TrailerAid Plus and 312RE

[denverpilot]

Just thought I would share.

I picked up one of those TrailerAir Plus doohickeys thinking it might come in handy to do an emergency tire change on the road.

I knew many "wide spread" axle setups won't work with them, but my 312RE is NOT wide spread. So I figured I'd buy the thing and just give it a try.

The result: without additional blocking, you won't get a tire off of the ground...



More disturbing was noticing this, which is interesting considering this is just the normal travel of the suspension... But I have no plans to do any rock-crawling with a trailer on behind, so not too worried about it.



For those wondering, that dirt is rock hard and the TrailerAid didn't sink in at all. It would have taken many more inches of lift to get the other tire off the ground.

Anyway, was a fun exercise to see if the thing would work in an emergency. Guess not. I'll be carrying jacks and blocks...

And I have a TrailerAid Plus for sale I think. (I don't think I can return it to the place I got it from but I'm checking.)

Anyone need a TrailerAid plus for a smaller trailer?

Edit: The place will take it back on return... So it's going back.

[Mike484]

Just wondering.
If you did use the trailer aide plus, run the good tire up on it, then used your jack to lift the flat, wouldnt it make jacking up the flat much easier because you are only lifting the axle and not the weight of the entire trailer?

[sourdough]

With our tire mishap Monday I tried to use this same device on my trailer, which doesn't have spread axles either; it will not work without blocking, which I did. If you have one, or intend to buy one, make sure how it's going to work. It appears to me that it is intended for smaller tires....and mine are only 15s.

[gearhead]

I use mine for bearing maintenance. It won't lift mine off the ground either. But I put a 1x6 under it and it works great. I'm going to have a few pieces of lumber anyway, so it is still easier than a jack.

[goducks]

A bottle jack under the spring hangers is better. You only need to lift the tire 1.5-2" off the ground. With those goofy tire aides you're supporting the whole side of the trailer with just one axle. Using a bottle jack is no different than running the trailer up on a couple Lynx blocks for leveling.

[sourdough]

^^Good thought. Hadn't thought of that.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by goducks

A bottle jack under the spring hangers is better. You only need to lift the tire 1.5-2" off the ground. With those goofy tire aides you're supporting the whole side of the trailer with just one axle. Using a bottle jack is no different than running the trailer up on a couple Lynx blocks for leveling.

Same technique for installing wetbolts one side at a time.

[notanlines]

Goducks is on the money, and very simply said I might add. A bottle jack (about $25 eh?) on the bracket where the spring meets the axle or on the spring shackle if the jack won't fit is about the easiest.

[CWSWine]

I also have one and with the my new 5er with Mor-Ryde 4000 suspension with 4 inches of travel it would take lot blocks to get the tire off the ground to change. I probably going to jump on this one but I have 6 point Level Up and would use it to lift one side of 5er high enough to get tire off the ground and put a two jack stands under the spring mounts and pull the tire. Better yet I would call Coach Net and tell them to come change my tire

[Desert185]

How far will Coach Net travel?

[sourdough]

Coach Net to come change the tire? That's what I thought about Good Sam Roadside assistance, and when they couldn't find anyone, Geico roadside assistance, they couldn't either. Everyone was too busy to come out in a reasonable time; quickest one was 2 hours. They contacted everyone they could find, and everyone I could think of, within a 1 1/2 hr drive from me. At that point I said forget it, I'll change it.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by Desert185

How far will Coach Net travel?

I can't comment on Coach Net since I haven't had to use them but we did have AAA and it took them almost 5 hours to get to me and I just had back surgery and couldn't change the truck tire on my own.

[Desert185]

That's what I thought. I go to some remote locations and plan on being self-reliant when it comes to tire changes.

[denverpilot]

Originally Posted by Mike484

Just wondering.

If you did use the trailer aide plus, run the good tire up on it, then used your jack to lift the flat, wouldnt it make jacking up the flat much easier because you are only lifting the axle and not the weight of the entire trailer?

Ehh, not going to bother finding out. For other maintenance the thing needs to be cribbed or on jack stands anyway, so this was just a test to see if we could forego dragging along a bunch of gear, and just toss this plastic doohickey in the rear of the trailer for emergency tire changes.

Answer: Nope.

Originally Posted by goducks

A bottle jack under the spring hangers is better. You only need to lift the tire 1.5-2" off the ground. With those goofy tire aides you're supporting the whole side of the trailer with just one axle. Using a bottle jack is no different than running the trailer up on a couple Lynx blocks for leveling.

This is usually how I do it, I just wanted to see if this thing worked.

Right now my concern is clearance for the jack(s) if a tire is truly flat. I've seen posts here mentioning folks are using low profile jacks, and I think I'd better make the "flat tire toolkit" have those.

Also seen folks mention to get the jacks rated for higher weight, since it'll just be easier to "get 'er done" than pumping on a jack barely rated to lift the thing.

My jacks at home are overrated for the job, but I don't want to travel with them. They're staying home.