Install HWH Leveler Springs

[Woody]

Has anyone here installed new springs on the HWH levelers on their motorhome ??
One of my springs recently broke and I need to replace it. Upon checking the installation one end of the big spring attaches to the mounting plate of the leveler and the other end attaches to the base. When the leveler is in the down position the spring is bent over a fulcrum in the attachment which extends it. The spring tension then pulls the leveler back up into the horizontal position when retracted.
The spring is still under some tension even when in the up position and due to its size looks to be difficult to extend to attach.

Anyone who has done this have any tips ??

Woody

 

[Bob Zambenini]

Woody, you can reattach or install new ones but as I understand it takes two people and is a bit tricky.

There is a message thread on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newmarowners/. I would join this group and go to messages and search HWH springs to read these messages. They got the instructions from HWH so another alternative is to call HWH.

Bob

 

[Woody]

Thanks Bob,

I'm going to have to call them to order the springs so I will ask for installation instruction when I call them.

Woody

 

[Shayne]

Woody  They can be a bugger even with 2 people doing it.  Make sure your partner is mechanically inclined.    I did it once to a unit and was advised theat I should do them in pairs.  The 2 fronts or the 2 backs.  Reason given was otherwise upon release, you may have a lasy jack, cause 1 spring will be stronger than the other.  I can't say this is so but it made sense to me at the time.  Dont know if it's right or wrong, but I did it anyway.  Good luck

 

[Woody]

Thanks Shayne,

I've already decided to replace both springs on that jack. I figured if one broke the other one wasn't far behind.
I'll just save the old one for parts.
Woody

 

[Chet18013]

I've got those kick down jacks on our Beaver. Had to replace one spring about 9 years ago. Only did one and it was a real struggle.  After doing one, I decided to leave well enough alone and didn't do the 2nd one of the pair. Still have one on the shelf in the garage as a spare for when another one breaks.

Chet18013

 

[Anne Dorough]

Over time, we have replaced all four sets of springs on our HWH jacks.  First you tie the jack up in the retracted position with a bungie cord.  On the rear, attach the inside spring and then the top of the outside spring making sure the hook on the end is pointing inside.  Now for the fun part.  We use a ratcheting tie-down to extend the spring and pop it in place. On the front jacks, you have to use the come-along to extend both sides. The first time we did this, we called HWH for instructions.  The tech said to use a pair of vise-grips to extend the spring. Joke!  Unless you have the stength of Man Mountain Dean, we suggest you use the come-along method.

Jim & Anne Dorough

 

[Chet18013]

A come along is the way I did mine also. Took a little study to get it hooked up and pulling so you could slip the spring over the anchor point, but it can be done.

Chet18013

 

[caltex]

How about extending the spring, putting some spacers between the coils to hold it in the extended position.  Install it and knock out the spacers.

 

[Woody]

Over time, we have replaced all four sets of springs on our HWH jacks.? First you tie the jack up in the retracted position with a bungie cord.? On the rear, attach the inside spring and then the top of the outside spring making sure the hook on the end is pointing inside.? Now for the fun part.? We use a ratcheting tie-down to extend the spring and pop it in place. On the front jacks, you have to use the come-along to extend both sides. The first time we did this, we called HWH for instructions.? The tech said to use a pair of vise-grips to extend the spring. Joke!? Unless you have the stength of Man Mountain Dean, we suggest you use the come-along method.

Jim & Anne Dorough

I thought about using the come along but not sure where to anchor it.

Woody

 

[ranki1]

How about extending the spring, putting some spacers between the coils to hold it in the extended position.  Install it and knock out the spacers.

After considerable time trying to pry the plate over the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder, using ample grease for the slide effect, and losing a few pieces of skin, I decided the only way was to extend the spring.

I happened to have an eye under the deck where a swing used to be, so hooked the spring in it, tied a rope around a 2x4 on the ground end and the spring on the other, then stood on the 2x4 to extend the spring. I happened to also have some 1/8" plastic wedges from a laminate floor project, so I inserted lots of them to extend the springs about an inch. Place the wedges perpendicular to rhe hooks at the ends of the spring so the edges do not get in the way when installing on the jack.

I then hooked the top of the springs into their place on the jack, attach the foot plate, and with two rods I was easily able to pry/slip the plate under the bottom of the cylinder and into place. I then extended the jack with hydraulics normally, removed the spacer wedges, then stored them normally. Very easy this way. Glen 

 

[TonyDtorch]

here is the way I plan on doing it...

go to Home depot and get a handful of wooden  paint stir sticks and cut them into 3" pieces.

* first you retract the jack all the way up.
* then you attach the top of the spring up on the top mount.
*then you take a small piece of jack chain or any piece of chain and connect it to the bottom of the spring and the bottom of the jack as short as you can make it.
*then you extend the jack all the way you can stretching the new spring.
* then you slide all the 3" pieces of wood in between the spring loops you can.
* then retract the jack all the way up, the spring with the sticks will be real long and it will go slack.
* remove the jack chain and connect it to the bottom hook.
* extend the jack and remove all the wood pieces.

 

[emiddleb]

Had to replace one set, followed a technique I had read about elsewhere.

Instead of trying to extend the spring, found a good anchor point for one end.  Then grab the other end and bend the spring to one side, opening the gaps on one side.  Used an old fashioned wooden clothes pin to fill the gap.  Bend the other way, insert a pin on the opposite side, and work back and forth down the spring.  Only takes 5 or 6 on each side to get the couple inches you need to install the spring in the retracted position.  Then extend the jack and remove the clothes pins.

Wasn't a job I'd care to do again, but did the job.

 

[canuckrv]

I did mine this spring and only needed vice grips