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Thread: Jack points

  1. #11
    Long Hauler
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    You will find that the rating of those jacks doesn't really tell you how they will lift the load. The 6-ton should lift the whole trailer, but you'll be hard pressed to lift a flat tire off the ground with it. I have a 12 ton that takes effort to jack up the tire. I just bought an 8-ton double ram jack that is only 6.5 inches tall but will lift up to almost 17 inches. It will fit under the axle of a flat tire at the spring perches, but will raise the tire enough to get the tire off easily. It doesn't jack easily, but it gets the job done.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

  2. #12
    Setting Up Camp
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    if possible , pull forward up onto a couple leveling blocks on the full tire to give yourself that little bit of height on the flat one. i have a few 2x6s we use for that.

  3. #13
    New Member
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    To install the MORryde wet bolt kit and the All Trek 4000, I'm about to lift one side of my Momentum 21G with 2 floor jacks under the 2 axle & leafspring U-bolts. After wheel chocking the unlifted side, I guess I'm just leaving the tongue jack on the wood block that I usually use. Or should I dock it to my Ford F150?

    While swapping out the old tandem equalizer, I'm thinking of supporting the frame of the lifted side with jack stands on the rectangular steel tubing that's attached to the stabilizing scissor jacks. I figure that extra steel would distribute the support along the frame. I put a red arrow on that rectangular tubing in the picture below.

    Alternatively, I can find more scrap wood to put under the jack stands and go directly to the frame. I'm avoiding any part of the frame that has chloroplast (sp?) next to it, since I've never taken the chloroplast off to see what tanks might be crushed with the jackstands. I'm not sure if this wide (stabilizer jack corners) spacing isn't ideal for the frame of the toyhauler (isn't it usually stressed the other direction?).

    Any advice?

    Thanks,
    Larry
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails RearUtilitySideCorner.jpg   FrontPassengerSideCorner.jpg  

  4. #14
    Long Hauler
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    If it were me, I'd support the trailer by putting stands, or blocking, directly under the frame at two points in front and behind the wheels. And I would use some lengths of wood to spread the weight so it isn't concentrated in one point on the frame. I don't think I'd use the corner area to support the full weight of the trailer. I wouldn't feel comfortable. But that's just me. As far as the tongue jack, if the trailer is level and chocked well, I wouldn't worry about hooking it to the truck.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoopy Frood View Post
    If it were me, I'd support the trailer by putting stands, or blocking, directly under the frame at two points in front and behind the wheels. And I would use some lengths of wood to spread the weight so it isn't concentrated in one point on the frame. I don't think I'd use the corner area to support the full weight of the trailer. I wouldn't feel comfortable. But that's just me. As far as the tongue jack, if the trailer is level and chocked well, I wouldn't worry about hooking it to the truck.
    [I'm sure you have a lot more knowledge about this than me, but I ask too many questions because I like understanding why I'm doing things. Thank you for entertaining my questions!]

    Why wouldn't you feel comfortable about supporting 25% (or less if the tongue jack is still taking 10%) of the weight of the trailer near (actually inside of) the corners of the trailer? The tongue on the front of the frame surely has to manage a huge percentage for safety while moving (uh oh, I'm trying to use an incompetent intuition). This is a toyhauler afterall that's supposed to manage a toy driving up the rear about 40% heavier than the dry empty weight. Is the frame actually differently sized at the corners than near the wheels? I haven't taken the chloroplasts off to see the actual steel framing....

    Actually, do I need to adjust the tongue jack as I jack up one side of the tandem axles? Should I be trying to keep the frame parallel to the ground? I imagine the rear corner will rise faster than the front corner of the lifted side, if I don't raise the tongue jack to reduce that difference. But maybe the answer is that the trailer will lift off the tongue jack when I lower the lifts at the axles, and the trailer settles on the jack stands....

    Is there anyone that has video'd this operation on their travel trailer? I'd rather not make the video that becomes the "what not to do" video....

    Should I take off some chloroplast to put the jack stands under the frame in front and behind the wheels?

    Thanks everyone for the advice!

  6. #16
    Long Hauler
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    My main thought is that the manufacturers are very specific, usually, about not using the stabilizers to lift, or support, the weight of the trailer. Could be just a CYA, but easier not to push my luck. I would support the trailer by the frame near the tires because that is the area that supports the trailer most of the time when the tires are on the ground. And I don't care for the idea of the trailer supports being so far apart, i.e. tongue and rear stabilizer area. No basis in fact or example, just how I feel about it. You'll most likely be fine, so I certainly wouldn't worry about it.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

  7. #17
    Big Traveler
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoopy Frood View Post
    My main thought is that the manufacturers are very specific, usually, about not using the stabilizers to lift, or support, the weight of the trailer. Could be just a CYA, but easier not to push my luck. I would support the trailer by the frame near the tires because that is the area that supports the trailer most of the time when the tires are on the ground. And I don't care for the idea of the trailer supports being so far apart, i.e. tongue and rear stabilizer area. No basis in fact or example, just how I feel about it. You'll most likely be fine, so I certainly wouldn't worry about it.
    +1. We follow OEM recommendations if at all possible. However, now that we got IS.... gonna jack them wheels right under the spindle mount - which is alot easier and takes a shorter jack.
    Jim and Annette
    2019 Reflection 150 295RL
    US Army Veteran
    Missouri (AKA Misery)

  8. #18
    Rolling Along
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    As I understand it, the frame on a travel trailer isn't designed to have a lot of pressure on it except where the axles are. Raising the frame at a corner will cause a bow in the frame. It may not be a large one, but it can be enough to make doors not open or close properly.

    Years ago we had a 19' Heartland mpg travel trailer, similar to a r-Pod. One time, early in our ownership, I found that the trailer was almost level, but the right rear was a bit low, so I added another couple of turns to that stabilizer. The door was between the tires and the rear, so only a couple of feet from that stabilizer. Got it level, and the door wouldn't close. ???? Backed off of the stabilizer and the door worked properly.
    David Lininger, kb0zke
    Rev. 2:10c
    2022 Reflection 315RLTS, 2016 F350 CC SRW King Ranch
    https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/2022-315RLTS-Solar

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