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turk123 · 08-12-2016, 08:56 PM

Third time I used the Atwood 3000 power jack, it froze. Ok, I'm new to all this but I have to wonder what airstream is thinking. Atwood tells me that the 3000 cannot be used with an equalizer hitch. In fact he pointed out that the first page of the manual states that very clearly. The dealer sold me a 1200 lb hitch and showed me how to take the tension off the bars using the hitch. This is wrong according to Atwood. I should have a 4000 lb jack.

I called airstream and they know about the problem. Yet they blame the dealer. What? Should the dealer tell the customer that the jack is inadequate and make the customer pay for a new 4000 jack and installation? Airstream clearly knows that a 28 footer needs stabilization.

The dealership is now looking into getting me a 4000 and getting airstream to change their inadequate thinking.

HiJoeSilver · 08-12-2016, 10:23 PM

"The dealership is now looking into getting me a 4000" Good on the dealer!

"getting airstream to change their inadequate thinking." Good luck with that!

Once again missed the boat!

avionstream · 08-13-2016, 08:28 AM

Airstream has nothing to do with what hitch you choose. It is just another after mkt acc. The owner must do his own research either alone or with the help of a dealer. The factory does not recommend any hitch to my knowledge. The type or brand of hitch is entirely up to the owner. Unless something has changed recently. Now my 1984 Avion owners manual recommends either anEaz lift or Reese or something of similar quality. I don't remember any hitch recommendations in the manuals for any of the AS I've owned. Might have overlooked it, though.

turk123 · 08-13-2016, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avionstream

Airstream has nothing to do with what hitch you choose. It is just another after mkt acc. The owner must do his own research either alone or with the help of a dealer. The factory does not recommend any hitch to my knowledge. The type or brand of hitch is entirely up to the owner. Unless something has changed recently. Now my 1984 Avion owners manual recommends either anEaz lift or Reese or something of similar quality. I don't remember any hitch recommendations in the manuals for any of the AS I've owned. Might have overlooked it, though.

Well, just don't use a 3000 lb. Atwood power jack on it!

Evidently the dealer did talk to their airstream rep and he admitted the issue needs to be addressed. Makes no sense that the dearler has to take off the 3000 jack and put on a 4000 jack costing the customer over a thousand dollars for hitch and jack. Why not provide the 4000 in the first place. It it the same jack with a different gear ratio. Same motor. Cost is probably almost the same to the dealer. The dealers are recommending equalizer (or similar) hitches for most trailers sold at the dealership, why not accomidate them a little and make the customer happy.

tsunami · 08-13-2016, 03:51 PM

From the first time I used the Atwood 3000 power jack, I knew it was inferior and told my wife that I was going to contact AS about replacing it. My 2016 28 footer has the heaviest tongue weight of all their units and they install the least capable jack... Loved the power jack on the 2006 23 footer I had prior to my current AS. I will be following this thread to see how this issue get resolved..

AWCHIEF · 08-13-2016, 03:57 PM

Curious, what does the hitch used have to with the Jack??? Pretty sure there are thousands (ok maybe hundreds) of trailers on the road using 3000 pound spec jacks and Equalizer hitches.

dkottum · 08-13-2016, 04:13 PM

The factory 3000 is plenty for the Airstream 1,000 lb tongue weight. It's when we lift the back of various trucks and who-knows how much gear in the bed to engage and/or adjust w.d. bars that a larger jack may be needed.

We replaced our Barker 3000 with a Barker 3500 (improved design as well) because of the load we lift to make our ProPride w.d. settings easy. The 3000 worked okay but I felt it may be near its limits at times.

avionstream · 08-13-2016, 04:25 PM

Maybe we are using the wrong hitch or truck?

Hiho Silver · 08-13-2016, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turk123

Well, just don't use a 3000 lb. Atwood power jack on it!

Evidently the dealer did talk to their airstream rep and he admitted the issue needs to be addressed. Makes no sense that the dearler has to take off the 3000 jack and put on a 4000 jack costing the customer over a thousand dollars for hitch and jack. Why not provide the 4000 in the first place. It it the same jack with a different gear ratio. Same motor. Cost is probably almost the same to the dealer. The dealers are recommending equalizer (or similar) hitches for most trailers sold at the dealership, why not accomidate them a little and make the customer happy.

At JC they told me the reason Airstream used the 3000 lb jack instead of the 4000 lb is because the 4000 is a little taller for the longer distance it travels and is too tall to fully open the propane tank cover. I switched mine out and it doesn't bother me. You can still open the cover, just not all the way flat. If Anybody wants to buy an almost new 3000 lb jack off my 2016 FC let me know.

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tsunami · 08-13-2016, 08:24 PM

Would you mind divulging the price you pay for the 4000?

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HiJoeSilver · 08-13-2016, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsunami

Would you mind divulging the price you pay for the 4000?

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

From etrailer you can get a 3000 for about $200, a 4000 for about $250. That's retail I'm sure the price to mfg is much lower and the difference between the two is negligible at a mfg point, especially on a $80-100k trailer.

I cut my rant off!

turk123 · 08-14-2016, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avionstream

Maybe we are using the wrong hitch or truck?

I'm just using the model hitch that the dealer recommended (Equalizer 1200 lb.). The truck is a f150 platinum with nothing in the bed.

I'm still amazed that AS would go for the smaller jack due to it's interferrence with the propane lid. What's more important: jack breaking or door not opening all the way.

In the airstream manual they gave me with the trailer it says, "Never use the power jack to lift anything but the trailer. Then under trailering they "recomend getting sway control hitch with weight distribution for better and safer trailering".

What's a dealer supposed to do???

avionstream · 08-15-2016, 05:52 AM

Again, I don't think AS recommended the hitch, the dealer did. Neither did AS recommend your tv type. Both hitch and tv are okay, just that AS doesn't recommend either or neither. You have a good setup for the combination of hitch and tv and trailer, it's just that there limitations to any combination. Good camping.

avionstream · 08-15-2016, 05:57 AM

I look at replacing the jack as the same as replacing the tires or converter, not absolutely necessary, but prudent. Owners discretion, not necessary, but not a bad idea. These changes allow us to specialize our AS to our own specs, part of the enjoyment of ownership.