and lubricating the jack screw aid in resolving the issue? Is this something I could do in the field? Of should I just wait till I get back to civilization and replace the jack?

Thanks,

Jim

Jim -- I assume you've looked at the wiring from the head back to where it attaches to the self-resetting c/b looking for any wear or corrosion? That could be done between drowning worms.

Howard