Help with tire changing, jack stands, load F

[Donedroolin]

Hello, I am going to change all the tires on my camper to load range F tires this week coming in. However the local place I ordered them from does not have the space for me to bring the trailer. Small business. Has anyone jacked up there camper and placed it on jack stands for the day or two. I would jack up each tire one at a time, place a jack stand under one axle at a time. Until all four are off. Anyone know another way. Does anyone think this would damage the axles or the camper.

[Riverman]

When I changed my tires to Goodyear Endurance I took off one tire at a time and took it to the tire store, which was only a mile away. One tire a day for four days wasn't too bad.

A trailer sitting on jack stands is just too risky for me.

[jbrnigan]

I have a pair of drive on ramps I use for changing oil, etc on my truck. I just positioned a ramp on each side of the trailer, pulled it forward on the ramps....and the rear tires were off the ground (back on, to get the front tires off the ground). Removed two tires, took them to the tire shop. I was able to get all four tires changed in one day. No need for a jack or jack stands, and very stable.

[Donedroolin]

Thank you I like the Ramp method I think I may�� try that. Or was thinking jack stands under only one axle at a time. thinking actually my camper is to heavy for one axle

[jpgale]

The Ramp method could overload your axle a single axle is not designed to hold that much weight.

I have only needed to change 1 tire which I jacked up put the spare on and then lowered. Unless you fear the axle stands for some reason they are the best way, have them in front and behind the axles on the frame rail. if needs be put the stabilzers down to help out. If you think about the way the trailer is connected to the ground it should be perfectly fine. Obviously make sure you have enough Jack stand cap. Mine are 4 ton a pair plenty between for on a 4.5 ton trailer.

[Lake Huron]

DO NOT JACK IT OR SUPPORT IT OFF THE AXLE. This coming right from Dexter Axle. Lift it and support it off the frame. I lift my 16k 5th wheel with a bottle jack off the frame as close to the rear tire as possible. On the back side of the jack I'll use blocks to support the weight. It will have the entire one side off the ground so you can do both wheels at the same time. Once I have one side supported I'll go to the other and do the same, lift and support off the frame behind the rear axle. I had mine sitting on blocks for a few months this past winter/spring doing a drum to disc brake conversion. The reason I used blocks instead of jack stands are my jack stands would be close to maxed out and in also didn't want them tied up for a long period in case I needed them for one of my other 4 vehicles.

[jbrnigan]

You can lift at the axle... IF... you position your jack under the spring perch - not inside or outside, but directly under the perch (or between the u-bolts if your axle is mounted above the springs) I crafted a "U" shaped cradle to fit my axle and floor jack that fits between the u-bolts.

[Siamese]

A set of four heavy duty jack stands and a twenty dollar bottle jack and you're good to go. The bottle jack under the frame makes the trailer go up in the air, and the jack stands keep it from coming back down.

Take all the wheels in at one time.

[rte1985]

I have seen trailer companies when doing axle swaps or whatever they will lower the tongue down so the rear of the trailer is elevated. They then will place jack stands in the rear on the frame then they will raise the tongue up till all 4 tires are off the groung. Jack stands of coarse are placed on the front of the trailer.

[FPM III]

When I work with jacks, I always try to place a secondary means of support for whatever is being held up should the primary fail. As RVers, surely we have enough wood, bricks, Lynx (or come other brand) levelers, etc. to build something high enough to accomplish this.

From the 2000 Jayco Owner's manual for Conventional Travel Trailer and Fifth-Wheel Travel Trailer, this is what it says about jacking the trailer and tire changing:

[Donedroolin]

Thank you all will jack up using frame. Got some 4 ton jack stands.

[Vicr]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

Thank you all will jack up using frame. Got some 4 ton jack stands.

Be aware Harbor Freight has a recall on jack stands right now.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by rte1985

I have seen trailer companies when doing axle swaps or whatever they will lower the tongue down so the rear of the trailer is elevated. They then will place jack stands in the rear on the frame then they will raise the tongue up till all 4 tires are off the groung. Jack stands of coarse are placed on the front of the trailer.

Hummm, sounds familiar, did this at summer camp last week. We used two logs.

The borrowed trailer, had what looked like good tires when we left. But had two tires start to separating on me. Of course it is a Sunday and nothing is open, so luckily made it to camp on them before a complete separation. They were 16" load range G, hard to find in a small town, had to have them ordered in. Tires were 14 years old. Trailer rode terrible all the way to camp. Rode nice and smooth all they way home. I'm guessing they were out of round, and bouncing a lot.

[Marmot]

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

Hello, I am going to change all the tires on my camper to load range F tires this week coming in. However the local place I ordered them from does not have the space for me to bring the trailer. Small business. Has anyone jacked up there camper and placed it on jack stands for the day or two. I would jack up each tire one at a time, place a jack stand under one axle at a time. Until all four are off. Anyone know another way. Does anyone think this would damage the axles or the camper.

Check your owners manual. Mine says do not use axles as jack points - frame only.

[jimmoore13]

Related issue. A spring hanger broke off on my rig. I needed to remove the wheels/tires on one side to give the welder room to work.

I had good luck doing this:
Before jacking, loosen the lug nuts on the wheels enough that you'll be able to take the wheels off once the tires can spin freely.
1. hookup to the tow vehicle for a solid base at the front.
2. lower the tongue jack to be almost touching the ground...as an extra measure of safety.
3. use a good bottle jack to jack on the frame behind the rear axles. Since the front of the trailer is on the hitch, this is a reasonably safe action. Raise the trailer enough that the tires are lifting off the ground...or almost...more on this in an upcoming bullet.
4. insert a suitable jack stand at the rear, one rated for your trailer's weight.
5. move the bottle jack to the front of the same side on the frame. Raise the frame enough to insert another heavy duty jack stand. Note that the jack may lift the rear of the TV a bit...not a problem. Lower the trailer on the jack stand.
6. check and adjust your tongue jack to ensure it's just barely off the ground.
7. repeat this performance on the other side of the trailer.
8. lower the tongue jack to make solid contact with the ground, but not so much as to lift the trailer, or you'll jeopardize contact between the frame and the front jack stands. Assuming your rig is on solid ground and your jack stands are up to the task, your rig will be lifted and solid. My welder was not at all hesitant about going under the rig lifted this way.
9. now back to the tires being off the ground. This may not happen. They'll be close, but perhaps touching hard enough that you can't remove them.
If you have a floor jack or a scissors jack with your TV, use that jack to slightly lift each end of each axle to allow removal of the wheels. When you reinstall the wheels with new tires, you'll have to repeat this act, one axle end at a time, but it's easy. DO NOT LIFT VERY HARD with the "axle jack" because you should NOT lift the rig with a jack under an axle, and you may dislodge the trailer from the jack stands.

Get your new tires mounted and installed. Then, as a first step, "lower" the tongue jack a bit so the foot is off the ground about 1/2" or so. Your TV will hold the trailer securely enough once you have tires under it again. Reverse the process, first getting the front of the jack stands, then the rear.

Now, you're going to spend a chunk on decent jack stands and an acceptable bottle jack...and you need LOTS of blocking to get the height you need. Figure you'll spend $150 to $180 if you don't own the stuff. Which raises the question, how much will your buddy save you on these tires vs. just bringing the rig to a shop that can do the whole job for you? And that doesn't account for your time.

I HAD to do this, because my trailer was not able to move...one spring was totally disconnected at one end from the frame. But I would not go thru all this for a tire change.

The alternative of doing one tire per trip to the tire store is beginning to make a lot of sense if you are loyal enough to your buddy's tire store to put up with the aggravation.

I'd bring it to a tire store that's equipped to handle your rig in the parking lot. Leave it on the hitch, drop the stab jacks, and let them use a floor jack to raise each axle end one at a time and install the new tires.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by jpgale

The Ramp method could overload your axle a single axle is not designed to hold that much weight.

I have only needed to change 1 tire which I jacked up put the spare on and then lowered. Unless you fear the axle stands for some reason they are the best way, have them in front and behind the axles on the frame rail. if needs be put the stabilzers down to help out. If you think about the way the trailer is connected to the ground it should be perfectly fine. Obviously make sure you have enough Jack stand cap. Mine are 4 ton a pair plenty between for on a 4.5 ton trailer.

Just remember 4 ton jack stands are 2 ton each

[Wsw]

Best thing I ever bought was the drive on tire change lift. I have used it on all my trailers, from the travel trailers to the car hauler.

Just drive the good tire up on it. Gets the flat tire off the ground enough to change it. Safe and secure.