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schuyler · 03-12-2021, 06:59 PM

Hi Guys, Well, I broke something in the jack. It wasn't working (no power) so i took off the top assembly and managed to activate it, it was all the way retracted and i heard a loud snap. Now the jack dropped it slides up and down by hand.

Can I repair this on the road?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Cheers from El Capitan camp ground just north of Santa Barbara.

Skyler-

BigSxyWhtGuy · 03-12-2021, 07:09 PM

A lot of people end up replacing their jack completely when the stock one breaks. I believe the stock one has some sort of plastic piece that typically fails but I’m not 100% sure of the internals and if that’s what failed for you.

To replace, it’s pretty straight forward. Three bolts hold it to the frame. Hope this helps point you in the right direction and gets the conversation going with the people on the forum

tbrowne · 03-12-2021, 07:23 PM

You're going to need a new jack. It sounds like the screw mechanism in the leg has snapped and it would cost more to repair than to replace. You're best work around is to use a bottle jack under the trailer tongue to lift it high enough to get the trailer hitched to the tow vehicle. You might be close enough to an RV dealer to buy another tongue jack and install it but that's not always possible. The bottle jack will get you home and one can be purchased at any auto supply or big box store. The bottle jack will need some wood blocks or other suitable items under it to get the tongue high enough to get hitched up. Be really careful so you don't get hurt! If you're unsure, call a tow truck to lift the trailer for you. They have the equipment and know how to do the job.

OTRA15 · 03-12-2021, 07:27 PM

Good advice in the last post IMO.

Good luck.

ROBERT CROSS · 03-12-2021, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schuyler

Hi Guys, Well, I broke something....

Can I repair this on the road?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Skyler-

Go to an auto parts store, buy a heavy duty scissor jack, hitch up and when you get home buy a Husky.

Bob
🇺🇸

KK4YZ · 03-12-2021, 08:16 PM

Get a Husky Jack. Amazon carries them. I had a situation and got the replacement in a couple of days. Easy to replace and works much better than stock.

Husky HB4500 4500 lbs. Brute Power Jack, Hammer Gray Finish
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Husky HB4500 4500 lbs. Brute Power Jack, Hammer Gray Finish
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field & stream · 03-12-2021, 09:11 PM

Same thing happened to us several years ago, 700 miles from home. Bought a floor jack at an Ace Hardware store and with creative use of a couple of blocks of wood we continued the trip. The jack came in handy over the years.

1StreamDream · 03-12-2021, 09:34 PM

post #3 is a great suggestion, I will just emphasize no matter how you decide to raise the tongue (what jack method) be very careful, and be sure the wheels are chocked. There will be much less stability where you lift the tongue and the more you build up a base (via wood blocks or similar) the more you need to be careful with that aspect. The standard tongue jack does have some stability, it is rigid/stiff, but the use of a bottle jack won't be nearly as stable, it might easily tip/slip. Also be careful about too much force against the tongue (in any direction) once it is jacked up. If its on your tow vehicle ball, when you change the electric jack, then you will have near perfect stability but less working room. Be careful.

kscherzi · 03-13-2021, 07:17 AM

I had the same thing happen to me while on a multi-location longer trip. I just used the jack that came with the truck and a lot of those yellow lego blocks I happened to have. I did order a new replacement electric jack (under warranty) while on the road and had it delivered to an RV park I had planned to stay awhile about a week ahead in our travels.

A busted jack is a pain for sure. Camping World carries jacks in stock too. Its not too hard to replace a jack. The job is best done while the trailer is hitched to the tow vehicle.

tjdonahoe · 03-13-2021, 07:19 AM

Get your bottle jack out...

Czarina · 03-13-2021, 09:17 AM

I used my truck’s jack to get out of a bind and get hitched up in a remote place once before replacing jack (less expensive than I thought). It would not have won any safety awards but I was super cautious about where I put any important body parts, and it did the job.

**GCinSC2** · 03-13-2021, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czarina

I used my truck’s jack to get out of a bind and get hitched up in a remote place once before replacing jack (less expensive than I thought). It would not have won any safety awards but I was super cautious about where I put any important body parts, and it did the job.

Innovate, adapt and overcome.

Well done.

Mollysdad · 03-13-2021, 09:34 AM

All jacks use the same bolt pattern, (3) 3/8 x 24 bolts on 3" centers.
Even if you need to convert to a manual jack, you can to save the trip. I used the dinky jack that came with the Tundra and a stack of wood.
Finally, I swapped to the Husky 5000 for about the same cost as any lesser jack. (RV Upgrade store has the best price, $258)
Here's an inexpensive manual jack, $35 at Home Depot, but not in stock. I'd be searching boat dealers and trailer suppliers for this.

Rgentum · 03-13-2021, 09:49 AM

Yup, that's exactly what happened to me in an RV Park at the foot of Mt. St. Helens. Fortunately, I had a bottle jack, which got me home. I then researched and found a Husky 5000, which I bought and installed. No problems with raising/lowering the tongue since then. Great jack. I recommend it. Approx. $250.

Campers17 · 03-13-2021, 11:43 AM

Personally, I would be very hesitant to use a bottle jack for this purpose. Typically they have very small footprints which limits their stability. Unless the ground is solid (like pavement), very little or no slope, and quite smooth the risk of the jack tipping is real.

Fungus · 03-13-2021, 03:56 PM

If heading straight home and you just need to hitch up then the TV’s scissor jack will do...so will the bottle jack although it is likely less stable.

However, if you have other stops on your trip then the bottle jack and scissor jack probably won’t do the trick. You can’t safely level the trailer front-to-back. But the manual jacks are cheap enough to be a throw-away and relatively easy to find at a big box store or a trailer shop.

I have a question: should we all replace our destined-to-fail OEM jacks with the Husky?

banderabob · 03-14-2021, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbrowne

You're going to need a new jack. It sounds like the screw mechanism in the leg has snapped and it would cost more to repair than to replace. You're best work around is to use a bottle jack under the trailer tongue to lift it high enough to get the trailer hitched to the tow vehicle. You might be close enough to an RV dealer to buy another tongue jack and install it but that's not always possible. The bottle jack will get you home and one can be purchased at any auto supply or big box store. The bottle jack will need some wood blocks or other suitable items under it to get the tongue high enough to get hitched up. Be really careful so you don't get hurt! If you're unsure, call a tow truck to lift the trailer for you. They have the equipment and know how to do the job.

I carry a bottle jack for two reasons. 1) Our first AS was a single axle and I needed a jack should I need to change a tire. 2) The only jack otherwise available was the scissor jack in my TV and access required unhitching to get the lift gate open. I must admit I would not have thought (well, LIKELY would not have thought) about using it in this scenario!

Mollysdad · 03-14-2021, 08:29 AM

The other consideration when the jack is running again is to carry a block of wood to put under the foot. Reason? The more you extend the tube, the more likely it might jam. All it takes is for the trailer to roll an inch or two.
I keep the foot in the highest position, then I made a block.
(2) 3/4" x 12" x 12" ply with a 2" x 4" frame on the sides and center. I added a rope pull and a handle on the side to aid in picking it up or centering it. That gives me 5" under the foot before the tube has to move at all! I'm going to make another same dimensions except with 2" x 6". That will make it 7" tall. I'm not sure it will fit under the jack though.

GeeSag · 03-14-2021, 10:00 PM

One consideration when comparing jacks would be the Speed.
I found the Stromberg Carlson 5000 to be way slower than I expected.

Has anyone seen a big speed difference with their replacement.

I would not want to be standing in the rain waiting on the Stromberg.

Another consideration is the Noise.
When trying to get a very early start for a long drive day, I worry when there is a tent camper in the next spot. The original Barker was a screamer.
This Stromberg is very quiet.

I wish I had statistical comparisons between the Husky 4500, Husky 5000 and the Stompberg 5000 on speed and noise.
Add a third variable: Which ones use the roller ball-bearing designs?

**GCinSC2** · 03-15-2021, 05:25 AM

GeeSag,

Sorry I don't have any of the data for speed, noise etc. But I'm over 8 years into a Husky 4500 w/o any issues. It is quieter than many lots quieter than the old one but speed might also be affected by battery voltage and the actual load being lifted.

I was sold on the ball screw design and it's lifted my 30' Classic and hooked up the bars every time. I'm appreciating the reliability.

Gary