What are you using to jack up your trailer for tire work?

Fasttimes · 07-24-2019, 03:01 PM

Last weekend I wanted to add some grease to my bearings and needed to lift up the tires just enough to get the tires spinning. I had a really hard time with my couple of pieces of wood and bottle jack getting this to work. And to come up with all kinds of unsafe combos to get the job done. Only since I wasn't getting under the trailer did I proceed.

My question is what is your system/set up for lifting up your trailer? Do you take it all with you on your trips for road side work? The spacing is huge on my trailer.

Bigbird65 · 07-24-2019, 04:12 PM

This is what I use on our 2250DS. Works great. Watch the video.

BirchyBoy · 07-24-2019, 04:27 PM

Take a look for a Trailer-Aid tire ramp. If you have a dual axle trailer, you drive up on it and it lifts the other axle.

Bigbird65 · 07-24-2019, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirchyBoy

Take a look for a Trailer-Aid tire ramp. If you have a dual axle trailer, you drive up on it and it lifts the other axle.

Click on "This" in my post above.

Fred 2106DS · 07-24-2019, 05:56 PM

I also carry the Trailer-Aid "Plus" for road use and a Unijack 6000lb in my truck for general lifting, very stable and has a built in jack stand. Works great for wheel bearing work.

Fasttimes · 07-25-2019, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred 2106DS

I also carry the Trailer-Aid "Plus" for road use and a Unijack 6000lb in my truck for general lifting, very stable and has a built in jack stand. Works great for wheel bearing work.

Although I like the way that Trailer-aid type of product works, I don't want to have to hook up to move the trailer to work on the bearings. That UniJack looks very interesting, might be exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!

BirchyBoy · 07-25-2019, 07:42 AM

It might be just my browser, but the two links posted in this thread aren’t evident.

That Unijack looks like a pretty good tool. I wonder it would work for my Jeep on a trail.....

Glen 3 · 07-25-2019, 09:59 AM

Before I bought my Winnebago 1706fb I owned a large tent trailer. We had two tire blowouts until I found a better tire than the original equipment. However that motivated me to get a better jack. There is nothing better than an inexpensive scissor jack. They are simple, dependable compact and reasonably light. It also starts very small and goes quite high. I never had another flat or blowout but I know if it happens this jack can handle it. I've used it on my driveway to pull a tire to grease the bearings. I know you can buy jacks that work off air compressors and other such conveniences but for this task I prefer simple proven technology. There just isn't anything better for emergency use.

09 harley · 07-31-2019, 04:28 PM

Most service facilities jack under the u bolts on the axle attaching the axle to the springs. That is the only place to jack. If you pick another spot you could bend your axle. I have two floor jacks because I have a dual axle trailer. Place one under each set of u bolts and raise it in tandem until you can place jack stands under the frame just outboard of where the spring shackle attaches to the frame. Take off the wheels and do your thing.
Lot of people say you can’t do this. Nonsense. If the u bolts can support the axles without bending it then if you jack under it it’s exactly the same load.
Using the blocks and a bottle jack is dangerous as you found out.
On the road I use the small screw jack that came with my 2017 Ford CCLB truck. The end of the jack fits perfectly between the 4 u bolt nuts.
This is the safe way to go.

golden13 · 07-31-2019, 04:50 PM

I think you are incorrect about the u-bolts being "exactly the same load." Lifting it at a "pinpoint" like that is an entirely different angle of stress than the TWO u-bolts on either end of the axle holding it flush to the trailer bottom If you pulled it off, good for you, but it really is a different deal from an engineering perspective.

I'd be extremely cautious using a scissors jack on a trailer unless it's a very light one. We're talking about 3 tons of weight here, so please be sure you can find some accurate specs on the jack capacity before doing this. That whole idea scares me!

AlanO · 08-01-2019, 05:35 AM

I carry a 3 ton all-in-one hydraulic jack/jack stand. Hydraulic jacks are great for lifting but should NEVER be used without some kind of support. The all-in-one is easy to use and has the safety needed if the hydraulics should fail. Big box stores carry it for about $40

RADRick1 · 08-01-2019, 07:42 AM

At home I have a floor jack. On the road I carry a 6-ton bottle jack and stands. The roll-on lifts are nice, but if you have to unhook and drive in to town to fix/replace a tire or something I wouldn't want to leave my trailer sitting on one. I also don't like the idea of all the trailer weight resting on just one tire/axle.

AlanO · 08-01-2019, 03:38 PM

I’m a retired master tech and have repaired literally thousands of tires. I carry a tire repair kit and portable air compressor so can repair almost any flat that my rig can get apart from a damaged rim☹️.... hopefully I’ll never need to face that. The all-in-one makes easy safe work of lifting the wheel for repair

09 harley · 08-01-2019, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golden13

I think you are incorrect about the u-bolts being "exactly the same load." Lifting it at a "pinpoint" like that is an entirely different angle of stress than the TWO u-bolts on either end of the axle holding it flush to the trailer bottom If you pulled it off, good for you, but it really is a different deal from an engineering perspective.

I'd be extremely cautious using a scissors jack on a trailer unless it's a very light one. We're talking about 3 tons of weight here, so please be sure you can find some accurate specs on the jack capacity before doing this. That whole idea scares me!

This is not brain surgery. The weight of the trailer is carried by the springs to the axle. The axle is attached to the springs with U bolts. When you are traveling down the highway and you hit a bump your tire pushes on the axle which is held to the springs with U bolts and forces the spring to flex and raises your trailer. The same thing happens when you jack under the U bolts. Simple concept. This is the safe way to raise your trailer for service. Lots of dealers place the floor jack under the rear spring mount on the frame and lift the whole trailer that way. That puts a lot of stress on the trailer.
Everyone feel free to use your common sense and lift the way you want. There are several ways to do it and I’ll go with what the pros do.
The Ford screw jack works great on trips when you put it under the bolts the tire comes up so quickly that the trailer itself hardly raises at all.
Good luck and don’t be afraid.