Electric tongue jack recommendations

[rjniles]

Went to use the electric tongue jack on my TT, it started, spit a bunch of water out of the housing and died. This is a no name brand I bought off eBay about 6 months ago and have used about 6 times. Opening it up I find the soldered connections on the operating switch basically disintegrated: it looks like the used acid core solder on the terminals. So I am in the market for a new jack. I am interested in one that is more water proof as that seems to be the issue with this one.

Here is what I am looking at:

Lippert 285318 3500LB Power Tongue Jack Black
Not advertised as water proof but Lippert is a premium name. No warranty mentioned $160

Big Horn 3500 LBS Electric Trailer Tongue Jack - Sealed All-Weather Housing - Pre-Wired 7 Pin Connector
Claims to have a sealed water proof housing. 12 month warranty $130


Other brands I have seen:
Ultra-Fab
Husky
Bulldog
Stromberg Carlson

Any opinions or other recommendations

[drsteve]

I'm another vote for the Barker, mine lasted 13 years. But whatever brand you decide on, get the bag/cover for the jack head. Or just stick a plastic pail over it. Water will kill these things.

[mike-s]

Overstock.com has a great deal on Barkers right now, $120 with free shipping.

[rjniles]

Thanks for all the comments. I have been doing some more research and now am looking seriously at this jack:

Stromberg Carlson Electric Trailer Jack - Drop Leg - A-Frame - 24" Lift - 3,500 lbs - Black
from eTrailer.com $178 with free shipping
This jack has 46 customer reviews without a single negative comment.

I looked at some of the other jacks mentioned here and frankly the reviews were not very encouraging. Ultra-Fab's reviews were the pits.

If I end up buying this jack I am planning on getting a tongue jack bag to allay my waterproofing concerns.

[Roadpilot]

I've got a Bulldog on my 21,000 pound stacker and so far it's been fine. I have no idea though how it stacks up against others.

[Blacklane]

Seems like we just discussed this.

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29322796/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1.cfm

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29323457.cfm

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29286262/gotomsg/29288010.cfm#29288010

[Vintage465]

My Creek Side came with an Atwood Brand Electric Jack and I've used it a lot in two years time. By "alot", I mean we've put about 20,000 miles on our rig, many stops, up and downs and never had a problem. Now, two years isn't actually enough time to really say if it is any good or not. What I don't like about it is that it as sounded like it's on it's death bed since the first time I used it. My brothers electric tongue jack is at least 25 years old, well used and sounds like a new unit(not like my new unit!) When mine croaks I will not likely get an Atwood just cause it sounds like it's ready to fly apart.

[old_guy]

I can only say that The Barker I had on one of my TT's worked for over 20 years. it never failed once. I Traded in the TT took it off and gave it to my son who used it a few years and then he traded in his TT and gave it to his cousin. the barker I had was built like a rock

[jplante4]

We ( Majors ) sell a few Lipperts every spring. We have 4 in a display and I can't even tell you what the other 3 are.

[ktmrfs]

my one comment. if the tongue is very heavy, look for a jack with a ball screw rather than acme thread. ball screw mechanisms are more robust, have less friction and are usually better quality.

I have a barker jack on my smaller trailer and it's been reliable now for 14 years, sits in the rain in the wintertime with no ill effects.

the big trailer with 1500lb tongue weight has a 3500lb atwood acme screw jack. It's lasted 8 years, does the job, but it lets you know the combo of an acme screw and the tongue weight is a strain. Way more noise than the barker has.

[SoundGuy]

That's funny, referring to a Lippert tongue jack as "premium". 😄

I removed the LCI that came stock with my Coachmen and replaced it with an UltraFab 3502, primarily because I'd owned one before, it's all metal construction, and the base plate has multiple holes to allow rotating the jack so the head faces 90 degrees to the side, thereby allowing my Silverado's tailgate to lower fully without hitting the jack. I keep a tongue jack bag on it permanently - but I would regardless of the brand, whether it was advertised as "waterproof" or not.