jacking up tt

I use a Trailer-Aid like the photo above. I have 2 sets of Dexstar wheels, so I can just take 1 set to the tire dealer, then change them out. I got rid of the fancy aluminum wheels.
Last time, it took less than an hour to change out all 4.
And I got rid of the clad lug nuts and got solid ones.

I put a 2x4 block under the U-bolts and use a stubby bottle jack under that. That way the trailer doesn't tilt anywhere near as much compared to jacking up the frame. If you jack one side up, whether it's 1 or 2 wheels, make sure to use jack stands for safety and in case the jack doesn't hold and also make dang sure the wheels on the opposite side are properly chocked. You might also want to put the stab jacks down. If you lift the frame up, jacks need to be as close as you can to the wheel so you don't damage the frame.

You can easily take one wheel off at a time using a tire ramp or your leveling blocks. Taking one tire at a time to a shop could be a slow PITA, especially if you have to go any distance. Good method for changing a flat on the side of a road somewhere.

Easier way is to just take it into a tire shop and let them take care of getting the wheels off the ground. Some shops might put it on a hoist and get all wheels off at once. If aluminum rims, don't let a shop use an impact gun because they can over-torque the bolts. Torque the bolts up yourself to the specified torque (typically 90 - 100 ft/lbs but can be higher.) and check the torque at the intervals as per your owners manual.

Goin' camping this weekend for 1st time this year. I'm all jacked up! :)

downtheroad wrote:
I called Northwood (Arctic Fox) directly.
Their very strong recommendation: Never jack on the axle or spring hangers.....jack on the frame.

But...so that we don't get into a back and forth over this, I say do what works for you.

X2, that's the philosophy I go with. I figure the frame is the strongest link so that's what I use.

Lots of good info above. I do one side at at time.

I did t realize that small TT ‘s were so complicated. So, What would be the best way to jack my R-Pod 179.

I've had a 12t shorty hyd jack that cradles the axle tube next to the U bolt or it also has a adapter that cradles the U bolt.
Axle tubes on Leaf spring suspensions have a thick wall and will not crush or dent/bend next to the U bolts. Torsion axles have a thin wall

When replacing tires on my trailers like others I jack one side at a time and let the axle down on RR tie blocks under the U bolts.
Most of the time I take the trailer in and let the tire dealer do their thing.
Both of my tire dealers are set up to handle trailers of all types.

On our camper, the axles are above the leaf springs. So I can put a jack and a block of wood under the tie plate below the spring directly under the axle. I do one axle at a time, one side at a time.

If the axles were flipped and located under the leaf springs, I'd use a block of wood under the axle between the u-bolts and jack from there. If the axle wall can support the weight of the camper under the vary small surface area of the spring perch, it should be able to rest on a block of wood between the u-bolts. If it makes you feel better, cut the wood block with a radius so it makes a cradle to spread the load. The other option would be to have the wood block under the u-bolts, spanning between the two. This would simulate the same loads on the axle tube as if the axle were mounted above the axle and secured with u-bolts.

I change one side at a time. Remove both wheels from one side and have new tires mounted and balanced then on the the other side. Like in the picture from another member I also hook my tow vehicle to the trailer. My set up has torsion axles so I lift from the mounting bracket bolted to the frame that the axle is bolted to.

I called Northwood (Arctic Fox) directly.
Their very strong recommendation: Never jack on the axle or spring hangers.....jack on the frame.

But...so that we don't get into a back and forth over this, I say do what works for you.

Be careful you don't bend something that's thin walled like a spring hanger. I would jack it as is done in the link here or the frame itself. It seems like the more solid the metal, the more solid the lift will be.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24796694.cfm