RE: Broke my Bal leveler

[Papaso]

 
While camping two weeks ago while popping down I stripped the hex head off the screw. I never noticed it before but the hex head is a separate part from the screw it is held in by a pressed in pin and this is what sheared off. I called the folks at Bal and they shipped me a complete screw assembly at no charge.
 Happy Camping

[forestwalker]

 Papaso
We ve got to check ours out-the Bal Leveler impressed us as very rugged.Thanks for the" Heads up" .

[tlhdoc]

 Papaso
Were you doing anything special when it broke?  Thanks for the heads up.
 

[Papaso]

 Papaso
I also am impressed with the quality of the Bal, it was maybe the fifth time I used it. I was in sand and it worked fine when I set up the camper. We had a full crew with us on this trip, my brother and his family so there was a total of 8 of us plus my 2 year old nephew. I figure about 1390 pounds plus all our stuff. When I popped down it seemed to be very tight comming down till it got to the point where the head stripped off. After jacking up the trailer with my hydraulic jack and pulling out the leveler the threads at the screw in part was damaged causing the binding which in turn stripped the pin which holds on the hex head. It seems to me that maybe the combination of the additional weight,and the sand damaged the threads and just brute strength stripped the pin, the people at Norco the company which manufacture the Bal were first class and shipped the replacement right away at no charge. Just another thought I had it set under the slide out and the dinette was set up as a bed with maybe 300 pounds of sleeping kids, so who knows for sure what the real cause was.
 Happy Camping

[whitestar505]

 Papaso
Great Papaso,
 
     Sure glad you got another one. It might help if you use a little grease in the little cup where the  screw sets in. As for it being two parts, mine is not. We may not be talking about the same BAL Leveler.[]

[Papaso]

 whitestar505
Mine is a Model 28050 it goes around the tire has a center screw and you use a ratcheting bone wrench to adjust the height. Take a closer look at the hex head at the top of the screw, I also thought it was one piece but after it stripped I noticed it was separate from the screw, I don t know about you but when I turned 42 about 7 years ago I needed to get reading glasses and without my glasses I can t see the pin but with my glasses sure as can be it s two parts. I do keep it well lubed, I do alot of beach camping and get sand on the grease but I wipe it and relube everytime I clean up the camper which is as soon as we get home from our trips.
 Happy Camping to a Happy Camper[]

[whitestar505]

 Papaso
Papaso,
 
  I will look for the pin.. I wonder if my new power drill will work on that thing now that you mention it..
 

[mike4947]

 Papaso
If the drill will raise the roof it ll work fine on the BAL. You re not really lifting the camper weight just tilting it. That require a lot less force even though it s the whole camper not just the roof. Plus there s almost as many turns to move the BAL 5 inches as there are to move the roof 3 feet. If the roof had a lead screw like the BAL we d be cranking for a 1/2 hour to get it yup.[][]

[tlhdoc]

 Papaso
What kind of grease do you use on your BAL leveler?

[Papaso]

 tlhdoc
I use a spray lube called Grease Monkey manufactured by Zep. It s a light teflon based grease red in color, sticks very well to the threads and best of all it washes off easily with Zep s formula 50 degreaser and is non-sticky after it dries(no i m not a Zep dealer) I use their products throughout my business and feel they are very good, been dealing with them for 16 years. Check out www.zep.com I highly recommend all their products a little pricey but good stuff and a can lasts and lasts.
 Happy Camping