To lessen the impact of immersion, we meandered up the Panhandle through the smallest Texas towns while staying ahead of devastating tornadoes and hailstorms.

One of our first stops was the Roy Orbison Museum in Wink.

“Football, oil fields, oil, grease and sand”

That’s exactly how Roy once described his hometown. It’s still true. But really, how can you resist a town called Wink, especially if it’s the home of a famous rock star?

Jim and I are only old enough to remember Roy from his Traveling Wilburys days, but are well aware of the influence his amazing voice had on 1960s rock and roll. Since I can’t resist a good tourist trap, I had to see the museum honoring his memory.

Don’t blink, or you’ll miss the free Roy Orbison Museum on the main drag.  Each June, the town honors their most famous resident with a Roy Orbison Festival and Pretty Woman beauty pageant. It’s a small place with a massive collection of memorabilia including his trademark sunglasses and even the high school yearbooks he illustrated while attending Wink High.

Wandering into Waylon Territory

As we continued up the Panhandle looking for more fantastic free city parks to pass time until our date with RV America in Loveland, a Days End Directory listing for “Waylon Jennings City Park and RV Campground” caught my eye.

Located just west of Lubbock, I wondered, could this park be named after the Waylon Jennings? Yep, shore is!

Waylon grew up in Littlefield, a small cotton growing town that’s hanging on by a thread. Of course every small town needs a liquor store, and Littlefield has two.

Turns out that one of them is owned by Waylon’s brother James, but we didn’t know this at the time, and stopped at the spiffier competitor up the road. Bad decision. Duh!

We missed Waymore’s Drive Through Liquor Store and Waylon Jennings Museum, which features a collection of Waylon memorabilia, including his first guitar and a a framed platinum record of “Wanted! The Outlaws” the LP that put Outlaw Country on the radar.

If you catch his brother James on a good day, he might even give you a ten minute tour of Littlefield and show you landmarks like the house where Waylon grew up and a popular corner for fistfights back in the day.

Waylon was one of the greatest country musicians who ever lived. He deserves so much more than shrine enclosed in a liquor store. I hope some day his significance is properly honored with a dedicated building.

Don’t underestimate the Panhandle, it’s full of fantastic freebies, free camping and nifty little attractions like these.

Just be sure to avoid the stinky parts and visit when there’s less of a chance of a tornado tossing your rig into Oklahoma.

We spent almost two months exploring the area south of Highway 90 in Brewster County, home to the small burgs like Alpine, Marathon and their enormous neighbor, Big Bend National Park. Eight weeks still wasn’t enough time to absorb the nation’s largest county.

The Big Bend shows few indicators of modern America. Take a second to scan the jagged Tierra Incognita and you’ll see almost the exact same sights that Spanish conquistador Cabeza de Vaca saw when he crossed the Rio Grande hundreds of years ago.

This no man’s land, where borders have never meant much and little has changed. Here, a landscape of living history is waiting for you to explore.

Hardly any places in North America have remained exactly as they were before the birth of our country.

And for the hardy souls who live here, that’s exactly how they like it.

Fearless Cowgirl Legend Lives On at Stillwell Ranch

Local landmarks recall the names of the Big Bend’s earliest ranching families, but one clan is known far beyond the county borders, thanks to a heroic, savvy and courageous rancher named Hallie Stillwell, whom you’ll get to know if you take time to visit Stillwell Store and RV Park, located near the east entrance to Big Bend Park.

Hallie Stillwell was a pioneer cowgirl in the early 1900s who became an entrepreneur out of necessity when her rancher husband Roy died in 1948 at the beginning of the worst U.S. drought in history.

As word spread about her heroic efforts to keep her family homestead alive, Hallie’s name became synonymous with determination and grit. She was so well known by everyone from governors to vaqueros that during her lifetime she was twice honored as “the Yellow Rose of Texas,” an honor that few, if any others have received.

Hallie was born fearless, but this mother of three never had a tougher fight than when she fought to save the 22,000 acre ranch that she loved. She did everything from serving as justice of the peace to writing a newspaper column to rancher, and no job was too tough or too “unladylike” for her.

Later in life, this sharp-shooting woman’s reputation as a tough cowpunch grew to astronomical proportions.

Hallie became well known when she began speaking at Texas events to share tales of her adventures during the most violent episodes of Pancho Villa’s reign of terror along the borderlands. She also loved sharing stories about her days as a rancher alongside her husband, and the many decades she managed to keep the ranch going after his death.

From the moment she married until her death at age 99 in 1995, she made enduring contributions to Big Bend history that you can immerse yourself in by visiting the Hallie Stillwell Hall of Fame museum located at Stillwell Store & RV Park.

The museum building is on the park grounds, and part of it is an exact replica of the adobe ranch kitchen from Hallie’s old ranch house.

In a 1995 interview, Hallie tell us “If you love this country, it’ll love you. If you hate it, you just better move on. Don’t even stay.”

This winter we stayed, and were so glad we did.

Stillwell Ranch, the Last Real Place

Stillwell Store and RV Park has always been in the shadow of Big Bend National Park and snazzier RV parks like the Big Bend Resort. The park is rarely full, because many visitors speed past Stillwell’s billboard on Highway 287 without a second glance.

But for those folks who are compelled to make that turn to Stillwell, they’ll be rewarded with the best experience that the Big Bend region has to offer.

Stillwell is more than a place to stay. It’s an invitation to slow down and enjoy things like Nan’s Burritos.

It’s where locals and visitors alike sit on the front porch throughout the day while sipping cool beverages and spinning tall tales about the land and its remarkable, tough and quirky residents.

This place is the antithesis of way out Terlingua, the nearest locale to the west that resembles civilization. The two places couldn’t be more opposite.

A local described the Stillwell vibe like this: if a group of characters is hanging out on a front porch in Terlingua and the sheriff pulls up, everyone scatters.

But when the sheriff arrives at Stillwell Store, people invite him to pull up a chair.

Stillwell is a destination for travelers seeking authenticity in this man made world.

Skip the Park, Visit Stillwell Instead

Forget staying in Big Bend National Park – Stillwell is just 10 minutes from the park entrance and its landscape rivals those found inside park borders.

Plus, Stillwell is extremely dog-friendly (which the park isn’t), and it has basic amenities like wifi, laundry and full-hookups.

But that’s not why Stillwell is a great place to visit. The real fun is all about the characters who meet on the porch every afternoon.

From the repeat visitors like the 82-year old mayor of Leonard, Texas who stays here twice yearly and helps give tours of the museum, to the local biker who mingles with guests, there’s no end to the fun people you’ll meet every night of the week.

One afternoon we learned more about this area after talking to local rancher and world-famous flintknapper artist Kinley Coyan, than from any history book.

No matter who you encounter, by the end of the day, you’ll have met and become friends with nearly everyone here. As the saying goes, like attracts like, and it takes a certain breed of individual to kick back and appreciate the Stillwell magic that begins on the front porch, and continues into the evening around the group campfire.

Stillwell Volunteers Keep the Magic Brewing

“This is the antithesis of the KOA,” says Eldon Whitford, who’s been coming here for eight consecutive winters.

“This is real life here. At other RV parks you stay isolated in your own camper — it’s canned. Here (at Stillwell) it’s a community, this is real.”

Eldon is a volunteer Stillwell workamper and world-renowned expert on Gibson guitars. Each year he drives his RV all the way from Michigan, and along with his band mate and lovely wife Ann, plays western music as The Whitfords, six nights a week for guests. There’s even a lively Sunday gospel music session.

Ann calls Stillwell “a camp experience for adults. We feel really lucky to be a part of it.”

Ann and Eldon are part of a large group of mostly retired people who pay rent for a few months each winter then do what needs to be done to keep the park running. From cooking for large events, to troubleshooting electrical outages, volunteers are the heart of the Stillwell community.

A Stillwell family member has always managed the park, and today that responsibility is being handled with grace and grit by Kay Pizzini, Hallie’s granddaughter.

Kay is one of several Stillwell women who have always been the driving force behind keeping the family businesses alive. She recently took over the reigns for the store, ranch and park operations from her sister Nan and now Kay has her sights set on park improvements like adding more lodging facilities for non-RVers.

Kay explains that Stillwell’s family atmosphere began when Hallie ran the park during the 1960s and ’70s. Later, Hallie would would hang out on the porch and chat with guests while Kay’s mom Dadie ran the business.

Today the volunteers like Ann and Eldon are building on the family experience, by generously giving so much of their time to help keep Stillwell alive.

While Kay single-handedly oversees the business details, she says that she couldn’t run the park on her own without the help of the regular flow of volunteers, some who help for just a day or two and others who stay all winter.

“When the volunteers come. I just let them take over,” she says. “I feel really lucky to have all these people here. If it wasn’t for y’all, I wouldn’t even try it” she says to Ann.

With a grandmother like Hallie Stillwell, there’s no doubt that Kay will continue to keep the Stillwell magic alive.

If you’re seeking a break from the predictability of typical RV parks, make it a point to visit Stillwell Store and RV Park during your next trip to the Big Bend.

Stillwell is open all year so if you’re a desert rat and love the heat, you’ll have the place to yourself during summer.

But if you’re looking for a change in your winter snowbird routine and want an inexpensive place to stay with like-minded, offbeat souls, you will love the “Stillwellians” who call this place home.

Recommended Reading

I’ll Gather My Geese, by Hallie Stillwell

“In 1916, Hallie Crawford went to teach school in Presidio, just across the Rio Grande from Ojinaga, Mexico, which had been recently captured by Pancho Villa.

Hallie’s father, considering this a dangerous place for a young woman of nineteen to live alone, told her he thought she was going on a wild goose chase. “Then I’ll gather my geese,” she told him, with determination and independence.

Hallie’s story, told in a personal and engaging way, is fascinating reading for anyone interested in the history of pioneering ranching in Texas.”

We stayed at this sweet boondocking spot somewhere about a year ago. Have you been there? Can you tell where it might be? Watch the video for a multiple choice question and leave a comment with your guess.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Use a quick share link below to reveal the answer and invite your friends to play! If the page does not automatically reload, just click the refresh button. Wait an hour to share the link again via another social network.

Pictures from the location in the video also appear throughout this blog. If you’ve followed our adventures, you may even recall how something major happened here, which led to another one those enlightening posts. Cheating allowed if you care to look up where we were a year ago.

How did we do this? Thanks to our WPMU Dev membership, this is a Beta version of their new Pay With A Like plugin!

In all honesty, after enjoying The Power of Now, I found A New Earth to read almost like a textbook at first. And I kinda felt like the spiritual master was preaching to the choir as I read. But I kept on keepin’ on and was glad I did.

As I got deeper into the book, a number of messages emerged, and a few fun parables stuck a chord that should ring true with anyone who lives a life of adventure on the open road.

The first was this simple lesson about the importance of acceptance…

“Accepting means you allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling at the moment. It is part of the is-ness of the Now. You can’t argue with what is. Well, you can, but if you do you suffer.”

Anyone who has ever had trouble parking the rig, push-started a motorcycle in 124° heat, or struggled with some disgusting RV duty has much to learn from these words of wisdom. Later in the book, Tolle explains that you don’t have to enjoy what may be happening to you at any given moment, but you must accept it. Otherwise you are not taking responsibility for your own state of consciousness, and therefore your life is out of your hands.

Next time you feel things have gone awry, take responsibility for your life and accept that whatever is. You don’t have to enjoy it, but it does help to smile.

Re-frame Your Fear

All full-timers are intimately familiar with uncertainty. In fact, I would venture to say most of us relish it. Not knowing the unknown is why many of us enjoy this adventurous lifestyle so much. For anyone allowing the false security of their current situation to keep them from following their own road trip dream, I give you the words of a Roman philosopher…

“The Desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.”
— Tacitus

Tolle refers to this quote when describing the importance of being able to live with uncertainty, and yes, even enjoy it…

When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life. It means fear is no longer a dominant factor in what you do, and no longer prevents you from taking action to initiate change.

In other words, when you do not accept uncertainty, it turns into fear. Once you accept it, uncertainty will fill your life with alertness and creativity.

The journey is the destination.

Here’s another Tolle truth that applies to any adventurous lifestyle…

“…the end and the means are one. And if the means did not contribute to human happiness, neither will the end.”

In discussing how to find your “inner purpose” he describes the common misconception that success is a future event. But any outcome is inseparable from the actions that led to it. So enjoy the ride!

Wake up and do it.

Tolle describes “awakened doing” as the alignment of your outer purpose (what you do) with your inner purpose, which is to remain awake and present.

Not what you do, but how you do what you do determines whether you are fulfilling your destiny.

How you do what you do is determined by your state of consciousness. See that bit about re-framing your fear above. So in any situation you face, or whatever it is you do, make your state of consciousness the primary factor. The situation is secondary. In other words, lighten up and roll right along with those bumps in the road.

So what is your purpose? I realize mine is to be happy, and to help others discover how they can live a happier, more rewarding life. Interested? Let’s talk!

Recommended Reading:

• A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)
• The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
• Guardians of Being: Spiritual Teachings from Our Dogs and Cats

The Big Bend isn’t the most popular Texas camping destination. Located about three hours south of El Paso along the Rio Grande and on the way to nowhere, you’ll need to prepare yourself for a long and arduous drive along Highway 90.

Once you arrive you’ll feel like you’ve landed on a different planet.

God’s Country or The Devil’s Playground?

The seemingly inhospitable, dry landscape appears empty and desolate at first glance. Tall mountain ranges are off in the distance but their proximity is a just mirage; everything is really much farther away than you can imagine: the Big Bend redefines “big.”

After your eyes adjust to the blinding sunlight and you focus on what’s in front of you, you’re greeted by a host of living things that can bite, sting, poke, stab or kill you.

And while it sounds like hell on earth, if you can slow down and stay long enough to get to know the desert, its people and its history, you just might find that the Big Bend is one of America’s best places to escape a cold North American winter.

We spent some of February and all of March exploring everywhere between Alpine and the Rio Grande, and it still didn’t feel like it was enough time to wrap our brains around this spellbinding region.

But after several consecutive days of triple digit temperatures and an unwillingness to make the 175-mile round trip journey just for groceries, we left.

The only problem with going there is the cost; despite the tens of thousands of acres of empty terrain, the only free or low-cost camping in the Big Bend is located in places so remote and rugged that most people aren’t willing to go there.

But we’re not most people. And thanks to fellow Escapees who share our passion for remote living, we learned how to save on West Texas camping by spending half of our time in the intimidating Black Gap wilderness, and the other half at a place called Stillwell Ranch.

The Stillwellian Spell

The Stillwell Store, RV Park and Ranch is one of the Big Bend’s best kept secrets, but in my next post about our lingering stay down on the Rio Grande, I’m going to let the cat out of the bag.

We fell under the “Stillwellian” spell almost as soon as we arrived. This is one of the most special places we’ve ever visited, and this is one of the few times I’ve ever wanted as many people as possible to know about a camping destination.

Stillwell is a national treasure and we need to keep it that way.

To be continued . . .

You know what you’re in for with truck stop boondocking, but you can often avoid the worst repercussions:

• Find a parking slot where you’re as far away as you can be from a trucker’s idling engine.
• Nab a spot on the outskirts, where you can put your slides out.

We found an edge slot and thought life was good. Silly us, we assumed that no trucker would dare squeeze between our extended slide out and a large concrete post just several feet away.

Never Assume What’s in a Trucker’s Brain

As I made dinner and Jim sat working on the couch, I saw him look up from his laptop, and watched as his eyes suddenly popped out of his skull.

A rig’s backup lights were coming closer and closer.

“He’s not going to back up, that would be stupid!”

“He doesn’t want to hit us, he’s going to stop . . . right?”

Finally, when it was about eight feet from the front edge of our slide, the rig’s air brakes came on. Soon afterward a scruffy balding trucker walks over to the back of his rig, looks at our slide, shakes his head and walks away.

Before we could breathe a sigh of relief, the backup lights went on again. He was going to go for it.

“Agggh! HURRY! Pull in the slide!”

We scrambled. At about the same moment that the slide was finally in, the trucker stopped. He was about four feet from our window. Our slide is around four feet deep. There was no way he could’ve fit between us and the post, if our slide was out.

Trucker Man just assumed we would comply with his parking need.

And of course, we did.

Just because we also drive a “rig” and listen to Road Dog Trucking, we’ll never again assume that we think along the same lines when it comes to overnight camping at truck stops.

How long are you willing to put up with it?

We’re all about free camping. From Walmarting it and casino camping to truck stops, Slab City and the Escapees boondocking guide, we have saved countless dollars while exploring the free side of life. But freedom comes at a price.

In the midst of writing this, we just frantically pulled the slide in while a trucker squeezed his trailer in next to us where we didn’t think any big rig could fit. But hey, it’s a truck stop. And it’s free. When staying at truck stops, we always try to find a spot off in the corner by ourselves, out of the way of of the Bulldogs and Freightshakers. But these gearjammers never cease to amaze me with their maneuvering mastery, and I doubt they are very fond of us campers takin’ up space on their turf. But I digress…

The Best Free Camping is in Texas.

City parks and county parks throughout Texas offer lots of free camping. Many of them have free water and electric sites and a dump station. We spent a couple nights hooked up in Seminole, simply by calling the Sherriff to ask for the key to unlock the 30 amp outlet pedestal. They were on their way to deliver the key, when we called to let them know we found one that was open, and they were much obliged.

Next stop, Denver City, with a nice view of the golf course, a pond, and wide open fields to run Wyatt. For just showing receipts of any money you spend in the county, you can stay for five nights. Free. But then there is that smell… we could only take it for a few nights before we realized why our throats were hurting. The aerial view above clearly shows how the park is situated smack dab in the heart of oil country.

Hereford, TX is a favorite spot of ours in the panhandle. It’s a nice and quiet city park with “Courtesy RV Parking” and I’ll take the CAFO smell over sour gas any day.

But these were all long after we left Black Gap – some of the best free camping we’ve enjoyed this year. Just $12 buys a permit that will let you stay anywhere you can get your rig to safely for up to six months. I miss it already.

Free Camping Resources for RVers

Please feel free to comment with more resources for finding cheap RV camping and free overnight parking. Here are just a few you might just find as helpful as we do:

• FreeCampsites.net – Camping shouldn’t be expensive.
• FreeCampgrounds.com – Find campsites for $10 or less.
• Days End Directory – Escapees guide to camping under $10.
• CasinoCamper.com – Free overnight parking and RV campgrounds.
• Free Campgrounds and Overnight Parking – Courtesy of the Gypsy Journal.
• Overnight Free Parking Guide – Wal-Mart camping guide.

And let us know what you’ve been willing to put up with for a free night’s stay!

Recommended Reading:

• Guide To Free Campgrounds – West, 13th Edition
• Don Wrights Guide to Free Campgrounds Eastern Edition
• The Complete Book of Boondock RVing: Camping Off the Beaten Path
• The Next Exit 2011: USA Interstate Exit Directory
• Casino Camping – Guide to RV-Friendly Casinos, 5th Edition
• Wal-Mart Atlas
• RVer’s Guide to Dump Stations

How is it that we’re headed up to Colorado nearly two months earlier than usual?

After checking in with the locals in Red Feather, we learned that snow melted off weeks ago, and all roads up the mountain to Jerry’s Acres are open. Typically this doesn’t occur until at least mid-May. What’s going on here? Looks like climate change if you ask me.

With the “All Clear” signal in mind, we’re pointed north back up to the Rockies, where we’ll check in on our homestead and then within a matter of weeks, hitch up the wagon again and head west to work at Vickers Dude Ranch all summer until the snow comes down in October. Well, at least everyone will be hoping for snow.

It’s going to be an interesting year, when more of climate change’s effects reveal themselves. The talk of the Rockies is, everyone’s praying for rain because the fire danger threat is beyond extreme.

Jim and I have lots of stories to share about the characters we met in the Big Bend of West Texas. It’s been our most memorable time yet.

As the miles roll out before us over the next couple of days, we’ll be sure to start spinning those tales with y’all.

Till then, happy spring everyone!

I found him hanging with the old-timers at RV.net, and during one of our conversations, the NuRVers community was hatched.

A few days later, Kevin launched NuRVers.com which has been rolling along ever since.

Anyone can join NuRVers, but you need to be an open-minded, forward-thinking person to do so.

Of course, a passion for diving headfirst into outrageous killer parties helps.

NuRVers Gatherings, Exposed!

NuRVers gatherings tend to be held on the fly and usually at the crossroads of where members’ driving routes intersect. Sometimes it’s just two rigs, other times it’s several. Members have spontaneously met in different places around the U.S., like Quartzite and Florida, but the group has only put on two “official” gatherings.

The last official NuRVers meet-up was held in 2010, in Gonzales, Texas.

Kevin and his partner Angie deserve a major kudos for doing almost all of the work to put on this historic event.

About 20 families gathered at the fabulously funky HillShade RV Park to share, learn and party. Party, a LOT!

Thankfully, fellow NuRVers Chris and Cherie of Technomadia documented the respectable parts of this the historic event. Recently, they shared some of this footage in a terrific video profiling the lives of young full-time RVers and how they make money traveling.

Watching this RVing video is a must for anyone who is curious about the variety of ways in which people can earn Income Anywhere. Take a look, and be sure to tell us how you make a living while traveling, or how you dream of doing so!

Thanks for all of your hard work on this Chris and Cherie. Great job!

Click here to view the embedded video.

This post is intended for anyone who wants to save the expense of a trip to the RV shop after discovering their landing gear (AKA: Front Legs, Leveling Jacks, Etc.) may be malfunctioning. Specifically, I shall address how to replace the gearbox on the DC motor that powers the landing gear on our Arctic Fox 24-5N fifth wheel trailer.

Diagnose the Problem

Puuurrrrrrrrrrrrr, chunk, chunk, purrrrrrr, chunk, purrrrrrrr, chunk, chunk! Chunk-k-k…

Don’t let your gearbox get that bad. The first time you hear something like this when extending the legs on your fifth wheel when unhitching, or hitching up, investigate further, immediately. Upon hearing such a noise, watch the motor as you extend the legs. If the motor assembly dances about in tune with the chunkity chunk chunk, the gearbox is probably going bad. The good news is, the gearbox can be replaced without having to replace the motor.

Find the Right Parts

Northwood Manufacturing has always been very helpful in answering technical questions and troubleshooting any issues we have had with our Arctic Fox, which was manufactured at their facility in La Grande, OR. But when it comes to ordering replacement parts, they suggested I contact our dealer. Understandable, but interesting, considering our package was was shipped from La Grande. They did however help me identify the replacement part I needed.

Apache Camping in Portland, OR was also helpful in getting us the part we needed. Even if it did take a couple days of email communication since we are without cell phone service here at the Stillwell Store.

For our 24-5N we needed the gearbox that attaches to the Venture 9000PK 12v DC 30 Amp motor that drives our landing gear.

How to Replace DC Motor Gearbox

On our 24′ Arctic Fox the DC motor that drives the landing gear is clearly visible inside an outer compartment. Thankfully, this makes it easily accessible for maintenance. I took the following steps to replace our gearbox, and offer a few tips and precautions below to help anyone who may need to do the same.

1. Remove the retaining bolt from the sliding sheath on the square shaft that drives the opposite leg. Slide the sheath back to expose the gearbox drive shaft that powers leg movement.

TIP: I keep a few of these bolts on hand as they can vibrate loose and disappear, causing a panic attack and the need synchronize your front leveling jacks.

2. Remove plastic retainer that secures gearbox onto drive shaft so motor assembly can be removed from leg. A small screw holds this in place.

3. Slide gearbox with motor attached off the drive shaft, moving the shaft to opposite leg aside as necessary. The manual override drive shaft attached to the gearbox will easily slide out of its housing.

NOTE: If your motor has ample wiring attached, there is no need to disconnect any wires. Simply rest the motor with wires still attached on the compartment floor or a table outside the door. If you must disconnect wires, be sure to mark them for easy reference.

4. Remove DC motor from the attached gearbox.

NOTE: Four bolts attach the motor to the gearbox, but only the two long bolts need to be removed. If you do remove a short bolt, replace it to keep the motor intact and remove the two longer ones.

5. Note the alignment and position of the gearbox as you remove it, and replace it with the new one.

6. Re-attach the motor assembly onto the drive shaft by moving the opposite leg shaft aside and inserting the manual override shaft into its housing. Then align the center drive nut of the gearbox onto the drive shaft.

NOTE: Consider fitting the gearbox alone onto the shaft first to ensure a proper fit!

I neglected to do so, only to discover that the new gearbox fit extremely tightly on the drive shaft. I remedied this by removing the motor from the gearbox so I could more easily force it into place, then re-attaching the motor.

7. Activate landing gear switch (or use manual override wrench) to properly position the screw hole in the drive shaft so you can re-attach the plastic retainer.

NOTE: Synchronize leg length before reattaching opposite leg drive shaft!

If you have moved the motor after attaching the gearbox to the leg, ensure that both legs are the same length before proceeding. Measure the distance from the frame to the lower end of the sliding section on the opposite leg, and extend or retract the leg with the motor attached to match.

8. Re-attach the opposite leg drive shaft, adjusting the drive shaft as needed to align the bolt hole by activating the landing gear switch slightly, or using the manual override wrench.

9. Secure the opposite leg drive shaft with the retaining bolt.

Hopefully you have no parts left over, and when you test the motor the gears purr like a kitten without any chunky noises or dancing about of the motor.

Preventative Maintenance to Avoid Landing Gear Repair

After full-timing for more than five years, damage to our well used gear box is to be expected. Northwood, however, informed me that over-extending the legs can cause extra stress on the gearbox potentially damaging the gears. Interestingly enough, I dissected our old gearbox with the idea of getting a picture of some damaged gears, but everything appeared to be intact. I was reassured, however, to hear that the the landing gear motor rarely goes bad, and my assumption that the gears were going out was correct. I kept my old one for spare parts just in case.

NOTE: Never over extend the landing gear on your trailer!

When I inquired if there could be anything within the leg itself causing the issue I did discover one more rather alarming precaution. Over-extension can cause a mechanical failure inside the leg resulting in total inoperability, which can only be fixed by replacing the entire leg… not something you’re going to do by yourself in the middle of the desert!

All Feedback Welcome

Did you find this post useful? Please feel free to comment with your own helpful tips regarding this repair, or provide advice for doing similar jobs on different trailer types.