Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-03-2013, 10:42 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 19
Cool Correct way to jack up axle for tire removal

Hello,
So we were out campin this weekend and I thought I'd read up on my new 2013 rockwood 8286ws fiver. I could not find any information on the correct positioning of where to put the tire jack on the axle for tire removal.
(didn't come with jack) which I found odd?

Also When I was looking under the trailers before I purchased mine I had noticed that the front axle had a slight bend in the center of the 2x2 square tubing. I thought this was normal because I looked at one 8289ws at a different dealership that looked the same so I assumed it was normal anyway?

I haven't had a flat yet but it would be nice to have that info in the manual and a flipping jack to do so. what the heck ?
Long Hual is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2013, 11:05 PM   #2
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 22
jack

you don't want to rely on something that would come from the manufacture.
You need to set yourself up with a good heavy duty jack {bottle or even floor} a good cross bar and it doesn't hurt to have two spares. You should practice changing a tire before you start your trips. You don't want to be figuring this out with cars zooming past you 80 mph
Vacationman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 12:03 AM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 19
Thank you for the info! I will buy a good bottle jack. Would you know where I would place the jack exactly? Would I lift in the middle raising both tires? I just don't want to wreck something by doing it wrong. I'm also concerned about the bend in the front cross beam.. I hope it's normal? I don't have excess to the unit or I'd take a picture , the back axle is straight as an arrow I don't know why the front would be arched in the center
Long Hual is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 12:19 AM   #4
Always Learning
 
ependydad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
I've been where you were- not having any idea where and how to jack my camper up. To make matters worse, I had never changed a car tire before attacking my camper like a terrified mad man. I did what you did and posted here:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ain-39613.html

Let me summarize 11 pages for you:
1) If you have torsion axles, never jack the camper up by the axles. (This had no debate and everyone agreed.)

But, for #2 and #3 - I seemed to get a pretty even split:
2) Never jack on regular axles, you can bend them. Always jack on the frame by putting wood blocks under your jack and then one on top to distribute the weight across the frame.

3) Never jack on the frame, you can damage it. Always jack on the axles as close to the u-bolt hangers as possible. (Though, resoundingly and without debate- jacking in the middle of the axle was generally considered a terrible idea that could damage the axle. If you want both tires off of the ground, use two jacks - one on each side of the camper.)

The camper manufacturers are strangely silent on this matter. The axle manufacturers advise against jacking on the axle.

4) Use a ramp instead. Look at the Trailer Aid Ramp that is specially made for the purpose. OR, alternatively- make a ramp out of your leveling wood/Lynx blocks so that one tire is suspended in the air.

And finally, if you go for jacking the axle or frame, the debate over what jack to use is also contested:
A) Floor jacks are nicest and safest but not very portable to lug around and are more expensive than floor jacks. This is what I bought for changing my tires at home.

B) Bottle jacks are less expensive and more portable BUT there were warnings to ensure that you had them on level ground before using them. I had concerns over the end of it being such a small diameter and small footprint AND my road is pretty sloped side to side for rain water run off. The bottle jack scared me more than the floor jack (remember- I had *never* changed a tire before).

What I did- I went with the floor jack and jacked the end of the axle nearest the U-bolt because the distance for the ground to the frame was excessive and would have required a significant amount of blocking under the jack to get the jack high enough before I even started lifting the tire. As well, I could get away with a lesser ton-rating jack with lifting just a single tire vs. one side of the camper.

And finally, ensure that the camper is chocked on the side opposite that you're working. I even left the camper hitched to my truck with the e-brake engaged to ensure that it wasn't going anyway. I did NOT want to be the Wicked Witch of the East.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
ependydad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 12:27 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
J_KHawthorne's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kansas City & Sierra Vista
Posts: 247
We carry both a bottle jack and the Trailer Aid Ramp.

Prime Time is emphatic that the trailer be jacked from the frame; at least on our model!
__________________
Jim & Kathy

2012 Crusader 290RLT TE, TrailAir flex pin: 2012 Toyota Tundra 5.7 SR5 Dbl cab 4X2 Tow, 4.30 gears, RideRite air, TRD cold-air induction & dual exhaust: Reese 16K Slider: TST tpms
Miles towed to date: 26,890; Nights camped; lost count!
J_KHawthorne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 12:34 AM   #6
Always Learning
 
ependydad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
Quote:
Originally Posted by J_KHawthorne View Post
We carry both a bottle jack and the Trailer Aid Ramp.

Prime Time is emphatic that the trailer be jacked from the frame; at least on our model!
Interesting. I couldn't get Palomino/Sabre to specifically state one way or another. I know that the Dexter axles documentation seems to indicate to not jack on the axle (at least, I think I remember that being referenced in my thread).

Have you tried your Trailer Aid? I tried a stack of Lynx blocks to get my tire off of the ground and ran out of blocks to make the length of ramp that I needed for the height that I needed in order for the 2nd tire to hang. I have the EquaFlex suspension and it allowed quite a bit of travel before the 2nd tire left the ground in order to change it.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
ependydad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 01:00 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
J_KHawthorne's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kansas City & Sierra Vista
Posts: 247
Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad View Post
...Have you tried your Trailer Aid? I tried a stack of Lynx blocks to get my tire off of the ground and ran out of blocks to make the length of ramp that I needed for the height that I needed in order for the 2nd tire to hang....
Yes! I tried it here on the farm... but I have 15" tires and fairly tight fit between the two tires. I added a 3/4 plywood backing to the Trailer Aid to give me enough height even on soft ground. I have never needed to use it in the 'real world', and hope to never have to do so!
__________________
Jim & Kathy

2012 Crusader 290RLT TE, TrailAir flex pin: 2012 Toyota Tundra 5.7 SR5 Dbl cab 4X2 Tow, 4.30 gears, RideRite air, TRD cold-air induction & dual exhaust: Reese 16K Slider: TST tpms
Miles towed to date: 26,890; Nights camped; lost count!
J_KHawthorne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 05:40 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Broadway Joe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fort Worth
Posts: 664
The "Bow" in the front axle is from setting the camber of the tires, every axle is slightly different. I would keep an eye on the wear on the tires and if you notice cupping, have the alignment checked.
Broadway Joe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 06:38 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lake City Florida
Posts: 137
On my 30 WRS Work and Play Toy Hauler 9,000lbs empty. I used the bottle jack from my F250 and jacked her up right behind the wheels brake drum under the springs U-bolt plate for that wheel, just enough to compress that wheels springs for that particular wheel enough for the wheel would be off the ground by a 1/4 inch, not raising the trailer, but enough to remove the wheel.
jamesroadking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 06:33 PM   #10
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 19
Thank you kindly for all the info. Changing a tire seems real basic but when I didn't see it in the manual, I was like okay there's something fishy here. Low and behold it's that gray area where the manufacturers of both trailer and axle try and cover there behind...I think it's a way of saying don't jack from the frame or axles, if you get a flat just drive it off a cliff or back up to the pot hole you just hit popping the cheap tires we installed. He He! Non the less another negative as far as I'm concerned. Hope no one takes my twisted sense of humor the wrong way as I'm happy with my trailer but the balance is a fine line.
Long Hual is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2013, 07:27 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
tanddc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Posts: 464
Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad View Post


Have you tried your Trailer Aid? I tried a stack of Lynx blocks to get my tire off of the ground and ran out of blocks to make the length of ramp that I needed for the height that I needed in order for the 2nd tire to hang. I have the EquaFlex suspension and it allowed quite a bit of travel before the 2nd tire left the ground in order to change it.
How high did you go with the blocks?I have equaflex suspension and just used the lynx blocks to change my tire about an hour ago. (We picked up a pop rivet on our labor day trip) We had to go 4 high but had no clearance issues. Funny I just saw the other thread yesterday and that's how I got the idea to use the blocks. Plan be was to use the car jack under the axle to get the last inch or so if we didn't clear due to the suspension.
tanddc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 09:28 AM   #12
Always Learning
 
ependydad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
Quote:
Originally Posted by tanddc View Post
How high did you go with the blocks?I have equaflex suspension and just used the lynx blocks to change my tire about an hour ago. (We picked up a pop rivet on our labor day trip) We had to go 4 high but had no clearance issues. Funny I just saw the other thread yesterday and that's how I got the idea to use the blocks. Plan be was to use the car jack under the axle to get the last inch or so if we didn't clear due to the suspension.
I'm fairly positive that I was 5 blocks high and still the tire was flat on the ground. I wrote about it on my blog.

Still flat:


Had to add a board on top:


Maybe we have different sized tires and that makes a difference?
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
ependydad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 10:11 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 361
Trailer aid ramp works perfectly for me. Depending on what tire is flat, you either have to put the ramp in front of the forward tire or behind the rear tire. It would be difficult to put it between the tires like J khawthorn said. The trailer ramps even come with an extra 1" pad for added lift.
__________________
2012 F350 Lariat CC SRW 6.7L Powerstroke
pwrstroke2012 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 10:38 AM   #14
SYE
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
SYE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Burton, MI.
Posts: 4,520
My 5er has the Trail Air Equaflex suspension on it and the trailer aid plus will not work on this type of suspension. I just thought I would share this, I went from a Trailer Aid Plus on my last 5er to a bottle jack on my new one!!
__________________
Scott & Vicki
2018 Silverado 3500HD Dually 6.6L Duramax/Allison
2018 Columbus 366RL 1492 Edition
Camped 2012 19, 2013 110, 2014 129, 2015 97
2016 93, 2017 79, 2018 84, 2019 59, 2020 0,
2021 4 reserved
SYE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 11:09 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
tanddc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Posts: 464
ependydad,

It must be either tire size or trailer size. (another reason for me to not feel intimidated when the big 5er parks next to me)
tanddc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 11:22 AM   #16
Always Learning
 
ependydad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
Quote:
Originally Posted by tanddc View Post
ependydad,

It must be either tire size or trailer size. (another reason for me to not feel intimidated when the big 5er parks next to me)
It's all about size, baby.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
ependydad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 11:34 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
tanddc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Posts: 464
Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad View Post
It's all about size, baby.

Not for us REAL campers

Sorry, I had to throw that in after the other thread you started
tanddc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2013, 11:56 AM   #18
Always Learning
 
ependydad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
Quote:
Originally Posted by tanddc View Post

Not for us REAL campers

Sorry, I had to throw that in after the other thread you started
LOL. True dat...
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
ependydad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-2013, 02:34 AM   #19
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 19
My trailer has the Dexter axles with the torflex suspension. Does anyone know if this will work with the trailer aid ramp? This is such an educational and informative web sight and I'm glad my trailer came with a tag to the link.
Long Hual is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-2013, 05:17 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
fonzie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,167
I have the torflex axles and use a 12 ton bottle jack between the axles as in post #2 in the following link. Trailer aid should work.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...taff-1636.html

__________________
Fonzie
2011 Rockwood 8319SS with ProPride 3P hitch/GoodYear Marathons/TST TPMS 507
2019 F350 Ruby Red 6.7l diesel 3.31 axle electronic locker
Yamaha 3000iseb generator:Progressive Ind. EMS-HW30C : Eastern Ontario
Nights Camped: 2014 (18) 2015 (18) 2016 (36) 2017 (32) 2018 (42) 2019 (28) 2020 (35)
fonzie is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
axle, tire

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:36 PM.