Best Jack to Change Tire on Single Axle Sport

[Cannonball]

OK, after 9 months of ownership, I have picked up a nail in a tire, creating a slow leak. 2014 Sport 22 FB, (single axle). Tire shops seem to not have the "proper" floor jack, and some just flat refuse to do the repair. One even went so far to tell me that "it was against the law to repair a trailer tire, it has to be replaced." I have to call "BS" on that one. So, I am relegated to going to storage, jacking up the trailer, remove tire, go get repair, reverse process.

Q: I have a 6 ton bottle jack. Is this an appropriate application, or is there is a better choice?

Thanks.

[mimiandrews]

Your bottle jack should work if it's short enough to get under the proper jack point on the trailer. Of course, the usual safety precautions apply--chock the opposite wheel and make sure the trailer can't move. Support the trailer with a jack stand if you need to be under it.

Most people think the axle mounting plate is the safest jack point, and that's what I've been using. Never jack on the axle tube itself.

I carry a double ram bottle jack from Northern Tool in our single axle Safari. It's easy to see that a tire might need to be changed in a location where the trailer is too low to get a taller jack under than axle mounting plate.

[Cannonball]

Thanks.


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[Wingeezer]

We have dual axles, so once I learned about running one wheel up onto Lynx levelers, I don't bother with a jack any more, but previously I used to carry a light weight trolley jack and also safety stand.

I have bottle jacks as well, and no doubt they would be fine - I just felt that the trolley jack was a bit more stable - and it requires less height.

Brian.

[idroba]

mimianderws has the best answer for you. Both my trailers are single axel ones and jacking at the axle mounting plate is what I do. I cary a small, cheap floor jack or a bottle jack with extra leveling blocks to allow it to lift properly, that is have enough height.

I will repeat one comment though, never jack the axle tube itself.

[Ahab]

The Discount Tire around here all have the proper equipment and seem to know their way around Airstreams. They have never given me any BS. I carry a bottle jack for the truck and TT but never had to use it as I carry Allstate Road side assistance.

[cwf]

Secure trailer
Place Jack under trailer behind axle on the mount plate.
Jack high enough to set a jack stand under the plate and have tire off the ground.
Pretty simple and safe if done properly

[Cannonball]

Thanks to all responders.


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[Gnorts]

"The Flying Toaster," our '71 18ft Caravelle single axle, had wheels that required inner tubes, and the wheels were so rusty they chafed the tubes, resulting in numerous flats and one catastrophic tread loss on the freeway east of San Diego (there's more to that story). I got pretty good at jacking up that trailer. What's been mentioned here is all good - bottle jack, backup short screw jack (Toyota pickup truck jack from a junkyard), chocks, blocking, jackstands. One more item became essential: A pair of hard-faced knee pads for kneeling in the gravel.

We were pulling the Toaster in Baja, when we saw some locals in a truck with a flat and no jack, but they did have a spare, a tire iron, some lumber and a shovel. They had jammed lumber between the frame and the ground, and they were cheerfully digging a hole under the flat tire...

[Wayne&Sam]

I used a bottle jack but also used the marked jacking point on the belly pan, not the axle plate.


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[GCinSC2]

Take a look at your F150 jack, you might be surprised. Worth a look.

[Cannonball]

Hmmmmmm. Have driven the truck since new, but have never had the jack out from under the seat. At least I think it is under the seat ....

Thanks for the tip.

[GCinSC2]

I use 2 from the Dodge 3500 and I can lift both sides of the trailer at the same time. Done it. 30' slider.

Couple of possible advantages. Mechanical must be raised and lowered by turning shaft can't lower or drift on its own. Mine have a swivel saddle that fits the axle mounting plate quite well. The larger 1 ton jack has a pretty large base. Got truck? Got jack.

[Cannonball]

Ok, report on jack. My 6 ton bottle jack worked perfectly. I needed three Lynx leveler and a small block of wood to get the right height, but after that, no issues.

I did mangle two lug nuts. The lug nuts are really soft metal, and if your socket slips, it just destroys the lug nut. I do not understand why Airstream uses such a cheesy lug nut. At any rate, I found almost an identical match at Advance Auto Parts for about $2.50 a piece. I now have several back ups in my tool box. I would encourage everyone to carry some extras as well. Want to be stuck by the roadside over a lug nut?


Cannonball, Deep in the Heart of Texas!

WBCCI #4387, Air #84080

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[minke]

If the lug nut was mauled with a 12-point socket you may have made a case for a 6-point socket.

[Wayne&Sam]

6-point is the only way to go.

[mimiandrews]

Be sure to re-torque those lug nuts after about 10, 20, 50, and 100 miles. It's amazing how loose they can get if you don't.

We nearly lost a wheel last year, and that's not good on a single axle trailer.

[polarlyse]

Cannonball, did you mangle the lug nut OR the chrome shell atop the lug nut ??? The chrome shell is easily mangled and cause the wrench to spin. Happened to me so, been there done that. I now carry a small sharp chisel and a smaller socket. I can split and peel off the chrome shell and remove the lug with a smaller socket. These things will always happen in places and times where you don't want them.

To the original question the best jack is the one you carry but never have to use. I have a 6t bottle jack and it works great. Would do for my truck too if needed. In the case of my tongue jack failing it also works great to hitch/un-hitch. It's small and fits into a nice compact clean case for storage. Those of us with tandem axels have the option of pulling onto blocks also so go for what works best at the time.

[Cannonball]

The chrome cap was what went first. Of course, I was at the storage place without my full toolbox, just the truck box. Ah well, lesson learned.


Cannonball, Deep in the Heart of Texas!

WBCCI #4387, Air #84080

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[Cannonball]

OK, the tire repair saga is over and done. However, in an effort to save other Forum members some of the grief I experienced, I am posting a list of what is now "on board" as my tire change kit:

1. 6 ton bottle jack;
2. Set of Lynx levelers (I used 3);
3. Two pieces of scrap wood, roughly the same dimensions as the Lynx levelers (used on top & bottom of levelers to provide flat surface);
4. Wheel chocks for opposite tire;
5. 19" Craftsman breaker bar, 1/2" drive;
6. Set of three Craftsman extensions, 1/2" drive;
7. 3/4", 6 point, deep set Craftsman socket, 1/2" drive;
8. Craftsman torque wrench, 1/2" drive;
9. Old school "T" lug wrench; worthless for most anything, but you can use it to spin the lugs down real fast prior to applying proper torque. Plus, it belonged to my father, and looks cool;
10. Tire gauge;
11. Air compressor to plug into 12v outlet in truck to air up spare (do this before mounting the spare on the Airstream, please!);
12. Small flask of good quality bourbon for post tire change celebration.