Stupid trailer jack question

[m.hony]

I think it is laziness or human nature to try and short cut everything.
I never use a block of wood on concrete- just the jack foot directly on the concrete as well as stabilizers directly on the concrete or asphalt.
On gravel, dirt, sand, gravel, I use a Lynx Leveler pad under the jack foot and stabilizers to distribute the weight over a wider area and keep them from sinking.
Bugs don't eat Lynx Leveler pads...
In my soft, soggy, spongy yard I use a length of 2x12 board under the jack foot to keep it from sinking into the dirt.
Seems to me a direct connection form the jack post/foot and stabilizer pads is better/more secure than on a block of wood.
I have seen stabilizers and jack posts on cinder blocks and logs...
Hauling around 5 wood blocks, taking them out of the truck, putting them in the truck, walking around the trailer putting them under the jack and stabilizers, walking around the trailer to pick them up...
That's way more work and effort than just cranking the jack and stabilizers all the way down- especially when I have an electric tongue jack and the manual stabilizers are on an Airstream trailer 18-19" off the ground...
The same for using a cordless drill for the stabilizers- too much trouble- too much to keep up with- more steps.
After wearing out 2 stabilizer cranks, I use a 4-way lug wrench and may not buy another stabilizer crank.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

X2 - I got the 4" version. It's so cool to have year another light aluminum chunk [emoji3]

Great service too. I think her dad originally made these. Highly recommended!

Yes ... this is the source of the Aluminum Jack Stands...Debbie's father started casting these years back...saddly, he is gone now but his daughter and her husband have kept it going...not sure how much longer that will be the case. We got the 7" version and it fills 99% of our needs ... if a site is so sloped that the tongue has to be very low we can't use it.

[Mollysdad]

I found if I put a small handle (or a screw eye) on the wood blocks, I can position them and retrieve them with the awning rod.
Or even a loop of rope to grab.
I hate getting on the ground.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by TBRich

Yes ... this is the source of the Aluminum Jack Stands...Debbie's father started casting these years back...saddly, he is gone now but his daughter and her husband have kept it going...not sure how much longer that will be the case. We got the 7" version and it fills 99% of our needs ... if a site is so sloped that the tongue has to be very low we can't use it.

I was in email communication with Debbie about wheel chocks and a jack foot.
After her telling me the price and me asking how to pay her I never got another email...

[Wayne&Sam]

Think of a snowshoe. The greater the surface area, the less it will sink in. Add to that the thickness of the wood block means 2-3" or more of extension on the jack. That means more stability and less time holding the switch!

[NHdigger]

The only reason for using a block on concrete is to reduce the jack post height and increase stability.

Concrete is typically designed for a minimum of 3000 pounds per square inch compressive strength. It will support the entire weight of your AS and never sink as asphalt will.

I have seen 1 AS slip off a block that was too small on soft ground!

[jcanavera]

I carry a 4" x 4" block that's about 6 inches high with me. My old jack that came with the trailer has round foot extension that slips onto the lower jack post to give stability if you are camped at a site that doesn't have solid ground. Problem is due to the angle between the trailer and my van at some campsites, I've found that even with the jack retracted to it's minimum, there sometimes isn't enough clearance between the jack post and the ground to slip on the foot extension. In those cases I'll put the block under the receiver and then lower the jack. The block will minimize how much the van sags and I can easily retract the jack post enough to get the foot under the jack. Then I'll raise the jack post to free up the block, pull it out and lower the hitch to it's minimum so that I can detach the hitch ball locking mechanism.

The other reason was when my jack failed when I returned my trailer to storage. I couldn't raise the trailer off the ball. I carry a 4,000 lb rated bottle jack but it's length of travel isn't enough to raise the trailer off the ball. I put bottle jack on top of the block which gave me enough lift and stability to get the trailer off the ball.

I've been carrying this block for about 30 years and its a definite plus when you need it.

Jack