The front wheel and my dumb move

mickietucs

For some reason the mechanics of putting the wheel on/off has me stumped. 99% of the time I use a foot. When I got to my son's house we wanted to push the trailer up into his driveway. I was able to put the wheel on while it was still hitched to the TV, then unhitched and we pushed it up into the driveway. But then I wanted to take the wheel off because with it on, the trailer wasn't level (had to come lower in the front) and put the foot on...well, yes, you can guess, we cranked it up to get the wheel out and of course nothing was holding the front end up and wham - it hit kind of hard...for now we cranked it up but neither the foot or wheel is on. So my question is, is the only time one can put the wheel on/off, is if it's hitched because nothing is holding up the front - correct? Boy did I feel like a dummy and hope it didn't damage anything.

RZRBUG

Or, put a block of wood (2x4) or bumper jack to hold up the tongue while you change it.

Be sure it is steadied so as not to fall on you.  Might also chock the wheels.

jkjenn

I would stick with changing it while hitched. Help me understand the reason why you would need to switch to the foot?

mickietucs

jkjenn said:

I would stick with changing it while hitched. Help me understand the reason why you would need to switch to the foot?

I've found a few places I can't get the front end low enough with the wheel on so I almost exclusively use the foot.

mickietucs

RZRBUG said:

Or, put a block of wood (2x4) or bumper jack to hold up the tongue while you change it.

Be sure it is steadied so as not to fall on you.  Might also chock the wheels.

Ah, yes,,,those are great ideas (will have to get a piece to keep in the truck for such occasions.  Thanks.

jkjenn

mickietucs said:

jkjenn said:

I would stick with changing it while hitched. Help me understand the reason why you would need to switch to the foot?

I've found a few places I can't get the front end low enough with the wheel on so I almost exclusively use the foot.

Makes sense, thanks. I have nio had that problem, yet.

Nomad

Like I keep saying - Blocks :-)
You can put some under the TV wheels and raise the tongue.



See :-)

ericnliz

PXL, Pure genius I say, pure genius! I just lift the front a little, and Liz switches from the wheel to the foot. Haven't dropped it.... yet.  You might be convincing me to become a brother "blockhead".

Nomad

Slowly but surely you'll see the wisdom of my ways and become blockheads - It's a slow learning process I know but it's inevitable :-)

ericnliz

Does that mean I have to join "Blockheads Unanimous"?

Nomad

No, that's a different outfit.

Michigan_Mike

mickietucs said:

For some reason the mechanics of putting the wheel on/off has me stumped. 99% of the time I use a foot.  So my question is, is the only time one can put the wheel on/off, is if it's hitched because nothing is holding up the front - correct? Boy did I feel like a dummy and hope it didn't damage anything.

When my trailer is unhooked from the TV and I need to get the foot off off the trailer and the jockey wheel back on I use my 3 ton floor jack and lift the front of the trailer up, remove the foot and install the wheel.  

Nomad

Ya, I've got one of those in the back of my Jeep right next to my drill press :-)

razntwn

When I have to switch tongue foot when unhitched I stabilize the trailer and then raise the tongue for quick swap.  Basically I have the stabilizers holding the tongue from falling down; as suggested I chock the wheels as part of the stabilizing process.

Nomad

Curious - Why a foot and not just the wheel?

razntwn

For me just habit and my driveway has a big slope so I use at the campgrounds too unless I expect to move t@b.  Foot or 2x4 but carry wheel in trailer too.

leenscottfl

Has anyone used the Fastwat Flip Jack?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3nSzA2T7YW0

Nomad

My brother had one - hung too low - bent it all up on a gas station entrance.

leenscottfl

Thanks. Seems like a good thing that isn't T@B friendly.

mickietucs

PXLated said:

Curious - Why a foot and not just the wheel?

In some places the front end has to go lower than the wheel will allow - I can bring the tongue a lot lower with just the foot.

mickietucs

Lesson learned and I will see about either a floor jack or if it's to bulky to carry in my truck (already have lots of "stuff" I carry), will at the very least remember about a brief "swap" using the stabilizers or a block of wood. Thanks all!

ScottG

I doubt you've damaged anything. I experience the same problem getting the tongue low enough on uneven ground, so I routinely use my jack without the wheel or a foot, just sitting on a piece of wood. I've also dragged it on pavement a time or two--it's pretty rugged.

I'm confused, though... How did you manage to get the wheel off in the first place, if the trailer wasn't attached to your TV? If it wasn't sitting on the wheel, something had to be holding up the tongue.

Verna

Michele, you can also use one of your stabilizer pads under your jack tube rather than putting it on the concrete or ground if you don't have your foot or wheel on. 

mickietucs

ScottG said:

I doubt you've damaged anything. I experience the same problem getting the tongue low enough on uneven ground, so I routinely use my jack without the wheel or a foot, just sitting on a piece of wood. I've also dragged it on pavement a time or two--it's pretty rugged.

I'm confused, though... How did you manage to get the wheel off in the first place, if the trailer wasn't attached to your TV? If it wasn't sitting on the wheel, something had to be holding up the tongue. 

As my son was cranking the tube it moved out of the wheel and I pulled the wheel out - that's when it fell so the wheel was holding it up. 

mickietucs

Michigan_Mike said:

mickietucs said:

For some reason the mechanics of putting the wheel on/off has me stumped. 99% of the time I use a foot.  So my question is, is the only time one can put the wheel on/off, is if it's hitched because nothing is holding up the front - correct? Boy did I feel like a dummy and hope it didn't damage anything.

When my trailer is unhooked from the TV and I need to get the foot off off the trailer and the jockey wheel back on I use my 3 ton floor jack and lift the front of the trailer up, remove the foot and install the wheel.  

Anything else that might be less expensive? I just looked these up - wonder if something else can be used - ???

ChanW

You could probably use your TV's jack... 
Glad it didn't land on your hand!

Nomad

Michele
From Blockhead International Headquarters... Here's how I do it...






Figure out what I need, lay down the blocks, get it all done in one shot.

In this case I needed to raise the drivers side of the T@B (a lot) and raise the tongue to get the wheel on so blocks under the TV. Back onto the blocks, put the wheel on, jack up, unhitch, drive ahead and lower the jack. I just leave the TV blocks there for when I need to get the wheel of.
I do have the JAck-E-Up so I do have a little more vert adjustment than fixed but this would work for a fixed jack also.

jkjenn

mickietucs said:

Michigan_Mike said:

mickietucs said:

For some reason the mechanics of putting the wheel on/off has me stumped. 99% of the time I use a foot.  So my question is, is the only time one can put the wheel on/off, is if it's hitched because nothing is holding up the front - correct? Boy did I feel like a dummy and hope it didn't damage anything.

When my trailer is unhooked from the TV and I need to get the foot off off the trailer and the jockey wheel back on I use my 3 ton floor jack and lift the front of the trailer up, remove the foot and install the wheel.  

Anything else that might be less expensive? I just looked these up - wonder if something else can be used - ???

You can usually find them on CL a lot cheaper.

ericnliz

Blockhead International Headquarters, 'Ya need some tires on your TV there mister, they're gettin' pretty thin! [just sayin']

Nomad

Ya - I'm 250 miles from picking them up - Still not quite to the wear bars though but uneven wear on back two - The fronts are better :-)

ericnliz

Just concerned, two flats would NOT be a good thing!