Hitch wheel?

[mtam]

Not sure what's it's called but it's the wheel in the front of the trailer that holds the tongue up.

The jack is all the way up and the wheel is barley off the ground. I wouldn't tow with it like that of course but I can't even get a piece of wood under it. Paint to try and align on gravel. I could add a side mount but other than that any ideas on how to fix this issue?

Is a side mount ok for stability when park? Any weight issues? I tried to attach a photo.

Thanks for any help

[notaz3]

There should be a pin to remove the wheel from the jack.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by mtam

Not sure what's it's called but it's the wheel in the front of the trailer that holds the tongue up.

The jack is all the way up and the wheel is barley off the ground. I wouldn't tow with it like that of course but I can't even get a piece of wood under it. Paint to try and align on gravel. I could add a side mount but other than that any ideas on how to fix this issue?

Is a side mount ok for stability when park? Any weight issues? I tried to attach a photo.

Thanks for any help

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not really sure about your specific question(s). But, that said, years ago I delivered many JayFeathers with those wheels. There was a pin that could be removed to disconnect the jack from the wheel. I always removed the wheel while hauling the trailer and reinstalled it when I delivered it.

It is likely that my truck and hitch height kept the wheel further off the ground than your rig. Could you send a photo of your TT and TV hitched up? Please also include the measurement from the ground to the top of your hitch ball. It is possible the ball is low on your hitch setup.

You could, of course, not put the wheel on the jack. Just crank the jack column down onto a block of wood. I did that when the trailer sat in an sloped lot.

If your question "Is a side mount ok for stability when park?" means putting on a different jack that mounts on the side of the trailer frame near where the current jack mounts, that should be OK. Just mount the jack as far forward as possible on the trailer frame.

I hope some of this helps.

[RedHorse1]

You don't say what TT and TV you have. It looks like you don't have a WDH but I see a ball for a sway control. If it's a small TT perhaps the ball needs to be raised (adjust the ball height or a different draw ball). Worst case is the TV is not appropriate for the TT. A little more info would help.

[us71na]

As others have stated there is a pin that holds the wheel assembly to the jack post.

If you can't raise the jack enough to remove the wheel when connected to your tow vehicle. Unhitch the tow vehicle. Get some concrete blocks and a couple of pieces of wood. Chock your wheels so the trailer can't roll. Jack the trailer up high enough to get the wheel off and place a couple of concrete blocks under the tongue with a block of wood on top of the upper concrete block. Lower the tongue onto the wood.

Crank the jack post up until you can remove the wheel. Then place a piece of wood under the jack post and raise the trailer off the concrete blocks. Hook up your tow vehicle, raise the jack post as far as it will go and go camping. You don't need the wheel unless you park on a paved surface and intend to try to move the trailer by hand.

I have a piece of 4 x 6 that is about 10" long with a hole bored into one side that is a little bigger than the diameter of the jack post and about 1/2" deep. I use this block when we camp. I leave the wheel at home.

[Jagiven]

Personally, I would not recommend ever using the hitch wheel. It does not make for a stable trailer, and helps encourage trailer movement.

I use a 2x 6, that is probably 8 inches long. then I screwed two 2x4 on top of that on one end (cut to be a square). Then I nailed a couple pieces of scrap copper on top of each surface, just to keep the hitch post, from digging in. Now I can have a high block and a low block, for each parking scenario. I commonly place it on a couple pieces of plywood that are cut for the stabilizers to give a bit more surface area if the ground is soft.

[mtam]

I can get the wheel off just can't get any wood under it to make it easier to align the hitch when setting up to tow. Not the end of the world for sure.

I'll get some extra wood pieces and metal so the jack will have a solid base.

It's a Swift SLX 145RB. I did add this info somewhere thinking it would populate at the bottom of my posts like I see others. Apparently not. How do I accomplish this?

Thx for the help!!

[bedrck46]

click on USER CP above then click on EDIT SIGNATURE

[dspeers]

I bought a bulldog trailer jack foot to replace the wheel. Then on the ground I use a few of those orange plastic levelers for it to sit on. I never understood why anyone would want a wheel on the jack in the first place - its not like anyone would want to move the thing without being hitched up tow vehicle.

[mike837go]

There was a (worn out) wheel at the end of the jack of my first (well used) trailer.


Before the end of the first season of camping, I replaced it with a pad and 4x4. Much better!

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by mtam

I can get the wheel off just can't get any wood under it to make it easier to align the hitch when setting up to tow. Not the end of the world for sure.

I'll get some extra wood pieces and metal so the jack will have a solid base.

It's a Swift SLX 145RB. I did add this info somewhere thinking it would populate at the bottom of my posts like I see others. Apparently not. How do I accomplish this?

Thx for the help!!

I assume then you back up to hookup by yourself. I do all the time. I have a friend who bought two magnetic telescoping rods with tennis balls on one end. He puts one on top of the coupler and one on the hitch shank and uses them to guide himself right no. When the balls touch he is in the perfect location. I do it a bit differently. I know I cannot align up perfectly on one try. I back up until I think I am three feet away from the coupler. Get out, step back look at the ball and couple estimate roughly how far off I am side to side, get back in and backup until I think I am about a foot away, making those adjustments that I looked at. Get out, check distances again, to make adjustments. when I get back in the TV, I leave the door open, and hang my left foot out, and us it to estimate how far I need to back up. Usually I am very close using this method. If I am off by a small amount I can push the TT around a bit. Usually I am just a little to far back, and I put my foot on the trailer tongue and my shoulder on the TV and give a little push, as I crack the tongue down. You do not need to be perfectly lined up to make the connection. The ball is round and the TT weights enough so, they will line up, as you crack it down.

Good luck

[krcarter54]

Try raising the trailer as far as possible with the tongue jack and then place a jack stand under the frame. Then retract the the jack tongue until you're able to remove the pin and wheel. If you need to move your trailer by hand then I suggest purchasing a cheap trailer dolly at Harbor Freight or somewhere. Just be careful if you're on a sloping driveway or someother surface. That's how I do it with our 18 S RB.

[mtam]

Thanks for all the great advice!!

I can't seem to find the "user CP" to add to signature. Where exactly is that?