How do you change tires?

[Fordplus5er]

Do you folks take the whole rig to the tire store? or do you do something like taking two tires off, getting them changed, put them back on and repeating with the other two? Just wondering what's the easiest way of going about this.

Thanks...

[rohrmann]

Have the Lippert levelup system. I just raise the trailer up, remove all the wheels/tires, haul them to the tire shop, re-install when back at the trailer. The previous FW, just took it to the tire shop. The biggest issue is, is there enough room to park the rig so the tire guys can get to it to do the job? You also must make sure they are lifting it properly, so as to not damage the axles.

[BB_TX]

I took mine to the tire store, backed up near the last door, and they changed them.

[1retired06]

I take mine directly to the tire store, setting up an early appointment. I take two 20 ton bottle jacks and direct how the rig will be jacked up. Since they want to sell me tires, they have always been willing to do it my way. Work is done outside in the parking lot.

[sambam]

I jacked mine up and with jackstands, cribbing and the spare tire, suspended the trailer while I took the 4 tires to the dealer.

[Art-n-Marge]

I have done both methods (at the dealer or two at a time after jacking up the frame). I have no preference, however if I'm limited on time (like when I was working), the a trip to the dealer for them to do it, but watch them since they might try shortcuts or not do things like I would. The last two times I used my preferred method of jacking up one side, removing them, then going back later for the other two. I prefer this method because I'm meticulous about these things and don't have to worry or ensure others do things the way I would do them.

[halfwright]

Changing tires can be hard or easy. It just depends on whether or not the tires want to change.

[DQDick]

I take ours to the dealer and use level-up for them.

[DonandBonnie]

We are getting new tires next week. I'll use the Lippert system to raise them off the ground and will take the tires for replacement, before they go back on, I'll inspect the brakes, and lube the bearings and wet bolts.

[Fordplus5er]

quote:Originally posted by halfwright

Changing tires can be hard or easy. It just depends on whether or not the tires want to change.


Do what? K g'night

[kiltedpig]

Where is the best place to place the bottle jacks?

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by kiltedpig

Where is the best place to place the bottle jacks?


I'm not a huge fan of Harbor Freight, but two things I have gotten from there are cotton work gloves and bottle jacks.

In response to Fordplus5er's initial question, if you have the Level Up system, it works well for changing tires or doing other maintenance, even though Lippert recommends against it (for liability purposes, I'm sure). If you don't have the Level us system, here is the method I used on our old trailer:

Hook the tow vehicle to the trailer, put it in park and set the parking brake.
Use a 12 ton hydraulic jack under the trailer frame to take most of the weight off of the wheel.
Uses a small jack (1.5 to 2.5 ton) under the axle, between the U-bolts to raise the tire off the ground.

A variation of this is if you wish to work on both axles or tires at the same time, use two 12 ton jacks, one in front and one behind the wheel set on the frame and two smaller jacks under each axle.

The important point is to put no more stress on the axle than needed. If you try to lift the axle by jacking on it only, you risk bending it or denting the tube. So put the weight of the trailer on the 12 ton jacks and use the smaller jacks just to raise the weight of the axle and wheel.

As to the question of changing out for new tires, I pull them myself and take them to the tire store, as it presents the opportunity for me to check the brakes and lube the wheel bearings if needed. I did them two at a time using the method above, but now that I have the Level up system, I'll most likely do all four at once.

[whutfles]

I do not have the level-up system. My RV instructions specifically say not to jack on the axles. I have a Sears 12 ton bottle jack-the current model being sold. Ruined a tire on the road and with my blocking, the jack wouldn't raise it hi enough to get the wheel off the ground. Fortunately I had enough blocking to drop the raised camper down some so I could remove the jack, add more blocking under it and continue going up. Had to do this twice. So I bought a 2nd Sears (same jack) so the next time I could jack with one to it's limit, then add blocking and use the other jack to continue going up. Then a friend suggested I check to see if my jacks were full of oil. That's what the little rubber seal on the side of the jack is for. After filling the jacks, I can now set the camper on the hitch and put one jack on the frame just behind the rear axle and it will raise both tires on that side high enough so they both can be removed. Now that's on level ground.

Regarding jacking - I helped a friend once remove a flat tire in a campground. Of course, he had his slides out and didn't want to put anything in. I offered to jack it up if he would back his pickup under the pin to stabilize it. He insisted he didn't have to do that and raised it anyway with my jack. It was the passenger back tire. He didn't get 2 inches in the air when we heard a loud boom. The pin in the left front landing gear slipped out of it's hole and bent the pin 90 degrees down. We then jacked up the front, backed the truck under the pin and changed the tire. He then purchased new pins for the landing gear which I think set him back another $80.00. So I wouldn't do any jacking without the truck attached to the pin.

As far as how and where to change your tires, let you muscles and bones dictate. Some of us old-farts need the exercise. But my experience has found very few tire stores knowledgeable in all aspects of how to jack, torque, etc. I don't trust anyone to torque my lug nuts. I ask them to snug them and not to hammer them with the air gun. Then I finish torqueing with a torque wrench.

If you're just backing under the pin to change the tire, make sure to check that your hitch latch closed. I did this once in storage and had to move 3 feet forward for clearance to work on one side. The move forward was down hill and the move backward was uphill. When I later raised the landing gear to unhook, I saw that my hitch hadn't fully closed.

Bill Hutfles

[Trailer Trash 2]

quote:Originally posted by Fordplus5er

Do you folks take the whole rig to the tire store? or do you do something like taking two tires off, getting them changed, put them back on and repeating with the other two? Just wondering what's the easiest way of going about this.

Thanks...


That's the way I did mine at the Q-site, I jacked up one side at a time and took 2 tires, I did keep my truck connected to the truck for stability and used another vehicle to take the tires to the tire store.

[davidaf]

Only changed them once. Towed it to a big rig tire place. Easy in, easy out.

[Art-n-Marge]

I use several 4x4 blocks stacked on each other and the 6 or 12 ton jack for raising the frame just behind the rear tire and in front of the front tire. Don't forget to loosen (not remove) the lug nuts prior to raising from the frame. This prevents the tires from "falling off" and scaring the heck out of you. Using this method I often see the front landing gear on the jacked up side to be airborne but I read somewhere the other landing gear that is still in contact with the ground is supposed to be able to take the extra weight but does anyone know for sure?

[WaltBennett]

quote:Originally posted by sambam

I jacked mine up and with jackstands, cribbing and the spare tire, suspended the trailer while I took the 4 tires to the dealer.


X2

[richfaa]

We call road service when on the road and wait for them to change the tire. If in the drive way we can lift it with the six point and take the tire to a dealer.