Alaskan Hydraulic Pump replacement relocation potential "downgrade" to manual pump
Pretty sure my 89 or so Alaskan's electric hydraulic pump has gone kaputz. It was struggling with getting the top up in fairly cold weather, then nothing, then the dreadful smell of burnt electical who knows what. I'd appreciate any council. Will be calling Alaskan (who have always been great) Monday.
I will post what I do to get this fixed. There is already a decent thread on bleeding the hydraulic system and r an r ing the hydraulic rams' O-rings which I will also attempt. I will also pin the forward rams and show you what I mean and why I recommend this. I already did the back two.
I love my AK Camper but the hydraulics can be the Achilles' heel. I got lucky and this happened the day I got back to civilization and have a bed for myself after a month long Nevada Eastern Sierra California Burning Man hotsprings general desert ratting and Aspen Fall colorfest out of Bishop June Lakes and Bridgeport.
Yes I could have gotten to most of my stuff....but not my sweet bed and down comforter in the Saline Valley or off roading the dodge 3500 flatbed dually diesel with Alaskan bolted around the east of mono lake or god forbid stuck on Barney Riley road. We are loaded to the nines and i would have been cursing a blue streak to be sure. Yes I knew this was bound to happen. Aaaaargh! if that pump has been going since 89 good for it, I bet it has been replaced. If I don't figure out a manual backup, I'll get another.
I am contemplating replacing with a manual pump in the name of less to go wrong, or even a backup manual pump and r and r ing the stock electric.
I'll also discuss the battery system which I have changed a bit. Mine is no cream puff but very nice still. when I got it several years back the "house battery" didn't charge well when in travel mode. It still doesnt charge when plugged in and has some other eccentricities related to the electric hydraulic pump.
My pump has the large white pvc cylinder reservoir and the manifold has one valve adjustor atop the other not the Y hoses that I see on many others.
I will also see if there is any benefit to larger rams. Oh man I didn't need another project right now, but not a bad time as my adventures need to pause at least until the Sierras become skiable.
SOMEONE TELL ME THE PUMP HAS AN EASILY ACCESIBLE FUSE OR FUSIBLE LINK BUILT IN OR NEARBY INLINE. My fuses at the "panel" are all good and all the lights work on DC.
Pretty sure my 89 or so Alaskan's electric hydraulic pump has gone kaputz. It was struggling with getting the top up in fairly cold weather, then nothing, then the dreadful smell of burnt electical who knows what. I'd appreciate any council. Will be calling Alaskan (who have always been great) Monday.
I will post what I do to get this fixed. There is already a decent thread on bleeding the hydraulic system and r an r ing the hydraulic rams' O-rings which I will also attempt. I will also pin the forward rams and show you what I mean and why I recommend this. I already did the back two.
I love my AK Camper but the hydraulics can be the Achilles' heel. I got lucky and this happened the day I got back to civilization and have a bed for myself after a month long Nevada Eastern Sierra California Burning Man hotsprings general desert ratting and Aspen Fall colorfest out of Bishop June Lakes and Bridgeport.
Yes I could have gotten to most of my stuff....but not my sweet bed and down comforter in the Saline Valley or off roading the dodge 3500 flatbed dually diesel with Alaskan bolted around the east of mono lake or god forbid stuck on Barney Riley road. We are loaded to the nines and i would have been cursing a blue streak to be sure. Yes I knew this was bound to happen. Aaaaargh! if that pump has been going since 89 good for it, I bet it has been replaced. If I don't figure out a manual backup, I'll get another.
I am contemplating replacing with a manual pump in the name of less to go wrong, or even a backup manual pump and r and r ing the stock electric.
I'll also discuss the battery system which I have changed a bit. Mine is no cream puff but very nice still. when I got it several years back the "house battery" didn't charge well when in travel mode. It still doesnt charge when plugged in and has some other eccentricities related to the electric hydraulic pump.
My pump has the large white pvc cylinder reservoir and the manifold has one valve adjustor atop the other not the Y hoses that I see on many others.
I will also see if there is any benefit to larger rams. Oh man I didn't need another project right now, but not a bad time as my adventures need to pause at least until the Sierras become skiable.
SOMEONE TELL ME THE PUMP HAS AN EASILY ACCESIBLE FUSE OR FUSIBLE LINK BUILT IN OR NEARBY INLINE. My fuses at the "panel" are all good and all the lights work on DC.
