Jacking Up The Trailer

[Ford350man]

My Dexter axle manual that came with my Montana says Never lift the trailer under the axle or the suspension system. So how are you supposed to change a flat tire on the road. Seems driving the good tire up a ramp to lift the flat up is no different than using a jack under the axle. Wishone of you could set me straight on what everyone else does.

[BB_TX]

Yeah, they say to jack the frame. But I think there are far more of us who use a bottle jack between the U bolts than under the frame.

[dieselguy]

Many posts on this issue if you do a search. A good many of us use a jack directly under the axle between the spring U clamps. Some of us like me made a v bracket to go on the end of the bottle jack to cradle the axle tube for better contact. Do not place the jack under the middle of the axle and try to lift it all up at once, you will damage the axle in this case. Some use the ramp you mentioned and 2 or 3 have used the product (EZ Lift) that levers the axle up as you drive forward. I think our trailers are a bit too heavy for the lever type which were more so designed for smaller utility trailers. This is just my thinking and my way of doing this for years and years … there will be more opinions to follow.

[GAinaMontana]

If you have the Level-up system, use it if conditions allow. On my 3402 it will lift all four wheels off the ground.

[1retired06]

Under the UBolts has worked for me over the years, trailers and boats. I prefer a 20 ton bottle jack over the levelers. To each his own.

[DQDick]

We use level-up also.

[Montana Man]

Using a ramp is fine. Or the level up just like an Indy car.

[rohrmann]

I regularly use the level up for routine and emergency jacking. I still carry bottle jacks and a Safejack kit, www.safejacks.com. We lost a tire valve this past April, and ended up on a bad location to install the spare. Got the rig as high as I could, then resorted to the bottle jack to complete the job.

[Ford350man]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Truth is I have been doing the same thing for years. It just struck me the other day that if Dexter and others say not to, what do they really expect someone to do on the raodside. Just disclaimers against potential axle issues. This forum is great. Thanks ya’ll.

[Eagleback]

I Jack it up under the axle, but you can jack on the frame if you need, BUT you have to be connected to the truck so the frame dosent torque on the landing gear and bend the frame or brake the landing gear.

[Golfmedik]

The newer Montanas with either the MorRyde 3000 or 4100 suspensions have a longer suspension travel than previous ones making it nearly impossible to use ramps, blocks or even jack under the frame.

[Kyle and Lisa]

Originally Posted by Golfmedik

The newer Montanas with either the MorRyde 3000 or 4100 suspensions have a longer suspension travel than previous ones making it nearly impossible to use ramps, blocks or even jack under the frame.

Rapid Jack from Anderson Hitches, easy peasy.

[CanalesPac]

Originally Posted by Kyle and Lisa

Rapid Jack from Anderson Hitches, easy peasy.

We used this on my parents' trailer last week twice (rough start to the trip) and found that it didn't lift enough to pull the bad tire off the ground. Surprised us! Dad bought a bottle jack for the rest of the trip. Disclaimer: their TT isn't a Montana. But, we have the same Anderson system and will try it as soon as our trailer is out of the shop to be sure it will work when needed. Have others used it successfully on a 2018 Montana High Country?

[Kyle and Lisa]

Originally Posted by CanalesPac

We used this on my parents' trailer last week twice (rough start to the trip) and found that it didn't lift enough to pull the bad tire off the ground. Surprised us! Dad bought a bottle jack for the rest of the trip. Disclaimer: their TT isn't a Montana. But, we have the same Anderson system and will try it as soon as our trailer is out of the shop to be sure it will work when needed. Have others used it successfully on a 2018 Montana High Country?

We have not had to use ours , but yes I need to try it out and also have a bottle jack for backup.

[BuilderBob]

The tire block does not work on the new suspension systems I carry a 20 Ton bottle jack and lift it under the U\Bolts I made a U\Shaped bracket that fits on the bottle jack so it stays on the axle when I left it.

[whutfles]

I have had to jack my 2010 Mountaineer 326RLT 14000 lb about 5 times. I jacked under the frame as close to the tire as possible. I carry short lengths of 2 X 6's (and it takes a lot of blocking). The first time I found my bottle jack wouldn't raise high enough so had to drop down on more blocking to reblock jack. I now carry 2 bottle jacks which makes rejacking quicker.

I helped a friend change a tire once while his trailer was not hitched to the truck. I insisted he back his truck under first and he refused. As he started to jack by the right back tire, the pin in the left front landing leg slipped out of hit's hole and it bent that pin 90 degrees in the leg.