Proper way to lift trailer completely off ground?

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by babock

You don't want to do it this way. You will bend the frame on many trailers especially a lite trailer. Its the same reason you don't use the stabilizers to lift the trailer.

How come my trailer jack tongue lifts the trailer from one end when I lift it to put on the WDH bars without problems? Doesn't seem to bend anything.

[Theo]

Our Roo has twin Dexter Torflex axles. I assume the safest way to lift one side of the trailer would be to use a bottle/floor jack on the frame between the axles while connected to the TV? please correct me if I'm wrong!

TIA

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by Lee Majors

Thanks a bunch for your insight.

Be very very careful lifting all four tire points off of the ground at the same time. any shift of any jack at any time and the unit could tip to the ground. Your safety should be first and always. Do not be under the unit at all at anytime unless perfectly solid of no movement. imo (and I have done this) change your tires out two at a time. You may also consider when doing this tire work to also at the same time, pull the hubs and regrease all bearings and put on new hub seals. one thing that I upgraded my unit was new Wet bolts and copper (instead of cheap nylon) sleeves to the springs, while the unit is up in the air. There is a lot of hammering out of old bolts and sleeves and a lot on hammering in new bolts and sleeves. The axles must be able to be jacked up and down, independent from the frame. Your unit has to be stead fast solid when working on the hubs and spring bolts.

[babock]

You are lifting only the tongue weight which is 10% to 15% of the entire weight!!!!

Originally Posted by Mike134

How come my trailer jack tongue lifts the trailer from one end when I lift it to put on the WDH bars without problems? Doesn't seem to bend anything.

[Chuck_S]

Theo -- That's how I lift mine to change wheels. At the frame between where the axles are mounted. Floor jack just squeezes in there between the tires. I figure I'm lifting 3,000 pounds. Bottle jack will work fine there too, just takes a lot of pumps with a tiny handle and the floor jack seems more stable.

If changing a flat be sure to lift much higher than needed to get the flat tire off. Replacement will be full of air and a couple inches bigger. Was reminded of this lying in the gravel on the shoulder of the Ohio Turnpike a couple of years ago wondering why the spare wouldn't fit. Finally got it on after exhausting every curse word I could remember.

-- Chuck

[TowPro]

Check out the white wagon wheel rims. Last set I bought were like $25 each. Just get new tires mounded on new wheels if RV rims fit landscape trailer.

[Shoemakers8280]

That's a lot of work for no reason... I just had all four tires replaced on my 5er... took it to the local tire shop and they had all four hanged and balanced in under an hour... they did all the work...

[djglover7]

Originally Posted by Shoemakers8280

That's a lot of work for no reason... I just had all four tires replaced on my 5er... took it to the local tire shop and they had all four hanged and balanced in under an hour... they did all the work...

Time vs money.



I tell my DW that even if I had the money (for someone else to do it), some skills are necessary. On the side of a road, you better be able to change a tire.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by babock

You don't want to do it this way. You will bend the frame on many trailers especially a lite trailer. Its the same reason you don't use the stabilizers to lift the trailer.

Well I gotta disagree.
I support my 29' Ultra lite by placing two HD jack stands directly behind the rear axle on the frame. With the tongue jack raised I can easily get all 4 wheels off the ground for Tire, Brake, Bearing service.
This is NOT the same as using the corner stabilizer jacks to lift the trailer!
While my front stabilizer jacks will indeed lift the front of the trailer I do not use them for that.
The rear stabilizer jacks would NOT stand the strain of lifting the rear!!

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Well I gotta disagree.
I support my 29' Ultra lite by placing two HD jack stands directly behind the rear axle on the frame. With the tongue jack raised I can easily get all 4 wheels off the ground for Tire, Brake, Bearing service.
This is NOT the same as using the corner stabilizer jacks to lift the trailer!
While my front stabilizer jacks will indeed lift the front of the trailer I do not use them for that.
The rear stabilizer jacks would NOT stand the strain of lifting the rear!!

Do you first lower the tongue jack before placing the jack stands directly behind the rear spring bracket, then raise the tongue? Like a teeter totter on the jack stands.

[KyDan]

I start with my trailer more or less level.
I jack one side at a time using a roll around floor jack placed between the axles on the center spring mount.
Once it's airborne on that side I put a jack stand as close behind the rear axle as possible and lower the floor jack.
Same on the 2nd side.
Once both sides tires are up I might raise the tongue a few inches.
Finally I lower all 4 corner jacks until they are firm just to get a little more stability.
I'm afraid I might not get the tires completely clear of the ground if I used the teeter totter method but I suppose it could work.
Since I have a floor jack up to the task, I use it for the heavy lifting.

[babock]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Well I gotta disagree.
I support my 29' Ultra lite by placing two HD jack stands directly behind the rear axle on the frame. With the tongue jack raised I can easily get all 4 wheels off the ground for Tire, Brake, Bearing service.
This is NOT the same as using the corner stabilizer jacks to lift the trailer!
While my front stabilizer jacks will indeed lift the front of the trailer I do not use them for that.
The rear stabilizer jacks would NOT stand the strain of lifting the rear!!

The poster said he was putting jacks under the frame at the rear of the TT. Way different than putting them directly behind the rear axle.

Originally Posted by ConWood Farms

What they did is remove the trailer from the TV. Then they lowered the tongue way down, put two jack stands under the rear of the TT at the frame, then raised the tongue. By raising the front, the rear of the TT dropped onto those jack stands and the entire TT was lifted off of the ground.

[flag19fd]

Placing the jack stands by the axle is the same as lifting your tongue weight. Placing the jack stands at the rear of the trailer is lifting the weight of the whole trailer. Most tongue jacks are not designed to lift that much weight.

[Chuck_S]

Probably more correct to write:

Placing the jack stands by the axle is the same as lifting your axle weight. Placing the jack stands at the rear of the trailer is lifting the weight of the half the weight of the whole trailer (the other half is supported by the tongue or tongue jack.) Most tongue jacks are not designed to lift that much weight.

[flag19fd]

I was referring to the weight lifted by the tongue jack, not the jack stands.

[DavidBo]

This thread has some good info. My solution is post #8, might be worth a look:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ay-177409.html

[babock]

Originally Posted by flag19fd

I was referring to the weight lifted by the tongue jack, not the jack stands.

What did you mean by this?

Originally Posted by flag19fd

Placing the jack stands by the axle is the same as lifting your tongue weight.

[Hclarkx]

Originally Posted by Theo

Our Roo has twin Dexter Torflex axles. I assume the safest way to lift one side of the trailer would be to use a bottle/floor jack on the frame between the axles while connected to the TV? please correct me if I'm wrong!

TIA

This is what I do ..... with the 5er pin solidly locked into the tow vehicle hitch. The 5er came with 85% of the weight on the wheels. Hence lifting between the axles can't do any harm. In fact, in my case, there is a five foot long 3" x 6" rectangular tube welded to the frame just above the axle saddles (the axle saddles bolt to it). As such that area is reinforced and clearly designed to carry 42.5% of the 5er weight.

[flag19fd]

The point I am trying to make is lifting the trailer tongue with the tongue jack and the wheels on the ground, (or jack stands by the axle) is a lot less weight then placing jack stands at the back of the trailer and lifting the tongue (to replace tires) using the tongue jack. Personally I would not advise changing tire using this method to change tires as suggested by others.

[babock]

Originally Posted by flag19fd

The point I am trying to make is lifting the trailer tongue with the tongue jack and the wheels on the ground, (or jack stands by the axle) is a lot less weight then placing jack stands at the back of the trailer and lifting the tongue (to replace tires) using the tongue jack. Personally I would not advise changing tire using this method to change tires as suggested by others.

Totally agree. Just didn't understand what you were saying.