Need to replace Atwood tongue jack

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Elderdude

Digger, Dave, Mark, Bob, John, Ken and Wayne, (and or spouse thereof,) I thank you all for your input.

3500 lbs ... Minimum? What a crepe hanger, Ken! If that is true, no wonder my 1000# manual was so obstinate. My birthday present is starting to look more expensive, and more difficult to match to my2-2.25 inch tongue holes. Can I take a vote on this?

I'm convinced I can install an electric myself and I may go with the straight line back to the batteries, with a seperate ATV fuse, to the post, if I cannot find the fuse in the panel labeled jack. If I can, I'll do some more searching for that single wire. I think I did trace the two caps on the folded wires back to the break away switch, which is why I ignored them originally.

I doubt that a 2720 needs a 3500# jack (although I could be wrong). I think that kenngeri2720 may be referring to his Elkmont which has a higher tongue weight than the 2720SL.

I can't imagine why this one wouldn't do:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...gue-jack/27292

[Elderdude]

Oh, by the way, several of you, Dave and Wayne, previously had helped me in 2008 when I had my "Bargeman Cable Disaster." Since I already have a spot on my cable that I previously had repaired, which is very close to where the jack is, I have a place where I could tap into the cable with minimal trouble if I choose to use that option.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Elderdude

Oh, by the way, several of you, Dave and Wayne, previously had helped me in 2008 when I had my "Bargeman Cable Disaster." Since I already have a spot on my cable that I previously had repaired, which is very close to where the jack is, I have a place where I could tap into the cable with minimal trouble if I choose to use that option.

That should work well. However, I would caution you against using "Scotchlock" for that. It's best to solder that connection. The Scotchlock is not only unreliable, it may also cause unwanted resistance in the line.

When making a splice like that. Get some heat-shrink and also some "Liquid Tape". put a small amount of liquid tape on the 2 wires that run parallel out of the splice, then pull up your heat shrink and heat it before the liquid tape starts to dry. This will make for a real nice seal. I just did this myself yesterday.

Originally Posted by harveyrv

When making a splice like that. Get some heat-shrink and also some "Liquid Tape". put a small amount of liquid tape on the 2 wires that run parallel out of the splice, then pull up your heat shrink and heat it before the liquid tape starts to dry. This will make for a real nice seal. I just did this myself yesterday.

Geez, Wayne, I love it.

Where do you come up with some of these great ideas?

My guess is living on that boat for so long and having to rely on your wits alone permanently re-wired your brain.

OK all the talk about an electric lift has got me interested. Anyone know what size hole is on the TM. I found a good deal on one but it's for 2 1/4 " hole. I suspect I need one for 2" hole.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by brulaz

Geez, Wayne, I love it.

Where do you come up with some of these great ideas?

My guess is living on that boat for so long and having to rely on your wits alone permanently re-wired your brain.

You are exactly right.

When I did things on the boat I had to do them as though my life depended on it.......because it did. Having to deal with electrical issues at sea, while on a long ocean passage, was no fun. I quickly learned the value of doing it right the 1st time.

[Elderdude]

Larry, my tongue has two holes, the top plate hole is 2 1/4", the bottom is 2". Brilliant dude that I am, I measured only the top one , assuming the bottom was the same. Bought an Atwood 2 3/16" yesterday,... taking it back today. The saga continues.

The 3500# rating has nothing to do with tongue # it is for the WDH and lifting up the back of the TV to hook your chains up. Your choice. Just passing on info.

[Elderdude]

OK, next question.
After installing the proper sized post electric lift and checking out the manual operation, I am now preparing to wire it. After crawling around the dirt underneath the trailer, (we don't have a pad, just 2-3 inches of soil on top of 2 feet of hardpan,) looking for the path of least resistance from the tongue edge to the battery 20 feet in back, I wondered why I couldn't just run the wire thru the hollow frame from front to back? Since the 10 guage wire I bought from Lowes seemed extremely stiff, I just pushed it through from back to the front. After a few kinks, it made it out the front. Can I just hook it to the jack motor in front and come up with a hole through the battery compartment, attach an ATV fuse, or the glass fuse, then link it to the battery?

What am I missing?

Thats more or less how I did it. I did have a ground problem with my swing tongue. There are some great explanations but the simple suggestion is to run a ground wire from the jack to somewhere past the hinges.
Double check all rub points to make sure you don't ground out your power wire.