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Gringo · 11-06-2011, 06:23 PM

If I wanted to change all four tires while the trailer is in storage, can I take them to the dealer two at a time, leaving the trailer sitting on one axle and the tongue jack for a couple hours at a time?

This is a 27FB with dual axles, lightly loaded. Probably 6,000 lbs.

Lance M · 11-06-2011, 06:48 PM

Yeah. Don't think you'd have any problems for just an hour or two. You can always keep the weight on the jack or jack stands too.

withidl · 11-06-2011, 06:57 PM

If you had a flat on the road, it is OK to just remove the flat tire, throw it into the vehicle, and proceed at a reduced speed to a repair facility on three wheels; so a static load for a while should be no problem at all.

perryg114 · 11-06-2011, 06:57 PM

Why not get a couple of floor jacks and jack stands. Or a couple of hydraulic bottle jacks. I took all 4 of mine off at once with a couple roll around floor jacks but two of any type jack will work or one if you have jack stands. Just don't get underneath it unless you have a jack and a jack stand for safety. Yeah, the axel will take the load for a short period of time if you want to do it that way.

Perry

Inland RV Center, In · 11-06-2011, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gringo

If I wanted to change all four tires while the trailer is in storage, can I take them to the dealer two at a time, leaving the trailer sitting on one axle and the tongue jack for a couple hours at a time?

This is a 27FB with dual axles, lightly loaded. Probably 6,000 lbs.

It's not so much weight on the axle for that short period of time, but on the two remainng tires.

You would be much better off jacking up one side of the trailer and taking those 2 tires to the shop.

Then you would not overload anything.

Andy

Gringo · 11-06-2011, 07:20 PM

Would that take two jacks? I've been thinking of adding a small bottle jack. Problem is that every tool I buy for it has to live in the trailer with us. Weight builds up. As a sailor and a pilot, A locker full of heavy iron junk is anathema to me.

Trex · 11-06-2011, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gringo

Would that take two jacks? I've been thinking of adding a small bottle jack. Problem is that every tool I buy for it has to live in the trailer with us. Weight builds up. As a sailor and a pilot, A locker full of heavy iron junk is anathema to me.

Mr. MacGingo....you can rent jacks, I think there's an app for that.

Splitrock · 11-06-2011, 08:11 PM

I jacked my trailer up and took all 4 wheels to the tire shop together. Very easy and done in one trip.

Goal15 · 11-06-2011, 09:41 PM

Gringo:

Have to concur with Andy on this one. I used the bottle jack from the tow vehicle and it worked great. When I bought new tires I took two at a time to the tire shop to get them changed out... very small parking lot precluded me taking the AS to the tire shop.

Dana

Gringo · 11-07-2011, 04:15 AM

Well it makes me nervous as heck that you guys don't feel the trailer can safely sit on two tires for any length of time. So two simultaneous blowouts would be the end of life as we know it?

I hadn't even though to look to see what the weight rating on the tires are. And of course now the trailer is not accessible to me to go look.

But can you do it with just one jack? You can raise two wheels off the ground with one jack? Is it under the frame or one of the axles?

While I think I understand what an "app" is, I am not about to buy an expensive telephone in order to change a tire. Bah. Humbug. Newfangled foofaraw.

perryg114 · 11-07-2011, 04:22 AM

You never ever ever want to put a jack under the axel. The best place is between the two wheels. There is a vertical flat plate that the axels are attached to. Anywhere along that plate is good but between the wheels is better. Make sure you don't miss and hit a shock mount and bend it like some PO or garage monkey did to mine. Yes you can lift one whole side off the ground at that location. You can put a jack stand along that plate as well. I had to jack mine off the ground with my Excursion OEM bottle jack to adjust the brakes at a rest stop and it worked fine.

Perry

noreen&sal · 11-07-2011, 04:42 AM

2 weeks ago I replaced the 4 backing plates 1axle at a time. Got the front axle all buttoned up and drove it up on blocks. While removing the old plates I sprained my wrist and she sat like that for a week til my son could finish the job. Everything seems OK. Sal.

Gringo · 11-07-2011, 04:52 AM

Thanks for the input.

This leads me into another question. Is anyone replacing the stock setup with larger diameter wheels and tires? We are planning to park this in the middle of some property, at a spot about 800 ft. from the nearest dirt road. Thru a little ditch, across a couple rolling meadows and down into a ridge between two draws. There is no road there and I will need to Bobcat a little terrain remodeling for the last 50 yards of it. I could use some more ground clearance.

The tracks here are from the electric company's F-150 4x4 truck there. Our little rental SUV scraped gravel. I imagine the tandem axles will help, but still wonder about the pans etc. Ground clearance would be good.

I did buy a little e-tool and mellowed that ditch out a bit, but not enough for 14 ft. of trailer belly on each side.

I'll be Bobcatting this end smoother, along with the far end where we are going to park it, but don't really want to cut a long driveway across the meadow. It self-heals if we don't. I like being able to see if it's been driven on lately. Call me Hiawatha. We plan to spend a good part of the summer based at our own private one-RV park here at 7300 ft. and then take to the road in September and October when school thins the herd. Back in storage by November. Each year. This is still part of a bigger plan in the making. Still a lot of holes to be filled in (yuk yuk).

dznf0g · 11-07-2011, 05:06 AM

Take some boards with you and "fill" the ditch. Used to do that all the time with logs when four wheelin'.

dwightdi · 11-07-2011, 05:16 AM

It is not a good idea to jack the trailer up on the single plate between the wheels. The plate is prone to buckle and that causes the frame to bend between the wheels and that will result in rear end separation. If you insist on jacking up two wheels on one side. use two jacks at the designated jacking positions. It is safer to use the 5 in. high board stacks and drive one set of wheels up onto them to be able to take the other two wheels off.

dznf0g · 11-07-2011, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwightdi

It is not a good idea to jack the trailer up on the single plate between the wheels. The plate is prone to buckle and that causes the frame to bend between the wheels and that will result in rear end separation. If you insist on jacking up two wheels on one side. use two jacks at the designated jacking positions. It is safer to use the 5 in. high board stacks and drive one set of wheels up onto them to be able to take the other two wheels off.

I believe this depends upon the year/plate design. Some of the older units have just a piece of flat stock mounted vertically as an axle plate. I believe these are prone to buckling, potentially. Many of the newer units have a very thick plate formed as a "J". I have jacked on this style of plate without a HINT if any deflection or distortion. What say the rest of you?

Gringo · 11-07-2011, 05:36 AM

well, that was what I was originally planning to do, since I have the lego block things already. Hence my original question about leaving the trailer on one axle for a few hours. I am accustomed to crawling around under Land Rover Defenders and Fords with chassis and frames. I was a little surprised at the light construction under the Airstream, but then as I looked I saw that it was just tough enough to do the job. Needed to think more along the lines of aircraft frames and sailing catamarans and things that need to be light. different design parameters from truck chassis.

ROBERT CROSS · 11-07-2011, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gringo

But can you do it with just one jack? You can raise two wheels off the ground with one jack? Is it under the frame or one of the axles?

Gringo,

Yes you can.

How I do it.

Bob.

Gringo · 11-07-2011, 05:50 AM

Anyone know what the weight rating is on the stock Marathon tires? This is a 2011 with maybe 4,000 total miles on it I figure.. so they must still be near orig spec.

dznf0g · 11-07-2011, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gringo

Anyone know what the weight rating is on the stock Marathon tires? This is a 2011 with maybe 4,000 total miles on it I figure.. so they must still be near orig spec.

It is moulded into the sidewall.