Lifting a trailer

[Tim2542]

Lift from the U bolts, not the tube.

[terryriddle]

Over the past 40+ years of RVing....I carry 6x6 blocks of wood and a heavy-duty bottle jack so I can always lift on the frame. I have seen shops lift on the U bolt on the axle, but that can be hard to get a large floor jack under. Only once when I was getting all four tires changed out, the shop used a forklift and put the RV on large blocks on each corner of the frame. Try to always lift on the frame if possible.

[BobKilmer]

Well, I'll be the first to say it. I use the hydraulic jacks to lift the trailer. If I'm taking off both tires, I'll back it up with a jack stand, but I can't see how any jack on the planet is safer than the hydraulic system that can easily lift the entire trailer and also is designed to keep it lifted indefinitely. I stopped even carrying a jack big enough for the trailer, can't imagine a reason I'd need to pull both tires at the same time on the road, so just use the hydro, lift up that side, pull one tire, replace it, keep going. I did my ComfortRide install that way too (although, as mentioned, I did use a jack stand that time because I was home and had them right there).

I am with Overtaxed on this - I use the hydraulic jacks to lift the trailer. I did the same as he did, used it to lift the trailer during my ComfortRide install, and only used the jack stands as a backup because I was home. As he noted the jacks are designed to lift the trailer and keep it in place, so I feel it is the best way to lift for any amount of time. I know it is not recommended, but I am sure that is for liability reasons, not any technical reason.

On my 381M I can actuate the jacks individually from my smartphone. No worrying about jack points and I am safely away from the trailer in case something goes wrong. It is safe and easy to do.

[Redapple63]

Please keep in mind not all rigs have leveling jacks. My rig has lippert stabilizer jacks that I would never trust my life with.

Good solid hydraulic jack with jack stands.

[dryfly]

Seems that using a section of angle iron to contact both ubolts would serve the same purpose and is simpler than fabbing a saddle to match the diameter of the axle and fit between the ubolts.


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That's what I did. A piece of 2" angle iron about 5" long. This was welded to a small piece of 1 1/2" pipe that fits over my bottle jack.

My concern with using the hydraulic leveling jacks would be the slim chance of a hose rupture. As long as jack stands are used as a backup no concern. The electric leveling system may be safer.

[Hicks3456]

I contacted Grand Design and the correct jack points are on the I Beam just before or after where the springs are attached. That said your jack must be pretty high or you have to elevate the jack.

[Hoopy Frood]

Personally I would rather jack on the U-bolts than risk tweaking the frame by jacking at one spot on the frame and putting a huge strain at one point. JMO of course.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I'm with the Hoop. With my way of thinking, I'll be jacking at the u-bolts. The frames themselves aren't super strong either....and by lifting at the ubolts, the frame is seeing the same kind of stress that it normally endures. Or supposed to be able to endure. lol.

[Wileykid]

That's what I did. A piece of 2" angle iron about 5" long. This was welded to a small piece of 1 1/2" pipe that fits over my bottle jack.

My concern with using the hydraulic leveling jacks would be the slim chance of a hose rupture. As long as jack stands are used as a backup no concern. The electric leveling system may be safer.

The electric leveling on my trailer has lifted one side of my trailer off the ground once, but that resulted in a bunch of error codes. The system doesn't like lifting the tires off the ground.

I use a 4x4 on top of a jack at the u-bolt location.

[stroguy]

Personally I would rather jack on the U-bolts than risk tweaking the frame by jacking at one spot on the frame and putting a huge strain at one point. JMO of course.

When I did the CRE3000 I did the frame one side at the furthest corners until the closest tire was off the ground then jackstand. Then to the other farthest corner to get the adjoining tire off the ground and then jackstand. Frame looked pretty robust to handle the divided coach weight.

When I needed to take a tire off for a slow leak, I used these I Beams in front of the shackle. No concern there either. They look beefy as well.

I also would have no concern at the U Bolt either to get a single tire off the ground.