Forum Discussion

BoatingWilly's avatar
BoatingWilly
Explorer
Jul 23, 2018

flat tire

In the unlikely event of a flat tire, what has been found to be the safest way to get the trailer up? I have a dual axle Open Range weighing in at aprox 5000 lb. I have my truck jack and a 12000 lb bottle jack I have never used. I would appreciate advice and suggestions.
  • Loosen nuts and then run good tire up a home built wooden ramp.
  • and loosen those nuts now, then retighten. some idiot at the factory put them on with a air gun. I put a dap of grease on the threads.block od good wood and a bottle jack.
  • Like Matt above, I use a 4 way wrench and a bottle jack under a U bolt or shock mount.
    My DW and I have this down to an art. She gets the tire while I raise the TT and unbolt the wheel.
  • I have a TrailerAid tire changing ramp for a flat on the road. You drive up on one tire and it lifts the other off the ground.

    At home I jack up the frame and set stand jacks for tire or wheel work.

    I have changed a tire with just a bottle jack on the frame but I was in a parking lot with little traffic and lots of room.

    However you decide to do it practice first.
  • If you have wide spaced axles on your trailer, you may have difficulties lifting the flat tire off the ground. Using a bottle jack (with a flat piece of 2x4) on the axle next to the ubolts is one common way to lift any given tire. I use this method along with a jack stand for safety. This dual jack/stand combo would also work nicely on the road.
    Powerbuilt 640912 All-In-One 3-Ton Bottle Jack with Jack Stand
  • Get a 4-way if you don't have one. Im going to use a bottle jack. I think you would need to get the good tire a long way up for leveling blocks to work.
  • I have found rolling up on lego blocks or some other ramp lifting the bad tire off the ground the easiest and most safe feeling.