opiniones wanted on trailer jack

[Soundguy]

Ok.. so now I have my 24' gooseneck trailer. I'm assembling it's travel accessories. It's at this point I wonder what type of jack is best. In the past I've always used hi-lift style farm jacks around my place.. for tractors and my 16' bumperpull trailer.. etc.

RickB has been on me about getting a good 10 or 20 ton bottle jcak before I drop something heavy onmyself using the hi-lift. so I've been considering one.

opins here? it's got tires.. so I'm bound to get a flat.. so a jack will be needed.

hi lift or bottle?

thanks

soundguy

 

[tommu56]

As long as the side of the trailer can stand the jack rash the highlift is my choice.
I keep one in my truck
Very rarely will it run out of stroke.
you don't have to lay under something to lift it.

Now if you have to "lift" over 5 tons or so the bottle is the only way and a pile of cribbing.

tom

 

[Diamondpilot]

I keep a 12 ton bottle jack in all 3 of my trucks. I got them at Menards for around $16 dollars. They have a little case but will leak some so I line it with paper towels. Also takes out the rattles.

Chris

 

[mjonesnh]

I keep a 10 ton bottle jack in my 16 foot trailer tool box along with a few short pieces of 4x4 in case I need a little extra lift height.

 

[tractorsanmore]

A good bottle jack , jack stand and / or some blocks of oak or similar 4x4 , 6x6 is what I would use . Much safer and if sized right will lift most anything .

 

[Diamondpilot]

Good point on the wood. I keep pieces of 2x6 about 8" long in all my trucks for that need.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

I'm fond of my hi lift for the reason someone else mentioned.. hard to run out of height on them.

I think I will go ahead and grab a bottle jack as well though.. they are cheap enough.

Already got plenty of cribbing with me... and I usually carry at least one jack stand when i road trip anyway..

thanks for the ideas guys


soundguy

 

[BruceWard]

On my 20' bumper pull I added flip down stands on the back to keep the back from dropping down while loading and unloading. With the stands down at the back I can lift the entire trailer off of the ground with the jack on the tongue. I would not want to try it with a heavy load on the trailer. But it works well for maintenance and would work on the road if necessary. If a front tire were flat it would be easy to use the tongue jack to lift the front tires off of the ground without need for the rear stands.

 

[Skyco]

I carry a 20 ton bottle jack in my truck ever since the day I had my dump trailer loaded and picked up a nail in a tire. I stopped at a small town tire place and believe it or not they did not have a jack heavy enough to lift the trailer! Their air compressor would not go to 110 PSI to reinflate the tire fully either....

 

[schmism]

I picked up a small 6 ton bottle jack to put with mine. I also carry different size blocks (4x6x12 and 2x6x12, 5/4x6) with mine. with a highlift your likely to jack directly on the side of the trailer, so hight may be an issue. But i plan on useing my bottle jack under the axle which at most is about a foot off the ground. well within the range of a standard bottle jack even without any blocking. In addtion to jacking the axle itself i only have to move just a few inches as there is no spring/shackle/equalizer movement to deal with like you do when you jack the side of the trailer.


Either one would work, one may be a better choice than the other depending on conditions. if you have the room take both :thumbsup:

 

[Kaliburz]

Get a bottle jack and blocks of wood. Look for the lowest point on the trailer and then subtract the height of the tire (to simulate it being flat). That's the compressed height of the jack you will need.

Oh, get a folding shovel too... never know.

 

[Soundguy]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Here's where I'm at. I'll try to address all replies.

I picked up a 12 ton bottle jack and did a dry test on the trailer, with the assorted 2x6 and 4x4 cribbing I have, it worked fine.

My hi lift jack also worked fine.

I DO have the room to carry both, so will. I also picked up another 'spare' 14' chain. Plus a 3 ton comealong ( I love those.. just in case.. ). I already have a 4 ton electric winch. I carry a spare universal interstate battery with me on trips.. has side post and top posts.. will fit alot of trucks and tractors. My 'new to me' truck has plenty of toolbox space.. has 3 nice aluminum tool boxes in the bed.. one in the back near the 50g fuel tank in the bed, and 2 along the sides.

Got an assortment of hand tools.. usual stuff.. ratchets, pliers.. etc.. extra wire, terminal ends, and some spare marker lamps and such. both jacks fit fine.. picked up a couple extra ratchet straps now thaI have more deck length, plus a chain binder for my chain box. Picked up a dedicated 4 way lug wrench for the truck so i don't have to rob the one from the shop all the time now. I also carry a 15g air tank when tractor tripping.

welded up a step for my bumper reciever that is not used on that truck to make it easier to get into the bed.

I absolutely LOVE my 'the goose' gooseneck adapter that fits on 5th wheel rails. hasn't too expensive, has a lifetime warranty, and just like a 5th wheel adapter.. pull 4 pins and it comes out. has a free rotating ball that is replaceable by removing split rings and washers on the underside.

best of all.. that gooseneck pulls like a dream going down the road.. I already love it way better than my bumper pull. prodigy controlerl had no problems with it either. Finally got to road test the 4.88 rear end onthe interstate... to to about 73 she's about 2800 rpm. tached up pretty good.. but not too bad... keeps the exhaust temp up but the throttle is nice and responsive Yep.. I think I'm gonna like that truck and trailer together.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

almost forgot.

got the military folding shovel.. HAVE used it before !

soundguy

 

[QRTRHRS]

With a single axle trailer, in addition to the bottle jack, I carry one of those plastic ramp deals that lifts one axle while you drive/back on with the other. Real quick when your empty. With the dually, I just rely on the bottle jack.

FWIW, I never jack on the axle tube. Always heard that was a bad practice.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not that it matters but I always jack tandem trailers by placing the bottle jack under the equalizer. Works great.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

That's where I tested it.. it's a nice boxy piece.. easy to get to as well.

soundguy

 

[pitt_md]

Not that it matters but I always jack tandem trailers by placing the bottle jack under the equalizer. Works great.

Chris

I don't have a lot of experience with big equipment trailers but my tandom axel horse trailer does not need a jack. Just use some chunks of 2 X 8. One about 3' then 2' and 1'. pull or back the trailer so the good wheel is on the wood and your done.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I don't have a lot of experience with big equipment trailers but my tandom axel horse trailer does not need a jack. Just use some chunks of 2 X 8. One about 3' then 2' and 1'. pull or back the trailer so the good wheel is on the wood and your done.

That works but if the trailer is loaded near max you can damage the good tire or spindle from being overloaded.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

I had a buddy that crushed one of those composite ramps that you pull up on to change a tire! that ended my thoughts of getting one.

besides.. I think the combo of a bottle jack and my hi lift jack will be good.

I've needed that bottle jack for a while. as rickb points out.. I was likely going to get hurt one day using that hi lift for everything.

soundguy

 

[schmism]

I was likely going to get hurt one day using that hi lift for everything.

I had a buddy bust his jaw with one.... but thats a story for a different time....