Why not jack trailer under the spring plates?
For years people have asked where to place the jack in order to jack up a travel trailer. And people always say do not put the jack under the spring pack. This has bothered me for years because it doe...
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You're right about the U-bolts - looks pretty weak but the tensile strength of steel is actually quite high. Not to say at all that the U-bolts are overdesigned, but they could be sized properly.
As to jacking there - it's not a matter of "can" it hold...it's more about "is it the safest point to jack from." It is inherently unstable jacking it up by the springs - a gust of wind could shift the loading, or one of the bolts holding the springs could fail. Jacking it directly at the frame minimizes the points of failure.
It's the same reason we should use jack stands when working under a vehicle. The jack itself should hold, but why take the risk - granted, many of us, myself included, do take that risk sometimes - but it's not the safest way of doing it.
As to jacking there - it's not a matter of "can" it hold...it's more about "is it the safest point to jack from." It is inherently unstable jacking it up by the springs - a gust of wind could shift the loading, or one of the bolts holding the springs could fail. Jacking it directly at the frame minimizes the points of failure.
It's the same reason we should use jack stands when working under a vehicle. The jack itself should hold, but why take the risk - granted, many of us, myself included, do take that risk sometimes - but it's not the safest way of doing it.
