Stop gears are slipping!!!!
Howdy, I have had the same symptom since day one, the gears finally stripped out in Death Valley two weeks ago! Luckily the rig was high enough to get the truck hooked up. The leg would not retract so I had to pull the whole ODS leg in order to get home.
The horizontal drive shaft, with the vertical gear, was not fully engaged to the horizontal gear on the landing gear drive. So, periodically, it would make that popping sound, the gears are actually slipping and tearing themselves up. Eventually they will strip and leave you as I have described above.
Interestingly the top of the square leg shaft seemed to be blown out on the side where the drive shaft is connected. The other three sides were square and true.
I made a cash deal to fix the leg and get a little body work done, a lot cheaper than insurance.
Anyway I get the rig back today, earlier than promised and under budget!
THE POPPING SOUND IS NOT GOOD, CHECK IT OUT..........