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10-01-2022, 07:26 AM
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#21
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,996
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I agree with ChuckS. Sometimes people are "their own worst enemy" by overthinking the "legaleze in owner's manuals". For example, the Ford owner's manual (and all the others) say to only use Motorcraft products to care for your new Ford. And, there are enough "tape tags" on a new 6' extension cord that you can hardly tell what color it is until you "remove all the warning tags" so you can actually grip the insulated wire. Not to mention the Tide Pod package that warns not to eat them.....
Like ChuckS said, the majority of the forum members (not just him) have been jacking trailer axles "at the U-bolt" for decades and never damaged an axle. You can do what you wish with your equipment, but the "tried and true method of jacking trailer axles for maintenance" is not to build a "wood Jenga" under the trailer frame while it's sitting in the driveway so you can regrease the bearings and check the brakes. Rather, it's putting a jack under the U-bolts and jacking the tire an inch or so off the ground and "git-er-dun".
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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10-01-2022, 08:27 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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I had a piece welded to fit the top of a bottle jack with a piece of angle iron to fit over the axles & u bolts for safely using a bottle jack, wish I knew where it was now.
The biggest issue with a bottle jack, especially with a flat, if you don't have to short stubby jack it won't fit under axle & you'll still to pull onto blocks.
Whatever you chose, blocks, ramps or jacks try it out before you need it to insure what you have will work. Also check your spare inflation regularly & try it on the rv, most rvs have aluminum wheels with a steel spare that the lug nuts may not tighten down on the steel wheel. My last 5er was that way, bought 8 nuts to use in case I ever had to use the spare.
__________________
Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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10-02-2022, 10:37 AM
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#23
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: SoCal
Posts: 35
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Well, the Trailer Aid Plus worked great! Tried it for front and rear wheels; it lifted each wheel about 1"-2". Real happy about this!!
Thank you all for your advice and suggestions. If it weren't for some of you with real world experience using TAP on leaf spring axles, I probably wouldn't have tried it. Glad I did!
Now on to bearing and brake service....
__________________
2011 Outback 250RS "Anniversary Edition"
2003 Ford F-350, Crew Cab, 4X2, V10
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10-06-2022, 08:19 AM
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#24
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Alva
Posts: 3
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I use trailerlegs for storage of my trailer and to change tires or bearing maintenance. I carry two with me when traveling in case of a flat tire. Kinda expensive but if they improve the life of my tires, well worth it. https://trailerlegs.com/
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10-06-2022, 12:07 PM
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#25
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pensacola
Posts: 63
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along the same lines as this thread started what about mileage or time intervals or checking brakes and servicing wheel bearings I have a 2019 Keystone outback 301UBH with about 20,000 miles on the trailer. Florida Grand Canyon about this time next year thinking I would like to check and service everything before the trip.
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10-06-2022, 02:31 PM
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#26
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Rochester NY
Posts: 17
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Tire Jacking...
A few things no one has mentioned: When I travel, I have four 6x6s and 2x10s that I carry in the truck bed to put under my 4-auto level jack feet. When on the side of the road, these 2x10s should be placed under the bottle jacks when on dirt surfaces. Also, if you drive onto a curved tire lifter using the "good" tire, all the weight for that side of the trailer is now on that one tire. Granted, there is no rolling "heat" being developed on that one tire, but what is that "overweight" doing to the good tire, even during the slow-down distance traveled when the other tire on that side blows?
Also, every "auto" leveling system or even the manual systems state to NEVER use the leveling system to support the entire weight of the trailer.
My assumption is to put the bottle jack under the tire you intend to change, to service the wheel bearings, or to check the brake pads. Also, a short piece of 2x6 could be placed under BOTH U-bolts above the bottle jack, to spread out the weight on the U-bolts.
You can also use the four 6x6s and a 2x10 to build a "cribbing" under the bottle jack to lift from the frame (or axles) if necessary to put the bottle jack under the frame or U-bolt area of the axles. And, I assume it makes sense to squish that small section or chloroplast to use the center of the I-beam frame.
And, I just learned about the Bottle Jack Buddies in this post; Thanks! Great idea!.
My 2-cents,
__________________
Michael J. Cougler, MSgt, USAF, Retired
2019 Cougar 25RES, 2018 Ram 2500 CTD 4x4
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10-06-2022, 05:29 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Mechanicsville
Posts: 478
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I think the OP might be misunderstanding about a bent axle. They are not talking about bending the axle, as in making flat spots from the jack. The axle has a built in curve upward. The concern is deflecting the curve which would change the wheels camber. You won't bend flat spots into the axle jacking between the U bolts.
To the last post, you will not hurt the one tire having it support the weight while working on the other wheel. If it were that fragile you'd be ruining tires every time you go over a big bump in the road. The weight is continuingly being shifted back and forth along the ride.
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