Jacking up trailer to fix flat

mandt

i have read the instructions on how to change a tire by lowering the the front of the trailer with the tongue jack and extending the rear stabilizers then crank the tongue jack up to free the wheel.  Got it. Except the instructions for the stabilizer jack say do not use stabilizers to support the full weight of the trailer. Is "full weight" the reason why it is not a problem?

mickey

KBaggins1

Probably. But I do not like doing it that way so we bought a 20.00 scissor jack that we take in our TV with us. Jack it up on the frame rail behind the wheel and you will not have to jack the tongue up and down. We would have to disconnect the trailer to raise it up using the tongue jack method. 

Cyclonic

In an emergency, like a flat tire, it is fine to use the stabilizers in such a manner.  What you want to avoid is using the stabilizers to support dynamic loads, like to level have have you moving around in the trailer.

fwillison

I placed a jack under the frame buttress below the axle just inside the tire.  That buttress connects solidly to the frame.  Don't see a problem with this and quite simple with a bottle jack.  

GibW

I use the stabilizer/tongue jack method when switching to smaller wheels to get the T@B into the garage. It works amazingly well. Very easy and secure. 

jkjenn

Here is a video, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abxd23tkBAE

marknjudy

That's a little different from the instructions and looks way easier and maybe even safer. Thanks for the video!

newell

Nicely done and safely too.  That's not a bottle jack though, it's a jack stand......

foxden

@newell Thanks for clarifying.  I looked all over for a bottle jack that looked like that!  Not very knowledgeable about automotive so I could use a little help.  The jack stand he is using has a flat top but those that I have looked at have the curved top (I assume to fit the car frame).  Does it need to be flat to fit under the stabilizer or will the curved one work just fine?  I am heading out on my first trip next week and want to be prepared for everything.  I have checklists of my checklists!
Patti

marknjudy

Good catch @newell.

@foxden, I found this on Amazon. Looks like a good choice and price.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44561-Olympian-Aluminum-Stack/dp/B000760FX4/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_328_bs_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6EH3PZRQTJ6TBD626FR9

[EDIT] Also at Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Olympian-Aluminum-Jack-Stand-2-per-Box-44561/205518965?&cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|B|0|B-BASE-D26P+Plumbing|&mid=aP1mMqjR|dc_mtid_8903vry57826_pcrid_73529847902561_pkw__pmt__

Dalehelman

Why use a jack stand when each stabilizer is rated at 1700lbs each. The total trailer is only around 2000lbs. It seems like just one more thing to store. The stabilizers will more than support the weight. They are just not designed for lifting. There is a difference.

Verna

This is an 8 ton bottle jack from Harbor Freight for around $26. I carry one of these in my truck.  I did have to use it on my Silver Shadow to change tires in the driveway after an accident, and it is easy to use.

As @Dalehelman said, you don't need jack stands, use your stabilizers to steady the T@B if you feel you need it.

Use the bottle jack directly in front of (or directly behind) the tire, making sure the bottle jack is using the trailer frame to lift the tire off the ground. 

marknjudy

Either way works just fine and I don't think anyone was saying that it was the best or only way to do it. I was just remarking that this looks a little more stable to me considering one wheel stays on the ground and is chocked to keep the trailer from moving. And using the stabilizer as the point to place the jack (or jack stand) seems safer to me so as not to damage the trailer. In any event, I like it, Ed Kaufman recommends it and I'm gonna go this route. And I have plenty of space to carry it in the back of my truck to store it and hope it never has to come out to be used.

ScottG

I've only jacked my T@B up once, using a hydraulic floor jack under the frame behind the axle. It worked fine, but did seem a little more squirrelly that I would have liked. I'm almost certain the stabilizer/tongue jack method would offer a bit more stability.

That said, if I was going to crawl under the trailer (for example, to access the brake adjustment wheel), I would not rely solely on a jack or on the stabilizers. Sufficient suitable jack stands should always be used to support the weight of a vehicle in that situation.