Jack ?

[Weatherj]

Where do you place a bottle jack on the torsion axle,on the axle itself or on the piece of metal that bolts the axle to the frame?

[Twisty]

I jacked mine on the frame rail.
It saves having to reach behind a tire to place/remove the jack.
I would not jack on the axle tube or any of the mounting hardware.

[Weatherj]

Thanks Twisty. Say its a rear tire I need to remove, if you are notplacing the jack behind the tire but on the frame how far are you coming out with the jack? I was going by the old rule of placing the jack under the axle.

[Twisty]

You're welcome, friend.
I put the jack in front of the front tire even when working on the rear tire.
Both get lifted.

[jim44646]

Axle tubes are hollow and very thin. Jacking under axle will bend an axle

[DDC]

Why use a jack this is so much easier. Camco® Trailer Aid Plus look it up on amazon.

[Twisty]

^I see your point.^
A jack can be used on the TV too

[SaskCampers]

I carry a 20 ton bottle jack (yes it is overkill but they have other uses when you live on an acerage) and put a piece of 2x2 on the frame rail between the tires then put the jack up against that. The 20 ton jack makes easy work of lifting the entire side up which is nice when you do wheel bearing service as well. And yes the trailer frame is sat on blocks when doing that last thing. You can get the idea from the pic.

[Weatherj]

Now thats how to do it Sasks. I may need a bigger jack.mine is only a 2 ton.

[Weatherj]

Was able to jack 1 side of trailer today by jacking on the frame about a foot rear of rear tire,lifted both tires enough to slide pads under tires to level out. Used my 2 ton jack and some 4x4s,don,t think I would removed tires unless it had jackstands under frame. Now know to always carry jack for those dreded tire changes.

[Whisky]

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DON'T place any jack under your axle ! (I carry a bottle jack & a small scissors jack).....Bill

[bakken]

Originally Posted by TheSasks

I carry a 20 ton bottle jack (yes it is overkill but they have other uses when you live on an acerage) and put a piece of 2x2 on the frame rail between the tires then put the jack up against that.

That is what we do as well, although I use a 2x2 inch steel tube to distribute the weight along the frame.
Our fifth has a subframe that the axles are mounted to, then that assembly is welded under the camper frame. I am not sure if all campers with torsion axles have a subframe, but jacking on that subframe distributes the jacking force nicely along the main frame.
As our camper has a very light main frame, I would never jack directly on that, especially not without some kind of heavy bar to distribute the force. It would be very easy to bend the frame trying to lift the whole side of the camper on the head of a hydraulic jack. That would be a very undesirable result.

[pdchristensen]

Originally Posted by jim44646

Axle tubes are hollow and very thin. Jacking under axle will bend an axle

I recently contacted Dexter Axle manufacturers to clarify the whole issue on whether or not it is okay to jack on the "torsion axle". They advised it was okay as long as jack is place under axle where it meets the frame of the travel trailer. I can dig up the email correspondence I had with their technical department.

[Whisky]

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why take a chance ? - jack the frame.....Bill

[pdchristensen]

Originally Posted by Whisky

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why take a chance ? - jack the frame.....Bill

If I had the option, I would probably jack the frame as well. It was easier for me to jack by the axle on my unit. However I was always scepticle that there should be an issue if the axle is in fact jacked where it meets the frame. That is why I contacted Dexter direct and they assured me that it would be okay as long as I was aligned with the frame above the axle. I would agree with you that in the case where it is more practicle, one should jack by the frame. Just wanted to clarify that jacking by the axle is not necessarily a "complete NO. NO"

[DDC]

What frame! all thats there are three pieces of thin steel creating a lamination that is lite but not particularly strong, there is also the fact that it will twist if you lift it with a jack, the way pdchristensen describes how to use a jack makes sense as that is where the weight is set.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by DDC

What frame! all thats there are three pieces of thin steel creating a lamination that is lite but not particularly strong, there is also the fact that it will twist if you lift it with a jack, the way pdchristensen describes how to use a jack makes sense as that is where the weight is set.

The trouble with the torsion axles is that even if you jack on the axle flange, where it mounts to the camper frame, you still have to lift all of the weight on that side of the camper. Unlike leaf spring suspension, as you jack up the camper, the tire stays on the ground until all of the load on the rubber "spring" is released.
Does your Surveyor have torsion axles?