Power tongue jack won't retreat

[hbrady]

Hello All,

Just bought our new TT, Coachmen Freedom Express 29BHS. Went through the 2 hour inspection and everything was tip top. Noticed later I was out of level front to back, probably from extending tongue Jack during inspection. I turned it on to retract and it does nothing, held it in, nothing. It will extend fine, just not retract. Any ideas? Thank you!

[GMandJM]

LinkedXJ wrote:
All sorts of confusion over a simple device

Agreed.

Brake..as in a stop or an arrestor / arrester.

Thank goodness I didn't say "caravan" or "bumper pull" and get The Webster Police really riled.

[LinkedXJ]

All sorts of confusion over a simple device

[enblethen]

GMandJM:
I believe you have the wrong "brake" it should be break.
However the correct terminology should be "battery disconnect"

[GMandJM]

Battery brake = battery cutoff/disconnect switch, lever or button.

Our TT had a lever inside.

[deltabravo]

hbrady wrote:
I don't know what battery brake is ??

Nor do I. I've never heard that term.

enblethen wrote:
Blown fuse would cause it not to operate at all.
Sounds like a bad switch or connection on the switch.

That's my theory too. (the second sentence)

[myredracer]

The first thing before doing anything else is to check the ground connection.

The bolts holding the jack to the A-frame can get loose or corrosion can prevent a good connection. Remove bolts and clean surfaces with emery cloth or sandpaper. Had this happen on our TT when only a few months old.

If you watch the jack when you raise/lower the tongue, you will see the jack being pushed around which can loosen the bolts.

[hbrady]

Thanks all, I used the hand crank, went up and down with it but electric still won't retreat. I'll tear it open when I get home and see if it's a loose wire or something.

[Boband4]

My jack recently became "stuck" when it was in a bind from the small movement of the trailer due to going up and down. I used a hydraulic jack to lift the trailer. When there wasnt a load on the jack it shifted about 1/4 of an inch. All has been fine ever since.

[elmerfudd51]

what 'downtheroad' said. if you go all the way up or down, it will stick. use hand crank to pop it loose, then use power again

[downtheroad]

Might be over-extended...and stuck. Get out the hand crank and give it a couple of turn to get it started and then try it on electric...

[GMandJM]

Oh, it WILL extend, but not retract. I mis-read your post, sorry. That's not a battery issue then.

And you're sure it's not as far down as it goes, correct?

Loose connection in the switch perhaps. We had to "wiggle" the switch on our first tongue jack to get it to work. (It soon had to be replaced for other reasons.)

[chracatoa]

I had a jack once that would always blow the fuse. I learned later that it would do that when I changed direction too quickly. New jack doesn't have this problem but I still avoid doing it on purpose.

Edit: never mind, the jack is working so the problem is something else.

[enblethen]

Blown fuse would cause it not to operate at all.
Sounds like a bad switch or connection on the switch.

[hbrady]

I don't know what battery brake is ??