Jack to change tire?

[pmoomba]

I have a spare tire but should one of my trailer tires actually blow out, I'm not really sure if I have a jack that would be sufficient to lift the trailer up to replace the tire. What are you all using? Would a typical scissor jack from an SUV do the trick? Do you carry around an extra hydraulic jack when towing? If so what kind? For reference I have an 06 OBV on a single axle boatmate.

[moombadaze]

i just have the jack for the truck-not a bad idea to make sure it actually works while im at home one of these days-sure would ruin a day on the side of the road and find out it doesnt

[brain_rinse]

I have a heavy duty bottle jack that I bring along. But I never tested the factory scissor jack, so maybe that would work?

[kaneboats]

I've been known to throw my little floor jack and a spinner wrench in the truck on long trips.

[dusty2221]

I've been known to throw my little floor jack and a spinner wrench in the truck on long trips.

I do that also. Takes all of 2 seconds and makes a change out in the event that much faster!

[KG's Supra24]

I actually had to use my scissors jack last year and it did the trick.

I will be carrying a bottle jack now, though.

[kaneboats]

A couple years and boats ago I remember looking along the side of the highway for some boards to slip between the truck jack and the trailer cuz it wouldn't reach. I also remember raiding the boat tool kit one day for a socket that would fit trailer lugs. No more.

[lsvboombox]

i thru a brake shoe and it got jammed in the wheel on my bass boat tandem axle used the factory explorer jack to get it up in the air.. put it right under the axle as close to the tire as I could...

if you have a tandem axle they make a nifty little portable wheel ramp that you can pull the trailer on and it lifts up the other wheel...

[kaneboats]

Hey, that's pretty smart. I suppose a curb would work in a pinch.

[casmith71]

my boat insurance has road side assistance for nothing extra. it's free so i use it.

[mapleleaf]

Bottle jack over here, Have road kit tool bag I throw in the truck before we go out. First bottle jack I bought was to tall for my axle, and to low for the frame, I like the scissor jack idea, why didn't I poach the one out of my wife's old Jeep before we scrapped it?????

[rdlangston13]

oh yeah, i need to do this too....

[kaneboats]

I dropped the truck off the stupid jack last night right to the ground. I always put my jack stands under while I'm working b/c my floor jack loses a little pressure and it's just smart to do. Anyway, I was all done with the rear brakes on the second side and ready to rack up for the night. I pulled all the jack stands cuz all I had to do was throw the wheel back on. I remembered that the floor jack loses a little so I gave her a couple pumps to get the truck high enough to put the wheel back on. Right then my spacer block slipped out and the truck dropped to the ground. No damage and it gave me a heckuva scare. Good warning to never break the safety rules. Leave the stands under there till all work is complete. Anyway, the floor jack was wedged under there so bad I had to get the bottle jack out and lift the truck enough to reset the floor jack.

Moral: Please be safe when you are jacking around with your truck.

[dusty2221]

my boat insurance has road side assistance for nothing extra. it's free so i use it.

Yeah, I'd much rather have a jack and spare on hand than sit on the side of the road and wait for some yahoo to come change it for me while the day is slowly wasting away. We've swapped a blowout in under 20 minutes from the words "oh crap we blew a tire" to "that was fun, lets get to the water now"

[KG's Supra24]

Another thought ... if you have a locknut, make sure you have the key.

Personally, I would swap the lock for another lug nut because even the keys have a tendency to strip. Let's be honest, nobody wants your 14's!

[pmoomba]

Thanks for the input guys; I think I'll pick up a bottle jack. Something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/bottle-jacks/12-ton-hydraulic-bottle-jack-66480.html

I don't actually have my trailer at home for another month or two to measure if the 15 3/4" max height is sufficient. If 13 3/4" is enough there's one with a smaller profile.

[moombadaze]

No damage and it gave me a heckuva scare.


Man i would have go in the house grab some TP and then take a shower---Im sure glad your ok and none of the little ones were around.

Let's be honest, nobody wants your 14's!


and neither do I , 18's please:D

[dusty2221]

I have 15's, so I better keep one on there. high demand for those 15's. Lol

[mmandley]

Thanks for the input guys; I think I'll pick up a bottle jack. Something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/bottle-jacks/12-ton-hydraulic-bottle-jack-66480.html

I don't actually have my trailer at home for another month or two to measure if the 15 3/4" max height is sufficient. If 13 3/4" is enough there's one with a smaller profile.

I was at the HF last night you can easily get the 3ton for 20 bucks its more then enough. I would how ever get a peace of 2x4 or 2x6 to play between the jack and the trailer it will spread the load pressure out and not scratch your trailer.

Might even get an extra 2x6 for under the jack in case your on a soft shoulder.

[NCSUmoomba]

I don't know about the torsion axles, but my leaf spring axle is pretty low. And if you are on soft ground, it is even lower. So verify the height before you guys buy a jack. I had a flat tire with my boat parked on my lawn, and I had to use a floor jack, and those SOB's are heavy and awkward to carry.

[viking]

Thanks for the input guys; I think I'll pick up a bottle jack. Something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/bottle-jacks/12-ton-hydraulic-bottle-jack-66480.html

I don't actually have my trailer at home for another month or two to measure if the 15 3/4" max height is sufficient. If 13 3/4" is enough there's one with a smaller profile.


Got me one of those bottle jacks and always carry a couple scrap 2x4's in case I need it for support or height. Worth the money in worry-free travel!

[mapleleaf]

Another thought ... if you have a locknut, make sure you have the key.

Personally, I would swap the lock for another lug nut because even the keys have a tendency to strip. Let's be honest, nobody wants your 14's!

As well, If you have Discount Tire put on new rubber for you and you have locknuts, make sure they don't smash'em with an impact wrench. A real pain to remove on the side of the road.....

[kaneboats]

I just removed 2 stripped lug nuts courtesy of Discount Tire. These were not locking ones either. You would think Advance Auto would have lug nuts. No sir, they have chrome covers for them but not the lug nuts. I went to the Chevy dealer prepared for the shakedown but they were only about $1.23 apiece so I was pretty happy.

[KG's Supra24]

Pretty sure wal-mart carries lugnuts

[mapleleaf]

I just removed 2 stripped lug nuts courtesy of Discount Tire. These were not locking ones either. You would think Advance Auto would have lug nuts. No sir, they have chrome covers for them but not the lug nuts. I went to the Chevy dealer prepared for the shakedown but they were only about $1.23 apiece so I was pretty happy.

Darn, my Toyota dealer hit me for $12, lug nut and stud, no more lock nuts for me....
Had a chat with the regional office for Discount Tire, they assured me this would be corrected when I came back for my next set....lol....