HWH 325 Leveling Jack Control on Vectra/Horizion

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yolo

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Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Posts
697
Location
Punta Gorda, FL
Last week I was out and when ready to move, one of the HWH jacks would not retract, the other 3 did.  After some time working with the thing, it retracted the jack and we could go.  Since then I have looked in the Operators manual for the 325 Series leveling system and they say that you can manually release the jacks by turning the T handle on the power unit. I crawled around under the coach today and don't have a clue as to where the HWH power unit resides.  (I needed someone else to operate the system while I listened and looked for it.)

I'm sure that some of you know were it is located.

Thanks... Bill
 
I have the 325 system Bill.  If they put yours where they put mine, it's under the front entry steps.  But don't get on the ground. Feel under the front lip of the steps and you should feel a nut.  I forget the size, but loosen and remove the nut and the step hinges up from the back.  All valves and fluid  tank are visible from the step area.  But check the fluid first to make sure that there is enough in the system.  One question, did the jack retract at all?  Sometimes a slow jack is from being extended for a period of time without use, or a weakening spring.  This is more common on the rear jacks.  I sometimes use a block and a lever to slowly apply pressure to the rear jacks to get them to go up the last inch or two. 

Sarge
 
SargeW said:
I have the 325 system Bill.  If they put yours where they put mine, it's under the front entry steps. 
Yup - what Sarge said!  Under the front step!

HWH says to check the fluid after driving for a couple of hours - not sure how that works but I think the point was if you check the fluid in the morning with it cool/cold, that will not be an accurate measurement.
 
SargeW said:
This is more common on the rear jacks.  I sometimes use a block and a lever to slowly apply pressure to the rear jacks to get them to go up the last inch or two. 

We keep an old shovel handle in one of the storage compartments for that exact reason, to lever the "slow" jack into the storage position.  IIRC it is the passenger side, rear jack.  Jus, remember to activate the power to that solenoid "ON" when you do the lever thing, either manually or during the auto function.  Our system operates in pairs so if we are doing it manually, one of us pushes the retract button for the rear jacks and the other person goes out and levers against the bottom of the slow jack. 

Once, the jack alarm came on while we were underway and we had to stop and do it again... it stayed up after that... I have no clue why or why it has not done it again.
 
HWH says that the fluid expanding in hot weather may make your jack alarm go off.  If it occurs you don't need to stop to fix anything.  Just hit the store button while you are under way.  The panel will activate momentarily and allow the fluid to drain into the tank.  It has not happened to me yet, but I can see where it would be unnerving hearing that alarm go off. 
 
Thanks all so far.  I have looked under the step and there it is. But I don't see how the steps move.  I don't see any fasteners that would release the steps.  Yes this was the rear curb side jack.  It was in sandy soil,  maybe just stuck.

John, do the steps tilt back on your Horizon like Sarge's do?  I don't see that the steps would move on my coach.  Maybe you have to remove the trim under the door?

I have had the alarm go off while driving.  I just hit the "Store" button and it stopped the alarm.  One of the jacks must just move to where the indicator comes on.  I does kinda scare you when you are traveling at road speed and the Jacks Down Alarm comes on.

Now to just figure out how to get to the solenoids and pump.
 
Bill,

As Sarge said there should be a regular nut holding the front of the step down.  Feel along the underside of the step lip in front center, right at the edge.  Once you unscrew it the step hinges up and back towards the driver side.

I'm not at my coach but I believe it was the middle step that opens.
 
our top two steps open up as well.  if you are outside looking at the steps the edge that is bolted rotates up, the hinge is built into the back edge of the step.  You'll need a short piece of wood to prop up the steps while you are working on the HWH solenoids/tank/pump/hoses/cables.  The higher you prop up the step, the more force is needed since you are starting to compress the vertical carpet kick panel.  Watch out for the edge of the metal, it has not been deburred and there is a sharp edge where the sheet metal punch press cut the metal.  I used a file to remove this sharp edge... This is much easier than working from underneath.  BTW, you might need a small lever to pop the front edge of the step up since it has a seal that tends to stick.  A 3/8" ratchet wrench with a 1/2" deep socket is handy to remove the nut.
 
Hey guys--Thanks for all the good info.  I found the nuts finally and could get the steps to pivot up.  Before I bought the unit new carpet was installed and they installed over the nuts.  I had to cut the carpet back in order to get to them.  Now I can see the the HWH system.

Thanks again...
 

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