Jacking up a 5th wheel

[TheFrailer]

It's time for me to do maintenance on our 2003 Trail lite 5th wheel. It has tandem Dexter axles. I'd really like to be able to lift the entire trailer so that I can do all the wheel maintenance at once (and possibly live in it while this is going on... we are full timers).

Can anyone point me in the direction of how such things are done? I'm specifically looking for blocking strategies. How many sets? Where?

I'm figuring the landing legs for one side and a bottle jack to lift the axle's off the ground?

Just starting to research how to go about this. Would like to know how to lift this trailer without damaging it.

Thanks in advance for your input!

[Veebyes]

Jack stands & a 12 ton bottle jack are relatively cheap.

Start with trailer still on the truck. Crack all wheel lugs loose. Lift one side just fwd of spring hanger. With both wheels off the ground, jack stand just aft of spring hanger. Don't remove wheels yet. You want them there as insurance just in case something slips as you repeat the lift on the other side, same way.

Getting to this point you will have tipped the trailer fwd placing more weight on the 5th wheel. The landing legs may or may not be powerful enough to lift the front high enough to get the truck out. No problem. Use the jack to lift & extend legs so that there is no weight on the truck at all.

At this point the truck can be removed without any pull on the trailer at all & the trailer is as solid as a house on the ground. Now the wheels can come off.

[NMDriver]

First get side to side level. Then lower the front landing legs all the way down. Put jack stands behind rear spring hanger. Raise landing gear until wheels are off the ground. Put jack stands under front spring hangers and snug with wood wedge.

[Cummins12V98]

IMHO this works VERY well! I did all my maintenance on my 18K Mobile suites using the TrailerAide Plus. This was a road side repair along the Coast in CA. No Issue doing one wheel at a time.

[memtb]

avvidclif1 wrote:
Ony one comment. The small head on a bottle jack if placed directly on the axle could collapse the thin wall tubing used.

On the bottle Jack issue: get a pipe nipple with a slightly larger internal diameter than the axle, but it in half lenghtwise, weld to top of bottle jack. The pipe nipple will "cradle" the axle, serving two purposes; much more surface area on axle for lift and Jack will not slip out from under axle! memtb

[TheFrailer]

Many thanks folks. This is exactly the info I was looking for.

[phillyg]

I would NOT use a single jacking point anywhere on the frame to life one side. A dual axle trailer has three mounting points spreading the load. You're better off using a jack under one spring perch at a time, or two jacks under the spring perches to jack one side. Use some jack stands for safety while you have the wheel(s) off.

[JIMNLIN]

The end of any jack regardless of its diameter will not crush the heavy wall of the round axle tube on a std leaf spring suspension. Makes no different the size if the jack against the round axle tube.
A larger diameter jack point is prefered simply because it lessons the chance of the jack slipping.
Now a torsion suspension has thin square axle tubes and there has been reports of crushed tubes from jacking.

Having done my own annual trailer inspections/maintenance on my commercial trailers I would never hook a wheeled vehicle up to a trailer when jacking the trailer off the ground. Not if I have to work under there.

Russ' s pictures tells a good safe story. I have the same type cribbing only their 2x6 blocks. I also have lots of 24"-30" long blocks made from RR ties. These can be placed under the trailers frame rails at angles to each other. This keeps the trailer stabile even in high winds.

Attention to the length of the trailer is required.
One jack placed under the main frame rail behind the last spring hanger to lift the trailer works on shorter trailers.
Two lifting jacks.... one somewhere behind the aft spring hanger and somewhere forward of the front spring hanger works better on longer/heavier trailers.

Think safety before each move. When you think its safe to go under walk back to the rear corner of the trailer and push hard to see how stable its sitting. If it wiggles add more blocks or relocate blocks till its stable. Good luck

[rhagfo]

Coach-man wrote:
Cribbing, and jack stands, keep the rig level, fron to back as well as side to side. Never ever get under rig with stabilizers only! Take your time, and as stated use a wooden block to spread the load on the frame, it can bend if all the weight is concentrated in one spot! Last Sumer I inspected/cleaned brakes and replaced inner seals on my rig. I did one wheel at a time, about ½ hour per wheel. Did one side the first day, the other side on the second day. Not a big deal, again don't get into a hurry or try any short cuts! Good luck!

My drive way isn't level when looking at the pictures above, it slopes down to the left. I shimmed the 1st level of cribbing so the cribbing was straight up no lean.

[MFL]

Good post by rhagfo with pictures.

OP...If you are only doing wheel maintenance, bearings/brakes, I'd just raise one wheel at a time, with a block & jack under the u-bolt area. Unless you are doing suspension disassembly, that is a lot of work, blocking up entire frame, and more risky while living in it.

Jerry

[Coach-man]

Cribbing, and jack stands, keep the rig level, fron to back as well as side to side. Never ever get under rig with stabilizers only! Take your time, and as stated use a wooden block to spread the load on the frame, it can bend if all the weight is concentrated in one spot! Last Sumer I inspected/cleaned brakes and replaced inner seals on my rig. I did one wheel at a time, about ½ hour per wheel. Did one side the first day, the other side on the second day. Not a big deal, again don't get into a hurry or try any short cuts! Good luck!

[rhagfo]

Well take your time and build up some "cribbing" to support, I have used 2X4's cut into 1' lengths. Many make the wood lengths 18", I have found the 12" stable enough.
I actually jack at the equalizer between the wheels, and place cribbing under the jack as the 5er get higher. While the landing gear will support the front, I placed a 3 ton jack stand under each. I also DON'T connect the 5er to the truck, on the 12" cribbing I can put a hard shoulder to the ends of the 5er and it doesn't move.

[avvidclif1]

Ony one comment. The small head on a bottle jack if placed directly on the axle could collapse the thin wall tubing used.

[ACZL]

Hook to truck. Raise legs. Put jack under frame in front of front axle. Jack up until both sets of tires on same same are off the ground. If temporary, place weight rated jack stands under frame before and after each axle. If long term, make some cribbing or use cement blocks or 2'x8"x8"blocks of wood IPO cement ones in same area. Repeat for other side. Make sure you are level side to side 1st. Once done in back, lower front legs, unhook and level front to rear.