Jacking 5th wheel (Torsion axle)

[kamper00]

Never thought too much of it in the past...put a bottle jack at the end of the axle on the mounting bracket and did whatever maintenance was needed.

Tonight I noticed that by doing so, as much as lifts the tires off the ground as needed, it also lifts the front leg...

...just concerned on the flexing of the unit.

Plan B was to just drive up on levelers or a device to life one tire off the ground but the concern is by doing so you are putting the entire weight on one tire and am defiantly would be over the max capacity. (which brings up the point that if one tire fails while traveling you are driving way above the max weight of the carrying tire)

...thoughts?

[Bob_C]

That's why a lot up the weight ratings of their tires.....and only use the frame work to lift trailer......have Tork Flex under mine....just a different brand......and where a TMS comes in, to give a warning, hopefully in time to get slowed down

[Bob_C]

Here's where I put my jack

[CecilD]

I have Torflex axles on my trailer and use an Andersen Rapid Jack to roll up on and lift the other tire. Works fine and is fast. Never thought about overloading the other tire but that is what is happening. My fine 4 year old Towmax tires never complained and I am indeed over maximum capacity when lifting a wheel. I guess temporary overloading is no worse than going over a speed bump. The Rapid Jack is designed to do just that regardless of what type of suspension you have. I estimate I have a max of 5,000# on a 3,600# tire.

[dayle1]

While stationary, putting full load on a single tire is probably OK. Only time I have seen a problem is on a triple axle unit where the owner drove the front tire up on blocks to change the middle tire. So that was a 3X load and the front tire then failed 100 miles later.

If you have a blow out and drive any distance with the other tire overloaded, then you should consider changing both tires. Also, flying debris from the failed tire can damage the other tire anyway, like causing internal tread separation. I had a case where the steel cord from the failed tire became imbedded in the other tire tread (didn't fail luckily). If you do replace both tires, then you should also rotate tires so both new tires are on the same axle.