Hand Cranking Trailer-Dead Battery

[garylind]

Need to understand how to crank my new 2016 Flying Cloud if battery dies. There was a small adapter included in the accessory storage bin that fits into the front side of the electric power unit. What type of bit is needed to use this piece and what torque might be needed for a drill which I intend to purchase.
Thanks

[aftermath]

On mine I have to remove the head of the jack and insert the crank there. I did this once just to try it out. It lifts without much effort. I personally would not get a drill because I would have to carry it around in the off chance that I might have to use it.

If your battery goes dead you can always hook the umbilical to the tow vehicle and power the jack that way.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by garylind

Need to understand how to crank my new 2016 Flying Cloud if battery dies. There was a small adapter included in the accessory storage bin that fits into the front side of the electric power unit. What type of bit is needed to use this piece and what torque might be needed for a drill which I intend to purchase.
Thanks

The electric jacks Airstream uses change from year to year, and not all jacks use the same standard crank. You might look at the brand name of your jack and go to YouTube to see if there are videos showing how yours works.

I really don't know that much about power jacks, but I believe you can probably hand crank any of them even if you do have power. Try yours out and then decide. The prior poster noted that you can power the jack from the tow vehicle battery - IF the A/S battery is the problem. My jack has failed about 6 times - Once a fuse, and three times it was the ground wire - needing to be scrubbed clean and covered with dielectric grease. (the fun of living near the ocean).

I have a cordless drill for the stabilizer jacks - but if I don't get UNDER the stream and clean and lube up the screws on the jacks it's easier to muscle past the sand, etc. with the hand crank.

[AWCHIEF]

They way they are geared it takes very little effort. I do have an extension for my crank so that I do not have to remove the tank box.

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by garylind

Need to understand how to crank my new 2016 Flying Cloud if battery dies. There was a small adapter included in the accessory storage bin that fits into the front side of the electric power unit. What type of bit is needed to use this piece and what torque might be needed for a drill which I intend to purchase.
Thanks

After my jack motor failed (2016 25' FC), with the Atwood jack that is like yours, I ordered one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Atwood-87891-R...rch_detailpage

I didn't want to rely on using a drill adapter, and the drill I do carry wasn't strong enough.

[WestieHouse]

I have the Barker jack on my 2015 23 FC. When my switch broke while on the road I used the hand crank and found it very easy. No drill or adaptor is needed for that power jack at least. Removing the level on the top of the jack takes 3 seconds - just a slight twist and it lifts off to expose the hole in which you pkace the handle. Be sure to head the warning about NOT using power when the handle is in place.

I replaced the switch at our next stop after calling Barker in MI and arranging it to be sent to the next campground. They were easy to deal with.

I always carry an extra "slow blow" fuse as these are hard to find. It goes in the socket on the line from the jack to the battery. Easy to do if needed, but you must have a proper sized "slow blow" fuse.

[Americal]

We forgot to put the batteries in for a short winter camping trip and when we got to the camp ground we had to use the hand crank. It was easy to crank up. Seems like we used a socket or extension to get up above the lpg cover box. On ours we turned the level on top of the jack and it removed, exposing the manual crank.

[Gneiss Guy]

I had to crank my 2011 FC 30 a few times when the switch failed a couple of days from home. No problem, except that it is a bit slow. I did purchase an extension for my ratchet, so could turn it 360 degrees, rather than back and forth. Mine is a Barker and yes, they are easy to deal with.