How NOT to lift TM off wheels for storage

[TexasCamper-TMO]

Yeah, I blew it. Didn't think through this one all the way.

But my intentions were good: I was worried that if I lifted the TM onto four jacks, and they were not completely level with each other, then the frame may contort and during the winter the frame might bend ever so slightly. So I thought storing the TM at three points was better. After all, you've never sat on a crooked 3-legged stool, have you?

For 2 of my 3-point lift, I jacked up the back two wheels and placed a jack on the frame behind the wheel (NOT on the axle, I knew enough not to do that!).

For the last point, this is where I erred: instead of placing a jack at the front, I decided at last minute to keep the weight on my tongue jack. And at the bottom of the tongue jack is that nice detachable wheel, which is some type of plastic. Within two months that little wheel deformed into a nice flat-tire looking wheel. Why did this happen? Since the other two jacks were further back from the wheels, the TM weight shifted more to the front jack. Obviously much more weight than the little wheel could handle.

I haven't operated my electric tongue jack yet, but I sure hope I didn't screw that up.

John

 

[Bluegrass]

"Wisdom comes from making mistakes."

FWIW, my front wheel is metal. Never seen a plastic one.

Keith

 

[scrubjaysnest-TMO]

our front wheel is plastic also, We use a flat metal pad instead.

 

[wbmiller3]

Mine is a hard rubbery plastic as well.

 

[Beak12]

Mine is Metal also.

PS: Think I will go down to storae with a hammer and tap on it to make sure.

PSS: Well is my face red---went down with a hammer today and I think it must be plastic of some sort. Sure did not sound the same as when taping on the rest of the housing????

 

[PopBeavers]

You might consider a jack fot pad. Instead of a wheel you would have a metal plate on the ground. The ones I have seen are about 2x6 inches.

Another alternative is a pair of wheels instead of a single wheel.

I have the single plastic wheel. my is not used during storage because i have the swing tongue.

I sort of did like you. I wanted to take at least some of the weight off te TM tires for the few months of winter storage.

I backed into the garage but stopped short about two feet. I went to the back and set both rear jacks to almost touch the floor. I tried to keep the clearance to the floor equal.

I cranked up the front of the TM with the tongue jack. This is, as you described, a three point system.

I then set both front corner jacks firmly, and as equal as I could. Then the jack pressure was released and the tongue swiveled away.

 

[Dave99gst-TMO]

Ive never bothered to do anything to aid my tires while any of my campers/trailers/cars/sandrails/anything with pneumatic tires have been stored.. NEVER had a problem.

 

[rumbleweed]

I use 4 aluminum screw jacks ( one at each corner of the frame. I do not totally take the load off the wheels or tongue jack, but just remove partial load. This has worked well for me during the past few years. Also use cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil in glass ashtrays to keep out unwanted critters.

 

[Scott O]

I pretty much use the method described by Wayne. I lower the tongue jack to raise the rear, then lower the rear stabilizer jacks. I then raise the front using the tongue jack and lower the front stabilizers. Then release the tongue jack and swing the hitch away. The TM is sitting on the 4 stabilizers with the wheels about 1/2" off the ground. Seems to work just fine.

 

[Beak12]

You might consider a jack fot pad. Instead of a wheel you would have a metal plate on the ground. The ones I have seen are about 2x6 inches.

Another alternative is a pair of wheels instead of a single wheel.

I have the single plastic wheel. my is not used during storage because i have the swing tongue.

I sort of did like you. I wanted to take at least some of the weight off te TM tires for the few months of winter storage.

I backed into the garage but stopped short about two feet. I went to the back and set both rear jacks to almost touch the floor. I tried to keep the clearance to the floor equal.

I cranked up the front of the TM with the tongue jack. This is, as you described, a three point system.

I then set both front corner jacks firmly, and as equal as I could. Then the jack pressure was released and the tongue swiveled away.

Wayne---Winter storage in San Jose CA. Heck you can camp all winter

 

[PopBeavers]

Wayne---Winter storage in San Jose CA. Heck you can camp all winter

We have never camped later than Christmas break when the kids were young.

We don't start camping again until Spring arrives in March.

California is amazing for weather. It can be sunny on the beach but 4 hours away the snow depth is 12 feet.Where else can you do some downhill skiing on a Saturday and then go SCUBA diving or surfing on Sunday?

Some people claim that California is expensive. They fail to understand that much of that cost is due to the weather tax, which is not regulated by any elected official.

 

[Civil_War_Buff]

I went out last weekend and raised the tires off the ground for winter. I used a flat plate on the hitch this time (first time) and put the wheel into storage. Now I did jack the trailer using my floor jack under the axle, and reading that TexasCamper said he was certain not to do that, I am wondering what the risk is? Also, as I was under there I noticed the wire which runs to the passenger side brakes was severed in two places and a 2" piece if wire fell out from under the tywrap. Apparently I have been driving with the brakes compromised for a while now. I have a new set of self adjusting brakes that I will put on in the spring, so I will fix the situation then. I upgraded from a prodigy to a prodigy P2 which I believe will warn me if that happens again, right????

Anyhow, I have quite a list of things I will be doing in the spring when I wake the TM from it's winter slumber.

 

[mjlaupp]

....Now I did jack the trailer using my floor jack under the axle, and reading that TexasCamper said he was certain not to do that, I am wondering what the risk is?.....

From the Dexter FAQ: http://www.dexteraxle.com/faq_s

Is it okay to jack up my trailer?
Dexter recommends that you do not jack up the trailer on the suspension components because there is always the potential for damage. Bent hangers, leaf springs, or axle tubes can cause bad axle alignment with bad tire wear resulting. Also, many trailer builders do not use Dexter hangers and we have no idea how strong these hangers may or may not be. Therefore, we take the conservative approach and recommend jacking up only on the trailer frame.

 

[brulaz]

Also, as I was under there I noticed the wire which runs to the passenger side brakes was severed in two places and a 2" piece if wire fell out from under the tywrap. Apparently I have been driving with the brakes compromised for a while now. I have a new set of self adjusting brakes that I will put on in the spring, so I will fix the situation then. I upgraded from a prodigy to a prodigy P2 which I believe will warn me if that happens again, right????

P2 will not help. Had the same problem with a broken brake wire last year and was only using half my brakes. Noticed it by checking the drum temperatures after stopping. And, of course, the broken one was cold to the touch. I now routinely do this on the road.

Apparently a Prodigy P3 has an option to check the current draw which should work, but not sure if it displays it all the time when operating or just during a test mode. Either way, it would be simpler than my crude hand check.

 

[Joseph]

Same here . . .

Ive never bothered to do anything to aid my tires while any of my campers/trailers/cars/sandrails/anything with pneumatic tires have been stored.. NEVER had a problem.

Same here. The only thing I do is roll whatever up on two by six planks just to get them off the dirt as they are stored in the back yard.

 

[TMtraveler]

11/4/13 Just found your post....Is it possible to bend the triangular front part of the frame on a 2720SL by jacking up and putting the frame onto stands right behind the wheels (to take weight off the tires for the winter storage)? If more weight is transferred to the tongue is it enough to bend the that area of the trailer (i.e. the frame area right underneath the slideout ?