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Old 10-06-2011, 10:51 PM   #21
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my head hurts........
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Old 10-06-2011, 11:21 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coops1 View Post
Wouldn't it be easier (with torsion axles) to just drive the good wheel up onto blocks, we all carry them?
When getting onto the local ferry the ramp approach is at quite an angle. Watching in my mirror close so as not to drag the sewage pipe I noticed the rear wheel off the ground. The torsion wheels don't 'walk' like trailers with leaf springs do. I too immediately thought what a good way to change a tire!

The torsion axle is a triangle with the apex at the bottom so you are trying to jack on a pointed edge. Not a good idea with safety in mind. The frame work along the edges where the wheel spindle enters the axle is to thin to jack on. Don't ask how I know.
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Old 10-07-2011, 06:43 AM   #23
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Coops said "Isn't this already happening when you have a flat? or is it riding equally on the good tire and flat tire/rim? My guess is the one axle is carrying most of the load."
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Of course you are correct. My point was I don't want to do it on purpose.
I am left to wonder why almost everyone refuses to use the proper method of jacking on the frame, opting for anything that is 'easy'. I have learned over the years that taking shortcuts usually ends up creating problems. I guess those who refuse to listen to experience will learn the hard way.
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:11 AM   #24
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For those of you that are jacking on the frame, do you have the enclosed underbelly? I went to the storage lot last night and looked under my trailer. The material for the underbelly covers most of the bottom of the frame. There is only about 1 inch towards the outside of the frame that is not covered. If I were to put the jack on the frame, I'm afraid it would damage the underbelly. The only place I see that I could easly jack the trailer is on the axle, right next to the wheel. Is anyone else jacking at this point? If I put a peice of wood on the axle and jacked up the tire just enough to get the wheel off, I don't see how I could really be damaging the axle. If the axle is that fragle, that's kind of scary!

That being said, I don't want to damage anything and always try to do things the right way. I just don't see any other way on my trailer.
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:30 AM   #25
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Metalgator. Read my post s. 3 7 9 11
I also cannot jack on frame skirting issue.
I've been doing it for years .........
an owners manual or instructions sheet is just another mans opinion.
Besides that I see posts all the time on here of people complaining about how light weight and cheap there frames are stating they bend and crack but yet they jack on them? I've not seen a post that I can remember of someone complaining of how cheap and light weight there axles were.
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Old 10-07-2011, 08:06 AM   #26
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Metalgator, if you axles are attached directly to the camper frame, then you probably do not have any alternative. Your idea of using a block of wood to protect the axle tube is a good one.
I guess there is a lot of confusion here, as some have spring suspension and there was never any worry about jacking on them. What we are talking about is the torsion axles, so the comments from people with springs should be ignored. And some campers, like mine, have a sub-frame assembly that the axles are monuted on, then that subframe is welded to the camper frame. I am jacking on that subframe, and not directly on the camper frame. As f1100 said, jacking on that lightweight I-beam would probably not be advisable either. If it had to be done, I would want to use a long support of some kind to spread the load out.

So I guess the bottom line is that, if you have torsion axles, and if those axles are welded directly to the camper frame, then it would probably be advisable to jack under the very end of the tube, maybe using a block of wood to try and spread the load along the tube at least a little bit. I think one worry is that someone would just put a bottle jack under the tube, and with such a concentrated load, would put a dent in the tube right where the rubber inserts are trying to do their job, and also possibly bending the tube. Spreading the load is key to avoiding damage.
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Old 10-07-2011, 09:27 AM   #27
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I agree with crocus. Even though I have leafs on my new unit my old one was torsion.
I firmly agree with wood blocking I guess I thought most if not all people use wood for load spread.
I shouldn't assume.
Maybe we should jack on the marker lights?
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Old 10-07-2011, 12:35 PM   #28
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Three weeks ago we had a blowout on the right front tire of our TT about seven miles West of Las Cruces, NM. on I-10. The one thing I wanted to do was change that tire as quickly as possible and get off the freeway. Basically I just backed the rear wheel up on a block and was able to do a quick tire change. I do not believe that any undo stress was applied to the axel. At a tire shop in Las Cruces I had them place the jack between the tires and jack on the frame. Prior to this I had to have the axles straightened in Portland, OR due to severe tire wear caused by the axles being misaligned (factory issue). This was done at a frame shop that specializes in RVs and recommended by the local Forest River dealer. The frame shop placed their jacks on the axle just behind the torsion bar. So I have pretty much seen all of the methods discussed in this thread used on my TT and in my opinion all will do the job. Bottom line is don’t place anything on the axle tube beyond the area just behind the torsion bar or the thin tube will be damaged.
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Old 10-07-2011, 04:45 PM   #29
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Ummm....can anyone take a picture of the axle/torsion bar and perhaps label it, so us 'mechanically challenged' people know the proper spot?

It would really be greatly appreciated!!!
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Old 10-07-2011, 05:42 PM   #30
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This thread jinxed me!! I got to where I keep our camper to do the screen door/Lexan mod (pics later) and lo and behold I have a flat tire!! Well since I hadn't read this whole thread and with the underbelly cover there is little of the frame exposed I did this.

Well, pass or fail?

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Old 10-07-2011, 06:02 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frankm View Post
This thread jinxed me!! I got to where I keep our camper to do the screen door/Lexan mod (pics later) and lo and behold I have a flat tire!! Well since I hadn't read this whole thread and with the underbelly cover there is little of the frame exposed I did this.

Well, pass or fail?

Attachment 8400

Attachment 8401
PASS (IMO)
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Old 10-07-2011, 08:20 PM   #32
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I have always jacked on the frame right behind the rear tire with at least a foot long 2x4 to distribute the weight. This spring I jacked it up using my usual method and for safety sake set a jack stand behind the 2X4. While I was in the house my son decided he needed the jack a lot worse than I did and I found my poor Flagstaff hanging in the air with only the jack stand holding it up, well behind the tire. No damage at all though, I guess the frames on our ultralights are more robust than we think.
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