What Kind of Jack Do You Use?

[WaltandLynne]

Since I have to buy a new tire and put it back on the trailer, I'm not sure what kind or size of jack I should use. I have a small bottle jack rated at 12 tons but I'm not confident that it will stay on a round axle and not slip. So... what kind/size jack do you use?

Thanks

Walt

[WeBeFulltime]

I use the auto levelers.

[H. John Kohl]

I use to use the 12 ton bottle on the frame and a pair of 3 ton jack stands with blocks to raise the bottle jack for the second lift.

I never jacked on the axle I used the "I" beam frame.

[DQDick]

Seemed to me that a while back Ozz was selling something to cap the end of the bottle jack and fit the frame.

[1retired06]

I carry two 20T bottle jacks.

[mlh]

I carry 1, 3 ton bottle jack. I've used it several times it lift my camper. Works fine. Your jack is al you need.
Lynwood

[Charli]

I have used a bottle jack on the frame and put jack stands underneath for saftey. I think the bottle jack is a 3T which was fine for the Cougar but may be pushing it on the Mountaineer. May have to look at increasing the capacity just to be safe.
Question. If u jack up one side of the trailer to change a tire all the weight of the trailer is sitting on the tires and front landing gear on the other side of the trailer. (I would of course raise the rear stabilizing legs). I'm not worried about the extra weight on the tires but is there any concern about all that weight on one front landing leg?

[1retired06]

I place my 20T bottle jack right behind the tire at the axle Ubolt location IAW dexter recommendation. Just one axle at a time and just high enough to pull the tire. Coach weight is still supported by the jack and the second axle.

[dieselguy]

Your jack will be fine and despite what some will warn you of ... jacking under the axle between the Ubolts won't hurt anything. Lifting the entire side of your trailer to change a tire puts way more stress on everything as compared to simply lifting an axle off the ground just far enough to change a tire. The whole bantering back and forth on the MOC about where and how to jack just overloaded my curiosity. I borrowed a load cell from work and placed it between my 6 ton jack and the axle of my 3150RL. My fiver weighs a bit shy of 13,000 loaded for a trip. While hooked to my truck, I jacked the axle up just enough to remove a tire ... the load cell read #2368. That's two thousand three hundred sixty eight pounds. Of course, the farther I jacked the axle up ... the read out read more weight, but why jack it up any farther than what you need to remove the tire?

[tweber502]

I carry a 4T bottle jack and like some of the others I place it on the axel just behind the wheel between the U-bolts. Not trying to lift the entire rig, just 1 wheel at a time. Tim

[clarkandsheila]

I went for a 12T bottle jack simply for the size of the head and the diameter of the spindle.
For tire service and changes I put the jack right under the spring u-bolt plate.
I use a 1/2 thick piece of aluminum [1/4 would do] on the jack head so it is between the plate and the jack head.
For safety, mine, I slide a jack stand behind the jack without letting the load down.
I have also made pads of 3 x3/4 ply about 11.5" sqr., glued and screwed together, so when on soft ground the jack and stand have something to sit on.

[Ozz]

Dieselguy, interesting test with the load cell. Answers questions I have had on the jack.
Yep I made an axel cradle to fit on top of the jack, but you could make something similar yourself. I just like the jack contact to wrap around 1/2 way on the axel below the springs for safety and peace of mind. Good tip on the base-pad Clark.