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Trailer Jack in the way of my tailgate

Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199
edited September 2015 in Modifications & Upgrades

I tow my T@B with a Jeep Wrangler, when the trailer is hooked up to the Jeep I am unable to open the rear gate no more than just a few inches. So I came up with this solution. I made a removable Jack plate. Once the trailer is hooked up, simply raise the jack, remove the wheel and three pins and then entire jack can be removed. Now my rear gate can open all of the way.

 

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    DurangoTaBDurangoTaB Member Posts: 754
    Looks similar to the Jack-e-up...
    http://jack-e-up.com

    J.D. & Sue

    Durango, CO    2014/15 S M@xx :  "Dory's HabiT@B"  Keep on swimming...

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    NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Yep - The Jack-E-Up is similar but doesn't have pins, you just drop the wheel, twist and pull the jack out. Like you, I have the Wrangler and the Jack-E was one of the first things I added last fall.
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    BBchBumBBchBum Member Posts: 105
    POP-T@B - did you add the metal plate just behind the jack to under the storage compartment?
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    BBchBumBBchBum Member Posts: 105
    never mind - I read from the bottom up  ;)  Like the mod!
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199
    PXLated, I looked at the Jack-E-Up and it looked like a great product. I never tested it, so I could be completely off base on this. It looks like it uses friction from the weight of the trailer to hold it in place. I was afraid when you rolled the trailer around on rough ground it may pop out. So going on this fear and not having tested the other product, I made one with a solid connection with the pins. there is no way for it to come out unless you remove the pins and it has to have the weight off the tongue to do so.  Thank you for your feedback and reading my post, the Jack-E-Up may be the easier solution.
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    NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    The Jack-E uses the weight of the trailer (so, yes, friction) plus the ring within a ring to prevent movement laterally. Never had a problem moving it but you're triangle plus pins is more than likely more solid. I don't have a welding torch so the Jack-E was my only choice :-)
    If yours was a product we could buy, it's probably a more solid choice. When are you going to start production?
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199

    PXL, Haven't thought about making them, but maybe....... 

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    hunter99hunter99 Member Posts: 45
    If you decide to make these, please let me know. I don't have a T@B but instead a T@G. This is a far better solution to the device that is on the market. My jack does sit rather low and this would provide peace of mind. I was trying to find someone locally to make it but so far not having luck. Great idea!!!
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199
    I am working on making a few more for friends, I will let you know how they work out. If you want to contact me, send me an email
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    RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    You are amazing, Pop! 

    Since my tow vehicle has a high tow capacity, I just got a solid hitch that was 16" from ball to pin. No extender, just the longest hitch you can get from eTrailer. It does drop towing capacity by 1000#. Not a big deal when you can tow 6k and it's much better than an extender (which drops your tow weight capacity in half AND rattles annoyingly AND makes me nervous for other reasons that may or may not be rational).

    With the long hitch, I can have the tailgate of the pickup down and unhitch the trailer if the Harley is loaded in the pickup bed on a winch/sled (doesn't put weight on the tailgate, but the tailgate has to be down - long bike). OR... open the tailgate while still hitched to open the "backflip" tonneau cover preventing accidental tailgate dings. Many people don't have the option of dropping their towing weight capacity with what I did and you have once again amazed me!

    Your solution is brilliant! 

    *hugs*
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199

    I first tried this same approach with the longer hitch. It cleared the tailgate, but I developed a very bad bobbing up and down effect with the Jeep as the tow vehicle and I to also had the same concerns with the rattling and the unknowns. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with this idea. Once in a while, even a dim bulb like me can have a flash of brightness. :) 

     Thank you for your compliments, Shawn

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    hunter99hunter99 Member Posts: 45
    Here are some photos of when i installed this on a T@G.

    Here are the parts.


    This is getting the bottom bracket bolted on after removing the trailer jack. You reuse the bolts but add the washers. Of course you need to support the trailer trailer at the front. I used a car jackstand.


    Next bolt the top plate to the bottom of the jack loosely and set in place. This way you can make sure the holes for the pins line up before snugging them down.


    Now put the pins in and snug it up. I just marked it here and then took the jack back off and snugged up the plate.


    I didn't get a side picture of the trailer or a better picture further away. I'll work on getting some and posting them.
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    irvingjirvingj Member Posts: 335
    Very elegant solution!  (But OMG!! You covered up the 2" Ball Warning sign!!!)   :)

    Seriously, very well thought out & executed.
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199

    Hunter99,   Thanks for the update and pic's, glad to see it worked out for you Jeff. Let me know if you need any more of them. 

    Thanks, Shawn

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    jhunjhun Member Posts: 4
    Would love to buy one of your brackets Pop!
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199
    I have made two of them for other members of the forum, send me and email and we can discuss getting you one made.
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    hunter99hunter99 Member Posts: 45
    Well worth it. The mount is rock solid and super easy to use. 
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2016
    I just dropped these off today at LG, Jessica has them posted and up for sale on the Tear drop shop website
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited June 2016
    I have a Jeep Wrangler also, and I too of course have this problem. Its even worse in my case because I cant back straight in to hook up due to the slope of my yard, so I have to approach the trailer from an angle so I can't even turn the wand to raise/lower the jack without hitting the tire from most angles. I bought the Jack-e-Up and used it one time and immediately uninstalled it when I got back home. The problem was the hole in the trailer that the jack slips through is slightly larger than the jack itself (which I can see why this is good for a hard mounted jack) so when I lowered the jack and tried to reposition the trailer at the camp site the jack and wheel would slant to the side. It looked like the jack was bent but it was really just leaning into the small area of play in the diameter of the hole.  It was very difficult to move the trailer at all after unhooking, so I took the Jack-e-up off and just remounted the jack.  I'm back to having hook-up issues now, so not sure which problem is worse! This home made version of the Jack-e-up looks like it might not have the "play" issue.
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    MercatorMercator Member Posts: 237
    I attached a 'boat trailer' type of folding tongue jack.  It works quite well.  The only downside, so far, is that the dolly wheel isn't removable and occasionally, at some campsites, it was hard to lower the tongue enough to get the trailer level fore and aft.

    Ray and Vida Barrick
    (formerly a 2013 T@B Q M@X); 2015 Jeep Sahara JKU (Max Tow)
    Toronto ON Canada
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    TerryV6TerryV6 Member Posts: 1,092
    Pop-T@B said:
    I just dropped these off today at LG, Jessica has them posted and up for sale on the Tear drop shop website
    These are great.  We bought one and they are a good design and super simple to install.  Thanks!!!
    Terry & Jody...  2016 Dodge Ram 1500
    2016 NuCamp 320 T@B Max S
    T@bbey  Road   
    Appleton,  WI





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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199
    TerryV6,  Glad you like it, thanks for you post!
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    Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,357
    Just received my removable jack plate.  Black paint flaking off in several locations.  Very disappointing for a $105 item.  Otherwise looks like a nice design.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
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    Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,357
    Just wasted an hour attempting to install the Teardrop Shop's removable jack plate.  The 3 holes on the bottom plate do not align with the holes in the frame.  No biggie, I assumed because the shaft of the jack just cleared the opening.  The problem is when I bolted the top plate to the jack shaft and attempted to insert the top plate into the bottom plate now attached to the trailer frame.  No go because the top plate was now off center.  Makes sense because if the bottom plate holes don't line up with the openings on the trailer frame, why would they now line up with the top plate on the jack shaft?  Sending this back for a refund.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
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    SweetlyHomeSweetlyHome Member Posts: 336
    Does this work with an older LG T@B with the surge brakes?
    Jupiter, Florida~T@B 400, with 2018 Toyota 4Runner

       
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    RonRon Member Posts: 137
    I had to redrill the holes for the pins to get them to align and allow the pins to go in.  After that it worked fine.
    2016 T@B MaxS, 2018 Jeep Rubicon 4dr, Rural Scottsdale, Az.
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    Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,357
    Ron - my problem was the top plate (with the jack shaft) binding on the bottom plate because of the bolt misalignment.  Had to use a claw hammer to get the two separated.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
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    Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,357
    BTW, I believe this is a very good design and am sorry it didn't work on my T@B.  If they revise the bolt pattern in the future, I would consider reordering.
    2016 Outback 320 with a 2010 Ford Expedition.
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    MercatorMercator Member Posts: 237
    edited July 2017
    SweetlyHome said:
    Does this work with an older LG T@B with the surge brakes?
    I don't think so.  I looked at it for my 2013, but ended up using a boat-type jack bolted to the side of the tongue and it folds up out of the way.
    Ray and Vida Barrick
    (formerly a 2013 T@B Q M@X); 2015 Jeep Sahara JKU (Max Tow)
    Toronto ON Canada
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    Pop-T@BPop-T@B Member Posts: 199

    OutBackZ, sorry to hear you are having trouble with the jack plate.  Maybe your bolt pattern is slightly different. Would you be able to trace your bolt pattern on a piece of paper, scan it in and email it to me? I could then check into making an adjustment to the bolt pattern. Thanks, Shawn

    smassie@windstream.net


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