Jacking Up Trailer with Harbor Freight Bandlands Off Road Jack - is it possible?

[RV Tailors]

Ok, I popped $350+ for the pretty good rated Badlands Off Road Jack from HF. https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-off-road-jack-59136.html

I jack up our Imagine 2500RL tires individually for various reasons - spinning wheel to grease, change tires (one at a time and I'm due for a new set).

I've been using a 3 ton bottle jack (I think the trailer is 8000) and I dislike reaching way under there (80 yo) and wrestling with the handle to get the thing off the ground. It is a chore.

So, DW says get this jack and it can make it easier for an old art.

I looked at it assembled in the store and thought COOL! Big rubber wheels designed for off road. I can wheel that thing on the rocks and under the trailer.

I have 2" stone base where I store the trailer and the jacks with metal wheels will not work. A little one with a short handle would but I would need concrete under it.

BUT, I lugged that 70# monster off of the back of our truck and put it in the barn to put together. I looked at the picture.

I don't think it will work so I didn't open the packaging. It has a long handle, will certainly lift one wheel at a time, but the angle to reach the U-bolts, right behind the tire, looks to me to be impossible,

I have other things I can use it for on the ranch - lift Kubota tractor, mule (not the hay burner kind), etc.

What do you think? I will take it back if it won't work so I don't want to open the box and put it together.

Would a bigger bottle jack be easier? Would the off-road jack actually work? Is there another kind of jack that would work better?

You know what? I think Discount Tire used this kind of jack when they put metal valves on my wheels. I assume they would have put it on the U-bolts and not the axle tube.

Thanks - John

 

[ocbizman1]

In my experience everything from Harbor Freight works great.... once. Save the receipt!

 

[RV Tailors]

Been there. Thanks

 

[jim_de_hunter]

I use this to jack my TT:

 

[trailrydr]

Ok, I popped $350+ for the pretty good rated Badlands Off Road Jack from HF. https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-off-road-jack-59136.html

I jack up our Imagine 2500RL tires individually for various reasons - spinning wheel to grease, change tires (one at a time and I'm due for a new set).

I've been using a 3 ton bottle jack (I think the trailer is 8000) and I dislike reaching way under there (80 yo) and wrestling with the handle to get the thing off the ground. It is a chore.

So, DW says get this jack and it can make it easier for an old art.

I looked at it assembled in the store and thought COOL! Big rubber wheels designed for off road. I can wheel that thing on the rocks and under the trailer.

I have 2" stone base where I store the trailer and the jacks with metal wheels will not work. A little one with a short handle would but I would need concrete under it.

BUT, I lugged that 70# monster off of the back of our truck and put it in the barn to put together. I looked at the picture.

I don't think it will work so I didn't open the packaging. It has a long handle, will certainly lift one wheel at a time, but the angle to reach the U-bolts, right behind the tire, looks to me to be impossible,

I have other things I can use it for on the ranch - lift Kubota tractor, mule (not the hay burner kind), etc.

What do you think? I will take it back if it won't work so I don't want to open the box and put it together.

Would a bigger bottle jack be easier? Would the off-road jack actually work? Is there another kind of jack that would work better?

You know what? I think Discount Tire used this kind of jack when they put metal valves on my wheels. I assume they would have put it on the U-bolts and not the axle tube.

Thanks - John

Should work well. Be sure to bleed the air out properly before using it ocassionaly. Is the jacked height tall enough to raise your tires off the ground?

Yes, on the jack point recommendation.... to use the center shackle point between the axles to raise tube/leaf spring suspension. Some have done it under the leaf ubolts on axles with sucess. But GD and Lippert dont recommend.

BTW, if you get tired of hauling a heavy floor jack around, they do make some lighter tall 4 ton bottle jacks that could be stored easier and work well too. I use the following for both my truck and RV, and store both under my trucks rear seat.:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Z37T521/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QEKHHM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I got a dual ram telescoping bottle jack to use. Takes up a lot less space than a floor jack, and will fit under the axle U-bolts even when the tire is flat. And that is something that should be checked. The 8-ton jack I have has a collapsed height of 6 3/4" and will raise to almost 17". It works very well.

 

[traveldawg]

I have this one. But I have a concrete floor and don't have to drag it across rocks. If I had to use it on gravel I would just use a piece of 2' x 12" or something similar.

The handle is short, it isn't nearly as large as a full size garage floor jack, it is plenty stout, and the angle of the handle is low and just needs short strokes.

 

[huntindog]

You know what? I think Discount Tire used this kind of jack when they put metal valves on my wheels. I assume they would have put it on the U-bolts and not the axle tube.

Thanks - John

Never assume!!
I have always watched them do it and had to stop them from putting the jack in the center of the axle everytime.

 

[huntindog]

Should work well. Be sure to bleed the air out properly before using it ocassionaly. Is the jacked height tall enough to raise your tires off the ground?

Yes, on the jack point recommendation.... to use the center shackle point between the axles to raise tube/leaf spring suspension. Some have done it under the leaf ubolts on axles with sucess. But GD and Lippert dont recommend.

BTW, if you get tired of hauling a heavy floor jack around, they do make some lighter tall 4 ton bottle jacks that could be stored easier and work well too. I use the following for both my truck and RV, and store both under my trucks rear seat.:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Z37T521/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QEKHHM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

How exactly do you use the center shackle as a jacking point?
That is where the equalizer is. IOW, there is not a solid place to lift there.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I'm not sure how you would use any floor jack and have room to pump the handle up and down. If you have the jack in the right position under the u-bolt plate, isn't the jack completely under the trailer compromising handle space?

 

[trailrydr]

How exactly do you use the center shackle as a jacking point?
That is where the equalizer is. IOW, there is not a solid place to lift there.

Thats where I do it, under the equilizer which is BTW connected to the center suspension bracket attached to the frame.

 

[huntindog]

Thats where I do it, under the equilizer which is BTW connected to the center suspension bracket attached to the frame.

I would never use that as a jacking point.
The equalizer can move while one is working on the trailer. It can be very dangerous.

 

[huntindog]

I'm not sure how you would use any floor jack and have room to pump the handle up and down. If you have the jack in the right position under the u-bolt plate, isn't the jack completely under the trailer compromising handle space?

You are correct. That is why the Discount tire guys always want to do it wrong. I bet this accounts for a lot of the bent axles we read about.
Some floor jacks (mine) have a two piece handle that can be taken apart by pushing a button...But even then it is hard to get it under the ubolt area. Much easier to use a bottle jack.

 

[trailrydr]

I would never use that as a jacking point.
The equalizer can move while one is working on the trailer. It can be very dangerous.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree . It isnt going anywhere with the front jacks down or hooked to my truck with the other side tires blocked. I also use a 6" jack cradle puck in my floor jack to spread the weight - but even without it, it still wont go any where with how I do it.

 

[llr2800]

Since this seems to be more for maintenance you could use one of the air operated bottle jacks. Still need to get under to position it but then a very easy lift

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Since this seems to be more for maintenance you could use one of the air operated bottle jacks. Still need to get under to position it but then a very easy lift

Those air operated bottle jacks tend to be pretty tall. Make sure it will fit under the jacking point when the tire is flat. That is a poor time to find out it's too tall.

 

[huntindog]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree . It isnt going anywhere with the front jacks down or hooked to my truck with the other side tires blocked. I also use a 6" jack cradle puck in my floor jack to spread the weight - but even without it, it still wont go any where with how I do it.

I spent many years as a Safety Coordinator for my former employer of 41 years. I was responsible for all things related to Safety. One of the things that was the hardest was trying to get a long term employee that was in the habit of doing something in an unsafe manner to change his/her ways. Just because they haven't been hurt doing it yet, does not mean they never will. Indeed , our statistics proved that the more it is done wrong successfully the more complacent they get, and eventually it bites them.

I would advise against the procedure you are doing. IMO it is sketchy at best.
Accidents can change lives. Yours and those around you. Don't be another statistic.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I would be a bit leery of jacking it up on the equalizer. Maybe not so much if the front and rear jacks are down but I think I'd rather get down and place a bottle jack under the axle plate.

 

[trailrydr]

I spent many years as a Safety Coordinator for my former employer of 41 years. I was responsible for all things related to Safety. One of the things that was the hardest was trying to get a long term employee that was in the habit of doing something in an unsafe manner to change his/her ways. Just because they haven't been hurt doing it yet, does not mean they never will. Indeed , our statistics proved that the more it is done wrong successfully the more complacent they get, and eventually it bites them.

I would advise against the procedure you are doing. IMO it is sketchy at best.
Accidents can change lives. Yours and those around you. Don't be another statistic.

If thats case, maybe no jacking should ever be done. Anytime a heavy vehicle is lifted off the ground its a safety hazard no matter who is doing it or how. No need to cover them all...but, lots failure points all around IMO.

Just doing anything on the side of a busy road ought to scare any safety inspector....

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Thats where I do it, under the equilizer which is BTW connected to the center suspension bracket attached to the frame.

I can't imagine jacking under one of the equalizers, but I have the EZ-Flex, and it would be pretty foolish to do so. Especially when there are much more suitable places to use.