Jack question

[Mbussell2]

Being the type of person I am, I am going to get a jack just in case I need to change a blown Chinabomb tire. Would you recommend a floor style jack or a bottle jack?

[chuckster57]

Bottle jacks take less room, but the top is smaller. FWIW I carry a bottle jack, as it takes less space and as long as you know how to position it, it works good.

[notanlines]

A good quality bottle jack with sufficient cribbing to do the job.

[Mbussell2]

Thank you very much.

[markcee]

......also recommend getting rid of the China bombs before they blow!

[Lee]

Here's another alternative to consider.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

I tested it and found it safer than a bottle jack.

YMMV

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by Lee

Here's another alternative to consider.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

I tested it and found it safer than a bottle jack.

YMMV

I think those work very well when changing a tire, but there are other reasons to need a jack. For instance, my leveling systems fails often. I can usually get it reset and working again, but a couple times I needed a bottle jack just to get the weight off of the front jacks to either load the trailer on my truck or allow me to extend them further (which they wouldn't do with weight on them) in order to do a reset. It's a fickle system and a bottle jack has saved my bacon a few times.

I happen to have a 12 ton bottle jack. It's overkill, but it easily lifts any part of the trailer I need it to.

And yes, OP, replace the China bombs proactively to avoid a lot of headache and potential damage to your trailer. There are good tire brands that will greatly reduce the risk.

[Max23]

I happen to have a 12 ton bottle jack. It's overkill, but it easily lifts any part of the trailer I need it to.


Ditto, rather have to much than not enough. Does anything I need it to do everywhere. I carry some small chunks of 4x4 and 2x4 for point distribution and or height if I need it.

[dutchmensport]

When I had a blown tire on my Montana High Country, the biggest problem changing the tire was getting a jack that would raise high enough to actually lift the tire off the ground. On the side of the road, this was no fun at all.

When I got the "china bomb" tires replaced right after that, I went to a semi truck service center and got tires there. Even there, the length of the jacks were too short. It took some creative effort to get the trailer high enough for the tires to actually come off the ground.

Fast forward, I skidded one of those "new" tires a couple years later and it had a slight tear. I decided it was best to replace it. Not wanting to go through the pain of someone else figuring out how to raise the trailer high enough, I used the idea of the Camco Trailer aid. The problem with the Trailer aid was, it simply was not tall enough to raise the second tire off the ground.

So, I took the Trailer Aid idea and built my own. The only problem I had with the design was, I had to keep raising the height higher and higher so the opposite tire would actually come off the ground. Here's some photos, a diagram, and photos of how I now transport it. It works and it makes raising the trailer extremely safe. I do keep the trailer hitched to the truck when I do this.

[sourdough]

I carry 2 12 ton bottle jacks in Coleman lantern cases. They work well in most cases for a flat tire plus they come in handy for many other uses whereas other tire specific solutions don't. I've had the Trailer Aid and Andersen Rapid jack; first Trailer Aid wouldn't get the trailer high enough, 2nd (with top extender)got it high enough (just barely) but liked to slide; same with the Andersen. I also carry 2 bags of 10ea. lego blocks and various blocks of wood.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

When I had a blown tire on my Montana High Country, the biggest problem changing the tire was getting a jack that would raise high enough to actually lift the tire off the ground. On the side of the road, this was no fun at all.

When I got the "china bomb" tires replaced right after that, I went to a semi truck service center and got tires there. Even there, the length of the jacks were too short. It took some creative effort to get the trailer high enough for the tires to actually come off the ground.

Fast forward, I skidded one of those "new" tires a couple years later and it had a slight tear. I decided it was best to replace it. Not wanting to go through the pain of someone else figuring out how to raise the trailer high enough, I used the idea of the Camco Trailer aid. The problem with the Trailer aid was, it simply was not tall enough to raise the second tire off the ground.

So, I took the Trailer Aid idea and built my own. The only problem I had with the design was, I had to keep raising the height higher and higher so the opposite tire would actually come off the ground. Here's some photos, a diagram, and photos of how I now transport it. It works and it makes raising the trailer extremely safe. I do keep the trailer hitched to the truck when I do this.

With the level system you have just raise as high as needed with the push of a button. You can easily get all 4 off the ground if needed. That system is rated the lift much more than the weight of your rv.

[Mbussell2]

Thank you all for your responses. Got a 12 ton bottle jack from Northern Tools. Yes, I know its over kill, but I like having a significant safety margin.

[skids]

If you use a bottle jack, try it out at the house first. I like putting it between two pieces of plywood. The top is to help prevent damage to the axle between the u-bolts and the other is to increase bearing area to prevent the jack from being pushed into the ground.

[Mbussell2]

Great idea. Thanks

[dutchmensport]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

With the level system you have just raise as high as needed with the push of a button. You can easily get all 4 off the ground if needed. That system is rated the lift much more than the weight of your rv.

Unfortunately, No. My jacks are electric (not hydraulic) and will not lift the weight of the trailer. I've tried and the jacks really, really struggle after a certain point. They are made for leveling, not lifting. That's the difference between the electric version and their cousins in the hydraulic world.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

Unfortunately, No. My jacks are electric (not hydraulic) and will not lift the weight of the trailer. I've tried and the jacks really, really struggle after a certain point. They are made for leveling, not lifting. That's the difference between the electric version and their cousins in the hydraulic world.

Interesting, I can lift the trailer with mine...when they're working correctly. Usually I'll use the leveling system to carry the weight of the trailer then use my smaller bottle jack to lift the axle I'm working on. That way I'm not hurting the axle by lifting the trailer with the trailer weight on it.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Interesting, I can lift the trailer with mine...when they're working correctly. Usually I'll use the leveling system to carry the weight of the trailer then use my smaller bottle jack to lift the axle I'm working on. That way I'm not hurting the axle by lifting the trailer with the trailer weight on it.

Mine lifts mine as well. I have lifted tires off the ground but like you just raise them up almost off the ground and use the jack since I carry 2 of them anyway.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Mbussell2

Thank you all for your responses. Got a 12 ton bottle jack from Northern Tools. Yes, I know its over kill, but I like having a significant safety margin.

Not to throw a "wet blanket" on your recent purchase, but if you're intending to use that jack "under the U-bolts on the axles, if it is a "tall 12 ton jack" it'll fit when the tire is inflated, but won't fit under the U-bolts when the tire is deflated. I have a "spare 12 ton tall jack" sitting in the pole barn on a shelf and a "replacement low-boy 12 ton jack" that I bought after the first time I get stranded on the side of a busy highway with a jack that wouldn't fit under the axle to lift the bad tire..... So, as suggested, do a "dry run with a flat tire" in the driveway to make sure you have all the tools and equipment to change a tire on the side of the highway..... A flat tire "sits the axle about 4 or 5 inches lower than a fully inflated tire"......

[gkainz]

Maybe pointing out the obvious and “everybody knows that” but bottle jacks can screw out the top for extended reach.

[skids]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

(snip) A flat tire "sits the axle about 4 or 5 inches lower than a fully inflated tire"......

Dammit! John, you are right I know because there isn't much room and there certainly isn't enough to accommodate a flat tire. All I have ever done is pull off wheels to grease bearings and such.