From: theise@panix.com   
      
   Okay, like a dumbass, I tried giving my tow vehicle a litte gas   
   then tapping the brakes to jostle the hitch into dropping fully   
   onto the ball.  Of course the tongue popped off and dropped to the   
   ground--continuing forward to ram the top of the tongue jack into   
   the liftgate of my Acadia.  You may recall that this same liftgate   
   was replaced a year ago after I backed it into a telephone pole.   
      
   In any case, the liftgate works fine, but it took a lot of coaxing   
   to get the (Lippert) Smart Jack to operate again.  When it did, it   
   didn't sounded good--with some grinding noises.  The shell was   
   broken as well in a couple of places.   
      
   A freelance RV repairman met me at the storage unit, and we pried   
   off the shell to see what was up with the guts of the jack.  We   
   found that one of the bolts holding the motor up into the gearbox   
   had detached.  Though a connecting piece had also been bent in the   
   process, the jack worked fine once we put it all back together, so   
   that's a huge relief.  Yay!   
      
   After a bunch of onlime searching and a call to Lippert, it seems   
   they don't sell replacment shell parts.  Shit.  So I guess it's   
   put the busted one back on and try to patch it up as best as I   
   can.  Maybe epoxying pieces of plastic over the holes?   
      
   Any other suggestions?  I can try to get pictures if helpful, but   
   this is essentialy what I have...   
      
   https://www.lippert.com/smart-jack-643589?gad_source=1&gad_campa   
   gnid=17427558902&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_rPGBhCbARIsABjq9ccy8ecoY9BKE8oiN   
   NcOztkA5yS_-H9i1k_NUYjPZ7ml-Py_Ck4f0AaAvJBEALw_wcB   
      
   FWIW, while searching I did come across a replacement motor, only   
   $1200.  Yow!   
      
   --   
   Ted Heise                Gretna, NE, USA   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)