Where to place the jack?

[Pilgrim49]

I have to change a tire on my Lacrosse RES3219 38' travel trailer. I'm not exactly sure where to place the jack. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Rick

[Pilgrim49]

Hi all. I need to change a tire on the rear axle of my Lacrosse RES3217 (19?) 38' travel trailer. Any thoughts on where to place the jack so I don't damage anything?
Thanks
Rick

[grumpyer]

On the frame...close to tire make sure other tires are chocked

[larry2c]

Not familiar with your TT model and didn't find much on the Google search. Does it have leaf spring suspension? If so, you should be able to place the jack under the spring mount pad on the axel. If it has torsion type suspension I don't believe you can put a jack under the axel without damaging it.

[Pilgrim49]

Thank you. I do have leaf springs.

[Pilgrim49]

Thank you sir.
Rick

[grumpyer]

Originally Posted by larry2c

Not familiar with your TT model and didn't find much on the Google search. Does it have leaf spring suspension? If so, you should be able to place the jack under the spring mount pad on the axel. If it has torsion type suspension I don't believe you can put a jack under the axel without damaging it.

Not good to put under mount pad. I was always told to go right to frame. Frame can support the weight

[larry2c]

grumpyer - I was told by an RV service guy to go under the spring mount pad (but they can give bad advice too I guess). Since the weight of the trailer is already on that point of the axle, seems hard to imagine it causing any issues (again, on a "sprung axle").

[TitanMike]

If you have a spring type suspension (not torsion axles), and your jack is short enough, it's OK to jack up right under the springs on the axle. It's a good idea to put a short piece of 2X4 on top of the jack too to keep jack head from slipping. Be sure you are right under the spring, nowhere else on the axle.

Torsion type axles are "jack on frame" only.

[Jakieboy]

Sadly, I have had many, many times when I needed to change a tire on our TT. China Bombs blew out on a regular basis on our cross country trip in 2010. I used a bottle jack directly under the leaf spring attachment point (U-Bolts) to raise the affected wheel/tire for replacement. I always place a short length of 2" x 4" wood block between the jack and spring mount.

Several members have also used leveling blocks on the other axle on the same side of the trailer, and pulled the TT's good tire up onto blocks allowing sufficient rise of the flat tire to replace. I sometimes wish I had thought of that.

[Filterman]

Originally Posted by larry2c

Not familiar with your TT model and didn't find much on the Google search. Does it have leaf spring suspension? If so, you should be able to place the jack under the spring mount pad on the axel. If it has torsion type suspension I don't believe you can put a jack under the axel without damaging it.

Exactly. As long as you have leaf springs, Jack right under the UBolt on the spring . Been doing it for 40 years.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by grumpyer

On the frame...close to tire make sure other tires are chocked

Seems like you could hitch to the tow vehicle and set its brake instead of chocking. Any reason why this wouldn't work?

[grumpyer]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Seems like you could hitch to the tow vehicle and set its brake instead of chocking. Any reason why this wouldn't work?

Why? makes for more work Just pull your breakaway out.

[The Evil Twin]

Right under the spring pad every time.

[chaps2018]

The manuals for every trailer we have ever had (all sprung axles) state to jack where the spring mounts to the frame. (See pic)

Over the years I have read posters that indicate this is a CYA to protect the axle mfgrs. I get it.

I always abide by that guidance. With a 5er it got increasingly difficult due to the jack point being so high off the ground. I settled on using the method where you lift the good wheel then it takes on l a few pumps on a bottle jack to raise the bad wheel. That works for me.

So when I go to the tire shop (yep, I did the same china bomb tour described above) to get new tires they bring out 4 floor jacks and proceed to jack at the u-bolt under the axle. When I protest and show them the manual (some have required that I show it to them) they simply say can’t help you. So I end up using my tools and jack one side at a time. BTW, I use Discount Tire.

I suspect most jack under the u-bolt and if this was a problem then everyone would be having abnormal tire wear due to bent axles. Seems that I have to (not want to) change tires more often than most folks anyway so I have come around to the. Idea that jacking under the u-bolt is probably the best thing to do...for tire changes anyway. I still jack at the frame w/cribbing when working under the rig. The lynx blocks in the pic work fine when on concrete. I use cribbing for unstable gravel surfaces ie, like my storage area.

[chaps2018]

Originally Posted by grumpyer

Why? makes for more work Just pull your breakaway out.

In my experience, the breakaway switch provides full battery power to the brakes. It works great in an emergency but if you leave it engaged it melts the switch. Don’t ask how I know.