Look what Discount Tire did to our underbelly

[robert claus]

It really doesn't look too bad, but I'd want to see what's behind the sheet metal pan to make sure everything's ok. You could probably straighten out that aluminum.

Firestone dealer lifted my Ford E150 by the sheet metal, missing the frame and pushing up the step behind each front door. That's a tire dealer, lifting a vehicle they've probably lifted thousands of. Of course, I was having new tires installed for a trip the next day. They fixed it at their cost, though.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by vegangirl57

Hi Everyone,

Here are a few more photos. We checked the axle tubes and can find no visible damage. Please note that both axle tubes have a saddle in the center that is a factory design.

Thank you all for your kind words and advice.

I can understand the sickening feeling.

I do have to say, that middle pic of the damage doesn't look awful and I don't know that it would have damaged the tank but obviously you want to check that to be sure.

I had tires installed at Town Fare Tire and they jacked up at the right point for the first one but we ended up using ramps for the other 3. They had no problem with me hanging around and explaining where it should / shouldn't be jacked up.

Sorry you had this experience. Get it checked but hopefully it's just an ugly cosmetic crush and nothing more serious.

Good luck!!

[TinTin]

Originally Posted by vegangirl57

Hi Everyone,
Well, Discount tires was very nice. Their Claims department in Arizona is going to send a check for the repairs...
Thank you all!

Sounds like a company worth supporting!!

[JFScheck]

I agree - I will use them now!

[AJUNEK]

Ok. Dumb question but I am glad t read this. Where do you put the jack. 2007 25FB

[Sbb]

I have single axel Bambi, so blocks dont work for me, right? I purchased a jack and four way thingy to keep at all times. On the jack box I wrote where jack goes, but as soon as all the snow melts, I will be down under adding reflective tape. I think my hardest part would be getting spare tire out, and instruction manual.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by Zigidachs

With our last tire replacement ( Michelin recall) I used a local tire shop and was on my hands and knees with the tech pointing to the exact locations for the jacks! I didn't take any chances.

We've had our tires changed at tire shops, and like Zigidachs, I am right there with the tech them showing where to put the jack and I stay there the whole time. If they don't want me to watch I will not let them do it.

I have changed a tire along side the road twice using a bottle jack ... once from a flat in town (valve stem failure) and once from a blowout on the highway. Neither were fun. Having a single axle, we have no choice but to jack. It worked, but it was hell, so I now carry a floor jack and use the axle bracket rather than the jack points ... A floor jack works better because you can get the rig high enough to get the tire off and the spare on.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by Sbb

I have single axel Bambi, so blocks dont work for me, right? I purchased a jack and four way thingy to keep at all times. On the jack box I wrote where jack goes, but as soon as all the snow melts, I will be down under adding reflective tape. I think my hardest part would be getting spare tire out, and instruction manual.

Hints on getting the spare out of the rack:

Before you jack the rig up, standing on the curbside of the tongue, release the spare rack latch using your left hand to squeeze the rack arm in the latch where the pin is, lifting it slightly up to lessen the tension on the latch ... this makes it much easier to get that pin out ... then move the latch mechanism off the arm and let the rack down to the ground.

Then move to the street side of the tongue and sit on the ground with your legs spread to either side of the lowered rack... this gives you the leverage to drag the spare out of the rack through the forward opening in the rack with your hands .... much easier than trying to stoop over to get it out.

After you have the spare on the rig and off the jack, reverse this process using your feet to push the flat tire into the rack (unless you can carry the flat tire elsewhere).

Don't forget to re-latch the spare rack in the upward closed position before you take off! I would practice getting the spare out at home BEFORE you need to do it along side a busy road.

[nsbcpa]

It worked, but it was hell, so I now carry a floor jack and use the axle bracket rather than the jack points ... A floor jack works better because you can get the rig high enough to get the tire off and the spare on.

What is an axle bracket?

[Skater]

Originally Posted by m.hony

But I do have the tire change ramp in the trailer.
The jack that came with the truck is not heavy duty enough to lift the trailer.
Hauling a floor jack around doesn't appeal to me- too heavy for me to lift and eats up payload...

You don't need a floor jack - a bottle jack will do the job. That's what I use at home. They're not that large, either, so you probably could find a spot to store it in the camper, and they're fairly inexpensive to boot.

I don't carry it with us when traveling, so the one time I had a flat on the road, we pulled it up on blocks to change the tire. If it were going flat in the campground, I'd probably have to hook up and do the same - although I wouldn't bother with the lifter bars and sway control, just drop it on the ball and put the spare on. I'd be tempted to just wait until we're hooking up to leave if at all possible, then just switch at that time. This delay wouldn't work if it was leaking so badly that the trailer was putting too much weight on the stabilizers.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by nsbcpa

It worked, but it was hell, so I now carry a floor jack and use the axle bracket rather than the jack points ... A floor jack works better because you can get the rig high enough to get the tire off and the spare on.

What is an axle bracket?

The axle bracket is the part that hangs down where the axle is mounted to the frame. You can use that or the axle mounting flange on the frame.

[pappy19]

I never leave home without my "trailer assist"; it is easy, safe and weighs almost nothing. I keep it in my TV all the time.

Trailer Aid - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Genuine Hotrod Hardware

[SilverGate]

Originally Posted by TBRich

Hints on getting the spare out of the rack:

Before you jack the rig up, standing on the curbside of the tongue, release the spare rack latch using your left hand to squeeze the rack arm in the latch where the pin is, lifting it slightly up to lessen the tension on the latch ... this makes it much easier to get that pin out ... then move the latch mechanism off the arm and let the rack down to the ground.

Then move to the street side of the tongue and sit on the ground with your legs spread to either side of the lowered rack... this gives you the leverage to drag the spare out of the rack through the forward opening in the rack with your hands .... much easier than trying to stoop over to get it out.

After you have the spare on the rig and off the jack, reverse this process using your feet to push the flat tire into the rack (unless you can carry the flat tire elsewhere).

Don't forget to re-latch the spare rack in the upward closed position before you take off! I would practice getting the spare out at home BEFORE you need to do it along side a busy road.

Thanks for posting these hints, which I added to our trip binder!

[DKB_SATX]

I carry a bottle jack at the bottom of a closet that's over the curbside wheel well. There's just enough room between the door and the wheel well for the bottle jack, a folding sewer hose support (that I've used about 3 times in 3 years) and the coupler lock that I use when the trailer is stored.

I've only lifted it with the bottle jack, because the storage sheds are paved with gravel so a floor jack would be inconvenient at best. It has plenty of lift to get the trailer high enough.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by T1NCAN

I just checked mine, and it is CLEARLY labeled where to place the Jack.

I would be very careful of that assumption. I have an 04 34' in the shop. It has a big reflective decal saying "JACK". The problem is, that decal is 9" from the frame rail where you actually are supposed to jack. Had I not known, had I gone by the owners manual, I would be fixing the belly pan instead of moving on to the next project. The location back to front is very critical, but more critical is the jack being under the frame rail.

[golfarch]

Hey Veggie Girl:

All things happen for a reason! It's waiting for and accepting the 'reason' that makes life interesting. Hang in there, something good will come from this.

[vegangirl57]

Hi Everyone,

Well, the water tank did sustain damage, so we had it replaced.
HOLIDAY TRAVEL TRAILERS ALBUQUERQUE (Airstream service and Sales) did a FANTASTIC job repairing our girl. Andrew and his team are the best we have encountered.
A big Thank you to them!!!!!

[SteveSueMac]

Did the tire dealer cover the cost?

[TinTin]

I love to see a happy camper!!

[BigAl]

Frank and others,
If you look carefully, the Jack decal has an arrow on it that points towards a diamond shaped piece of aluminum riveted to the belly pan. You are supposed to put the jack on the diamond. It is where the frame is.
Not very clear if you don't think it through.
Al