tongue jack problem....

Ask questions about Harbor Freight trailers, or questions about building your own...

tongue jack problem....

Postby oklahomajewel » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:22 pm

Hey all. I bought a swing away tongue jack and Phil was putting it on today and we found out that it seems to be a bit too big for my trailer.

The thing is.... he attached it and then I checked to see if the trailer was level, well it would need to be raised up in the back about 1/4" according to the level. But that would not be doable because the jack was at it's shortest point.
So it seems this swing away jack I got at Lowe's will not work.

The box says 10" travel up to 22.7 " total. IS that generic and they'll all be that way? Will I have to resort to a regular post type jack?

Or would it work to put a smaller wheel on it?

Thanks all....

Julie
Some things are way over my head !! ...but it keeps me looking UP!
oklahomajewel
3000 Club
3000 Club
 
Posts: 3693
Images: 82
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:12 am
Location: McLoud, OK

Postby BrwBier » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:39 pm

Do you have a picture? Mine had two ways of mounting. the differance is about 2" depending on which way it is mounted. If you look at my album, there is a picture of my jack there. If you save the picture and then enlarge it you can see the two sets of mounting holes.
Brwbier
User avatar
BrwBier
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1120
Images: 100
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:28 pm
Location: Sheboygan, WI

Postby Melvin » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:26 pm

Is your jack a weld or bolt on? If a weld on you could add a mount to the top of your tongue. I've used a short section of square tubing cut at a 45 and then capped. Looks factory.
Commandant Louis Joseph Lahure has a singular distinction in military history - he defeated a navy on horseback. Occupying Holland in January 1795, the French continental army learned that the mighty Dutch navy had been frozen into the ice around Texel Island. So Lahure and 128 men simply rode up to it and demanded surrender. No shots were fired.
Melvin
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 220
Images: 14
Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2006 3:04 pm
Location: Kamloops BC Canada
Top

Postby Denny Unfried » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:11 am

If the wheel is removable just take it off when you get to your destination and rest the post on a piece of wood. It will be much more solid this way. I made a piece of wood about 2" thick and 6" square with a three inch hole in the center that doesn't go all the way through. My jack isn't a swing away but the idea is the same.
aka - "Uncle Denny"
<img src="http://www.uncledennyscorner.com/teardrop/photos/Linux.gif">
User avatar
Denny Unfried
sprint car builder/racer & all that jazz
 
Posts: 411
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:54 am
Location: So Bay, CA
Top

Postby oklahomajewel » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:37 am

thanks for the replies !!! See, I knew y'all were the BEST!

I forgot to mention that this is a 1000# capicity jack, so I'm gonna look for a lighter, maybe smaller one. I noticed Harbor Frieght has a $19.99 800# jack but I'll have to check the size and travel numbers. I was at Mobile Mart saturday and saw a 300# jack, but they were closing and I didn't see numbers/sizes on the box. I'll call there monday.


Denny ... the idea of removing the wheel is ideal!! I really want to have the wheel so I can roll it into place when I can't back it up right. The wheel is just a bolt on.

I'll do more checking. Thanks everyone
Some things are way over my head !! ...but it keeps me looking UP!
oklahomajewel
3000 Club
3000 Club
 
Posts: 3693
Images: 82
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:12 am
Location: McLoud, OK
Top

Postby Chip » Sun Jul 30, 2006 11:56 am

Jewels,,, had the same problem on mine,,, when the jack was all the way down I still had to lower the hitch to get it on the ball,,, (bolt on),,, I had the backer plate welded on the tongue as high as I could,, now I can get it down on the ball if I need to,, but with a 50 lb tongue weight,,, its no big deal,,,, Yea Yea,,, before you say it,,, its too light,, I load the tongue up with weight before I pull it,,,,

something I found out that works if you are gonna remove the wheel,,,, go to anybody that sells ladder parts,,, you can buy a replacement foot for a commercial ladder,, bolted right up to the wheel mount,, now I have a rubber grip pad on the bottom and if flipped up there is a spike on one end to bite into the ground,,, the trailer feels a lot more stable up on a flat pad rather than on a wheel that is ready to roll down hill if not chocked,,,

just another way to skin the cat,,, or peel the pickle :lol:

chipper :thumbsup:
Living large,,,travling small !!!
54"x9'4" tear
4'x8' tear
Serro Scotty rebuild(in progress)
User avatar
Chip
2000 Club
2000 Club
 
Posts: 2534
Images: 49
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2004 7:33 pm
Location: Greenville, S.C.
Top

Postby Jiminsav » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:59 pm

OMG..he didn't peel his pickle in public did he?.

oh, and Jewel, you need the 800 lbs jack..it';s about 3 inches shorter then yours.
Jim in Savannah
If you can read this bumper sticker, my camper fell off.
User avatar
Jiminsav
3000 Club
3000 Club
 
Posts: 3059
Images: 40
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:49 pm
Location: Georgia, Savannah
Top

Postby hammer & tongs » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:10 am

I bought one of those heavy duty jacks from TSC. Too tall..plus way to "clunky" for a TD..so I found a scissors jack from a small, imported car.
It works very well but one must be sure to chock the wheels firmly, since any great movement is tough on a scissors jack.
On my new build (experience teaches !..LOL) I have built in a set of rear stands and will build my own front jack system..
I will post pics..but it will be a little while yet, so it may not help you.
..Sorry !
" By whose stripes you were healed ."
(1 Peter 2:24b )
User avatar
hammer & tongs
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 239
Images: 9
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:54 am
Top


Return to Trailer and Chassis Secrets

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 3 guests