I want to replace the tires on my car hauler trailer and it seemed difficult to jack up a wheel with an empty trailer sitting on flat pavement using a small hydraulic jack, I cannot imagine doing this task on the side of the road with a vehicle on the trailer with a flat tire. I put the jack directly under the axle and had just enough room to pump the jack handle under the trailer, so a flat tire situation would really be tough. Is there a good jack design for tandem axle trailers that sit low to the ground? My springs are bolted under the axle so the trailer bed sits low to the ground. I prefer jacking on the axle or the spring u-bolt plate so that the tire is lifted directly and not jacking the side of the trailer so high the tire lifts from the ground. I think I read somewhere, probably on this site, where you can drive the good tire up on a ramp or block when it is attached to the tow vehicle and that might lift the flat tire off the ground but I really don't remember if that is correct. What is your solution?
Jack method for tire changing, suggestions?
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KiotiKowboy
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I've had RV campers for years and every owners manual stated that you should never put the jack under the axle, it may bend it. I know a camper has a lot more weight sitting on the axles than your unloaded trailer, but if you're hauling, it may be a different story.
I also like to put the jack under the spring attachment between the wheels, every camper I've owned had enough spread between the tires to allow this. I carry an assortment of scrap 1x10s for leveling and they also come in handy to "ramp up" a tire high enough to get the jack under the hanger.
I also like to put the jack under the spring attachment between the wheels, every camper I've owned had enough spread between the tires to allow this. I carry an assortment of scrap 1x10s for leveling and they also come in handy to "ramp up" a tire high enough to get the jack under the hanger.
2ndhalf
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One of these or a wedge shaped block of wood you fabricate at home.
Billrog
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If it's a tandem just pull the front wheels up onto some blocks until the back wheels are off the ground. Do the opposite for the front.
George2615
Super Member
With the trailer tongue either on the tongue jack or attached to the truck I use my tractor loader with forks to pick up the rear of the trailer so the tires are off the ground then put jack stands under the trailer frame. I've done it many times for changing tires or repairing brakes. Works great.
schmism
Super Member
note these types of ramp "jacks". Consider when you are likely to get a flat, In my experience as well as 90% of the stories from friends, its come when the trailer was loaded. This means your likely to overload the single axle by useing the above type ramp jack.
Bending the axle tube, not going to happen as long as your jack placement is reasonably close to the spring perch locations.
As for changing on the side of the road, Its as simple as a bottle jack under the spring end or at the load leveler. Pavement side is simple, shoulder side is only slightly more difficult as it requires me to level a small spot to put my 2x10 block down then the bottle jack on that. Done it twice, biggest hassle is remembering to break the lugs loose before you get the wheel in the air.
Thanks for the suggestions and tips. The wedge is probably what I remember from way back, same as driving up on a block, however schmism's post does make some good sense about overloading a single axle with those methods. I haven't tried jacking under the load leveler, maybe that is a good solution with my car jack. Currently I don't have the trailer hitched to my truck and I do have one set of wheels off and want to remove the other side as well to work on the brakes and get new tires, etc. I will try that load leveler method and try to see how stable the trailer is when it is jacking up. I have a block and some wood under the spring for one wheel and a car jack under the axle on the other, the wood and block will probably provide enough stability so the trailer won't shift. For flat tires on the road it would be hooked to my vehicle so chocking the truck would be a good idea, something else I need to start carrying. I have a small bottle jack, probably too small a capacity for the trailer with a load on it but if my car jack fits between the tires that would be very convenient. The jack's wheel direction would be perpendicular to the trailer's tendency to move so that should not be an issue.
I have thought about getting a farm jack but some posts around here made me a bit wary of how easily they apparently can catch your hand when lowering. I really prefer lifting the wheels directly since a small amount of lift gets the tire off the ground, the farm jack lifting the entire side sounds a bit unstable to me but I guess a trailer doesn't have to be jacked up very much to get the wheels off the ground unlike a car.
Thanks again for the information.
I have thought about getting a farm jack but some posts around here made me a bit wary of how easily they apparently can catch your hand when lowering. I really prefer lifting the wheels directly since a small amount of lift gets the tire off the ground, the farm jack lifting the entire side sounds a bit unstable to me but I guess a trailer doesn't have to be jacked up very much to get the wheels off the ground unlike a car.
Thanks again for the information.
How was it that farm jack can catch a hand while lowering? Never heard of that and am genuinely curious.
Having used them for many things, several of which they were never intended for, I'm more worried about the fact that they are wobbly at heights.
Having used them for many things, several of which they were never intended for, I'm more worried about the fact that they are wobbly at heights.