How do you size a tongue jack?I have a 2010 Shadow Cruiser 195wbs. Dry -3,400 #GVWR -5,600#Tongue -400#I've found jacks rated at 2,500 to 4,500# ? ? ?

I always go for the one with more lift. The lower size will work for sure just look at the tongue weight of your rig but the 2500 will work fine but if the 4500 is not that much more go for it. Also remember to check the hole size that your current crank up jack is. I think its 2 sizes to pick from and I think you measure from one hole to the next one or its measure the opening of the hole the jack goes through. Just remember not to switch the switch to fast from up to down or it will blow the fuse. I always try to remember to stop first then switch to down or up. easier said than done when in a hurry. If I ever went back to a pull behind again it must have an electric jack, world of difference for sure. good luck

Get the heaviest one you can afford. Remember, when hitching and putting on your Weight Distribution Bars, the trailer jack not only has to lift the trailer, but it has to lift WD bars, and the tow vehicle too. Go for the strongest one you can afford, you won't regret it.One other thought. Check the distance from the new tongue jack to the back end of the open tailgate of your truck (if you're towing with a pick-up). When I switched over to an electric jack, my tail gate will not lay flat now when hitched. The jack is too close now. A microscopic change in the diameter of the shaft can make a big difference. The easiest solution is to get a hitch shaft that is a bit longer so the trailer sits back an extra inch or two. But I've not invested into a hitch with a longer shaft. I just learned how to deal with the tail gait not laying flat.Edit: You also want to get one with the longest shaft possible. Mine has a flat foot that can be adjusted to different heights to make the shaft longer or shorter. I got the longest shaft I could find, and find that, even with the longest shaft, sometimes when camped on a hill, I still have to put several blocks under the jack to make the trailer level.

I would size a Barker VIP 3500 with the 24" stroke for your setup...

KID2TEXAS wrote:Also remember to check the hole size that your current crank up jack is.It will either be a 2" diameter hole or 2.25", with most travel trailers, even smaller ones having a 2.25" hole. Any 2500 lb and up power tongue jack would work fine for the OP but there can be an advantage in selecting one in which the head can be rotated a full 180 degrees if interference with a truck tailgate is a problem. With many power tongue jacks this isn't possible, the UltraFab 3502 being an exception ... I've owned one and did rotate the head a full 180 degrees just by loosening the four head bolts. I'd also suggest a tongue jack with a metal head rather than plastic which will fade noticeably from exposure to the sun - black will eventually turn a greyish black, white will yellow, and being plastic it will eventually dry out and crack. In fact, anything plastic on the tongue - tongue jack head, propane tank covers, battery boxes, etc - will fade in no time, ergo the reason I cover the entire A frame whenever we're not actually camping.

DutchmenSport wrote:You also want to get one with the longest shaft possible.I'd disagree. Any tongue jack sitting at maximum extension won't be as stable as one extended just part way, which in turn means using a stack of some sort anyway. The LCI that came with my current trailer has an 18" extension but whether I'm parking it on my significantly sloped driveway ...... or even a relatively flat campsite I still use a stack under the tongue jack for maximum stability ...... so a tongue jack with any more than 18" extension wouldn't be of any advantage anyway. Only when the trailer is parked on a tongue high campsite would I not use a stack, replacing it instead with a single piece of 3/4" plywood which results in the tongue jack being only partly extended, thereby offering maximum stability.

Upgrading to an electric tongue jack | Good Sam Community

Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015

Short answer, get the biggest one that will fit. There is not a large price difference between them. A more important concern is what brand to get. This is a common question, and there are many threads on this. The common theme seems to be that the Barker owners are very attached to their jacks, almost all of them rave about the fantastic customer service. My take on that is that it can't be all that reliable if customer service is needed so much. That said, there are two basic designs. The front side mounted motor ie: Barker, Ultrafab etc. And the top mounted motor ie: Atwood. Most of the front side mounted motors offer a built in level on the top, which at least on some of them doubles as the plug for the backup hand crank. The front side mounts have many drawbacks. On many TTs using the backup hand crank will require either removing the propane tanks, or turning the crank 1/2 turn, removing it, turning it 180 degrees, reinserting it and repeat this process. Very inconvenient. My concern here is not the need to use the handcrank due to a jack failure so much as a dead battery Due to the motor being mounted on the front side it almost always will result in interference with the tailgate. A common solution is to rotate the jack so that the motor is on the side. But then the hitch light points in the wrong direction. The front side mounts also have several penetrations (holes) in the housing for the switches and backup crank that is a common source of water intrusion into the motor. This is so common that many have posted here that Barker has supplied them with a free cover for the jack. This style of jack really needs to be covered, to eliminate the risk of water intrusion. Owners report that they can operate the jack without removing the cover by feeling the switch through it. But then the light is useless. Owners report that they don't use the light anyway. Probably because most of them have rotated the jack for tailgate clearance, so it points in the wrong direction. I would have a concern that the light switch would get turned on accidently and since it was under the cover go unnoticed and drain the battery. Then the hand crank would need to be used. See previous concern. If your TT has a front slide, then you may have to use a front side mounted motor as they are a little shorter and less likely to interfere with the slide. The top mounted motor, (Atwood) has no pentrations in the housing for water intrusion. So it doesn't need covering. The backup crank inserts in the front, so there is no propane tank interference. And the motor will not interfere with the tailgate. So the jack can point the light at the hitch where it is needed. The only complaints some have is they don't like the sound of the motor as much as some of the others. That's got to be a personal thing, as mine sounds like music everytime I press the button and it does it's work without me breaking a sweat. And I cannot attest to Atwoods customer service as in 16 years of use, I haven't needed any. I also haven't read about it here either. At any rate, look the features of both styles over closely and decide which one makes sense for you. Spend the money. Then enjoy it. I hope this helps.
RJCorazza
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
I just replaced my cheap electric jack because of intermittent functioning, blowing fuses, and rust (a lot) in the power head. Of note, while trouble shooting the old jack, water literally poured out when I disassembled the head (no recent rain). I'm sure I could have repaired the old one, but I just preferred to start fresh. I went from a 3500 lb to a 3000 lb jack made by Barker - they are reviewed very well. It works great, and has plenty of capacity to easily get the WD bars on.
I now keep the jack head covered with a small trash can while not traveling to avoid water problems.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
DutchmenSport wrote:
You also want to get one with the longest shaft possible.

I'd disagree. Any tongue jack sitting at maximum extension won't be as stable as one extended just part way, which in turn means using a stack of some sort anyway. The LCI that came with my current trailer has an 18" extension but whether I'm parking it on my significantly sloped driveway ...

... or even a relatively flat campsite I still use a stack under the tongue jack for maximum stability ...

... so a tongue jack with any more than 18" extension wouldn't be of any advantage anyway. Only when the trailer is parked on a tongue high campsite would I not use a stack, replacing it instead with a single piece of 3/4" plywood which results in the tongue jack being only partly extended, thereby offering maximum stability.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
KID2TEXAS wrote:
Also remember to check the hole size that your current crank up jack is.

It will either be a 2" diameter hole or 2.25", with most travel trailers, even smaller ones having a 2.25" hole. Any 2500 lb and up power tongue jack would work fine for the OP but there can be an advantage in selecting one in which the head can be rotated a full 180 degrees if interference with a truck tailgate is a problem. With many power tongue jacks this isn't possible, the UltraFab 3502 being an exception ... I've owned one and did rotate the head a full 180 degrees just by loosening the four head bolts. I'd also suggest a tongue jack with a metal head rather than plastic which will fade noticeably from exposure to the sun - black will eventually turn a greyish black, white will yellow, and being plastic it will eventually dry out and crack. In fact, anything plastic on the tongue - tongue jack head, propane tank covers, battery boxes, etc - will fade in no time, ergo the reason I cover the entire A frame whenever we're not actually camping.
YamaDooed
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
I would size a Barker VIP 3500 with the 24" stroke for your setup...
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
Get the heaviest one you can afford. Remember, when hitching and putting on your Weight Distribution Bars, the trailer jack not only has to lift the trailer, but it has to lift WD bars, and the tow vehicle too. Go for the strongest one you can afford, you won't regret it.

One other thought. Check the distance from the new tongue jack to the back end of the open tailgate of your truck (if you're towing with a pick-up). When I switched over to an electric jack, my tail gate will not lay flat now when hitched. The jack is too close now. A microscopic change in the diameter of the shaft can make a big difference. The easiest solution is to get a hitch shaft that is a bit longer so the trailer sits back an extra inch or two. But I've not invested into a hitch with a longer shaft. I just learned how to deal with the tail gait not laying flat.

Edit: You also want to get one with the longest shaft possible. Mine has a flat foot that can be adjusted to different heights to make the shaft longer or shorter. I got the longest shaft I could find, and find that, even with the longest shaft, sometimes when camped on a hill, I still have to put several blocks under the jack to make the trailer level.
KID2TEXAS
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
I always go for the one with more lift. The lower size will work for sure just look at the tongue weight of your rig but the 2500 will work fine but if the 4500 is not that much more go for it. Also remember to check the hole size that your current crank up jack is. I think its 2 sizes to pick from and I think you measure from one hole to the next one or its measure the opening of the hole the jack goes through. Just remember not to switch the switch to fast from up to down or it will blow the fuse. I always try to remember to stop first then switch to down or up. easier said than done when in a hurry. If I ever went back to a pull behind again it must have an electric jack, world of difference for sure. good luck

Forum Discussion

Upgrading to an electric tongue jack

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Electric Tongue Jacks

Electric tongue jack

Electric tongue jack...Dead battery????

Electric Tongue Jack

Electric Tongue Jack Height