Loud clicking sound

Beaver · 02-27-2009, 12:43 PM

Problem, When all is quiet at night we have had a loud "click" or "bang"sound the repeats itself every 5 minutes in the bedroom area. Checked for something electric, and the 50amp circurt breaker in the battery area. Though it might be the hydraulic system. Have been unable to pinpoint the source. Only thing I could determine was the hydraulic fluit was low. Moved the slides in, hooked up and raised the legs and added a quart of fluid. We then moved to a new site and the problem went away.
Anyone got any ideas what was causing the problem?? In my search I also noted one of the rear jacks had minor leaking.

ponch · 02-27-2009, 05:12 PM

could it be the water heater?

Motor31 · 02-28-2009, 10:16 AM

I had something similar. It was the sounds of the frame twisting due to the jack leaking and changing the set of the frame. If you have a hydraulic leak get it fixed. It doesn't take much of a leak to cause the frame to shift slightly and get the sound.

Once the jacks are down the frame is under stress, both from the weight on it and the force of the jacks holding it at a certain level. Both the front and rear jacks work against each other to help hold the rig and keep it from bouncing excessively as you walk inside.

ponch · 03-05-2009, 10:03 AM

Have you found out the source of the clicking yet?

47hook · 03-05-2009, 08:59 PM

Well when all is quiet in our MS all I hear is the ringing in my ears from years of flying helicopters, my dogs moving around, my snoring (wakes me up) and a few other nocturnal sounds made by me and the dogs. Notice, I have left out my DW. She'd kill me if I added her to this discussion.

So, we run a fan full time to mask those unmistakeable noises living creatures make.

Now that I've got that out of my system:

If you were low on fluid, that may account for the noise and you may have air in the system. But you need to account for the leak. Maybe fittings loose?

47hook · 03-05-2009, 09:12 PM

Well when all is quiet in our MS all I hear is the ringing in my ears from years of flying helicopters, my dogs moving around, my snoring (wakes me up) and a few other nocturnal sounds made by me and the dogs. Notice, I have left out my DW. She'd kill me if I added her to this discussion.

So, we run a fan full time to mask those unmistakeable noises living creatures make.

Now that I've got that out of my system:

If you were low on fluid, that may account for the noise and you may have air in the system. But you need to account for the leak. Maybe fittings loose?

Beaver · 03-06-2009, 12:57 PM

For now the problem has gone away. I will keep an eye on the fluid level, and keep checking for leaks. Thx for all the help..

Motor31 · 03-07-2009, 12:40 PM

Keep in mind it takes a very very small leak to do this with the ram. The ram may also leak internally with nothing showing on the outside since the fluid goes to the other direction side of the seals. You may come back to your rig to find the nose of the trailer fully depressed on the ground and unable to lift itself with the hydraulics. I know because that is exactly what I went through in Washington. Be very careful storing or placing anything under the nose of the trailer until you get this fixed.

Fortunately I was able to get it raised up by using a combination of boards and a hydraulic jack. I carry a 6 ton jack for the toter. Once I got the trailer moving upwards the hydraulics would lift it a ways then stall. I continued doing the same procedure until I could get the truck under it and use the air bags in the truck to lift it. I then used boards on the bed of the truck to act as a stand for it until the ram was replaced. There was no visible leak and I lost no fluid since it never left the system.

jcarper · 05-12-2009, 04:55 PM

We have a 2007 32TK3 and have had this same exact issue. It has been intermittent for the past 12 months. It began on a May 2008 trip and was just as you described. I traced it to the area near the hydraulic compartment and the control unit for the front jacks and rear stabilizers. I did this by just feeling with my hands, certain components, in the various areas that I thought the noise was coming from. I could not pinpoint anything specific. We were at this location for a week and when we moved the problem did not reoccur. We were over at the coast for a few days last week and I noticed it began to occur again. Now that we are back home it is quiet again. I don't know where to go with it because I can't always duplicate the problem. If yours is a constant problem Lippert should be able to provide direction.

BTW, I don't have any visible hydraulic leaks.