Jack-E-Up Alternative

Mercator

I was hoping to get this device, but unfortunately my 2013 T@B has surge brakes and it won't fit. Dos anyone know of an alternative so that I can get my tailgate open on my Jeep TV?

John_and_Kris

What "device"

John_and_Kris

Ok found it on you tube

Pop-T@B

Mercator, I had the same problem. I have made several of these for a few other people on this forum. If this will work for you, send me an email to discuss. Thanks. 

 https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/1918/trailer-jack-in-the-way-of-my-tailgate

John_and_Kris

How do your surge brakes interfere with the mounting of the unit over the jack hole? Video I saw just seemed to remove the existing jack and place the new part where the 3 holes were and reassemble? I am probably missing something.

Mercator

John_and_Kris said:

How do your surge brakes interfere with the mounting of the unit over the jack hole? Video I saw just seemed to remove the existing jack and place the new part where the 3 holes were and reassemble? I am probably missing something.

The surge brake coupler on the front of the a-frame is too close for the Jack-E-Up to sit onto the frame around the jack location. 

John_and_Kris

We have a 2016 T@B Max S I wonder if it would work on them? Can't remember what the jack mount looks like  ( thought I had a good pic but no ) unit in storage now) Any one look at the video and can comment if it will work on the "16 T@B's. Would make getting into the rear of the TV a breeze.

Pop-T@B

John and Kris, I have a 2016 T@B Max S, it does fit. I bought one, put it on, but I took it off and returned it. I did not like way it was only held in place by the weight of the tongue. I was afraid it may pop out if you were rolling the T@b across grass or gravel. I wanted something with a solid mounting. Look at my post under T@B conversions titled " trailer jack in the way of my tailgate" this is what I made for my T@B

John_and_Kris

pop t@b thanks since we are 70 and 65 I do not think we will be pushing or pulling ours around so I think this might works for us getting easier access to the TV

Nomad

Have had one on my 2015 MaxS since I got it - Works like a champ for me. Has served me well. But if you can get one of Pop-T@B's custom jobbies, go for it.

Mercator

PXLated said:

Have had one on my 2015 MaxS since I got it - Works like a champ for me. Has served me well. But if you can get one of Pop-T@B's custom jobbies, go for it.

The problem with the JEU and Pop-T@Bs units is that neither will fit between the jack location and the rear of the surge brake coupler.  I think they started adding the electric brakes to the T@B after 2013.

Nomad

Mercator - Take some pictures and maybe PopT@B can modify one of his since it's a custom manufacture and he's such a nice guy :-)

Pop-T@B

It would be worth looking at a few pic's to see if it could be modified. Thanks for the kind words PXL!

Mercator

Pop-T@B said:

It would be worth looking at a few pic's to see if it could be modified. Thanks for the kind words PXL!

I'll take some photos tomorrow.

Mercator

Has anyone tried the clamp-on, boat type tongue jacks that swing up parallel to the trailer frame?

Ratkity

Mercator said:

Has anyone tried the clamp-on, boat type tongue jacks that swing up parallel to the trailer frame?

When I was looking for ways for my truck tailgate to clear the jack, I looked into them on eTrailer (I had one on my popup and liked it). The one problem I ran into was the handle tends to hang down, although there was one model that had a clamp to hold it into place (bungies are an alternative). The other thing I remembered was that the jack had to be put on the outside of the tongue. If you jackknife, you could damage your jack and have a nice jack impression in your bumper. The popup tongue was way longer than the current one I have on the T@B. Then there was a length issue so it wouldn't interfere with the propane cover. One side of my tongue has that stabilizer thingie welded to it and that would be in the way, so I was limited to attaching it to the driver's side.

Keep in mind I had one other special requirement, I had to be able to swing the jack down while the tailgate was down and be able to detach the trailer from the TV while the tailgate was down because I wanted to haul a motorcycle in the bed of the truck (ramp uses the entire bed length and tailgate length). Motorcycle loaded first, then trailer.

Personally, I still like the swing up jacks. It might be just because I had that sweet old popup for 13-14 years and of all the things that needed attention, the little bend I made in the handle that locks the jack into the tongue was the only issue it had and it didn't stop it from working (character?). BTW, I bent the little pull handle during a jack-knife backup.. d'oh.

I found a short swing jack that would fit INSIDE the tongue, but then found an extra long hitch that didn't compromise tow weight and safety, and went with that. 

Hope this helps!

Mercator

Ratkity said:

Mercator said:

Has anyone tried the clamp-on, boat type tongue jacks that swing up parallel to the trailer frame?

<snip> ...

I found a short swing jack that would fit INSIDE the tongue ...

Do you recall the name of the short swing jack?

Ratkity

I'm sorry, Mercator! My head was swimming by the time I was done looking at options. I can't rem the name, but the search engine on eTrailer is great and they only sell a limited number of swing up jacks. That's the company I was researching these type hitches (I have always had good customer service with them and use them a lot).

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

So @ratkity, does you swing-up jack get in the way of your p/u tailgate when you lower it (if the jack is supporting the trailer)?

jkjenn

A lot of those swivel jacks have low weight capacities, so make sure you find one with at least a 2,000lb rating. Personally, I wouldn't use one that was lower then a 3,000lb rating.

Mercator

jkjenn said:

A lot of those swivel jacks have low weight capacities, so make sure you find one with at least a 2,000lb rating. Personally, I wouldn't use one that was lower then a 3,000lb rating.

Why so high?  The tongue weight is less than 300 lbs. 

Ratkity

Mr_Mrs_Gnome said:

So @ratkity, does you swing-up jack get in the way of your p/u tailgate when you lower it (if the jack is supporting the trailer)?

I ended up not getting the swing up jack and went with an extra long hitch with a 4" drop. It's about a half inch too high to be perfectly level with the T@B, but loaded, I'm sure that half inch will disappear. lol

larrygon

I purchased a swing style jack but it would not fit the T@B. My 2015 tongue support was too wide and I would have to make mods if I wanted it to fit. Went with the JEU. I have no problems moving it around on uneven ground. It does wiggle but does not come loose.

Mercator

I have purchased and installed a swing up tongue jack that fastens onto the side of the A-frame.  It was about $90 Canadian and I got it at Princess Auto (I believe something like Harbor Freight in the USA.)

It allows the tailgate on my Jeep to open fully with the jack up OR down.  The jack has an 8" wheel, so that may make the trailer easier to maneuver.  The only disadvantage that I see so far is that I can't lower the front of the trailer (for levelling) as much as the original jack.

In the past I had hit the bottom of the jack (with the wheel off) going into some driveways etc.  That shouldn't be an issue now, but I am a bit concerned with the grey water drain.  I may have to make a skid plate to fasten to the trailer frame to protect it.


Jack swung up - I will need to get a velcro strap to hold the handle up.


Tailgate clears the jack.


Tailgate fully open.