Best lightweight floor jack

[Bluetick]

I keep a lightweight floor jack in my Jeep. It's rated up to 3,000 lbs. Ok for the Jeep but what about my Caravel 22FB? Should I go up to a 2 or 3 ton jack?

[richard5933]

I recently bought two of these - they are really handy in that they combine the jack function with the safety of a jack stand.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[drmox]

The best bet for a small lightweight jack that can easily lift your Caravel is a bottle jack. Cheapest place to get one is from a junk yard; usually, they're around $5 or $10.

[ITSNO60]

Instead of adding all that weight if it's just for tire and bearing service while on the road why not just get one of these? https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Aid-T...34212847&psc=1
Fast, light, easy and no fluid to leak out.
Plus the 1.5 ton jack you already have would probably have no problem lifting one wheel at a time, but you do have to be very careful how you lift, an improperly placed jack can cause damage to an Airstream so I'm told.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

Instead of adding all that weight if it's just for tire and bearing service while on the road why not just get one of these? https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Aid-T...34212847&psc=1
Fast, light, easy and no fluid to leak out.
Plus the 1.5 ton jack you already have would probably have no problem lifting one wheel at a time, but you do have to be very careful how you lift, an improperly placed jack can cause damage to an Airstream so I'm told.

A 22-footer is a single-axle trailer, so that "Trailer-Aid" thing isn't going to do the trick for Bluetick's trailer like it would for a tandem-axle trailer.

Jacking an Airstream is easy if you have a good surface underneath it. Use the flange the axle mounts to as the jacking point, if it can hold the weight of the trailer on the axle, it can hold it on the jack and you don't have to worry about finding a hidden jack point covered by the belly pan, etc.

[Mollysdad]

I'd vote for a bottle jack.
I have a nice floor jack from Harbor Freight, 3 ton, the one that Snap-On sued over.
First, it's heavy. It still takes a good grunt to get one side of my 26' off the ground.
Other than crawling under the trailer, a bottle jack has no real downsides.
A floor jack works much better on a concrete floor, not so well on grass or gravel, where you'll most likely be. As the floor jack goes up it needs to move under the workpiece. It won't with tiny wheels and gravel.

[DKB_SATX]

Oh, and to answer the OP's question directly: I carry a 3-ton bottle-jack. Reliable, doesn't need a regular surface it can roll on, compact. Not really "light" but compared to some big floor jack I suppose it's light. I also carry at least one jackstand because I like suspenders with my belts...

[CRH]

Another bottle jack carrier here. I also carry a few boards for a jack base.

[DaveP]

Originally Posted by richard5933

I recently bought two of these - they are really handy in that they combine the jack function with the safety of a jack stand.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2X Alltrade, but you will need an extension for the handle to lift a heavier trailer. I use a 3 foot piece of steel conduit.

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

A 22-footer is a single-axle trailer, so that "Trailer-Aid" thing isn't going to do the trick for Bluetick's trailer like it would for a tandem-axle trailer.

didn't know that, thanks...........guess I should stay out of these trailer discussions....

[Rich W]

Honest mistake, there were some 22' with double axle, but not 2022. :-D

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Bluetick

I keep a lightweight floor jack in my Jeep. It's rated up to 3,000 lbs. Ok for the Jeep but what about my Caravel 22FB? Should I go up to a 2 or 3 ton jack?

You already have a capable 'jack'.....use it, safely.
I don't trust any jack to "HOLD" anything up, that's what jackstands are for, I recommend at least two for a single axle trailer. I have always used the axle mount plate to lift the AS. And carry lego blocks to allow tire changes,(dual axle AS)

I leave the bottle jacks in the garage. Most do not have an adequately sized base plate....TETO

Bob
🇺🇸

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

You already have a capable 'jack'.....use it, safely.

I don't trust any jack to "HOLD" anything up, that's what jackstands are for, I recommend at least two for a single axle trailer. I have always used the axle mount plate to lift the AS. And carry lego blocks to allow tire changes,(dual axle AS)



I leave the bottle jacks in the garage. Most do not have an adequately sized base plate....TETO



Bob

[emoji631]

This is why I used these. They combine a jack with a jack stand. The one one the left is what I'm talking about. The yellow one is there because I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by richard5933

This is why I used these. They combine a jack with a jack stand. The one one the left is what I'm talking about. The yellow one is there because I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy. Attachment 407385

I like the black one, all 'b' jacks should be so designed.

Bob
🇺🇸

[tbrowne]

I've been using the same jacks as Richard5933 for several years. I find that many times I have a place to lift a vehicle but then don't have a place for a jack stand and working under a jack is neither recommended nor safe. Since these are both the jack and the jack stand the problem of not have a place for a separate jack stand is solved. I don't carry these on the road because they're too large. I do carry a smaller two ton, hydraulic jack for that time I might need a jack while traveling. It will get me by in a pinch and placing it on a block of wood solves the issue with the small base.