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Advice Q&A Fifth WheelsRV
Advice Q&A Fifth Wheels
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Below
are E-mail questions and answers that are related to service on 5th wheel
trailers. You can send your question(s) using the form at the bottom of
this page or any Q&A page within this site.
This page last updated August 4, 2012 containing letters emailed to Pete from October 6, 2011 - May 22, 2012
Birthdays on August 4: 1901, Louis Armstrong; 1955 Billy Bob Thornton; 1962 Roger Clemens.
On this day in 1181 a supernova is seen in Cassiopia.
On this day in 1693 Dom Perignon invents champagne.
On this day in 1753 Geroge Washington becomes a master mason.
On this day in 1916 the U.S. agrees to buy the Virgin Islands from Denmark for 25 million.
On this day in 1961 it reaches 108 degrees Farenheit in Spokane, Washington.
Is there any reason that I should not use a gooseneck adapter on the 5th wheel rather than installing a 5th wheel hitch in my truck?
I already have a good neck system installed. Is there any adverse impact on the 5th wheel system?
Dear William,
You can use the goose neck adapter. It does put a little extra stress on the structure of the fifth wheel's hitch assembly.
How to change the hydraulic cylinder on the slide out?
Dear Wes,
That's a good question. I have never had to change out a cylinder on the slide out, so I would have to say, "best way possible".
Usually, with the room open, you have access to the cylinders.
You can unbolt the rams from the sidewall and retract the cylinder so you don't make a mess with the hydraulic oil.
My brake actuator keeps running and the trailer is parked and now I have noticed when I moved the trailer I have no trailer brakes but the actuator keeps running all the time.
Why does it keep running?
Dear Pete,
I am assuming you have hydraulic brakes on the Alfa.
Disconnect the pig tail from the truck if it continues to run, trace the wiring and see if you're getting interference on the brake signal wire or if you have a problem in the actuator.
Ran slides out, then back in; noticed the living room closed at top but bottom was about 3" from closing.
Went back in to finish closing. Had no power at switch. Jumped battery still no power, checked 15 amp low volt fuse. Good. Looked for inline fuse or reset on hydraulic pump, nothing.
Has to be power to pump, right?
Dear Rick,
Sounds like you're on the right track. Look for an in-line breaker between the battery and the pump.
Last trip I leveled the 5th wheel. Ground was uneven. I sat jacks off set in height to level. I lower as far as it would go. Went to leave, raised jack to get on truck. Hooked up, went to lower on truck. motor started down, got weight on truck and motor started to click. I had to pull pins and raise legs. One went up but the other did not, I tapped on to try to get up. Had to drive home with one leg down further than the other. Lift now moves slightly then clicking sound starts.
Sounds like one or both legs are jammed, now what?
Dear Rick,
Knock out the shear pin first and equalize the jacks. Then check to see if they are bent. If they are bent, you will have to replace them and hope you did not damage the motor.
Front jack shows power getting to switch through switch to motor doesn't work. Had motor checked, it checked good.
What other reason would there be for the motor not to work?
Dear Sean,
No ground.
When hooked to truck I notice a crack next to ceiling and closet very front. When I unhook, it close up.
Is this something I need to be concerned about or can you tell me how to fix it or what it may be?
Dear Larry,
Yes, it could be something to be alarmed about. Take it to a technician and have the frame structure in the over hang inspected and find out why it's flexing so far.
A series of electric outlets quit working suddenly (five of them, two are on the slide out and two along the back kitchen wall). We have a Nomad 5th wheel.
I checked the individual fuses from the fuse box and they are all fine. All the other outlets are working, as well as the fridge, microwave, etc. I have reset all the breakers. I don't know what to do next.
Dear David,
Check and reset your GFI circuits and test the power out of the breakers.
How due I adjust the slides? My front slide is not going out as far as the back one by about 7".
Dear Vernon,
Most of the Hitchhikers used a hydraulic slide and had a manual centering valve with instructions in the owner's manual for centering the hydraulic rams and running the room straight in and out.
We just bought a 1996 Gulf Stream fifth wheel. The dealer showed us the slide out went out when he hooked it up to jumper cables from a truck because battery was dead. Got it home, went to open slide out, it didn't work unless I had a battery hooked up, even though I had it plugged in.
I pushed the button and I was closing it and now it stopped half way, and now it won't move or even make a noise.
I can't find the panel no where in the fifth wheel to check fuses. If it's in one of those cabinets the slide out is blocking...Oh crap!
Can you help us? It's going to rain.
Dear Harold,
Hopefully, you found the breaker by now and hopefully you have installed good batteries.
People will tell you that you don't need a battery, but they forget to tell you how many unpleasant situations of not having good batteries will leave you in.
We have just purchased a fifth wheel and have a question, since all our prior experience has been with motor homes: When we are plugged into land power, does that charge the battery on the fifth wheel?
Dear Jan,
Yes, when you plug into shore power it should charge your batteries. And you should also have a charge line in your pigtail that charges the batteries while you are plugged ino the truck and towing.
If you have an issue with draining the battery on the trailer, and you have it plugged into the truck's socket overnight, it can drain the battery on the truck.
I have two small overhead lights in the kitchen which operate on a single switch. Each time I turn the switch on, the 15 amp fuse opens. Is there a short in the system? How can I fix this problem?
Dear Jack,
There must be a short to blow the fuse. Pull the bulb out of each light one at a time and see if you can determine, if it's one of the light fixtures, or in the wiring.
My water pump does not operate. when I turn on the switch the light on the switch does not come on and the pump does not pump.
Do you think switch or fuse? The manual says the pump is under the coach. Any guesses where the pump and/or fuses would be located?
Dear Jim,
I would check the fuse first. It should be in a fuse panel inside the fifth wheel.
If you have more than one switch to turn the pump on, then you're going to look for a water pump control module. When you find the pump, it should have 12 volt power to the pump and when you hit the switch, the control module should supply ground to the pump.
Is there any tricks to un hitching a 5th wheel on a angle? I have a Husky 5th wheel 20,000 pounds. It seems it will get hung up if the truck is not straight.
Dear Ron,
Put blocks under the landing gear so you are raising the trailer up straight. And raise the trailer up until you have about 1/8" - 1/4" of clearance between the fifth wheel hitch and the 5th wheel plate.
The Lippert pump is leaking oil. All of the oil residue is located inside the front compartment where the battery, pump and storage is located. Could it be a crack in the plastic reservoir since the residual oil is located on the base below the reservoir?
Also, how do I use the tool to manually open the three slide outs? I have the tool, but don't have a manual and can't find where the tool should be inserted.
Dear Terry,
The leak could be in the reservoir. There are a lot of things that could be leaking there. Use a hand pump or a crank for manual operation. If it's a hand pump on the power unit, it will need fluid in the reservoir to work.
We are plugged in 50 amp and power drops to half power for 10 minutes at a time and then returns to full power. Both batteries are good. Power drop happens every 10 to 15 minutes all day, all night.
Dear Dean,
Are you having 12 volt power or AC power? Unless you have a generator on your fifth wheel, the power cord should be a direct shot from the power source to the breaker box.
I would look to see if someone has wired in a surge protector between the breaker box and shore power plug.
If you have a generator you could be having a problem with the transfer switch.
If it's a 12 volt issue, it's probably the power converter.
Either way you need to determine if it's an over load problem or a power supply problem.
My sister just bought a 1004 Holiday Rambler fifth wheel for a hunt camp.The water is hooked up to her well but gets no flow through out the camper. What should we look for?
Dear Bill,
Water pressure to the coach. If you have pressure to the city water hookup and nothing is coming through, the replace the city water hookup.
Actually and ideally I would like to get a manual for this thing since I live in it. But my "immediate" problem is that I would like to know where the shut off valve is for the toilet. I'm having problems with the toilet (not original), and have had no running water because I can't find a valve anywhere! Surely there is one?
Also, there is no schematic on my converter to know what fuses go to what and I need to find out if I'm using the right fuses because my microwave doesn't work (used to) ,along with some of my plugs.
Dear Angel,
Check your GFI for the electrical issues. The fuses are for the 12 volt system. The AC circuits are on the breakers in the panel.
You may not have a shut off valve on the toilet. It might be an issue with the water valve on the toilet.
Pick up a basic RV repair and maintenance manual. ( http://www.rvadvice.com/rvbooks.html)
Why does the 12 volt battery overheat?
Dear Joe,
A weak cell or an over charge.
Where is the gray water release on a 1996 Gulf Stream Yellowstone Country Club fifth wheel?
Dear Don,
I don't know that I have ever looked for the grey water dump on a Yellowstone fifth wheel; but I would have to believe that it's very close to the black water dump handle.
If you're asking about the location of the valve, then I don't know. If for some reason the grey water release has pulled out, you will probably have to open up the belly to access the valve and replace the handle.
I just purchased a 2008 Fleetwood Wilderness 265 BHS. I knew it had a hole in the front cap and quickly used some silicone to repair it. It rained last night, water entered in by the front closets. Upon climbing up the ladder, I found that it had two additional cracks on both top corners. Fleetwood is out of business, at least the trailer side, and I would love to replace the front plastic molded cap. Any suggestions of how to get this part? If not available, what are the recommendations for fixing?
Dear Audrey,
They have plastic repair kits. Contact All-Rite Products and see if they can't fabricate the part for you.
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