Trailer Jack

countrygirl · 07-21-2008, 03:00 PM

I bought one of these last week and we plan to try it out in about a week. Nice thing is if it doesn't work for the TM I can either use it for with the flat bed trailer, or with the boat trailer. I do realize it might work best witht the 2619 or 2720 TM's.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...jack&noImage=0

If there is interest I will let you know of our results.

07-21-2008, 03:03 PM

Slick, I'd be interested to know how well it works, looks like a great idea.

**Bill** · 07-21-2008, 03:51 PM

Looks like an interesting idea. Just please please PLEASE - once you get the trailer in the air, put a safety jack or a bunch of blocks under the frame (not the axle). It is easy if there is no weight on it. Or even easier, just lower the stabilizers/levelling jacks on the jacked-up side to the ground.

It looks like it will be easy to raise the TM with this device - and it looks all too easy to have the TM fall off this device if there is even a little bit of shifting fore-and-aft, or side-to-side, or a little bit of shifting of the base because you had to set it up on sand. And as you wrestle with the tire and the lug nuts, this motion WILL happen. BT,DT.

Bill

**YWORRYDOG** · 07-21-2008, 03:57 PM

I though you were not to raise the TM with jacking up the axle

countrygirl · 07-21-2008, 04:18 PM

Good point Bill. We have a small piece of plywood (I think about 3ft by 4 ft) that we plan to add to our growing stash of stuff at the rear of our truck for emergencies. We do still have the aluminum racing type jack from Costco and it has stayed packed in the truck since our I 75 experiece last October. Something a bit smaller would be nice if it is safe to use though.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...lang=en-US&s=1

countrygirl · 07-21-2008, 04:18 PM

Oh rats...back to the drawing board! My Owners manual is packed in the TM which is in the down position...where do you jack the TM up? I can't remember!

07-21-2008, 04:55 PM

Jacking up the axle would limit wheel well clearance. The axle/wheel needs to hang down (as it does when you lift the frame) so you have room to remove the wheel. Or so it seems as I sit at my computer with the TM in the garage... Otherwise that gizmo looks like a clever idea!

07-21-2008, 05:30 PM

Could work to get the TM in the air and then lower the scissor jacks on that side to change the tire.

07-21-2008, 06:11 PM

I do not have my TM owner's manual, but I also recall do not jack the axle, jack the frame.

We had the curb side tire blow on the 4th. DW was driving, what an experience for her. She drives because I have a baad knee.

My blind brother in law was with us and was impressed that even with my bad knee I had us back on the road in not more than 30 minutes.

Here is what I did:

I used the jack from the truck, 1500HD, to jack the Tm frame just in front of the wheel. I could not get it high enough to remove the wheel.

I used the TM corner jacks on front and rear to lift it another couple of inches. I could not use my cordless drill because it does not have enough torque. I keep the manual crank with me at all times, just in case, so I used it.

This was the first flat. We bought the TM in March 2005.

I have a small hydraulic bottle jack that I will now carry with me.

I always check the tire pressure before a trip, but never the spare. So, for the first time since we bought the TM, I checked the air in the TM spare. It was down to 27.

I have replaced the original Marathons with TowMasters. I may not like them any better, but the Marathons were well taken care of and only lasted 3.5 years, plus 6 months of storage. I was expecting 5 years. There were no signs of cracks or bubbles an hour before the failure when made a rest stop.

I think a bottle jack under the frame near the tire will be the fastest and easiest way to lift the TM. Then set the corner jacks a safety stands. Thas is what I will do if it ever happens again. Lifting the TM using the manual crank on two jacks is going to be time consuming. I don't like that on the side of I80. I want to get out as fast as possible.

**Bill** · 07-21-2008, 07:07 PM

PopBeaversd posted

Quote:

I used the jack from the truck, 1500HD, to jack the Tm frame just in front of the wheel. I could not get it high enough to remove the wheel. I used the TM corner jacks on front and rear to lift it another couple of inches. I could not use my cordless drill because it does not have enough torque. I keep the manual crank with me at all times, just in case, so I used it.

Even easier - lift as high as you can with your truck jack, or whatever jack you have. If the TM isn't high enough, just lower the TM corner jacks to the ground, to hold the TM at the height you have already achieved. But don't use the corner jacks to lift the TM any higher. That's too much like work! Instead, with the TM resting on the corner jacks, collapse the original jack, and put some blocks under it, and raise it some more. No lifting using the corner jacks!

And Yworrydoig posted

Quote:

I thought you were not to raise the TM with jacking up the axle

Exactly right. I missed that. Dexter Axle, and the TM Owner's Manual, say "Do not jack under the axle, you can ruin it!" And that's expensive. So all in all, this device is not for us.

Bill