Forum Discussion

Fishhunter's avatar
Fishhunter
Explorer
Jan 31, 2021

Flat

Prolly a dumb question but...do you lift the weight of the camper off the truck before jacking the truck up...never had a flat in all my travels and was just wondering
  • In my case I used the tongue jack of the trailer I was towing in conjunction with the 2-1/2 ton floor jack I keep in said trailer to change the flat I had a few years back.

    The axle holds up the weight the rest of the time, a flat tire doesn't change that. There is absolutely no reason to jack the camper separately if you have a jack that can do the job. To that end I suggest dedicating some storage space to a quality 8-12 ton bottle jack.
  • Hemi Joel wrote:
    I carry an 8 ton bottle jack and some wood blocks. I've changed tires a few times on the road. I just leave the camper on the truck, I don't lower the camper jacks, chock the other wheels, put the bottle jack under the axle tube as far outboard as possible, change the tire, lower the truck. Never had an issue with that method, never saw a need to do it any different.


    Best answer so far.
  • I carry an 8 ton bottle jack and some wood blocks. I've changed tires a few times on the road. I just leave the camper on the truck, I don't lower the camper jacks, chock the other wheels, put the bottle jack under the axle tube as far outboard as possible, change the tire, lower the truck. Never had an issue with that method, never saw a need to do it any different.
  • Unfasten the fastguns, then use both the camper and truck jacks. In theory the truck jack should work but they are flimsy and even using the camper jacks, my truck jack bent.
  • I think you should carry ramp to lift the center of the flat wheel back up to normal height. Jack up from there to get the wheel off block, then off hub. First, much less overall lift with jack, so less likely to fall off. And just holding is not as likely to fall as while jacking. And given a fall, if it happens with the wheel off it is more likely to hurt you or vehicle. If you start up from normal height you don't get flat off, then need to "Up just a little more" to get replacement back on.
  • It all depends on the capacity of the jack . Either way will work .
  • I had a dually tire fail with my toyhauler hooked up. I carry an 8 ton bottle jack, which lifted the truck just fine. I also got a battery powered hammer wrench when I got home for the next time I get a flat, no more 4 ways.
  • Jacking 1 wheel will cause a vehicle to lean. If you jack the camper straight up, then bring the truck up at a angle won't that put a lot of stress on camper? Where if the camper and truck are lifted as a unit at least the camper will ride as it normally does.
  • It never hurts to have double protection.
    Factory jacks usually can lift truck with its full load, but lot of TC overload rear axle, so common sense apply.