Dumb question of the day - what is this?

[etojeo]

I’ve carried this around for 14 months or so and have never used it - what’s it for? It came with our new Stream....

[Piggy Bank]

Manual crank for the jack at the trailer tongue. Needed if your electric jack motor fails. Ours did.

[etojeo]

Well there ya go - thank you!

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Manual crank for the jack at the trailer tongue. Needed if your electric jack motor fails. Ours did.

See like our kindergarten teacher said, there is no dumb question's

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by etojeo

I’ve carried this around for 14 months or so and have never used it - what’s it for? It came with our new Stream....

Doesn't your owner's manual cover this?

[fthopkins]

Word of advise, DO NOT use an electric (battery) torque drill to raise or lower tongue jack! Lucky for me, it didn't happen to me (but I would have tied it). Fortunately, for me, I learned this by witnessing this from a fellow camper. Very sad for him.

[Spaggs]

Originally Posted by fthopkins

Word of advise, DO NOT use an electric (battery) torque drill to raise or lower tongue jack! Lucky for me, it didn't happen to me (but I would have tied it). Fortunately, for me, I learned this by witnessing this from a fellow camper. Very sad for him.

Details!
What happened using the drill?

[Wazbro]

Another word of advise, now that you know what it is put a tag/label on it so it doesn't get tossed out.

[guskmg]

What happened also? If you set the electric drill to a low setting any load after you hit the stop would be the same as you turning the crank.
guskmg

[OTRA15]

The rotational resistance of the jack's drive shaft is very high, and will twist your wrist/arm in ways that are not good, unless you are well-braced and prepared to counter that nearly immovable force IMO. Been there . . . let go of drill before any real damage was done.

A hefty right-angle 1/2" drill, like plumbers and electricians use to bore large-diameter holes, would work, but most of those come with a safety clutch to protect the user. Of course they also require 120-volt power.



The tool posted in the OP, has a fairly long horizontal offset -- from the shaft of the jack to the rotating handle -- which gives the necessary mechanical advantage to the user, when making very small rotational advances. Not so with a drill centered almost over the center-line of the drive shaft.




Try the cordless drill setup . . . you may not like it. Be prepared to let go instantly to avoid injury.

Originally Posted by fthopkins

. . .
Fortunately, for me, I learned this by witnessing this from a fellow camper. Very sad for him.

Happy trials!

[solomon.m]

I love the title of this thread. If it were a permanent fixture in the forum I would start there every day. Thanks for posting and welcoming the insights from the members at large. Any chance we could get this to become a permanent category?

[Julie-Bob]

Originally Posted by etojeo

I’ve carried this around for 14 months or so and have never used it - what’s it for? It came with our new Stream....

On our 2009 25FB Classic, if I had to use the crank I would have to take the electric motor off the jack screw. That is a task that I’m not looking forward to if the jack screw fails. If it did fail it would be at night in a rain storm and the flood waters were rising. The new jack screws are made with the manual crank fitting exposed so no disassembling the motor.

[Foiled Again]

Really? I had a 2005 CCD and all I had to do with that one was pop a level/lid off the top of the jack.
Perhaps they used a different jack on the big heavier Classics, so anything is possible.

[fthopkins]

--Quote (Originally by fthopkins)---
Word of advise, DO NOT use an electric (battery) torque drill to raise or lower tongue jack! Lucky for me, it didn't happen to me (but I would have tied it). Fortunately, for me, I learned this by witnessing this from a fellow camper. Very sad for him.

---End Quote---

Details!

What happened using the drill?


1st - the key word was "torque" drill.

2nd - the answer to the question "What happened using the drill?" The "torque" drill stripped the gears on the tongue jack. He ended up removing the tongue jack and using his truck (along with a lot of wood blocks) to jack up the trailer tongue high enough to catch the tow ball.


I like the possibility of using a standard drill, although I do normally carry one with me. I carry the torque drill for the stabilizers. I DID have the opportunity to use a hand crank. Flew a fuss. And, of course after I finished cranking up and down, I found where I hid my stock of fusses. Not a fun experience.

[saraed]

Originally Posted by solomon.m

I love the title of this thread. If it were a permanent fixture in the forum I would start there every day. Thanks for posting and welcoming the insights from the members at large. Any chance we could get this to become a permanent category?

Great idea!!