Removing Wheels and Tires

[NMace]

I need some guidance on the equipment needed and procedure to remove wheels and tires on an 20' 8,000 pound trailer to lower it in a semi-permanent location.

I am thinking two 5 ton bottle jacks and cinder blocks with 2 x 6 treated lumber. Placing the jacks about 6 - 7 feet from each end.

Thanks in advance,

Neil

[Gdetrailer]

westend wrote:
The problem with using a concrete block is that most guys put nothing under it and nothing on top. When the steel is lowered onto the web or sidewall of the block, it is prone to crack. Part of that is why multiple blocks forming a pier are used under mobile homes. The frame load is spread among the multiple blocks.

If you don't have any steel stands, buy 6 X 6's and cut them into cribbing blocks. Either that, or use at least 4 blocks under every support location.

"Cinder block" is a regional thing. No one in the upper Midwest uses that term. "Concrete" is placed and hardened "cement". "Cement" is a mix in a bag, the stuff rolling around in the truck is "concrete mix". Masonry terminology is easy. Try electrical nomenclature if you need a headache.

Multiple blocks has nothing to do with "strength".. It is more about making a "STABLE PIER".

If you simply placed one block on top of another block you will have a very unstable stack in the direction of the most narrow portion of that stack.

Since you have 8", 10", 12" x 16" blocks, the stack is only stable on TWO of the sides which is the LENGTH of that stack..

Make a stack by setting two blocks you now have a 16", 20", 24" x 16" foot print. This makes for a much more stable stack that will resist being pushed over on all four sides.. Very important as you don't want to see your trailer get pushed off the blocks in high winds or even in normal usage.

I have never seen mobile homes piers set on wood or even having wood put between the steel frame and blocks.. I have only seen an occasional wood wedge placed between the block and steel frame and that is only for shimming the frame to keep the trailer floor level and flat along the length of the trailer..

When done properly there is no shock load placed on the blocks when mobile home is being setup. No shock load = no broken blocks in the process..

Around here most mobile homes will have concrete footings under the block piers. The block are set on the piers and it is all dry stacked. The footings are needed to get below the frost line of about 32" and provide a much larger foot print for the block piers to set on.. Otherwise placing the blocks directly on the ground will result in frost heaves in the winter and in the summer it will drop unevenly creating a need to have the trailer re leveled in a few years..

[jaycocreek]

There is about 10 zillion mobile homes sitting on cinder blocks with wood wedges between them and the frame as a leveler.Yes,they need to be on a treated type wood base.Usually a ground cloth put down first then the base and blocks.

If your setting it permanent I would google mobile home set-up and do it that way.

[westend]

The problem with using a concrete block is that most guys put nothing under it and nothing on top. When the steel is lowered onto the web or sidewall of the block, it is prone to crack. Part of that is why multiple blocks forming a pier are used under mobile homes. The frame load is spread among the multiple blocks.

If you don't have any steel stands, buy 6 X 6's and cut them into cribbing blocks. Either that, or use at least 4 blocks under every support location.

"Cinder block" is a regional thing. No one in the upper Midwest uses that term. "Concrete" is placed and hardened "cement". "Cement" is a mix in a bag, the stuff rolling around in the truck is "concrete mix". Masonry terminology is easy. Try electrical nomenclature if you need a headache.

[Gdetrailer]

NMace wrote:
Sorry about the cinder block usage, a euphemism from my youth.

I think I am going to be about 10" at the low end, so it will take only one cement block and some lumber.

You guys are great.

P.S. I do wonder where the "cinder" originated? Seems like we called the athletic track cinder, also. And I think it came out of coal furnaces.

Early building blocks were made of clay, which had to be "fired" creating ceramic or terra cotta blocks. I suspect part of the process may have involved coal and ashes which may be where the term "cinder block" may have come into use..

The original part of my basement is built using those terra cotta blocks.. They have open cells that run the length of the blocks with one partition in the middle that runs the length, making two cells. I can assure you THOSE TYPES ARE extremely fragile so hitting them or drilling into them is a risky proposition at best.

Terra cotta blocks now days are not something that you would find easily, they are mainly made for reconstructing or preserving historic buildings when you do find them new.

Many athletic tracks were often "paved" using left over cinders from businesses that used a lot of coal.. I remember that from way back, did not want to trip or fall on those tracks, that would leave a few long lasting marks!

I remember road crews using coal cinders in the winter for traction or even in the summer for improving unpaved roads..

[NMace]

Sorry about the cinder block usage, a euphemism from my youth.

I think I am going to be about 10" at the low end, so it will take only one cement block and some lumber.

You guys are great.

P.S. I do wonder where the "cinder" originated? Seems like we called the athletic track cinder, also. And I think it came out of coal furnaces.

[Gdetrailer]

NMace wrote:
Thanks. It is not in an RV park, but on private land. The goal is to lower the unit for ease of entry for my mobility limited DW. It will be there for at least 6 months and possibly permanently.

So I need to place the jacks closer to the axles?

I have seen houses built on cinder block piers, and thousands of house trailers on them, I had no idea to suspect their structural integrity. I will do a search to see if I can find their load limits. The plan was for 6 piers, about 1,500 pounds per. Anybody know their limits?

Again, thanks for the assistance.

Have you checked to see what that will do to your taxes?

Around my area trailers as long as they have wheels on them are not taxed because they are not considered a permanent structure..

Take the wheels off and now it is consider permanent and taxes are assessed on the trailer.

Personally I would leave the wheels on and depending on the land I would dig down a foot or make a small wooden porch with long ramp. With a porch if done correctly you could make smaller modules that can be bolted together so if you are no longer able to use that land or want to move to another location the porch can be taken with you.

Taking the wheels off is only going to drop your height 8" at the most (my trailer has less than 5" between the road and bottom of the brake drum) and to get more you would have to dig a pit for the axles to sit in..

[Gdetrailer]

westend wrote:
Cinder blocks (MBU's in the trade) are a poor material for supporting weight under a trailer. If they crack and break, your axles will be on the ground. Wood cribbing or metal stands are a better solution.
IMO, supporting the weight of the trailer by using the frame should first be supported close to the axles and then a support towards the end of the frame.

They DON'T sell "cinder blocks".. They are made of CEMENT.

CEMENT BLOCK CRIBBING IS THE DEFAULT AND STANDARD MATERIAL USED FOR SETTING MOBILE HOMES UP.

I should know, I OWNED a mobile home in a mobile home park in the past.

Cement blocks are very strong when used CORRECTLY with the open cells top and bottom.

Cement blocks are extremely weak if you turn them on the sides (open cells are side to side).

People make the mistake of using cement blocks set on the sides (open cells not top to bottom)and that is why they get a bad rap.

Then there is two cell and three cell cement blocks, two cells are more common but not as strong as three cell.. But both types as long as the open cells are top and bottom will be fine to use.

For mobile home use they create a "stack" placing two blocks side to side then stack the next row on top but turning them 90 degrees then the next row is turned 90 degrees. Makes for a strong temporary cribbing.

[NMace]

Here is what I found on line:

" - block 16 inches long and 8 inches wide will bear a load of 150,000 to 200,000 pounds, or more than the capacity of any but the largest testing machines."

I must be missing something.

[NMace]

Thanks. It is not in an RV park, but on private land. The goal is to lower the unit for ease of entry for my mobility limited DW. It will be there for at least 6 months and possibly permanently.

So I need to place the jacks closer to the axles?

I have seen houses built on cinder block piers, and thousands of house trailers on them, I had no idea to suspect their structural integrity. I will do a search to see if I can find their load limits. The plan was for 6 piers, about 1,500 pounds per. Anybody know their limits?

Again, thanks for the assistance.

[westend]

Cinder blocks (MBU's in the trade) are a poor material for supporting weight under a trailer. If they crack and break, your axles will be on the ground. Wood cribbing or metal stands are a better solution.
IMO, supporting the weight of the trailer by using the frame should first be supported close to the axles and then a support towards the end of the frame.

[spoon059]

I would pull the trailer up on a 2x8 and block under the trailer securely to support the weight. Then I would let the air out of the tires and allow the trailer weight to settle on the blocking. That takes your tires and suspension out of the equation.

Then if you need to move you can just air up the tires and roll out.

[haste_maker]

If you are going to be moving the trailer from time to time. I would just leave the tires on the trailer & jack it up just enough to place jacks stands or some type of blocks under the axles to just get the tires off the ground, then put tire covers on each tire.

[spike99]

At that specific park, how are other RV/TT owners supporting their trailer? Might be good idea to clone their method. Especially if majority are done the same...

Hope this helps.

[poncho62]

First...you are saying semi-permanent. Does that mean you are going to occasionally move it? If so, leave the wheels on, park on patio stones and cover them. No matter where they are sitting, they are going to dry rot over time.

If you are going to block up the trailer, put your cinder blocks on patio stones so they dont sink into the ground. Piece of wood between block and trailer