Best Jack for Fifth Wheel

[ScoobyDoo]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

A 20T bottle jack is a good safe overkill size jack to have that will probably never be overloaded. I agree with others that if buying a jack, consider a low profile one that will fit under the axle when the tire is flat and sitting low to the ground. Just measure from the bottom of the axle to the bottom of the rim for min jack height.

It takes a lot more strokes to lift a 4 ton load one inch with a 20 ton jack than a 12.
Most bottle jacks have a stroke less than their height, so you can run into issues where the jack will fit under, but not lift far enough to get tire back on. And once the wheel is off, the vehicle is more likely to cause pain when it falls.
With my trailer, I will pull the flat onto a block to raise the axle up to normal height, and start jacking from there. Much less jacking, pull wheel and block...
I thing it is a good idea to learn what you will need to do to change a tire while in your driveway. Along side traffic in the cold, dark, and rain is not the time to go to school...
And remember, you are not likely to be on hard surface, it is flustering to pump a hole in the ground. My trailer is light enough that piece of plywood will spread the load. My tool truck, where lifting one end of the axle might be over 5 tons I carried a couple pieces of truck frame.
Another thing; A bottle jack that is much carried, little used should be carried standing up.

[grindstone01]

I agree that using the spring mounting plate is the best jack location for changing a tire. If you need to use the jack on the axle, just place the jack as close to the tire as possible to avoid any axle bending damage. Just be aware there will be a small contact point on the axle/jack, but if the other 3 TT tires are supporting the TT on the ground, then changing 1 tire should be safe and quick.
Pulling the flat tire up on a block of wood is a good idea, unfortunately it gets forgotten during the excitement of the emergency until the jack is already extended.

[mobilemike]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

I carry a 20 ton bottle jack, and made a ramp to pull trailer up on just enough to change the bad one out....either back up or go forward...I'm not waiting or pay'n someone for something I can do myself...

That is right. As long as I am physically able I will do it myself. I am self reliant. Never one to call for help and sit and wait for something so simple as a changing a tire. No struggling with breaker bar either. I have a 20v impact gun that will pull any 5er lugs off.

[BWDavis]

Personally, I think a key piece of advice is what MobileMike just posted. Buy a cordless impact wrench and the appropriate sockets to go with it. I do carry a torque wrench that could double as a breaker bar, but screw that. Use the impact wrench. My flat tires have always occurred in locations that I did not want to hang out at for safety reasons. Honestly, I didn't know about 20T bottle jacks, so I've used my 4T jack that came with my dually pickup and that works fine (I have a 39' FW). You are only lifting one tire a few inches off of the ground, not the entire trailer. But then I'm using an impact wrench so that trailer is not jacked up for more than a couple of minutes once I get the spare down. The impact wrench also makes getting the spare down a quick exercise.

On a side note, it is my unsolicited opinion that you NOT USE GoodSam Roadside Assistance. They are awful. (That should probably be a separate thread - what roadside assistance plans people have had good experience with).

[StageCoachDr]

A lot of people use the trailer's auto leveling system. Don't know if it's recommended use of auto leveling, but it's done by others.It you have a dual axial trailer (which I think most are), an axial jack needs to be rated for at least 1/4 the trailer's gross weight.

[McFord94]

20 ton bottle jack, Trailer Aide, cribbing, breaker bar and battery impact wrench
I can change tire in 25 mins and not sit for hours waiting for road service

[sk734]

Curious
When using a autolevel system do you level the trailer then lift the side where tire needs changed or just lift the side where tire needs changed?

[8e3k0]

An 8 ton bottle Jack is more than enough for one axle and is a lot easier to handle in a restricted area. Takes very little room to store where storage is precious.

[redneckrock]

iv got 2 bundles of the wall mart leveling squars if you buld them up in front of the tire's ....
i have pulled the trailer up on the squares an got the tire off the ground..
leave the truck in park and hitched to the trailer block the tires...
but iv just been lucky i guess ...
we have been camping for 25 yr.
iv never had a blow out yet,,
I never try to carry or load to the max of my trailer capasity
i travel light .. put new tires on when i need them ..
i also try to travel when its cooleeerrrrr late eveningsss..

we allso dont buy the bigest and badest campers

[redhooker]

I use auto level all the time for servicing the fiver. I adjust my brakes regularly and rotate the tires on my triple axle as the centers get the least wear. In fact it’s sitting on just the jacks now while new tires are being mounted. I carry an air compressor with 50 feet of hose as well as an air impact gun. Change tires quick as NASCAR . Well almost.

No you don’t need to unhook, just drop the fronts to take a bit of weight and then manually extend the rear jacks to or near max. NEVER try to auto level while hooked up. NEVER jack up or down with slides out. NEVER put the slides out if you are not level.

Also at campsites with taller sewer connections I level near to max height for dumping as well.

[Demented]

I carry a 12 ton bottle jack and a long 1/2" breaker bar with a few different sized deep sockets for the trailer and truck. Your only picking up a small portion of the weight. My fifth wheel weighs in at 13,000 but one wheel corner weight may only be 3500 lbs max. I'd rather change my own tire and get back on the road than wait for someone to show up two hours later. I do have roadside assistance but honestly I only use it if I cant get back on the road myself. Being prepared for most situations makes for an easier trip.

[JDT]

Make sure it has a good set of tires and you may not need anything. I've run over 50K miles on ours in 7 seasons with never a problem. The first 5 were with a set of Michelins and now have a set of Hankooks. The Michelins were load range J, way overkill of our trailer, the Hankooks are H. Good tires doesn't mean you will never have a problem, there's a nail out there somewhere, but I would think it improves the odds over some of the cheap Chinese bombs you read about on this forum.

I use our 4 point leveling system at home to lift the wheels for service but have never tried it on the side of the road. Hope I never have to. Our roadside service with Good Sam expires in May. We've not needed it in the 5 years we've had it but I've read enough bad that we are looking at changing.

[LargeMarge]

Our rig == 1997 Ford CF8000 ExpeditionVehicle.
Our situation == we boondock exclusively.

To gain experience in changing a flat tire, we tipped some Latin fellows so we could hang around their shop. This was our first time through Honduras.

For 22.5 semi truck tires, they used a pair of air-jacks under the axles.
8x8 wood blocks.
1-inch air-drive impact driver, easily 60# / 30kg.
Pry-bars about 1m / 3ft long.

In the time I took to write that, one fellow could lift, bang off the combo lugs, demount the old tires, and have at least new tire mostly mounted.

Sometimes, the professionals are better than me doing it.

Road insurance? That would never work for us; we aim really hard to avoid places with cellular towers.

[Sgt_Dubie]

When I first got my 5er, I think the second trip out, I picked up a screw. I had no difficulty using the trucks emergency tire change kit to get the tire changed. I put the jack under the leaf spring mount, lifted the flat wheel no problem, had the new tire on and flat on the spare tire bracket in about 15 min. I stayed hooked to the truck. The springs compressed slightly and I had enough clearance without the trailer leaning at all. It was all over so fast I even took a few extra minutes down the road to buy a tire plug and refill the flat so I wasn’t running around withou a spare. I personally don’t believe you need to over think a tire change all that much.