Husky Brute Power Jack won't stop moving

[wanderlust]

I've had this Husky HB4500 4500 lbs. Brute Power Jack for 2 years and it started acting up. When I'm either lowering or raising and I let go of the switch the gears keep turning and wanting to slowly lower. The motor isn't running but you can hear the gears slowly turn (they whine). As soon as I take some of the pressure off with the front stabilizers it stops. Anybody have issues like this?

[hoppers4]

Sounds like an internal brake in the jack has failed. Depending on how handy you are, you could tear into it and fix it. My thing is that it's already broken so you can't screw it up by opening it up and at least looking.

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

Sounds like an internal brake in the jack has failed.

That makes sense... do you know what I'd look for? Elec or mechanical?

[hoppers4]

I looked up the jack on the manufacturers web site and it shows it as being a screw jack. There's no way that any amount of pressure can cause a screw jack to rotate. My next guess would be that the switch has failed and the most likely failure would be water intrusion.

The best way to troubleshoot that problem is to read the resistance of the switch. However, the motor would have to be disconnected first (otherwise you'll read the motor resistance), either at the switch or at the motor. Hopefully they have some plugs internally rather than just being hard wired. The resistance of the switch should be infinite in the off position.

[ALJO]

The jack has a DC motor, gearbox and spindle. They are pretty simple constructed and to repair. Many are vulnerable for water intrusion. Just open the jack and come back to this forum with an visual you find.

[wanderlust]

I'll let you know what I find.

[WeRJuliian]

Originally Posted by wanderlust

I've had this Husky HB4500 4500 lbs. Brute Power Jack for 2 years and it started acting up. When I'm either lowering or raising and I let go of the switch the gears keep turning and wanting to slowly lower. The motor isn't running but you can hear the gears slowly turn (they whine). As soon as I take some of the pressure off with the front stabilizers it stops. Anybody have issues like this?

Mine has a manual override for the brake, you may want to check that yors is fully "on".

There's a little rubber plug on the side of the housing, toward the bottom, and you can insert a screwdriver (or the little metal peg that came with the jack, if you still have it, to slide the brake release side to side.

Hope that helps.

Ian, the Man from Scotland

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by WeRJuliian

Mine has a manual override for the brake, you may want to check that yors is fully "on".

There's a little rubber plug on the side of the housing, toward the bottom, and you can insert a screwdriver (or the little metal peg that came with the jack, if you still have it, to slide the brake release side to side.

Hope that helps.

Ian, the Man from Scotland

I took a cursory look at that the day putting up the rig after a 3 week trip. Heading out, again, in a few days so I'll take a closer look. Thanks.

[wanderlust]

Originally Posted by WeRJuliian

Mine has a manual override for the brake, you may want to check that yors is fully "on".

Thanks... that was the issue. Problem solved.