My 2 ton bottle jack.

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

I have a 2 ton bottle jack from my previous little camper. As well as a single jack stand. (not sure of its weight capacity at this time.)

Will this bottle jack suffice (for now) in a quick tire change scenario for my new camper? I know it SHOULD be bigger, but it's lifting one side of the camper for a short period of time. I'd never consider it to support the camper for any type of maintenance work.

 

[JFlightRisk]

Not recommending you use it, only because a little bigger one would be safer, and less prone to pressure failure. (We carry an 8 ton jack, dry weight 4140, loaded to a max of 6200lbs).

In any case NEVER EVER use just a jack to support it. ALWAYS have jack stands or some other back up support if the jack fails or slips out. Recently a fellow was killed near us changing a flat on a class C motorhome on the side of the road, he was 38 years old and describes as an "automotive worker". The jack he was using slipped out. Very tragic.
Safety first, and thanks for asking our thoughts. We want you to stay alive.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

Than you for the advice. I know I've collected all kinds of new stuff for my new camper and here I am questioning getting a new jack. I guess it's because my 2 ton is virtually unused...only in (previously: CAR) for tire change scenarios...that never happened, thankfully.

How awful and tragic about that man who died. I can be confident, but if something seems sketchy or I am feeling unsure due to lack of experience or skill I WILL NOT do it.

I do not plan on changing any type of tire on ANY highways. I will only do that chore if parked in safe space. I have AAA for my vehicle and an air compressor that I'd hope will suffice, enough to get me off the road, to a safe spot for tire change.

Actually, I was going to ask the forum...is there an actual pull trailer roadside assistance service that you use? I know some are rubbish, but some are better?

I know they can often take a long time to arrive. IMO sitting on the side of a busy highway for a couple hours is more dangerous than getting some air into that tire (if it's not on the driver's side, precariously close to the road) if at all possible, then limping off the highway to a safer place.

 

[Kim Gass]

while you may not plan on changing a tire yourself , in many areas there is no roadside assistance and you may have to do it yourself. If you plan to stay in CT , fine. Try going to Canada and in Maine and you may find yourself doing the fixing.

We have had a flat on the truck while towing and a flat on the Yellowhead Highway in Alberta. In both cases we had roadside assistance that could not. Get a bigger bottle jack and carry both.
Wish we could be at Hammo to watch your first camping outing but alas wont be there for three weeks. Just don't get frustrated.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

I don’t plan on far from home trips for a while. Yeah a nee jack purchase will happen this week. I’m excited, despite the current weather forecast for our week. We have another week booked starting June 17 at Hammonasset with hopefully, sunnier skies I’ll try not to get frustrated. I have my husband keeping my daughter back until I call to tell him the site is all set up. She tends to make declarations at me despite what it looks like I might be doing at the time.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

So, a 4 ton bottle jack should work well for both camper and truck, ya think?

 

[OnTheGo]

I have this for the trailer: https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Aid-lbs-Features-Lift-Yellow-21002/dp/B07ZPJCHN5?th=1, works well. ... have used it for maintenance, haven't had a flat - knock wood.

I jack the truck with the jack it came with.

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

I have this for the trailer: https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Aid-lbs-Features-Lift-Yellow-21002/dp/B07ZPJCHN5?th=1, works well. ... have used it for maintenance, haven't had a flat - knock wood.

I jack the truck with the jack it came with.

I've seen those. I read some comments from owners who say they are apprehensive about using it, b/c when you do, one tire on one side of RV is supporting twice as much weight as it normally does. I understand it is for emergency circumstances, etc. Not like you're gonna leave it there for days.

 

[JFlightRisk]

We carry both a TrailerAid (never have used it to date, but it's been well travelled). and an 8-ton bottle jack from Harbor Freight. If memory is correct it was on sale, or I had a coupon for it, hence the tonnage. I have used the bottle jack in the driveway one time, when I had jack the trailer and suspension to remove and reinstall a wet bolt that wouldn't take grease. Maybe someday I'll run it up on the TrailerAid to see if it really works!

As far as a roadside plan, we used to have AAA (never had to use), and now have Good Sam, also haven't needed to call them so far. There is a roadside feature on our vehicle insurance, but that doesn't include the trailer. It really depends on the area as mentioned, and how competent the tow service is. No help, but that's all I got.

 

[Grumpy]

I always carried a 12 ton. Bigger's better...so I've heard.

 

[craigav]

I will add that you have to put a lot more effort in using a 2 ton jack when jacking up most vehicles.

I recommend an 8~12 ton jack which not only is safer to use but is also easier to pump. Last time I was at Harbor Freight (not that I recommend all of their products), I saw 8~12 ton hydraulic jacks for less than 50$ that looked pretty good. ~CA

 

[Route 66 Traveler]

I carry a 8 ton HF bottle jack, a supply of 2x6’s and a mat to lay on to keep me out of the dirt. Had a Trailer Aid, but chucked it because I tried it in my driveway and it put too much strain on the axle going up. Plus, I read that if you use it on say a dirt shoulder on the side of the road it just slides in the dirt making it unusable. It skidded in my driveway on concrete!

I dumped Good Sam RA in favor of FMCA’s Roadside Rescue. Still have AAA RV Plus… never used either… knock on wood!

 

[FISTEP]

From an engineering standpoint, I never designed a system to use components that were close to capacity especially where it could be compromised by a single point of failure. That would describe your 4000 lb jack lifting a static weight, potentially 85% of its capacity, and that is on a perfectly level surface. Of course, the jack has it's own safety factor which could be 200%. So if I were stuck in the desert, I would use it and try to do it safely but if I were planning ahead, I'd get a higher capacity jack.
If for no other reason, the force required to pump a 4 ton jack is much less than that for a 2 ton jack. Add peace of mind and the low buck output, it's a good investment.

One thing I would add is to use blocks as a stable base to raise the jack so less of the extension of the jack is needed.

 

[camjam Jay]

I made my own trailer aid out of 2x12's. Used it plenty of times when all I could buy were chinese tires. Had a lot of blow outs over 20 years of camping. Was recomended not to jack up 5th wheel by the axel so I figured no more load was on the one axle than when you have a flat. Never caused an issue for me.
Had camping world road service th whole time but never used it.

 

[skids-JAY]

I suggest that whatever you decide to use, make sure it will work. Keep in mind that the base of a bottle jack on the dirt will sink to China without using some plywood or something to spread the load. Also, the height for the jack will be diminished with that wood on the ground. If you have a flat tire, the axle will diminish the height for the jack even more (if the jack point is by the axle U-bolts). I have a double axle, so what I do is roll the adjacent good tire up on a 2x6 ramp (maybe 5?), block the tires of the truck and either the bad tire will be off the ground or the weight will be lessened a lot. It will leave room for the bottle jack.

 

[skids-JAY]

On more thing is to make sure that the spare tire rim has lug nuts that are copesetic with your lug wrench! Can you believe that you might need two sizes of lug wrenches to change a tire???

 

[JudyK-JAY22rb]

On more thing is to make sure that the spare tire rim has lug nuts that are copesetic with your lug wrench! Can you believe that you might need two sizes of lug wrenches to change a tire???

Thank you skids, for both replies.

YES! I do have the 2 sizes of lug wrench and sockets/breaker bar for both the mounted tires and the spare. I haven't quite checked out my height situation, so I guess I should do that. I have 4, 4x4 blocks in the storage bay I used to use for my other camper. For this camper I bought the Andersen blocks. I figure the 4x4s are always still good to have on hand. Perhaps a couple pieces of 2x6 are a good idea? I always like to be prepared.

I put a 17mm box wrench in my quick tool access space, as I knew I'd need it for quick access on set-up. BUT as of today, I can't remember what exactly it is for!

 

[OnTheGo]

Thank you skids, for both replies.

YES! I do have the 2 sizes of lug wrench and sockets/breaker bar for both the mounted tires and the spare. I haven't quite checked out my height situation, so I guess I should do that. I have 4, 4x4 blocks in the storage bay I used to use for my other camper. For this camper I bought the Andersen blocks. I figure the 4x4s are always still good to have on hand. Perhaps a couple pieces of 2x6 are a good idea? I always like to be prepared.

I put a 17mm box wrench in my quick tool access space, as I knew I'd need it for quick access on set-up. BUT as of today, I can't remember what exactly it is for!

... and if you put a 45 degree end on the 2x6s you can use them for drive-on leveling blocks side-to-side. You don't need the 45, it just makes things easier. (I thought I would add this because we have our fingers crossed that you won't have to do any jacking.)

 

[skids-JAY]

Thank you skids, for both replies.

YES! I do have the 2 sizes of lug wrench and sockets/breaker bar for both the mounted tires and the spare. I haven't quite checked out my height situation, so I guess I should do that. I have 4, 4x4 blocks in the storage bay I used to use for my other camper. For this camper I bought the Andersen blocks. I figure the 4x4s are always still good to have on hand. Perhaps a couple pieces of 2x6 are a good idea? I always like to be prepared.

I put a 17mm box wrench in my quick tool access space, as I knew I'd need it for quick access on set-up. BUT as of today, I can't remember what exactly it is for!

I had to buy lug nuts for the spare tire with the steel rim because the ones on the mag wheels will not work for it.

 

[Toad-ESC]

so to add

Tag along with your question...
I have a 232rb Jayco tt.
Best place to position Jack for changing tire?
Frame? Leaf spring?
Thanks

I have a 2 ton bottle jack from my previous little camper. As well as a single jack stand. (not sure of its weight capacity at this time.)

Will this bottle jack suffice (for now) in a quick tire change scenario for my new camper? I know it SHOULD be bigger, but it's lifting one side of the camper for a short period of time. I'd never consider it to support the camper for any type of maintenance work.