tire replacement need advise

[gemyrae]

Sooo, I got my tire wear issue hopefully resolved by getting an axle alignment done for a grand total of $500. The only way i can know for sure if its fixed is to replace the tires and go camping and pay attention to the ware patterns. With that said, how does one jack up the tires off the ground for replacement with out jacking on the axles? I do not want to spend another $500 by jacking on the axles to replace the tires and have the possibility of negating the work that was just done.

[outbackmac]

Gem you will have to jack it using the axles but get as close to the hangers as possible. If i can give you 1 advice make sure to have new tires BALANCED. I replaced my tt tires with maxxis and loved them.

Good Luck and happy Camping
jerry

[SteveC7010]

Sooo, I got my tire wear issue hopefully resolved by getting an axle alignment done for a grand total of $500. The only way i can know for sure if its fixed is to replace the tires and go camping and pay attention to the ware patterns. With that said, how does one jack up the tires off the ground for replacement with out jacking on the axles? I do not want to spend another $500 by jacking on the axles to replace the tires and have the possibility of negating the work that was just done.

In the Keystone Owners Manual ( http://www.keystonerv.com/media2/manual/Owners_Manual_2011.pdf ) it recommends that you : "Position a jack on the frame close to a spring hanger."

[gemyrae]

In the Keystone Owners Manual ( http://www.keystonerv.com/media2/manual/Owners_Manual_2011.pdf ) it recommends that you : "Position a jack on the frame close to a spring hanger."

AGREED!

Now just to get discount tire to understand that and I will be on my way. And about MAXXIS, i have read alot of reviews on Carslie, Greenball, Goodyear, Kuhmo, MAXXIS..... I understand to stay away from Carsile (cheap fix but blow outs) Greenball not so much, Goodyear ok, Kuhmo hard to find, but MAXXIS, i think, maybe might be the way to go. Thanks for ya'll's help.

[mhs4771]

You can all disagree with me, but I would and have put a bottle jack on the spring mounting plate. You only need to lift just enough to get the tire off the ground. Hitting a pot hole or any other bump in the road will move the axle more that what's needed to get the tire off the ground. Jacking on the frame requires quite a lift to get the tire off the ground (springs will have to completely relax before the tire will move, plus unless you have a very unusual jack, you'll have to add numerous layers of blocks to get the jack close enough to the frame to lift it. I now have an easier way, I just use my onboard hydraulic leveling jacks. Just my 5 cents worth

[hankpage]

Lifting from the frame with only one jack (in my opinion) puts too much strain on the landing gear of a fifthwheel. Lifting from the spring mounting plate you only need the tire ½" off the ground and barely changes weight on other wheels and landing gear. .... Common sense ..... Which would you rather do on the side of the road???? Lift one wheel ½" or the entire side of your trailer the full travel length of your suspension???? (and most likely the full travel length of your jack plus some blocks.) This is just my opinion and you should always follow the manufacturers instructions for safety. :yes:

[chuck&gail]

If a dual axle, like mine, just build a ramp with Leveler Blocks (I do both sides on same axle at once) and pull up on it. Change two tires in the air. Grease hubs while at it. Repeat for axle number two.

[smiller]

You can all disagree with me, but I would and have put a bottle jack on the spring mounting plate. I won't disagree with you because that's the right way to do it. If an axle can't take the stress of lifting a tire 1" off the ground when lifted at the spring mount then it would probably self-destruct on the first trip.

[gemyrae]

I do understand both sides. My issue is i need to replace the front left and the right rear, rotating the left rear to the right rear and the front right to the left rear putting two new tires on the front axle. To accomplish this with a single hydroelectric jack would take hours if not days. Thinking about just going to discount tire company and making them do it. Just would like input on how i make them do it. I'll ponder this more.....thanks for all help.

[gkainz]

I'm quite sure (in my own mind, for whatever that's worth) that the manual states to jack from the frame is lawyer liability dodging words, plain and simple. I wonder how many defective axle claims were generated by someone sticking a floor jack under the middle of the axle and pumping away?

[byrdr1]

Lifting from the frame with only one jack (in my opinion) puts too much strain on the landing gear of a fifthwheel. Lifting from the spring mounting plate you only need the tire ½" off the ground and barely changes weight on other wheels and landing gear. .... Common sense ..... Which would you rather do on the side of the road???? Lift one wheel ½" or the entire side of your trailer the full travel length of your suspension???? (and most likely the full travel length of your jack plus some blocks.) This is just my opinion and you should always follow the manufacturers instructions for safety. :yes:
Hank I have changed my tires on my TT this way.

And to inform all I took my camper 5 miles from my house over the holiday and brought it back yesterday. Cleaned the awning real good, cleaned the roof real good. backed the camper back onto its concrete pad and was checking my tires and getting ready to check the air pressure in them for my trip in 2 weeks.
Crap the drivers side front tire has a bulge in it. Guess I will be buying at least two tires before I can go on vacation, not an expense I was looking forward too right at vacation time. PLUS my youngest is graduating high school so we have had all that extra expense right here at the end of school, plus the college pay us ahead of time expenses.
The well was just about dry!!!! had enough for a nice summer vacation, NOW this expense that I have to get done in the next few days.
I am looking at LT tires but may well settle on Maxxis for now?? WHO KNOWS!! pricing on the interweb is all over the place.
I need to buy local because I cant wait around for two tires to be shipped and then get them mounted and etc..
MY days and nights are just about booked up these next two weeks.. :(
randy

[B&T]

You may actually be saving money, as your expenses might well have been much greater if you blew a tire.

I actually prefer buying tires local since it allows me to verify the date code on the tires before I buy them to make sure I'm not buying a new, old tire.

[djkrs2]

My friend and I were talking about jack capacity for tire changes. He bought a 3 ton floor jack but I felt that since you were only picking up the one side of a 7000 lb trailer that it was probably overkill. In theory that jack should almost be able to pick the entire trailer off the ground. Is there a formula or rule of thumb for the weight capacity of a jack used to raise the tire off the ground enogh to change it?

Thank you.

[diugo]

Is there a formula or rule of thumb for the weight capacity of a jack used to raise the tire off the ground enogh to change it?


If you are lifting just an individual wheel---not the frame---it is as simple as the weight that wheel is carrying. Which of course depends on exactly how much the trailer weighs.

But for most RVs the answer is 2000-4000 pounds per wheel, which makes the two-ton jack the jack of choice. Got two myself!

[djkrs2]

Great... thank you.

[hankpage]

Hank I have changed my tires on my TT this way.

And to inform all I took my camper 5 miles from my house over the holiday and brought it back yesterday. Cleaned the awning real good, cleaned the roof real good. backed the camper back onto its concrete pad and was checking my tires and getting ready to check the air pressure in them for my trip in 2 weeks.
Crap the drivers side front tire has a bulge in it. Guess I will be buying at least two tires before I can go on vacation, not an expense I was looking forward too right at vacation time. PLUS my youngest is graduating high school so we have had all that extra expense right here at the end of school, plus the college pay us ahead of time expenses.
The well was just about dry!!!! had enough for a nice summer vacation, NOW this expense that I have to get done in the next few days.
I am looking at LT tires but may well settle on Maxxis for now?? WHO KNOWS!! pricing on the interweb is all over the place.
I need to buy local because I cant wait around for two tires to be shipped and then get them mounted and etc..
MY days and nights are just about booked up these next two weeks.. :(
randy

Randy, If you are only replacing two tires be sure to stay with STs. Mixing ST and LT tires is not a good idea. As mentioned get them balanced ... it is necessary. ...... If you don't feed the kids while on vacation your funds will go much further. :D Enjoy your vacation, it sounds like you need it, Hank