Jacking Up Pinnacle

[HHNET]

I have a 2016 Pinnacle FLSA and when I landed in Oregon the driver side tires delaminated so I must get new tires. My plan is to use two 12-ton bottle jacks and support stands probably on wood blocks to take up extra height. The trailer is now parked on asphalt. I have read when jacking, the trailer should be hitched to truck and leveling jacks should be retracted. But, i can’t do that. If I hitch up that entirely blocks the street and would create a scene where I could be told to leave the RV park and I have no place to go other than a truckstop. We are retired and live full time. Can I safely jack the trailer to change BOTH wheels/tires at same time. I have MoRyde suspension. Thanks in advance to any help.

[ARoamer]

Originally Posted by HHNET

I have a 2016 Pinnacle FLSA and when I landed in Oregon the driver side tires delaminated so I must get new tires. My plan is to use two 12-ton bottle jacks and support stands probably on wood blocks to take up extra height. The trailer is now parked on asphalt. I have read when jacking, the trailer should be hitched to truck and leveling jacks should be retracted. But, i can’t do that. If I hitch up that entirely blocks the street and would create a scene where I could be told to leave the RV park and I have no place to go other than a truckstop. We are retired and live full time. Can I safely jack the trailer to change BOTH wheels/tires at same time. I have MoRyde suspension. Thanks in advance to any help.

My opinion follows, do what you are comfortable with.

Chock the opposite side tires well, and if it's on a level site it shouldn't be an issue. 2 jacks is a good idea. To be extra safe if possible only do 1 wheel at a time, or take one off and replace with a spare until new tires are ready.

After seeing motor homes with both tires off of the ground due to leveling I lift my pinnacle with the hydraulic leveling system. It's not recommended, and I never have both wheels removed at the same time.

[RedHorse1]

I have done a similar thing a few times (3 maybe 4 times). I build “towers” using 2x4 cribbing about 16” long. I lift with a 20T bottle jack and support the load with a jack-stand. I have lifted 1 side and both sides on different occasions. I leave the 5th on its landing gear. I got a great tip from another JOF poster. You only need to lift about 3-4” which takes quite a bit of the load off the tires on that side. Lift the axle with a bottle or floor Jack directly under the spring (or as close as you can get, remove the wheel and lower the axle. It will wind up hanging on the spring and is at a convenient height. The below pic will explain this better than I can.



I’d suggest putting a block of wood on top of the stand and jack to spread the load out some. Reverse the procedure to reassemble. I’ve used this technique to service the bearings, have tires replaced and install my wet bolts.

[jasum]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

I have done a similar thing a few times (3 maybe 4 times). I build “towers” using 2x4 cribbing about 16” long. I lift with a 20T bottle jack and support the load with a jack-stand. I have lifted 1 side and both sides on different occasions. I leave the 5th on its landing gear. I got a great tip from another JOF poster. You only need to lift about 3-4” which takes quite a bit of the load off the tires on that side. Lift the axle with a bottle or floor Jack directly under the spring (or as close as you can get, remove the wheel and lower the axle. It will wind up hanging on the spring and is at a convenient height. The below pic will explain this better than I can.

Attachment 81931

I’d suggest putting a block of wood on top of the stand and jack to spread the load out some. Reverse the procedure to reassemble. I’ve used this technique to service the bearings, have tires replaced and install my wet bolts.

X2

[Learjet]

I have lifted my trailer with the hydraulics a couple of times now. All done on level concrete. I raise the front above level, then raise the rear to level and the tires come off. I slide 4 jackstands under the axle near the wheels and lower the trailer on the jackstands.

Safety first and don't do this if you are not comfortable with this process.

[mitch8628]

I don't have a pinnacle but I have had my 29.bhds only on jack stands and the front landing gear. Bottle Jacks with cribbing on both sides of the frame work well to lift. I used to use floor jacks but they also move laterally and that can make uneasy feelings. Hard to see in the picture, but I did it this spring when I needed to take all wheels to Discount tire to get new tires. Didn't want to tow the trailer in the snow.

[Lake Huron]

How dare you swear at us with the "S" word AND post such a vulgar picture with all that white stuff! LOL!!!

I just got done greasing all my suspension points and did my wheel bearings. I lifted the front of my Northpoint a little bit using the front jacks and used a 20 ton bottle jack just behind the rear axle and lifted it off the bottom of the frame. I used a couple of concrete blocks and a small length of 6x6 to block it up.
Once I was done I lifted the back up and removed all the blocks. The one side, I grabbed the blocks to slide them out from under the trailer and half of the top block broke in half and the bottom crumbled into a bunch of pieces. No more of that nonsense. 5 ton jack stands are on the purchase menu to be used from now on.

[RedHorse1]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

How dare you swear at us with the "S" word AND post such a vulgar picture with all that white stuff! LOL!!!

I just got done greasing all my suspension points and did my wheel bearings. I lifted the front of my Northpoint a little bit using the front jacks and used a 20 ton bottle jack just behind the rear axle and lifted it off the bottom of the frame. I used a couple of concrete blocks and a small length of 6x6 to block it up.
Once I was done I lifted the back up and removed all the blocks. The one side, I grabbed the blocks to slide them out from under the trailer and half of the top block broke in half and the bottom crumbled into a bunch of pieces. No more of that nonsense. 5 ton jack stands are on the purchase menu to be used from now on.

Were your concrete blocks “cinder blocks”? I’ve read they are not a good choice for heavy loads and if that’s what you were using you’ve helped verify. They’re great for making bookshelves in the dorm tho.

[Lake Huron]

Yup, that's what I was using. I figured if they can support the weight of other blocks stacked on top of them 8-10' in height, which is generally the height, or depth depending on how you want to look at it, of a basement here in Michigan, than they should be good for a few thousand pounds of my trailer. I guess I was wrong. No wonder houses these days blow away by a wimpy tornado and houses over 100yrs old still stand.
I bet if I used an actual "cinder block" from back in the day it wouldnt have broke. Lol!

[norty1]

Did you know that cinder blocks have not been made since 1947?

Could be they crumbled because they were not supported? Jack stands are what needs to be used for safety.

[Lake Huron]

Yeah, it was just after the war that true cinder blocks quit being made. Those were better made than the concrete blocks are now, obviously. Lol!
They were on solid concrete where the trailer is parked and I had a top cap on them to help distribute the weight fully across the block(s).
I just chalk it up to another of today's junk products and a lesson learned,... jack stands.

[DAVE SAM]

So you used your front stabilizer legs to lift front and block in position. Then bottle jack on both rear behind wheel ...lift and block?

[Jeffur]

Originally Posted by HHNET

I have a 2016 Pinnacle FLSA and when I landed in Oregon the driver side tires delaminated so I must get new tires. My plan is to use two 12-ton bottle jacks and support stands probably on wood blocks to take up extra height. The trailer is now parked on asphalt. I have read when jacking, the trailer should be hitched to truck and leveling jacks should be retracted. But, i can’t do that. If I hitch up that entirely blocks the street and would create a scene where I could be told to leave the RV park and I have no place to go other than a truckstop. We are retired and live full time. Can I safely jack the trailer to change BOTH wheels/tires at same time. I have MoRyde suspension. Thanks in advance to any help.

Put your stabilizing jacks down as per normal, block the wheels. Loosen the lug nuts on the one wheel you are working on first. Then use a small bottle jack underneath the axle where the u bolts wrap the axle and spring. Have a small square piece of plate steel on top of the jack and jack the one wheel up just enough to get the tire off the ground.
Remove / replace the wheel and repeat the process for the other three.

[DAVE SAM]

Thanks..looking for a safe way to lift all 4 tires up to replace at same time. What about...using front legs.
Lower front, and block rear. Lift front using eletric front legs and block. Lift Axel with bottle jack to clear ground. Remove tire and block Axel. Replace tires and reverse.
Would that work?

[Jagiven]

Do you have a 6 point autoleveler? I have seen a number of people use it to both change a tire on the side of the road, and to lift all the wheels off the ground for maintenance.

[Learjet]

per my previous post ...lifted with levelers and lowered on to jacks before removing wheels...use caution

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Yup, that's what I was using. I figured if they can support the weight of other blocks stacked on top of them 8-10' in height, which is generally the height, or depth depending on how you want to look at it, of a basement here in Michigan, than they should be good for a few thousand pounds of my trailer. I guess I was wrong. No wonder houses these days blow away by a wimpy tornado and houses over 100yrs old still stand.
I bet if I used an actual "cinder block" from back in the day it wouldnt have broke. Lol!

When I was seasonal for 20 years we used cinder blocks on the river with our trailers 4 feet off the ground. We never had a block break, they were always laid on their side. I would do it like Learjet does, with Jack stands

[DAVE SAM]

I don't have 6 point level. Just eletric front legs. I have some good blockage from local marina. Jayco has routed gas line on parts of frame. The rear staplizer legs are too weat to lift. If I can position some blocks behind the rear wheels and lift about 6" . Then lift the front with electric legs and block. Use bottle Jack's to raise tire off ground to remove tires. Looks good on paper. Do I really need to hook up truck for this? I can use trailer battery to lift...I think.

[David_ski]

Originally Posted by DAVE SAM

I don't have 6 point level. Just eletric front legs. I have some good blockage from local marina. Jayco has routed gas line on parts of frame. The rear staplizer legs are too weat to lift. If I can position some blocks behind the rear wheels and lift about 6" . Then lift the front with electric legs and block. Use bottle Jack's to raise tire off ground to remove tires. Looks good on paper. Do I really need to hook up truck for this? I can use trailer battery to lift...I think.

Question with a partial answer: What is the lifting weight rating of the front jacks? It looks like the Lippert standard landing gear (179013) is rated at 4000lb. You have 8,000lbs of lifting capability on the front jacks.

Lifting with the pivot point rear of the rear wheels does increase the load on the front levelers. I notice the increased strain and current draw on the leveler motor when I raise my front jacks to level the 5'er on my sloped driveway. That is just moving the load pivot point from being centered between the tires to the load point over the rear tire. Having blocking behind the rear wheels increases that weight on the landing gear. Make sure you are not pushing the limits of your 5'er. Ground control hydraulic auto levelers have much more lifting capability.

[Frosty22]

That's how the Lippert Tech did mine. Lowered the front with the landing gear, put Jack stands under the frame rails about a foot in front of the rear stabilizers. Then lifted it with the landing gear.