Floor Jack For Travel Trailer

[spasm3]

I have a 30ft travel trailer, wide track axles. I want to have an aluminum floor jack with me , incase of flat tires. I don't want a bottle jack.

The trailer probably weights just shy of 7000 lbs loaded. If i'm lifting one side, and even taking into some consideration a slide incline, what size floor jack do i need ?

I'm thinking a 2.5 to 3 ton aluminum. Is 2.5 tons enough ?

Thanks

 

[The Critic]

How much lift height do you need?

 

[AZjeff]

You can deduct the tongue weight from the 7000 then divide by 2 for side weight.. If you're lifting one axle you can probably divide by 2 again. 6300ish on the axles is 3150/side is 1575/axle at the wheel.

Or to be safe 7000 is 3500/side or 1750/axle. 2.5 tons should be more than enough whether you're lifting the axle with the flat or the entire side with the frame.

 

[totegoat]

I bet Harbour Freight would let you try different jacks to see which one you like.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

Personally I have a bottle jack in my TT. It is easier to store and I can be sure that I have a flat surface to work on with the boards and 4x4 blocks I carry onboard. I would never use a floor jack because of the probability of the ground not being flat on the side of the road or in a campsite... So with that said who knows if 2.5 or 3 tons would be enough...?

Just my $0.02

 

[ctechbob]

Are you lifting it to change a tire or just do some work on one side. If its just a tire, you can just lift the axle at the shackle. So much easier than lifting the frame, and likely a lot safer. That frame is way up in the air.

If I'm on the side of the road, I'm doing it the fastest way possible to get out of there in one piece, and that will be lifting the axle.

Yes, I know manufacturers say not to do that, but people have been doing it for ages with no problem. As long as you're lifting on the shackle pad and not the axle tube it is just fine.

 

[D60]

2.5T would be plenty. Make sure you can attain adequate lift height before hitting the road. If not, carry a chunk of hardwood as a spacer

30' has to be tandem axle? You are also carrying a tandem axle ramp, yes????

 

[spasm3]

How much lift height do you need?

a good bit, probably 12 inches. but this can be accomplished with 4x4 wood pieces.

The smaller aluminum jacks only lift about 17 inches or so for the 1.5 ton, but in think thats too small.

 

[spasm3]

2.5T would be plenty. Make sure you can attain adequate lift height before hitting the road. If not, carry a chunk of hardwood as a spacer

30' has to be tandem axle? You are also carrying a tandem axle ramp, yes????

Tandem axle ramp won't lift the wheel on a wide trax axle.

 

[I<3oil]

If it were me, I'd err on the side of caution and do a 3 ton.

 

[D60]

a good bit, probably 12 inches. but this can be accomplished with 4x4 wood pieces.

The smaller aluminum jacks only lift about 17 inches or so for the 1.5 ton, but in think thats too small.

The 1.5s are really flimsy at max lift -- it's easy to "rack" them on uneven ground.

From what I've seen the 2.5T and 3T Al units are built far better.

This is something I'm always leary about with floor jacks for field use -- the aluminums are easy to handle but can be fragile. Steel is nearly impossible to hurt but can be impractically heavy.

Here I was using my Sunex 6602LP with 2 wheels off the ground. Like the honey badger, it doesn't give a ****

 

[spasm3]

The 1.5s are really flimsy at max lift -- it's easy to "rack" them on uneven ground.

From what I've seen the 2.5T and 3T Al units are built far better.

This is something I'm always leary about with floor jacks for field use -- the aluminums are easy to handle but can be fragile. Steel is nearly impossible to hurt but can be impractically heavy.

Here I was using my Sunex 6602LP with 2 wheels off the ground. Like the honey badger, it doesn't give a ****View attachment 163823

Yes i know the 1.5 won't cut it. HF has a few 2.5 and 3 ton AL jacks. I just don't want a 100Lbs steel jack.

I'll always be on fairly smooth surfaces.

 

[D60]

[QUOTE="I If it were me, I'd err on the side of caution and do a 3 ton.
[/QUOTE]
I'd just look carefully at weight. Some of the 3T's I've seen are a hybrid steel/Al combo. Probably good for durability but one guy needs to be able to reasonably carry it , potentially on uneven terrain.

Then again having already had one back surgery I'm very conscious of things like this.

 

[spasm3]

I'd just look carefully at weight. Some of the 3T's I've seen are a hybrid steel/Al combo. Probably good for durability but one guy needs to be able to reasonably carry it , potentially on uneven terrain.

Then again having already had one back surgery I'm very conscious of things like this.

Bingo, i'm not 35 anymore!

 

[I<3oil]

I'd just look carefully at weight. Some of the 3T's I've seen are a hybrid steel/Al combo. Probably good for durability but one guy needs to be able to reasonably carry it , potentially on uneven terrain.

Then again having already had one back surgery I'm very conscious of things like this.

HF 2.5t rapid jack alum. 54lbs
HF 3t rapid jack alum. 63lbs

If 9 lbs, (a gallon of water is 8.34lbs), is going to be life or death situation, probably shouldn't be towing a 7k trailer to start with.

 

[JHZR2]

a good bit, probably 12 inches. but this can be accomplished with 4x4 wood pieces.

The smaller aluminum jacks only lift about 17 inches or so for the 1.5 ton, but in think thats too small.

One of the things I’ve been a fan of from HF is their 1.5 ton aluminum jack. It really is best of breed imo. I’ve used it to pick up a corner of my Ram CTD which probably is only 1/4 of your lift. I’d look at their 2.5 ton unit.

[QUOTE="I HF 2.5t rapid jack alum. 54lbs
HF 3t rapid jack alum. 63lbs

If 9 lbs, (a gallon of water is 8.34lbs), is going to be life or death situation, probably shouldn't be towing a 7k trailer to start with.
[/QUOTE]
It becomes a noticeable weight difference and convenience factor. Plus a size factor.

 

[I<3oil]

One of the things I’ve been a fan of from HF is their 1.5 ton aluminum jack. It really is best of breed imo. I’ve used it to pick up a corner of my Ram CTD which probably is only 1/4 of your lift. I’d look at their 2.5 ton unit.


It becomes a noticeable weight difference and convenience factor. Plus a size factor.

Again, if 9lbs is going to make or break someone, maybe they shouldn't be doing physical activities in the first place.

And as far as size:

3ton
Product Length 26-3/4 in.
Product Width 14 in.

2.5ton
Product Length 25-7/8 in.
Product Width 12 in.

 

[JHZR2]

[QUOTE="I Again, if 9lbs is going to make or break someone, maybe they shouldn't be doing physical activities in the first place.

And as far as size:

3ton
Product Length 26-3/4 in.
Product Width 14 in.

2.5ton
Product Length 25-7/8 in.
Product Width 12 in.
[/QUOTE]
It doesn’t have to make or break someone to be less convenient and heavier. We could argue this the other way - a steel jack is stronger, the super duty is superior in every way. It’s maybe 100lbs. If someone can handle 50-60 then they can handle 100. This sort of logic can go on for a long time and provides very little value. The question with a hydraulic system is what can it lift and does it have the capacity with a little margin to lift the item at hand.

 

[I<3oil]

It doesn’t have to make or break someone to be less convenient and heavier. We could argue this the other way - a steel jack is stronger, the super duty is superior in every way. It’s maybe 100lbs. If someone can handle 50-60 then they can handle 100. This sort of logic can go on for a long time and provides very little value. The question with a hydraulic system is what can it lift and does it have the capacity with a little margin to lift the item at hand.

If he was going to be using it every day, multiple times a day, taking it off the trailer, putting it back on, etc. I would agree. It's only going to be really used in emergency situations of losing a tire, so once, maybe twice a year. In that case, it doesn't matter nearly as much to the point where it's of no concern.

 

[Lenny5160]

Personally I have a bottle jack in my TT. It is easier to store and I can be sure that I have a flat surface to work on with the boards and 4x4 blocks I carry onboard. I would never use a floor jack because of the probability of the ground not being flat on the side of the road or in a campsite... So with that said who knows if 2.5 or 3 tons would be enough...?

Just my $0.02

Bottle jack guy here too. I carry a 3 ton floor jack in my race trailer but if I need to lift the trailer, I use a bottle jack with a piece of flat steel plate and 6x6 wood block on top. WAY easier to store and carry than a floor jack.