HELP! - Advice needed- Broken Jackstand & Stuck Jackfoot

[TikiTime]

We have 2009 19ft Bambi and must solve huge problem immediately. While parked in our driveway in extreme heat of last few weeks, the asphalt under our gravel driveway softened and the jack foot got cemented in. You couldn't tell as it was still on top of gravel, and when we hooked up camper today power switch UP broke (down still works), and when we cranked by hand, stand wouldn't come up. We dug under it and got a crowbar to loosen and lift a bit and banged around with a hammer, and the jackfoot will not come off jack pipe. We put back wheels of my TV up a homemade ramp and raised back end but jackfoot & pipe stay at ground level REALLY STUCK together. What to do - cannot move TV or AS. Pipe cutter to cut off jackfoot? Dig huge hole under jackfoot? Must get it moved. Help!

[Sbb]

Can you brace each side of tongue frame with a couple of bottle jacks? Put them on a piece of plywood so they dont get stuck. I use two 24" squares of plywood under my AS jack just to keep it from sinking in mud or whatever.

That way you can work n getting the jack up and foot off. I am not much help and will be curious what the experts say. Can you call a dealer or George over in NY?

[bganso]

Pictures would help.

I'd try jacking up the A-frame using a bottle jack. Once the trailer is raised you may have to put a torch on the jack foot/pipe while striking with a good sized hammer. Hopefully, you'll avoid damage to the jack.

[TBRich]

This is an odd one... If I understand the situation correctly, it seems that heat melting the asphalt caused the problem of the two sticking together, so, as bganso suggests, re-heating the foot and jack leg where they are stuck together may be the best way to dislodge the jack leg from the foot... Good luck!

[AirsDream]

I tend to try to solve such problems with brute force. It sounds as if you've got the trailer coupled to the tow vehicle but the foot itself is stuck in the asphalt? If so, it seems to me that if you use the hand crank to put tension between the jack leg and the foot and then get a reasonable sized hammer and work your way around the foot, pounding on it, I'll bet it releases. Then you can crank it up the rest of the way by hand and attend to the issues of getting the motor working or replaced. If that doesn't work, so long as it's hitched up, just use a sawzall or plasma cutter or torch and cut it off and drive on over to the nearest place that can sell you a new jack.

[BIGED52]

Using two bottle jacks one on each side of the A-frame jack them up to take the load off the jack/foot. Use a propane torch to heat the gravel around the edges of the jack foot and work the heating process in on the foot to the jack shaft. It will take a while to get the foot hot enough to liquify the seal of the asphalt and gravel on the bottom of the foot. Once you have heated it for a while have a helper jack the bottle jacks up a couple of pumps on each one while you are still heating the foot. This will be a slow process but might save the jack from further damage. Once free you will have to get to the bottom of the foot to heat/melt and scrap most of the debris from the foot bottom. Finally you may be able to remove the asphalt leftovers from the base of the foot with floor adhesive remover. When that is all cleared up nicely dig yourself a 6 to 8 inch square hole where you want the jack/foot to rest when trailer is parked and make it about 6 inches deep. Pour a cement pad area into the hole and trowel it smooth with a slight rise to the center (to drain water). Ed

[TikiTime]

Thanks so much everyone for quick replies - much appreciated on a holiday weekend. We got the jackboot off after digging a bigger hole underneath with a rental mini-jackhammer. Wasn't stuck in the ground too badly, also an issue of some torque on the jack pipe from one side sinking made it impossible to move. Now some affected hitch issues to correct that got messed up on the process. All good except our first camping trip to Maine in deep jeopardy! For the power switch- anyone know of a good AS repair place in MA area? Thanks again.

[reinergirl]

You probably don't need an Airstream specific place unless it's under warranty, any good rv place can change out /repair a jack. There is a satellite airstream dealer/ service place in Nashua NH that is part of a bigger dealer in Maine. They might be able to help, but call first, very small place but I do often see Airstreams there for service. I have not used them yet.
Info here ;
Profile State Line Superstore | Auto Sales, Boat & Travel Trailers | Maine - New Hampshire RV & Car Dealer

[Sbb]

George hernandez, Carmel, NY, 174 miles from you. He used to work for an AS dealer who went out of businessf, has his own place now. I get a lot of my work done at my local RV guy, since what he has done is general type items to all ttailers. I would think jack repair might fit under that catagory. Happy to heR you got it out. I bet youcan still get ur trip in. Bring a boRd base for use everytime mine is 2' square.

[cwf]

Place a jack stand under jack. There are several options. The quickest is to place wooden board before you jack. To wont bond to surface quite as bad as you experienced. Also cheaper

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by TikiTime

Thanks so much everyone for quick replies - much appreciated on a holiday weekend. We got the jackboot off after digging a bigger hole underneath with a rental mini-jackhammer. Wasn't stuck in the ground too badly, also an issue of some torque on the jack pipe from one side sinking made it impossible to move. Now some affected hitch issues to correct that got messed up on the process. All good except our first camping trip to Maine in deep jeopardy! For the power switch- anyone know of a good AS repair place in MA area? Thanks again.

TikiTime - there is Airstream dealer called Airstream of New England in Stoughton, MA. George Crosby is the head of service there and a great guy - his service team has been very good with me so far. Good luck and enjoy Maine. Once you get through this hiccup, you'll love love love it!!!