Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Broken Tongue Jack

[LaunchnRetrieve]

So I'm up early.
I hitch the trailer to the truck.
And as I leave the storage facility, a big scrape.
I know I need new shocks, so maybe the rear end is lower than usual.
Nope. This idiot forgot to raise the tongue jack all the way.:M
So I have a bent lower half.
It's Sunday. Of course it's Sunday. Why would I do this on a day when parts and help are available.
OK, enough sniveling.
What are my options?
I'm in Santa Rosa right now trying to get to Marysville.
Do I leave the jack as far up as it will go and watch out for driveway dips and fix the jack another day?
Or do I cancel my Sunday/Monday weekend and fix it Monday?
Is it as simple as it looks? 3 bolts? Or does this turn into an internal parts assembly required nightmare for the mechanically inexperienced? It's a standard sidewind tongue jack.
2003 Prowler 25J

[Bob_Olallawa]

Go get the new jack, lube it up to get it in place and be done with it. Do check the mounting holes before you buy one...

[westend]

Why are you trying to put the bent jack back in? If you've bent the tongue around the mounting hole, you'll need to straighten that back to original.

[LaunchnRetrieve]

OK, the box wrench and a big piece of wood loosened my nuts. I'm still a strappin' young man, but with a torn rotator cuff, a blown disc, and ..., so the things I need help with can be a little embarrassing.
And, GOOD NEWS! There is enough room to get the jack out without cutting.
I had to pry it out. Tried to put it back in and it won't go so a little worry about why such a tight fit for top outer cylinder and did I bend the opening enough to make it hard to go back in.

[Executive45]

Are you at a campground. Surely some young strappin lad would be able to help you get that off. If nothing else they could use the hacksaw. We campers love helping other campers....Dennis

[LaunchnRetrieve]

Ugh! Now I can't turn the bolts to remove the jack.
Gonna try a box end wrench and a hammer.
Having fun. 😮

[WyoTraveler]

These things happen. I have several bent tongue jacks in my junk pile from farm equipment. That is why most are bolted on.

[2oldman]

Could you possibly try bending it back a bit using your truck and backing up?

[myredracer]

LaunchnRetrieve wrote:
I guess there's going to be one more step than the 3 bolts. I will have to cut the jack in order to pull it out since it's bent.
Too much arthritis to use a hack saw. What power tool should I buy to cut that tube?
Any input on weight rating?

That's okay, I damaged the lower tube on our electric tongue jack once. (There's a story there but not for public release...) Cost little more to replace the entire jack so now we have a spare upper section with the motor! 🙂

Hmmm, just how bent is it? 😞 Can't see it of course, but I would think if you remove the 3 bolts you should be able to wrangle it out of there. If it has a foot, you should be able to remove it easily.

How low is it hanging? Can you raise/lower the TT with a bottle or other jack along with some wood blocks and just leave it there until you get somewhere to fix it? Maybe you don't have the tools with you or it's too hard, but could you re-position the hitch shank/head so that the ball is higher if that'd help to gain some ground clearance?

Tongue weight won't be much, maybe around 500-600 lbs or less for a trailer that long so only needs a lightweight jack.

[opnspaces]

If you haven't tried to remove it yet I would do that before renting the saws all. The hole in the tongue might just be enough to remove the jack without the saw.

On the positive side it's already hooked to the truck so you don't have to figure out how to support the tongue while you remove the jack.

[LaunchnRetrieve]

Great ideas for open today walmart, harbor freight, west marine.
Weight rating is weathered beyond reading, but there is a word that looks like exceed, and a few numbers, 1650 pounds, 16000 pounds and 25000 pounds. I'm guessing 2000 is tongue weight need.
And sawzall rent home depot. Thanks!!!

[westend]

LaunchnRetrieve wrote:
I guess there's going to be one more step than the 3 bolts. I will have to cut the jack in order to pull it out since it's bent.
Too much arthritis to use a hack saw. What power tool should I buy to cut that tube?
Any input on weight rating?

After you have the three mounting bolts out, you should be able to pull the jack tube up and out of the hole on the tongue unless you bent it almost at a 90.

[MitchF150]

sawz all and several metal cutting blaedes should do it. I've got a #3000 electric jack that works great.

Good luck!

Mitch

[Bob_Olallawa]

saws all, stop by home depot etc. and rent one. 2,000 lb should work, is the old one marked with the weight rating?

[LaunchnRetrieve]

I guess there's going to be one more step than the 3 bolts. I will have to cut the jack in order to pull it out since it's bent.
Too much arthritis to use a hack saw. What power tool should I buy to cut that tube?
Any input on weight rating?

[LaunchnRetrieve]

OK off to walmart and harbor freight with fingers crossed.
Next question. How many pounds is enough? 2000? Drop? WalMart has some. Calling Harbor Freight now.