Electric Jack

RPierce · 02-28-2009, 07:29 AM

As I sit here this Am waiting for the snow to melt and surfing E-Bay I finally broke down and ordered a Electric Tongue Jack for the Sunny. I bought it from Mantelli Trailer Sales and RV Store.
I went with a Bulldog 4000 lb lift capacity.I know the 4000 lb is way more than I need but I liked the features on the unit, LED work light, Drop down extension foot and 5 year warranty. The only downfall is it does not come with a backup hand crank. The manual override uses a 3/4 socket with extension. I will just have to make sure I keep one in the Sunny's tool kit. I will post some pics when I do the install. Really looking forward to a power jack as we are hoping to use the Sunny a lot this year.

Hematite · 02-28-2009, 07:37 AM

This Sunline is my first RV and it came with a power jack. I take it for granted, but when I set up, seasoned campers that haven't used one watch me in amazement. Every one says that when they get back home they're going to get one! Once you use it, you'll never be without one again!

**JohnB** · 02-28-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hematite

Once you use it, you'll never be without one again!

Yup that's for sure. Once a convert, there is no going back.

Sort of like, power brakes, power steering, power locks, delayed windshield wipers, cruise control etc.

Once you’re spoiled, there is no going back....

And a power tongue jack is for sure one of those luxuries. Enjoy the push of a button.

John

Viking · 02-28-2009, 02:21 PM

JohnB & all,

The biggest irreversible upgrade for us was the camper.
It was only 2003 when we last camped in a tent.
It was at Ft, Wilkins, by Copper Harbor, almost at the tip of the Michigan Upper Peninsula. We came home one day early drenched!
2004 we got a proper TV for the camper we had bought off my in-laws.
Even if the fridge did not work the first season, we were dry and warm!
NO! We are never going back!
Roar

Sunline1 · 02-28-2009, 05:16 PM

The dealer I ordered my sunline from, said as I was ordering, that the electric jack is one of those things you don't realize how good it is to have, until you have it and was he ever right.

It reminds me of the first electric garage door opener I got back in the 70's, I couldn't believe how nice it was to have it. And wondered why I waited as long as I did to get it.

Hooking up during hot weather, too me it's worth it's weight in gold.
Hooking up in any weather it's worth it's weight in Silver.

Happy Camping !!!!

**JohnB** · 02-28-2009, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viking

JohnB & all,

The biggest irreversible upgrade for us was the camper.
It was only 2003 when we last camped in a tent.
It was at Ft, Wilkins, by Copper Harbor, almost at the tip of the Michigan Upper Peninsula. We came home one day early drenched!
2004 we got a proper TV for the camper we had bought off my in-laws.
Even if the fridge did not work the first season, we were dry and warm!
NO! We are never going back!
Roar

LOL!!!!

Ok your right. We where tent, then PU and now, a rolling home on wheels including the kitchen sink!.

While I have no problem tent camping again, I can assure you DW is not!

What a transition. Use to be a back pack fanatic with 50# on my back and all set for 2 weeks in the North woods and no problem. Loving it. Now we haul 9,200# around and still loving it. I guess weight is not really relavent to having a true love for camping.

John

HappyCampers · 03-01-2009, 08:58 AM

Last year when our converter went down and fried the battery in the process I had to use the manual landing gear crank. Lets just say that a few naughty words and phrases may have come from my lips. What a pain in the butt. With a pin weight approaching 3000 lbs the landing gear is geared very low. I had to raise it up about 6 inches to get the truck in place, then lower it onto the truck. All using a breaker bar with a socket on the end. The trailer was too close to the fence to use the supplied handle. If memory serves correctly it took approx 45 minutes for the chore to be completed. I'll never take the push of a button for granted ever again.

rich2500 · 03-02-2009, 04:44 AM

The only downfall is it does not come with a backup hand crank. The manual override uses a 3/4 socket with extension.
this may not be a bad thing,I have an ultrafab jack which comes with a handle for manual operation but in order to use it I have to remove the propane tanks if I could use a ratchet I would not have to remove the tanks.

Hematite · 03-02-2009, 10:05 AM

On the Atwood 3500 lb. power jack the supplied handle does fit in the front recess so that nothing is in the way to manual crank the jack.

I've never tried my Atwood 3500 but I presume that hand cranking it would not be a desirable situation.

http://www.etrailer.com/pc-tj~80530.htm

Sunline1 · 03-02-2009, 10:33 AM

Rick

I have the atwood 3500, and when I blew an inline fuse, I had to crank with the handle and it wasn't fun, but I got the job done.

RPierce · 03-02-2009, 03:32 PM

After cranking the hand crank for two years I'm really looking forward to having an electric jack. Last year every time we set up it seemed like we went from one extreme to the other. At one campsite the jack would be all the way down to get us level and at the next I would have to crank it way up. By looking at the pics of the jack it looks like the socket goes into the top of the jack for the override feature. After reading the post about having to remove the propane tanks to use the override I'm glad I went with what I did. I found a jack cover on Camping World and plan on purchasing it before I install the jack. If I can get set up quicker I can get into the beverage cooler quicker.

**JohnB** · 03-02-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunline1

Rick

I have the atwood 3500, and when I blew an inline fuse, I had to crank with the handle and it wasn't fun, but I got the job done.

Sunline1

I too have the Atwood 3500,

How did the fuse blow? Mine has an overload clutch for up and down that ratchets when you hit the end stop.

I put an auto reset circuit breaker on mine to replace the fuse but it has never tripped. "yet"

Thanks

John

PS I did try the hand crack. The 3500 is geared pretty good. So there are lots of turns to go up or down but it does work as long as the operator "works" it....LOL

Sunline1 · 03-03-2009, 05:05 AM

JohnB

I don't know exacly how the fuse blew.

The camper was parked on a bit of a down hill grade. There was a little tension on the jack shaft, camper pushing maybe just a little.

I went to raise the jack and it stopped going, why the rachet didn't click I don't know it has clicked since.

Maybe the fuse just blew due to age ?

**JohnB** · 03-03-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunline1

JohnB

I don't know exacly how the fuse blew.

The camper was parked on a bit of a down hill grade. There was a little tension on the jack shaft, camper pushing maybe just a little.

I went to raise the jack and it stopped going, why the rachet didn't click I don't know it has clicked since.

Maybe the fuse just blew due to age ?

H'mm, well could be. OR did you have heavy rain or something the day/night before? When you pushed the button, did it start then die, or just plain was dead and didn't go? Normally those tyupe of fues don't die with age, but a dead short will blow them in a heartbeat. Thinking maybe a litte moisture sitting in the switch.

When the camper is stored at home, I have a 2 1/2 gallons cleand out oil jug to go over the top ot the jack. Mainly to keep the sun off the plastic but also to not press ones luck with rain. The Atwood roof I like better then the Barker type top but still moisture finds a way I'm sure if it can.

Thanks for the note

jsms264 · 03-03-2009, 09:35 PM

It's killing me...I got to jump in on this one...I always laughed at people who used the electric jacks, heck if your camping your active, you certainly can turn a crack a few times a year, how soft are people getting, right!

Well I have only cranked my Sunline up and down twice, and well guess what I'm going to purchase, thats right an electric tongue jack. Damn that crank is tough with the additional tongue weight! I had to use two hands to move the crank. I am humbled and appoligize to all I have thought were lazy....move aside I'm joining the ranks!!!! Plus I wont have to put down my adult refreshment while raising/lowering.

Sunline1 · 03-04-2009, 07:05 AM

JohnB

sems to me it had been raining, for a few days before the fuse blew. maybe moisture as you said.

will take your inverted bucket idea, and put a plastic bucket on as you indicated.

jsms264

lazy or not, i think if all one had to do when unhooking or hooking up, was crank the jack that would be one thing.

my thinking is there is enough to do to set up or take down the camper four corner jacks, blocks of wood, cables water hoses etc, the electric jack just elimates one more thing you need to do during that process.

to me the money spent was well worth while.

jsms264 · 03-05-2009, 05:02 AM

Sunline1...

I hope you didnt take my post wrong...I agree with what your all saying. I was poking fun at myself (alot of material there) and my ignorance as to possibilities why folks would have an electric tongue jack. I appoligize if I insulted you. I'm the new guy on the block here and tend to be a wise-guy by nature so keep me in line please.

I will be making that purchase in the very near future, now just to decide what to get....the research begins....

Sunline1 · 03-05-2009, 07:07 AM

jms264

No I really didn't take you post as insulting or anything, no need to appoligize.

I'm so lazy I wish I had electric jacks on the four corners of my camper.
I bought a cordless drill right after buying the camper to use with a socket to raise and lower the corner jacks.

Now if i could only find a way around putting the hitch in and bars on, then I'd be all set.

Welcome to the forum, and Happy Camping !!! There's a nice group of people on here.

HappyCampers · 03-06-2009, 03:17 PM

Awesome!!! I thought I was the only one who ever used a cordless drill to raise/lower the stabilizing jacks. Now I won't feel like such a dork when others are watching me do this.

Sunline1 · 03-06-2009, 04:36 PM

Happy Campers

you and I arn't the only ones I think there is maybe 1 or 2 more using the cordless drill, I've seen a few, not many, but a few.