Trailer jack

[GuitarPhotog]

A did you report the blow out to the NHTSA, if we do not report failures they will continue to sell us junk trailer tires. https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq
B I took a grinder to a car scissors jack it is now a dedicated trailer jack. I use the trailer leveling blocks to get enough height.

No I didn't and won't report it because the tire was date coded as made in 1999 by BF Goodrich in the good ole USA. Oh, and it's a full sized passenger tire, not a trailer tire.

My car scissor jack isn't tall enough to lift the trailer by the frame, even if I was willing to do so. About the only thing under the trailer that I trust to lift it with is the axle or the tongue where it attaches to the minimal frame. I'm going to look into a taller scissor jack and some kind of adapter pad to make it stable under the axle.

I'll post my findings.

<Chas>

[Shadow Catcher]

11 years old, Yep that is a bit old for tires.
My jack is too short which is why I use my Lynx Levelers. I opted not to use stabilizing jacks (one more thing hanging down to get knocked off). I found I used them not only for leveling but for jack support and potentially they could be the used on top of the jack as well as the bottom to provide support so you could use your car jack. One of the problems I encountered was ground too far down or too soft t support a jack.
The Lynx are kind of like playing with Lego's

[mvperini]

I'm going to look into a taller scissor jack and some kind of adapter pad to make it stable under the axle.

My buddy has a 5th wheel and the sissor jacks for his trailer are plenty big and strong to lift almost any teardrop trailer made, might want to look and see what the cost would be


Mike

[Engineer Guy]

I use my SUV Hydraulic Jack with the aforementioned Saddle integral to the top. I also kept a 2nd Jack from a prior, identical SUV when I donated that SUV away to Charity. It likely was parted out, BTW.

I found a nice Scissors Jack at a Flea Market, just like a Stabilizer welded onto a Trailer Frame, but intended for Axle jacking. I gave it to a Buddy for whom I bought it. The advantage was that it started really low to the ground. I believe it was an OEM Ford Jack for a Pinto, etc.. $6- maybe? These Scissor Jacks often have a nice square 'U' on top to engage the Frame. Also, you can mod one to securely grab your Axle. File a small bit away so that it fits tightly between the Trailer Axle U Bolts, etc..

I carry 2 pieces of Wood [at least] for my Trailer Tongue Jack that allow combining them for different heights. Typically, I have 1 or 2 - 2" x 4"s, and 1 - 4" x 4"; all 6 or 8 inches long. They see double duty under a Tire Jack to provide a good Jack base on soft Soil, or when I have to change a flat starting from a 'high' point. 2" x 8"s work nicely, too. Then, you don't have to jack so much. They also serve as Chocks for the Tire still on the ground. I Saw-bevel the ends and they also serve as Levelers in Camp I can drive up on. I made 2 of them shorter and stackable on 2 longer 2" x 8"s. So, I mix and match them to get the level I need.

Jacking the Axle more efficiently lifts off the Ground the item you're trying to lift off the Ground [the Tire]. When you jack the Frame, the Axle sags, and you only have to jack more. Obviously, a hitched Trailer isn't going anywhere. An unhitched Trailer I chock VERY carefully, as when Grease-packing the Bearings. Even then, I prefer to hitch my Trailer to my TV.

[bdosborn]

Sale: $17.49

Bruce

[bdosborn]

The Lynx are kind of like playing with Lego's

I use these too. I used to hunt around for a rock or a chunk of wood to level the trailer but the Lynx are way better. Walmart has them. That reminds me, I need to cut one in half so I can make a ramp like this:



Bruce

[GuitarPhotog]

Sale: $17.49

Bruce

Does anyone have direct experience using a bottle jack like this under a teardrop? The only one I've ever used required a very large handle stroke angle, which I won't have under the tear. The pro-quality floor jack I borrowed required about 5 strokes of about 15 degrees from horizontal to lift the axle enough to get the axle stand underneath. But that jack costs >$300 and weighs >40 lbs.

If it's usable and works, it certainly fits the other requirements.

<Chas>

[bdosborn]

Jacking the Axle more efficiently lifts off the Ground the item you're trying to lift off the Ground [the Tire]. When you jack the Frame, the Axle sags, and you only have to jack more.

There are some camps that strongly advise against jacking under the axle. That puts the springs under load and the wheel can kick down violently if the trailer rolls off the jack. FWIW. I always jacked on the axle on the tear as my jack wasn't tall enough to reach the frame.

Its a moot point if you have a torsion axle.

Bruce

[bdosborn]

Sale: $17.49

Bruce

Does anyone have direct experience using a bottle jack like this under a teardrop? The only one I've ever used required a very large handle stroke angle, which I won't have under the tear. The pro-quality floor jack I borrowed required about 5 strokes of about 15 degrees from horizontal to lift the axle enough to get the axle stand underneath. But that jack costs >$300 and weighs >40 lbs.

If it's usable and works, it certainly fits the other requirements.

<Chas>

It worked fine under our teardrop as I always used one when I was servicing the bearings.

Bruce

[Dale M.]

You people are making this all too complicated... Just take along a chain saw.... If you have a flat, cut down big tree and find huge rock, place rock near trailer, and place tree under trailer frame and over rock, have family members climb on outer end of tree (lever) and to add weight to counter balance weigh of trailer over rock (fulcrum) {M=Fd}.... When all family members are on lever it will raise trailer enough to change tire..... We have to go way back in history to thank Archimedes for the lever (I
think)...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever

What is so hard about a simple jack.

Will work either under axle or frame ( check trunk of your TV it may already have one) ....
Universal replacement Scissor Jack: http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-640819 ... B002INP6QU

Screw Jack ( Jeep, Ford or Chevy truck 4 example): http://www.inap.biz/idme/fordjacks.jpg

Dale

[GuitarPhotog]

You people are making this all too complicated... Just take along a chain saw.... If you have a flat, cut down big tree and find huge rock, place rock near trailer, and place tree under trailer frame and over rock, have family members climb on outer end of tree (lever) and to add weight to counter balance weigh of trailer over rock (fulcrum) {M=Fd}.... When all family members are on lever it will raise trailer enough to change tire..... We have to go way back in history to thank Archimedes for the lever (I
think)...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever

What is so hard about a simple jack.

Will work either under axle or frame ( check trunk of your TV it may already have one) ....
Universal replacement Scissor Jack: http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-640819 ... B002INP6QU

Screw Jack ( Jeep, Ford or Chevy truck 4 example): http://www.inap.biz/idme/fordjacks.jpg

Dale

Now that scissor jack might actually work under there. As I said in my original post, the scissor jack from my TV has such a specialized jacking pad that it wouldn't lift the trailer axle safely.

As for the tree trunk and rock method, that's hard to use out in the desert and since I travel alone, a little awkward to operate single handedly.

Thanks Dale,

<Chas>

[DJT]

If you can find a Jeep TJ (wrangler) at the wreckers, they have a compact screw jack with a round saddle that would fit under most tears. They should be had for <$10 and come with a nice folding crank handle.

[wagondude]

While this won't help the OP, it may be of use to someone just starting to build. Our Scout troop has a canoe trailer that has a tube mount tongue jack. There are additional jack mounts welded to the frame behind the axle. Then, if you need to change a tire, you just pull the pin and relocate the tongue jack to the side with the flat to jack it up off the ground.

Bill

[KBS]

I concur with the idea of repurposing a scissors jack from a car. You can find them cheap on ebay. A floor jack (shop jack) has three disadvantages: 1) size/weight; 2) lengthy travel of the pumping handle; 3) they are pretty useless on soft surfaces since the jack's wheels need to role a little bit as the load is lifted.

A bottle jack also has a lengthy handle travel. Plus the height of the jack may be too tall to even fit under your axle, and they can be pretty tippy on an uneven surface.

[Vedette]

I agree with Doug and Sharon.
Keep it simple. These trailers wiegh very little and you are only jacking up one side. What is wrong with the jacks you are using as stablizers??
I have regular trailer stablizers on the front of my teardrop and used two (1992 -99 Toyota Tracel jacks from pick n pull for the rear.
$4.99 each and they were brand new. never removed from their mounting position up under the right side quarter in the trunk.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi