Forum Discussion

PDX1953's avatar
PDX1953
Explorer
May 18, 2018

Compact Electric Tongue Jack

I recently picked up a small Dunesport toy hauler & towed it home to OR from Mesa with my (now sold) Ford Flex. The hatch wouldn't open because it hit the electric tongue jack.

I bought a F-150 and ordered a custom contractor-style aluminum cap without side windows and barn doors on the back. It's on order & will be painted to match my pickup but I realized the barn doors will also hit the jack. I had a 1000# capacity Cargo Glide installed & will mount my 3100W Champion Genset & the propane bottle on one side near the back. I'll also be mounting an electric wheelchair lift so I can load my Segway based chair. I don't use it all of the time so sometimes it'll be loaded via the trailer ramp & other times via the "crane" in the pickup.

Is anyone aware of a compact (short) electric tongue jack? I'm using an Anderson WD hitch so the ball sits about 6" from the bumper but I'll have clearance issues. If I can't find a small enough jack my plan is to have the rear doors split & turned into bi-folds but that'll be expensive.

Even if I had a conventional cap the tailgate would also hit the jack. I'm open to all ideas.
  • PDX1953's avatar
    PDX1953
    Explorer
    May 25, 2018
    I have a huge battery that'll be mounted in the angle iron frame close to the body & plenty of room to move the tanks & jack towards the rear. The bars on the side of the frame are for my Anderson WD hitch & have to stay where they are but I may cover the entire tongue with 1/4" steel plate & double it up where the electric jack goes thru. I'll turn the tanks around so they can be refilled easier.
  • Atlee's avatar
    Atlee
    Explorer II
    May 25, 2018
    I know you have figured out how to fix your problem. However, I'll throw this out for anyone who is still wondering how to do the same thing.

    I replaced the power tongue jack on my new 2017 Jayco 23RB, with a Barker 3500 jack. I was also couldn't put my tailgate down when the truck was hitched to the trailer.

    I loosened the tongue jack head and turn it sideways. Now I can lower the tailgate all the way down while truck and trailer are hitched. I turned the head per factory instructions.

    PDX1953 wrote:
    I recently picked up a small Dunesport toy hauler & towed it home to OR from Mesa with my (now sold) Ford Flex. The hatch wouldn't open because it hit the electric tongue jack.

    I bought a F-150 and ordered a custom contractor-style aluminum cap without side windows and barn doors on the back. It's on order & will be painted to match my pickup but I realized the barn doors will also hit the jack. I had a 1000# capacity Cargo Glide installed & will mount my 3100W Champion Genset & the propane bottle on one side near the back. I'll also be mounting an electric wheelchair lift so I can load my Segway based chair. I don't use it all of the time so sometimes it'll be loaded via the trailer ramp & other times via the "crane" in the pickup.

    Is anyone aware of a compact (short) electric tongue jack? I'm using an Anderson WD hitch so the ball sits about 6" from the bumper but I'll have clearance issues. If I can't find a small enough jack my plan is to have the rear doors split & turned into bi-folds but that'll be expensive.

    Even if I had a conventional cap the tailgate would also hit the jack. I'm open to all ideas.
  • crazybill's avatar
    crazybill
    Explorer
    May 24, 2018
    The Jack-E-Up makes the tongue jack easily removable. 1/6 twist and off it comes. Very sturdy and easy to install. -Bill-
  • camperforlife's avatar
    camperforlife
    Explorer
    May 22, 2018
    Another advantage to the Atwood is that the motor is top mounted making it more streamline.
  • bobndot's avatar
    bobndot
    Explorer II
    May 19, 2018
    Good solution , glad that worked out for you, you had a unique set up with the barn doors.
    Thanks for posting your fix, i'm sure someone else will benefit from that info. I think caps like that are becoming more popular, I see more and more of them on trucks these days.
  • PDX1953's avatar
    PDX1953
    Explorer
    May 19, 2018
    SoundGuy wrote:
    I ditched the LCI tongue jack that came stock on my Coachmen because it interfered with my Silverado's tailgate and replaced it with an UltraFab 3502. It's all metal construction, the smallest head size of any tongue jack I've seen, and has multiple holes in the base plate, allowing it to be mounted with the head facing to the side, thereby allowing it to clear the tailgate.





    The RV shop said a $350 Atwood Short Deluxe jack 'might' work but I figured out what needs to be changed (post below) & it'll be a lot less than $350.

    Thanks for the pix!
  • PDX1953's avatar
    PDX1953
    Explorer
    May 19, 2018
    I had a brain fart last night & figured out what to do. I stopped by the RV shop today where my trailer is having some wiring done & took measurements.

    All I need to do is move the twin gas bottles back about 10" - 12" & then relocate the jack to sit right in front of them. While I was there taking measurements the Foreman happened by & I explained what I needed so it won't be a big deal.

    The twin bottle holder is about 24" wide so they'll weld on a flat cross member & mount the holder to that. Another tapered cross member will allow the jack to be moved way back & my troubles are over.

    Dunesport used an A-frame ball coupler that already had a hole for the jack so I can't fault them. I have a good repoir with their Sales Manager & they've incorporated a couple of my previous suggestions. I'm a retired Mechanical & Software Engineer & did a ton of new product development & inventing during my career so I'm always looking for ways to improve things. I joke that I have a disease called "Modificitis" - I can't leave anything stock - I have to change it somehow.
  • bobndot's avatar
    bobndot
    Explorer II
    May 18, 2018
    First thing is to try to rotate it. If all else fails, mount it back further to give you the clearance you need. Have a welder make you a H.D. mounting plate on the side of the frame closer to the battery.
    See if you have room to do that using your 'A' hitch setup.
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    May 18, 2018
    I ditched the LCI tongue jack that came stock on my Coachmen because it interfered with my Silverado's tailgate and replaced it with an UltraFab 3502. It's all metal construction, the smallest head size of any tongue jack I've seen, and has multiple holes in the base plate, allowing it to be mounted with the head facing to the side, thereby allowing it to clear the tailgate.



About Travel Trailer Group

44,030 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 21, 2025