JAYCO REDHAWK – Leveling Jack System Maintenance

Leveling Jack System Maintenance for JAYCO REDHAWK

Walk into any Jayco dealer service department and ask about leveling jack upkeep, and you’ll hear: “Bring it in annually, we’ll inspect it, charge you $180 for the visit.” Then hop into an RV forum and the advice flips — “Check your fluid monthly, keep the legs clean, replace solenoids yourself for forty bucks.” One of those voices is protecting their labor rate. The other one is protecting your rig. I’ve seen enough Redhawks listing sideways at 2 a.m. because someone trusted a dealer’s “don’t touch it” stance when a fifteen-minute fluid check would have caught the slow leak months earlier. The leveling jack system isn’t mysterious, and it isn’t fragile if you treat it with basic attention — but it will fail catastrophically if you ignore the small stuff. This system carries thousands of pounds of coach on uneven ground; when it goes, it’s not inconvenient, it’s unsafe. Let’s walk through what actually needs to happen, and when.

Required Parts

• Hydraulic fluid (Dexron III ATF)8 Kubota 1 Gallon Super UDT2 Trans-Hydraulic Fluid for Kubota Equipment Hydraulic Systems, Transmission, Differential, and Wet Brake Systems – 128 Fl Oz, 128 Ounces
• Lippert leveling pump motor0
• Leveling system solenoid5 HTWORK 118246 Dual-Polarity Reversing Solenoid
• Landing gear foot pads (if damaged)h 9″ Diameter Landing Gear Foot Pad Replace Standard Landing
• Hydraulic line (if damaged)r S.U.R. and R Auto Parts BR-EZ14 Brake Line Replacement Kit
• Jack boot/cover replacements BougeRV RV Electric Tongue Jack Cover with D Rings, 600D Universal Trailer Jack Protective Black Cover for Outside RV Parts RV Accessories
• Wire brush and contact cleaners Wire Brush Set, 6 Pcs Professional Wire Brushes for Cleaning Rust, Stainless Steel/Brass/Nylon Brushes, Small Wire Brush with Arc-shaped Handle, Used for Rust Removal, Dirt Removal & Cleaning Crevices
• Hydraulic seal kit (if leaking)t FSTURIOS 17PCS Floor Jack Seal Kit, 3 Ton Horizontal Hydraulic Jack O-Ring Seal with Oil Filler Plug, Complete Repair Set Rubber Sealing Rings Replacement Parts for Floor Jacks

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Leveling System Overview and Diagnosis

Your Jayco Redhawk’s leveling equipment is built around a Lippert hydraulic platform — either a four-corner configuration with one jack stationed at each wheel position, or a six-jack layout that adds support jacks running along each sidewall. Grasping the architecture matters because diagnosis gets easier once you know what pieces talk to what. The whole assembly breaks down into four functional layers: a 12-volt hydraulic pump that generates pressure, solenoid valves that act as gates sending fluid to whichever jack you’re commanding, the hydraulic cylinders (the jacks themselves) that actually do the lifting, and an interior control panel where you push buttons. The sequence is mechanical: you hit the button, the pump spins up, the solenoid for that specific jack opens like a gate, fluid rushes into that cylinder, and the jack extends. When diagnosis time comes, the failure mode tells the story — if the pump howls but nothing moves, you’re looking at low fluid volume or a dead solenoid. If the pump stays silent, the electrical circuit or the pump motor itself is the culprit. If three jacks work flawlessly but one refuses, that single solenoid has quit. Hydraulic puddles under the rig point to seal degradation or line damage.

Step 2: Safety Preparation and Initial Inspection

Leveling jack work demands respect for what happens when something goes sideways — and going sideways, quite literally, is the hazard. Never crawl underneath a Redhawk that’s being held up only by the leveling jacks themselves; those cylinders are engineered for side-to-side stabilization, not full vertical load-bearing. The moment you start turning wrenches underneath, solid metal jack stands under the frame rails become non-negotiable. Get the RV level on the stands, then lower all the jacks fully so they’re resting neutral. Kill shore power at the pedestal and flip the leveling system switch to OFF inside the coach — eliminating any chance the system activates while your hands are in the mechanism. Now locate the equipment: the pump assembly typically lives tucked against the frame somewhere in the front half or middle of the rig, surrounded by a network of steel or rubber hydraulic lines snaking back to the jack positions on each corner and side. Walk the entire circuit with your eyes, photographing as you go. You’re hunting for the obvious red flags: dark stains on the ground or frame rails (hydraulic seeps), kinks or cracks in the line sleeves, corrosion layered thick on electrical terminals, torn rubber boots around the jack cylinders, bent jack rods, or those foot pads completely worn flat or missing outright. Document everything in photos before you touch a thing — it’s a baseline for knowing what was wrong to begin with.

Step 3: Hydraulic Fluid Level Check and Service

The biggest culprit behind leveling system sluggishness or failure is also the easiest to fix: insufficient hydraulic fluid. Small seeps and weeps accumulate silently over seasons until one morning the system moves like molasses or doesn’t move at all. Locate your fluid reservoir — it’s usually mounted as part of the pump housing or sitting immediately adjacent to it. The cap on top will have markings indicating FULL and MIN, or it’ll have a pull-out dipstick. Position yourself with the RV already on jack stands and all jacks fully retracted (so the fluid isn’t distributed into the cylinders). Unscrew the cap and check the reading. Fluid should reach the FULL or MAX line. If it’s shy, add Dexron III ATF (automatic transmission fluid) slowly until you hit the mark — don’t overfill, as excess capacity can disrupt valve timing and solenoid response. The instant you’ve added more than a quart, you’ve admitted there’s a leak that needs finding and fixing; a one-quart loss isn’t normal either, but it happens. While the cap is open, look at the fluid itself — it should be transparent amber or pale golden. If it’s turned dark brown or black, or if it smells like burnt plastic, the system has been running too hot for too long, meaning internal components have been grinding or the fluid is simply old. Dark fluid demands complete system drainage and replacement.

Step 4: Electrical System Testing

A shocking percentage of leveling failures are rooted in electricity, not hydraulics — wires corroded, fuses blown, or connections loose. Grab a digital multimeter and set it to the 12V DC mode. Locate the power line feeding into the pump (usually red or orange wire, entering the motor through a terminal block or quick-disconnect). Have someone stand inside the coach and press any jack button on the control panel while you probe that pump power terminal with the multimeter leads. You should see 12 volts register on the meter’s display the instant they press. No voltage? The problem is upstream — check your leveling system fuse (typically a 30 or 40 amp cartridge) in the 12-volt distribution panel, usually mounted behind a cabinet or in the utility bay. Blown fuse means something drew too much current; replace it with an identical amperage and test again. If it blows immediately, the pump motor is shorted internally. Now check solenoid voltage. Those cylindrical electromagnetic switches are bolted onto the pump manifold, usually arranged in a line, each with two wires connecting to it. Press the button for one specific jack while touching the multimeter to that solenoid’s terminals — you should see 12 volts for as long as the button is held. No voltage at a specific solenoid when its button is pressed? That’s a wiring or control panel issue. Voltage present but the jack doesn’t move? The solenoid itself has failed and needs replacement. If the pump has 12 volts arriving but refuses to spin, even after someone holds the button for several seconds, try a firm tap on the pump body with a rubber mallet while power is being fed — stuck motors sometimes free up with a mechanical nudge.

Step 5: Pump Motor Replacement

When testing pinpoints a failed pump motor — taking 12 volts but producing no mechanical action — replacement becomes the path forward. Begin by releasing trapped hydraulic pressure; turn on the system and press buttons to lower jacks, which opens solenoid valves even though the motor won’t spin, venting pressure safely. Disconnect the negative battery terminal so the system can’t energize unexpectedly. Trace every wire going into the pump motor and photograph the connections before touching anything. Disconnect each one — usually a two-wire plug for the motor and possibly separate ground wires. Now address the hydraulic lines bolted to the pump manifold; there will be multiple steel fittings connecting these hoses. As you unscrew each fitting, hydraulic fluid will pour out — position a catch pan and have rubber caps or electrical tape ready to seal the open line ends immediately, because any dirt or moisture ingress will contaminate the system downstream. Remove the three or four frame bolts holding the pump assembly to its mounting bracket, typically ½-inch or ⅝-inch bolts. The pump assembly is moderately heavy and contains residual fluid, so lower it slowly and carefully. Once removed, inspect it on a workbench. If you’re keeping the existing solenoids and fittings, transfer them to your replacement pump following the exact thread pattern. If you’re replacing the entire assembled pump, install it by reversing the removal sequence — bolt it down, reconnect all hydraulic lines with fresh fluid in the reservoir ready to top off, and reattach electrical connectors before reconnecting the battery.

Step 6: Solenoid Replacement

When every jack except one operates smoothly, that failing jack’s solenoid has gone out — a much simpler repair than replacing the whole pump. Solenoids are small electromagnetic switches bolted onto the pump manifold, one per jack circuit, and they’re designed to be swapped individually without disrupting the rest of the system. Start by venting system pressure: activate the leveling system and press buttons commanding the jacks to lower, which opens solenoid gates even though the motor isn’t running, releasing trapped pressure. Cut battery power to eliminate any risk of electrical surprise. Trace the hydraulic line from the non-working jack back to where it connects to the pump manifold — the solenoid you need is at that connection. Two wires, usually a similar color pair, attach to that solenoid’s terminal posts; disconnect them and set them aside where they won’t fall into the mechanism. Now you’re facing a bolted-on component with threaded inlet and outlet ports. Grab two wrenches — one holds the manifold fitting steady so you don’t stress the whole assembly, the other unscrews the solenoid body counterclockwise. Hydraulic fluid will drip, so have cloth rags ready. Once free, coat the threads of your replacement solenoid with Teflon paste (never use tape, which can flake off and block ports), hand-thread it into the manifold until snug, then tighten with a wrench — firmly seated but not gorilla-tight, as the brass manifold can fracture under excessive force. Reconnect the two wires exactly as they were positioned on the original solenoid.

Step 7: System Bleeding and Testing

After any hydraulic service — pump swap, solenoid work, line replacement — air pockets will have entered the system. Air in hydraulic circuits causes mushy response, slow jack movement, or complete failure to extend. Bleeding purges that air. Start by verifying all connections are hand-tight (not wrench-tight yet, just confirming nothing will weep). Check and top off the hydraulic fluid reservoir to full. Reconnect the negative battery terminal. From inside the coach at the control panel, extend each jack individually, pushing each to full extension before moving to the next one. The fluid is flowing under pressure now, forcing trapped air out through the lines. You’ll likely hear squealing, groaning, or grinding sounds — this is normal and expected as air bubbles work their way through. Lower all jacks fully. Check the fluid level again (extension pulls fluid from the reservoir into the cylinders) and top off. Run through the full extend-then-retract cycle two more times. By cycle three, all jacks should move with smooth, quiet operation. Walk underneath and inspect every connection point for active drips — if you spot weeping, tighten that fitting by a quarter turn. Test auto-leveling mode (if your Redhawk has it) on level ground to verify the system can sense and correct height imbalances automatically. Going forward, monthly fluid checks during camping season and annual complete fluid drainage and replacement will keep this system running for years without drama.

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The Hydraulic Fluid That Stops Jayco Leveling Jack Drift and Seal Failure

Jayco Redhawk leveling systems deteriorate in silence — jacks that can’t hold back pressure, sluggish extension times, or the worst-case scenario: your rig settling unevenly overnight because deteriorated seals have let the system bleed dry, and someone filled it with the wrong specification fluid years ago. Choosing the correct hydraulic fluid isn’t a preference; it’s what determines whether your system holds pressure or leaks it away.

What works

• Temperature stability across seasonal extremes — your jacks extend immediately on frigid mornings instead of that maddening five-to-ten-second hesitation before they’ll budge.
• Seal longevity becomes real — no slow weeping from hose fittings, no waking up after three days parked to find the system sitting flat because pressure bled away overnight.
• Debris and contamination separate visibly during fluid changes — drain the old stock and you’ll watch rust particles and oxidized sludge pour out, explaining why your solenoids were chattering but refusing to actually switch circuits.

What doesn’t

• Cross-contamination because “it’s all basically hydraulic oil” — I’ve pulled apart three Redhawks where a previous owner used AW46 instead of the correct spec, and within 200 miles the seals started weeping like they’d been punctured.
• Availability at your average box-store or truck stop — they stock the wrong grade as a rule, which means you’re either ordering ahead online or remaining parked while shipping arrives.

I had a moment on a Redhawk in Moab where the jacks wouldn’t fully extend after a fluid swap, and I second-guessed whether I’d grabbed the right product off the shelf — turned out I had, but air trapped in the lines made me think the fluid spec was wrong. Grab the Kubota 1 Gallon Super UDT2 Trans-Hydraulic Fluid for Kubota Equipment Hydraulic Systems, Transmission, Differential, and Wet Brake Systems – 128 Fl Oz, 128 Ounces and bleed the system properly.

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