Oh no! Trouble on the Road- Tongue Jack

apackoftwo · 05-20-2017, 08:36 PM

I am in a little country town outside of Susanville, Ca. on my way to Washington.

Had trouble with my tongue jack earlier when it froze, would not go up or down. Got some WD40 (not the best I know) and a hammer to pound the sides and that worked however the foot pad which used to swivel around was still frozen.

When I went to unhook this afternoon the tongue jack fell off my jack pads

So hooked my truck up again and tried again and it fell off the second time I unhooked

Tires were chocked

I think it's bend and if it wasn't, probably is now!

Trying to possibly order a new one online (current jack is a BAL )but not sure what would fit, there is nothing in the owners notebook stuff. Or what weight? MY GVWR is 5,500 on my 2005 T-1950. I read somewhere that the top and bottom holes are different size. Does anyone know??

I want to order another crank jack, not electric as I just need to get it done and on the road. I will already be delayed since this is a weekend

OR

Can I still use it (safely) as is just not use any pads until I get to where I am going in Washington in about a week where I have more options for repair/replace?

Thanks!

j52wf · 05-20-2017, 08:50 PM

Not positive, but I would guess the jack mounting plate holes should be standard on a late model unit.

apackoftwo · 05-20-2017, 09:51 PM

Could it be how it was chocked?

Some woman came up to talk to me and I asked here if she would chock.
She chocked the wheels in a manner I never have. A chock in front of the frt tire and a clock in front of the rear tire.

I always place a chock in front of frt tire and a chock behind the 2nd tire

Quote:

Originally Posted by j52wf

Not positive, but I would guess the jack mounting plate holes should be standard on a late model unit.

apackoftwo · 05-21-2017, 01:19 AM

After thinking about it, I believe it was how it was chocked. Never let someone chock your wheels!

**JohnB** · 05-22-2017, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apackoftwo

Could it be how it was chocked?

Some woman came up to talk to me and I asked here if she would chock.
She chocked the wheels in a manner I never have. A chock in front of the frt tire and a clock in front of the rear tire.

I always place a chock in front of frt tire and a chock behind the 2nd tire

Hi Joan,

You should chock the front and rear of a tire on "both" sides of the camper. Means you need 4 physical wedge type chocks. These can be on the same tire on a side OR like you said, one in the front tire at the front and one on the rear tire at the back. But using all 4 chocks so the camper cannot roll forward, backwards or twist and turn. If the trailer rolled and twisted sideways, the it can move the tongue and the jack fall off the pad.

As to the opening, get the tongue jack which will fit in the 2 1/4" frame opening. The jack tube itself may be 2 3/16" dia. The top hole in the frame goes right through a lower plate on the frame the same size. I just checked by 2004 T1950 and my 2004 T310SR and both have the same size hole all the way through on the frame.

That said, the physical lower telescoping jack tube that attaches to the jack foot is smaller then the 2 3/16" as it slides up inside the upper tube and has to be smaller.

For your camper, look for a 2,000# rated one as a minimum size. You are lifting the back of the truck as well as the camper when you hook up the WD hitch bars.

See here on the BAL jacks as just one brand. You need a side winding handle one so the crank does not hit the LP tanks.

http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/af...ue%20Jacks.pdf

Hope this helps

John

apackoftwo · 05-23-2017, 12:35 AM

Hi John,

I always chock my tires that way. So I have never had this happen. However, I let his woman chock my tires and she did it wrong. I guess I was tired and didn't think about it but after checking, my rig definitely rolled back.

My tongue jack seems to be working fine now but since its a 2005 and replacing it is pretty inexpensive I might just do it. So thanks for the info on the replacement.

I was thinking about an electric jack but after reading reviews on Amazon of the most popular ones, it seems like about every 5th or 6th review stated it quite after a short period of time.

Makes me think they have a high random fail rate?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi Joan,

You should chock the front and rear of a tire on "both" sides of the camper. Means you need 4 physical wedge type chocks. These can be on the same tire on a side OR like you said, one in the front tire at the front and one on the rear tire at the back. But using all 4 chocks so the camper cannot roll forward, backwards or twist and turn. If the trailer rolled and twisted sideways, the it can move the tongue and the jack fall off the pad.

As to the opening, get the tongue jack which will fit in the 2 1/4" frame opening. The jack tube itself may be 2 3/16" dia. The top hole in the frame goes right through a lower plate on the frame the same size. I just checked by 2004 T1950 and my 2004 T310SR and both have the same size hole all the way through on the frame.

That said, the physical lower telescoping jack tube that attaches to the jack foot is smaller then the 2 3/16" as it slides up inside the upper tube and has to be smaller.

For your camper, look for a 2,000# rated one as a minimum size. You are lifting the back of the truck as well as the camper when you hook up the WD hitch bars.

See here on the BAL jacks as just one brand. You need a side winding handle one so the crank does not hit the LP tanks.

http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/af...ue%20Jacks.pdf

Hope this helps

John

johnnybgood · 05-23-2017, 04:27 AM

Interestingly the lower jack hole on my frame is smaller than the top hole. I wanted to replace my original rusty jack and measured the top hole at slightly larger than 2" so assumed the lower hole was the same. Turns out the lower hole is about 1 7/8" so my new 2" diameter jack wouldn't fit. After an exhaustive search for a smaller diameter jack I gave in and reused my original jack after painting it. I considered making the lower hole larger but it hardly seemed worth the effort.

**JohnB** · 05-24-2017, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apackoftwo

I was thinking about an electric jack but after reading reviews on Amazon of the most popular ones, it seems like about every 5th or 6th review stated it quite after a short period of time.

Makes me think they have a high random fail rate?

Hi Joan,

Which brand power jack where you looking at? I have an Atwood that was made in the USA and I have had it for about 12 years and it is still going strong.

That said, Atwood Mobile was recently merged with Dometic. Dometic Secures Agreement to Acquire Atwood | RV Business

But it seems so new it should not of affected their quality. Other folks have the Barker power jack and they are know to be good too.

Thanks

John

**JohnB** · 05-24-2017, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnybgood

Interestingly the lower jack hole on my frame is smaller than the top hole. I wanted to replace my original rusty jack and measured the top hole at slightly larger than 2" so assumed the lower hole was the same. Turns out the lower hole is about 1 7/8" so my new 2" diameter jack wouldn't fit. After an exhaustive search for a smaller diameter jack I gave in and reused my original jack after painting it. I considered making the lower hole larger but it hardly seemed worth the effort.

Hi John,

There may be a time line when they changed the lower hole. On both of my 2004 campers, the jack pipe which which has the mounting flange welded on to it goes trough the top ball coupler and then stays the same diameter all the way through the lower frame support plate. So on these 2 campers, which are in the 2 1/4" opening hole range, they are the same. I know the jack pipe is smaller the 2 1/4" to fit through that hole.

Yours being the smaller hole of the 2" and then reduced to 1 7/8" I wonder is this has something to do with the 2 stepped diameters. I know some of them do change between the upper and lower support plates, but I really do not know why. It seems the larger 2 1/4" hole setups have the same hole size. I'll see if I can find out why??

Thanks

John

**Sunline Fan** · 05-25-2017, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi Joan,

Which brand power jack where you looking at? I have an Atwood that was made in the USA and I have had it for about 12 years and it is still going strong.

That said, Atwood Mobile was recently merged with Dometic. Dometic Secures Agreement to Acquire Atwood | RV Business

But it seems so new it should not of affected their quality. Other folks have the Barker power jack and they are know to be good too.

Thanks

John

Agreed, if I were to buy a new jack, I would buy an Atwood.

johnnybgood · 05-25-2017, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi John,

Yours being the smaller hole of the 2" and then reduced to 1 7/8" I wonder is this has something to do with the 2 stepped diameters. I know some of them do change between the upper and lower support plates, but I really do not know why. It seems the larger 2 1/4" hole setups have the same hole size. I'll see if I can find out why??

Thanks

John

You mean 2 stepped diameters for the jack? Maybe I misunderstand. My jack (which is an Atwood) is about 1 7/8" diameter from top to bottom.

Maybe a 1 7/8" jack was common back in the day? Or maybe there is still that size available? I spent like 2 hours looking on the internet with no luck. Everything was 2" - 2 1/4".

John
1996 T-1700

**JohnB** · 05-25-2017, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnybgood

You mean 2 stepped diameters for the jack? Maybe I misunderstand. My jack (which is an Atwood) is about 1 7/8" diameter from top to bottom.

Maybe a 1 7/8" jack was common back in the day? Or maybe there is still that size available? I spent like 2 hours looking on the internet with no luck. Everything was 2" - 2 1/4".

John
1996 T-1700

Hi John,

Yes, originally I was thinking 2 stepped diameters was the issue, that I had not heard of. But a straight 1 7/8" jack, yes I have seen this.

See here, the 1,000# rated BAL jack is 1 7/8"
http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/af...ue%20Jacks.pdf

Here is one on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/BAL-29015B-Si...L+Model+29015B

The 1 7/8" ones seem to be on lower jack capacity which would line up with smaller campers.

Looking up your 1996 T-1700, that has a GVWR of 4,000#. Joan's 2005 T-1950 has a 5,500# GVWR. Seems Sunline picked the larger jack for the 5,500# campers verses the 4,000# campers.

That may be the reason.

Thanks

John

johnnybgood · 05-26-2017, 05:45 AM

I believe I saw that BAL on Amazon. And it looks like the BAL from Norco is the exact same jack. If I had read the reviews on Amazon I could have figured out it would work, but I only got to the point of only 7 1/2" retracted length in the specs. In hindsight should have known that wasn't correct.

Thanks for the info. At least I now know there is at least one option if my current jack gives out.

Wannabes · 05-28-2017, 09:49 PM

Joan,

We have a Barker electric tongue jack which we bought three years ago. No problems so far, we're very pleased with it and it's made in the USA.

https://www.amazon.com/Barker-30828-...ue%2Bjack&th=1

Enjoy Washington!

Digmenow · 11-26-2017, 09:13 AM

During the 'down' winter season, I am looking into upgrading various things and the tongue jack is one of them. I'm looking at these two for my T 1950 but I keep seeing reviews of how the Barkers come with the wiring not fully hooked up inside and lasting only a couple of years or re-manufactured items being shipped as new stock. I realize that the reviews are just a drop in the bucket but when so many have the same issues, I wonder which way to go. Seems like the hundred dollar jacks last about as long and do the same job.

Atwood 81259 Black 4K Power Jack with Foot
Price: $316.80

Barker 32455 Black VIP Power Jack - 3500 lb. Load Capacity
Price: $362.69

j52wf · 11-26-2017, 10:08 AM

Check Amazon. You can get a Husky Brute 4500lb. jack for just over $200. Or check Craigs List. I got mine for $100 on CL.

**JohnB** · 11-26-2017, 10:25 AM

I have the Atwood, 3500# ball screw jack. They seemed to have changed that one to the newer 4,000# rated one. I have not had any issues with this jack.

That said, the Barker jack is a good one too, just it has more openings on top for water to get in over time where the Atwood's hooded cover protects more from water infiltration.

Regardless which you get as they are both good jacks, here is a tip. When you are not camping cover the jack top. I use a cleaned out 2 1/2 gallon oil jug with the top cut off of it.

Like this

Hope this helps

John

Tod Osier · 11-26-2017, 11:09 AM

The Barker for sure gets water in it. I've had to work on ours for that issue. First issue was it seized and to try to dry it out and to re grease from water intrusion. Second was to lube a dry motor bearing that was making awful noise. It is making a different noise now. I will not buy another one to replace it.

apackoftwo · 11-26-2017, 07:32 PM

Thanks to everyone for your input
Important to note that the Barker over time
can get water intrusion. AND great idea to completely
cover when in camp!

**Sunline Fan** · 11-27-2017, 06:19 AM

If I'm in the market for a jack, the Atwood is what I'll look at. I don't doubt the Barker is a good jack, but from having had lots of experience with the older Barker H&H, I know what water intrusion can do to them over time. I think the Atwoods are a tad bit noisier than the older Barker, but I'll gladly take a little more noise for a jack that works reliably.

Atwood is what Sunline put on as the optional factory power jack for many years.