jack selection
 

I don't have a jack yet , thinking about one of those half moon things that you put under your axel and pull foreword. Feedback appreciated
Thanks dan.

Do you have a single or double axle? If double then any device that one wheel can roll on and get the other off the ground will function.

Sorry forgot single axle.

With the type of axle that the HiLo has I'm not to sure if the half moon thing will work. Maybe someone here has one. I have a small floor jack that I can use but with the double axle pulling one wheel up on a small ramp will raise the other assuming both tire are not flat.

Hi-Lo says not to jack on the axle tube, there is danger of bending the tube, they reccomend jacking on the frame right near the wheel. The ramp thing works on 2 axle but depending on the axle drop the ramp may have to be rather high. I know that 4 inches does not work on my 2 axle 95.

I left for Fl from NV last year with unknown tires. Plenty of tread, but knew they were old and not reliable.

I brought a bottle jack, 2 ton, and used it between the tires. Putting the head in the leaf spring joint.
With some 2x4 pieces to make stable and adjusting height it worked out excellent. 6-7 pumps and clearance achieved.

I also used a torque wrench to remove and install wheel nuts.

Approximately 15 minutes to change tire and remount spare.

The half moon thing sounds good on level hard ground, but rarely will you encounter that roadside.

Going on a shorter 2 month excursion this year, but will take the bottle jack for needed repairs.

steve

Jack
 

I also use a 2 ton bottle jack, they are fairly light, easy to position and use, and don't take up much space. :D

Pop Richie, You mentioned that HiLo says not to place the jack on the "axle tube." Are you referring to the axle itself - meaning the long piece of metal that goes between the two wheels? Ours seems like solid metal, not a "tube" per se, and that is where we have it blocked up and where the weight is resting.

shari

Not advocating jacking on the "axle tube" itself, there are better suited options... but the concern of damaging something by the weight of something already resting on said piece... baffles me.

And it's not "solid" it's a hollow tube, a piece of metal that long would be very heavy and not very practical. If you have a dual axle, they would probably outweigh your camper.

I suspect they say not to jack on the axle tube due to the ease of the trailer rolling off the jack while in the air - THAT would be a problem.

And yes they mean the "tube" that goes from one side to the other and where the tires eventually connect to.

I use a small floor jack, because I have one, but a small bottle jack seems to be a good option. I will probably get one to store with my RV.

And the tire only need be raised enough to get it off the ground 1" - 2" max... It floors me to see people jack something so high you could crawl under the tire.

In many cases strength is achieved via a large diameter and not via a thick wall. The issue with a jack on the axle may be related to the possibility of local deformation (denting).

Raul

Thanks for all the replies guess ill have to try some experiments in my driveway and see what works best.

jacks
 

I went to Pep Boys and they had this 12 volt impact wrench and a 12 volt floor jack in a neat case that I bought. I had to get a 12 volt extension cable that reach's my cigarette lighter recept. I already had a portable 12 volt air compressor/battery jumper box that has a built in 12 volt receptacle which I used when my tire blew last year. That worked fine too; I didn't need the 12 volt extension then, but I bought one just in case. It's no fun changing a tire a busy highway that has no shoulder. Carry some roadside warning lights to put about 50 feet down from your car while you have someone watching your back. There's always someone on the cellphone or texting when they should be watching the road. Be safe.

Putting it up on blocks?
 

Do any of you put your trailer "up on blocks" for storage? We keep ours at home during the winter, and parked at our vacation property all summer, about 6 mo each spot. Last summer (our first) we left all the weight on the tires and did not block it up. Last winter, we blocked it up. Big hassle. And we put the blocks under the axle tube, which we have now learned is a no-no. So this summer we are not blocking it, even though hubby wants to because he feels that is better for the tires than sitting in one position for six months. What do you guys do? Opinions? Is it necessary to get the weight off the tires? And if we do block it, sounds like we should be putting the blocks under the frame, not the axle?

I put boards under the tires to keep them from direct contact with the ground, make sure the tire pressure is max, and cover the tires to keep sunlight from damaging them. You can do harm to the trailer by blocking it up.

I went to one of the local dollar stores and bought four cutting boards. I place those under the tires to avoid direct contact with the ground. I also hook up and move the trailer 1/4 to 1/2 of a tire revolution every once in a while so that it doesn't sit on the same spot. I also keep the tires covered.

I wouldn't "block" your trailer... if a tire or tires go flat before you notice it or see it for what ever the reason, you could be "sagging" in the wrong direction and put a lot of stress on the frame/walls, that simply put, is not needed/necessary...

Can I state the obvious - this is a trailer... kinda built to sit the way it does... not the same as storing a classic car and taking the weight off the springs, these are just made to sit there with weight on them at all times.

The stabilizer jacks don't take weight "off" the springs.

Thank you all for the great replies. No more putting it up on blocks!