I have a simple/stupid question. Since I am not supposed to lift my fifth wheel by jacking under the axles, how am I supposed to do it? I want to service my trailer brakes but my jack does not extend far enough to lift under the frame. I'm not very comfortable about using blocks on my jack or some other makeshift combination things. I have fabric covering my entire undercarriage and I don't want to tear it. How do I get these wheels off of the ground properly? I checked for a youtube video but could not find one.

What does your builder tell you about jacking? What does the maker of the axles say?They are really the final authority on your rig, not some bunch of Internet Bozo's, like me.My self, I used a device I bought for changing tires. Drive up on it and the other tire is in the air.

Thats what I do also I take my leveling boards and stack them 4 high and back one wheel up on it gives me about an inch to work on the other tire stick a jack stand under the frame for piece of mind and get after it.

Funny thing....the springs are connected to the axles and all the weight of trailer is carried by them axles plus all the bouncing up and down is done right where them springs attache to them axles.........Place the jack under the axle were the springs are attached.The 'warning' is so some yokel doesn't place the jack under the axle tubes out in the middle, jack his rig up, bend the axles tubes and then complain to MFG. about worn out tires etc.Yes I am one of those Internet Bozos that WILL give you advice...based on some common sense, life events, work history & practical experience.You just have to decide whether or not to take the advise/suggestions.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Funny thing....the springs are connected to the axles and all the weight of trailer is carried by them axles plus all the bouncing up and down is done right where them springs attache to them axles.........Place the jack under the axle were the springs are attached.The 'warning' is so some yokel doesn't place the jack under the axle tubes out in the middle, jack his rig up, bend the axles tubes and then complain to MFG. about worn out tires etc.Yes I am one of those Internet Bozos that WILL give you advice...based on some common sense, life events, work history & practical experience.You just have to decide whether or not to take the advise/suggestions.X2Use a little not so common sense!

I just finished doing work on the suspension system of my fiver. It required takeing both wheels off at the same time. I found that two jacks were needed as to not twist the frame. I also found for the standard bottle jack I needed to make a large foot print of 6x6es to feel safe while working around the unit. If you look close where your frame and underbelly covering meet you will beable to put a jack without much damage. I also did the work with the unit hooked up to the truck and landing jacks up.

lifting/raising fifth wheel | Good Sam Community

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Nov 12, 2014
Best thing on the market, TrailerAid Plus.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Nov 12, 2014
I drug this thread out of the archives to see if I could post a picture... have use this adapteron on top of a bottle jack many time with no issues to date..

Good idea.....Another trick haulers use is a U channel welded to the top of the jack.
rc135raven
Explorer
Nov 11, 2014
Old-Bisquit

You hit the nail on the head once again
Puddles
Explorer
Nov 11, 2014
ronniedean1234 wrote:
msredneck84 wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Funny thing....the springs are connected to the axles and all the weight of trailer is carried by them axles plus all the bouncing up and down is done right where them springs attache to them axles.........

Place the jack under the axle were the springs are attached.

The 'warning' is so some yokel doesn't place the jack under the axle tubes out in the middle, jack his rig up, bend the axles tubes and then complain to MFG. about worn out tires etc.

Yes I am one of those Internet Bozos that WILL give you advice...based on some common sense, life events, work history & practical experience.
You just have to decide whether or not to take the advise/suggestions.

I drug this thread out of the archives to see if I could post a picture... have use this adapteron on top of a bottle jack many time with no issues to date.. don't know if the pic will show up or not... :)

X3

X4 Just finished mine 3 weeks ago...
SoCalDesertRid1
Explorer
Dec 07, 2013
Jack it under the axles, where the springs mount, like half the folks here already said. Works fine, safe, no problems.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Dec 07, 2013
I have a 12 ton shorty hyd bottle jack with a 10" base for soft ground for changing a flat tire on the road. At first I had a adapter made that slipped over the end of the jack and captured the axle/U bolt. It was ok but kept misplacing the adapter.
Now I have a steel channel welded to the top of the jack. It cradles the axle tube so no chance of anything slipping. I use this on the road.

At home if I'm working on all the hubs, I use both of my hyd floor jacks placed under the frame next to the farthest aft and farthest forward spring hangers and lift one side of the trailer at a time. I have piles of RR ties of all lengths or 5"x7" barn poles of different lengths I can use to block up under the frame. I angle each stack of blocks to each other which eliminates any chance the blocks to roll wile I'm under there.

I never leave a truck hooked to any of my trailers while jacking unless I'm on the road. Landing jacks can handle that end just fine.
waltbennett
Explorer
Dec 07, 2013
I'm certain some will disagree with me, but I've done this twice with no problems.

I leave the Monty a little nose down and put the stabilizers out all the way (and a little further). I then lift most of the weight off the axles by putting the landing gear out until the 5er is level. This doesn't lift the tires off the ground, but DOES take most of the weight off the axles. I can then lift them with a floor or bottle jack on the U bolts - NOT on the axle tube. Once the wheels are off, if I need to, I can use jack stands to hold the axle as there's little weight once dropped down a few inches. Just lift them back up with a jack on the U bolt to put the tire back on.

The first time I did this I had all four wheels off to get new tires (they wouldn't even try jacking the unit). Second was to install wet bolts myself. The big thing is not to strain either the stabilizers or the landing gear. I also used a jack stand on each side the frame to help stabilize the middle portion.
greende
Explorer II
Dec 07, 2013
Veebyes wrote:
For those lifting by the axle, the last time I looked axles are round. Round is not a good place to be lifting at. Things slip. Very easily. Best spot will be right next to the axle under the bottom spring leaf.

While you are correct in that you are jacking on a round surface, the other side of my trailer is blocked with my x-chock and the other wheel on the side I'm jacking is chocked traditionally. I have not experienced any movement with this system. IMO, an unstable jacking base is more likely to cause problems.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Dec 07, 2013
For those lifting by the axle, the last time I looked axles are round. Round is not a good place to be lifting at. Things slip. Very easily. Best spot will be right next to the axle under the bottom spring leaf.
JoeWebPage
Explorer
Dec 06, 2013
I just bought 4 new tires from Discount Tire and what they did was lift all four wheel off the ground at the same time using 4 jacks under the axles at the springs. That seemed a good idea to me and when I questioned them before they started they stated that they do 5th wheels all the time and have never had an issue. Just as a side note, I've changed a few flats by lifting with the jacks on the trailer. No issues so far.

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