Jack Placement on 2004 Classic 28

[DaveP]

I need to jack up each side of the trailer to put new tires on the wheels. I want to take off the wheels one side at a time to take them to the tire shop. There is a heavy-duty frame piece supporting the (Tandem) axles on each side of the trailer. Is this a good point to use with a 3 ton floor jack? Is there a better point?

Thanks in advance,

DaveP

[Farmer Dan]

Dave, I have used the frame piece you describe with a bottle jack and a floor jack. The problem I now have is that with 16" tires the floor jack doesn't leave enough room to remove the tires. My '02 has a sticker on the belly pan indicating where to jack on the frame several feet behind the tires. There is an aluminum "diamond" where the jack is to be placed so as to be on the frame.

Dan

[ROBERT CROSS]

I use the axle mount plate...

Bob

[DaveP]

Thanks guys. The picture shows exactly what I was thinking of doing. The good thing with the axle mount plate is that it does not put any torsional stress on the frame.

Ironically, the driver side "jack point", a few feet behind the axle, has an electrical line mounted to the area. Looks to be factory installed. I am starting to learn some of the nuances of this trailer (and this is just my first year with an AS ).

Thanks,

DaveP

[TG Twinkie]

Why not use ramps (2"x 8") under the tires on one axle. Then reverse to the other axle. It is still 2 tires going to the tire shop per trip.
Using ramps is far more safe than a jack. It is virtually impossible for the coach to fall off of it's tires.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Dave,

If you do use a floor jack, don't forget the jack stand. (as you can see I remove the wheels for Winter)

Bob

[DaveP]

Thanks Bob. Good point. And now that I know this is a good support point, I can do all five wheels at one time!

I raced cars in the SCCA for 20 years, so I have plenty of jack stands, floor jacks and tools. As a matter of fact, I sold my car and trailer last fall to buy the AS. My wife figured I might live a bit longer this way...

DaveP

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by DaveP

Thanks Bob. Good point. And now that I know this is a good support point, I can do all five wheels at one time!

I raced cars in the SCCA for 20 years, so I have plenty of jack stands, floor jacks and tools. As a matter of fact, I sold my car and trailer last fall to buy the AS. My wife figured I might live a bit longer this way...

DaveP

Ahhh yes....old "things" sold to make room for new "things".

Auto-Cross..... 1964 P1800s

Bob

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by DaveP

Thanks guys. The picture shows exactly what I was thinking of doing. The good thing with the axle mount plate is that it does not put any torsional stress on the frame.

Ironically, the driver side "jack point", a few feet behind the axle, has an electrical line mounted to the area. Looks to be factory installed. I am starting to learn some of the nuances of this trailer (and this is just my first year with an AS ).

Thanks,

DaveP

That is where I used to jack our Classic 30 with a trolley jack until I started using ramps made from Lynx levellers - now that is my preferred method.

Brian

[Gneiss Guy]

If the axle mount plate is the best place to set the jack, why does AS identify the Jack point behind the rear wheels? I nearly had a cuss-fight with the service manager of our local tire store about this. I and my owner's manual prevailed, but he still grumbled that it would warp the frame! It didn't.

Richard

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Gneiss Guy

If the axle mount plate is the best place to set the jack, why does AS identify the Jack point behind the rear wheels? I nearly had a cuss-fight with the service manager of our local tire store about this. I and my owner's manual prevailed, but he still grumbled that it would warp the frame! It didn't.

Richard

Really can't answer that question...why did they install two 3500lb axles on a our 25' 7300 GVW Classic.

I use the the plate because it's closer to the fore/aft center....less stress is good.

Bob

[guskmg]

Don't forget about 1,000#'s of your GVW is on the hitch. The wheels are only supporting 6,300#'s.
Guskmg

[DaveP]

Bob,

Cool car! I always wanted a Volvo P1800. This was my poison.

DaveP

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by guskmg

Don't forget about 1,000#'s of your GVW is on the hitch. The wheels are only supporting 6,300#'s.
Guskmg

Not quite....Cat ticket sez 7640.

Originally Posted by DaveP

Bob,

Cool car! I always wanted a Volvo P1800. This was my poison.

DaveP
Attachment 267938

Dave.

Now thats' some serious stuff!!!

Looks a bit like a Vette? custom body, rear/mid engine?

Bob

[DaveP]

Bob,

Spec Racer Ford Gen3 built by SCCA Enterprises. Purpose built frame, center seat and fast.

Back to the topic, I need to run over the scales (and I have some CAT scales close to the house), so I will do it on an upcoming trip. We are taking a short trip to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado in two weeks and then off to Iowa in September, so I wanted to make sure I have everything ready. I am putting on Maxxis 225/75R15 E M8008 ST RADIAL (10 ply, E rated), and the Truck System Technologies TPMS 4 Sensor Tire Monitor System w Flow Thru Sensors. For some reason, the 2011 manufacturing date code on the current tires made me a little nervous (along with the stories of flat tire damage).

Thanks again for your help!

DaveP

[Jacob D]

When I need to remove both wheels (a rarity) on the same side at the same time I use a 5Ton bottle jack and a jack stand. The bottle jack is placed a few inches aft of the rear wheel right under the main frame and the jack stand next to it or under the center of the side plate. I place a wooden block between the jack and the belly pan sheet. If I only need to remove one wheel, I use what I call a "step block" made of successively shorter 2x8 inch lumber to form a ramp approx. 6" high and 30" long with enough length on the top block to support the tire "footprint". Use the TV to back or pull forward onto the step block, chock both wheels on the other side of the trailer and the TV, and then remove the other wheel on that side. Replace the wheel and switch the step block to it and repeat with the other wheel if need be. This is the safest DIY method I know.

[m.hony]

I used 2 trailer aid ramps and got rear axle wheels off then swapped and got front axle wheels off- still 2 wheels at a time, but a different way-

[Hittenstiehl]

We would like to build some of the step ramps (wooden 2x8 step) to lift our single axel trailer. We only need to go up slightly higher for ease of getting under it to look around and take measurements and photographs. How high can we safely lift while staying attached to our tow vehicle.

[m.hony]

The Trailer Aid ramps are 6-8" tall.
We cut lots of wooden ramps for the trailers at work from 8x8 pressure treated wood posts.

[Hittenstiehl]

Thank you that helps. If you have a picture to post that would be nice for us visual folks.