Flat tire ramp

[JAXCMC]

Brand new owner of a 2018 Surveyor 200MBLE. I just updated from a 2008 Niagara pop up soooooo, I was looking at the flat tire ramps for when (hopefully not) a flat occurs. But I read that they do not work well with leaf spring type tandem wheels which the 200MBLE has. I don't see a really good place to put a bottle jack. Was just wondering what everyone uses. Thanks in advance

[SeaDog]

I carry a bottle jack. Something I thought about is if your trailer is at or near max weight and you have a tire going low so you run the good up on a ramp you have now subjected the good tire to an over weight condition. This is just my thinking may be right may be wrong in either case I will stick to the bottle jack and some boards.

[mmangiarelli]

Our TT had wide spread axles and leaf springs. We fabricated a ramp out PT 2x10s on edge to acheive clearance height needed for tire changing.

[clarkbre]

Check to see if your trailer has the Equa Flex Suspension as an option (Yellow leaf spring hanger between the tires). If so, you likely can't use a ramp as the suspension will have quite a bit of flex and not allow a tire to come off the ground.

Regardless, a bottle or scissor jack directly under the axle, close to the flat tire will be sufficient. For added protection, set the parking brake on the tow vehicle and potentially set up blocks and temporarily lower the stabilizer jacks on the flat tire's side.

Also, with safety in mind, get a high vis construction vest and warning devices for changing a tire. The side of a 60mph road is no place to find out what you really need.

[JAXCMC]

Thanks everyone!!!!

[windsurfdog]

Originally Posted by clarkbre

Regardless, a bottle or scissor jack directly under the axle, close to the flat tire will be sufficient.

Don't lift your trailer with any kind of jack under the axle. Use a bottle jack on the frame between the axles.

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by windsurfdog

Don't lift your trailer with any kind of jack under the axle. Use a bottle jack on the frame between the axles.

Just out of curiosity, why?

Doesn't the weight of the trailer ride on the axles?

Are they so fragile that they will crush if you jack right at the spring perch?

If you took it to a tire shop, where would they lift it from?

[mmangiarelli]

You run the risk of crushing the axle tube. You could try and fabricate a cradle to axle diameter.

[windsurfdog]

Originally Posted by clarkbre

Just out of curiosity but why?

Doesn't the weight of the trailer ride on the axles?

If you took it to a tire shop, where would they lift it from?

Yep, it does. But from a strength standpoint, using a jack which has a very small area of contact under an axle would pose more risk of damage to the axle than utilizing the frame which has little to no risk.

Any tire shop that is familiar with RV construction will know to not lift a trailer by the axle with a jack.

And actually, it is much easier to position a bottle jack between the axles on a frame member than positioning under an axle.

As always, your choice.

[SeaDog]

A tire company should know better then place a jack on the actual axle away from the spring attachment or in the case of torsion axle away from the solid attachment point. Jacking on the axle itself has a chance of bending it.