What jack do you use in case of a flat?
So far, in 8,000 miles of towing, I haven't had a flat, but there's always the first time. I'm not sure the jack in my truck would go under the axle of the trailer. What do you carry?
Forum Discussion
- X2 on the 'trailer aide'. Quick, easy and much safer than a jack of any kind.
- I use a bottle jack supported by leveling boards. Place it under the leaf spring close as possible to the axle/u-bolts and centered on the flat of the bottom short thick leaf. Only lift the tire enough to remove the tire.
Don't use frame for two reasons. One, we have a fully lined undercarriage with no open frame point (short of cutting off a section of undercarriage wrap material. Two, lifting height is more than desired (and necessary) when compared to simply lifting the wheel perhaps an inch off the ground.
BTW, connecting the truck to the trailer's hitch, especially if in questionable terrain, makes the job even safer. - Haven't had a flat yet. But if you place a few leveling boards under the inflated wheel, the flat one should come off the ground enough to where you can change it.
I have used this method before when lubing the bearing buddies. It allows me to turn the wheel as im adding grease.
Another benefit to just using a few leveling boards, is its one less thing you have to pack that takes up space. Racefan1 wrote:
I use a jack called Good Sam Roadside Assistance. It has worked very well for me and is very easy to store, needs no lubrication, and takes up very little space. Trailer Aide works very well, but takes a lot of space.
Or just change it yourself and be back on the way before they even figure out where you are. We have GoodSam but only as a back up.westend wrote:
gmw photos wrote:
I made a "cradle" out of three pieces of 2x4 ( glued and screwed together to make a solid block ) to fit under the axle where the u-bolts wrap the axle tube.
The cradle will sit on top of either my floor jack at home, or on top of the scissors jack for the truck if needed away from home.
X2 and I'm going to "borrow" it
Now that's pretty darn crafty! Good work!- I use a bottle jack between the U-bolts, but for the folks that use the drive-up method: any issues with spring shackles flipping on the drooping axle?
I suspect I wouldn't be able to use the drive-up method as I already show some evidence of slight rubbing in the top of my wheel wells. - My first choice is to use the leveling blocks under one wheel. Although I have not had a flat (knock on wood), even with my Chinese made tires, I have tested to make sure it works with my trailer. I also have a small floor jack that I have always carried in my truck just in.
gmw photos wrote:
I made a "cradle" out of three pieces of 2x4 ( glued and screwed together to make a solid block ) to fit under the axle where the u-bolts wrap the axle tube.
The cradle will sit on top of either my floor jack at home, or on top of the scissors jack for the truck if needed away from home.
Now that's pretty darn crafty! Good work!- I carry an Eight ton bottle jack made by US Jack. They aren't cheap, but you will only have to buy it once. I purchased the intermediate length so that I can get more height if necessary. Also, I bring plenty of wood blocks. You never know where you are going to have a flat or what the ground will be like.
- I made a "cradle" out of three pieces of 2x4 ( glued and screwed together to make a solid block ) to fit under the axle where the u-bolts wrap the axle tube.
The cradle will sit on top of either my floor jack at home, or on top of the scissors jack for the truck if needed away from home.
