Posted 2008-09-22 4:41 PM (#91904) Subject: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Regular
Posts: 92
Was borrowing one of these but had to give it back so am now motivated to get my own again.
Aluminum or steel? Is there a practical reason to get one or the other or is it just personal preference - lighter and more expensive vs. heavier and cheaper?
Size small or medium? The Jiffy Jack chart says small for a 2- to 3-horse trailer and mine is a 3H slant GN.
Posted 2008-09-22 5:05 PM (#91907 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 92
Thanks! I saw those, too, and I did save a bookmark. The cost is about the same as an aluminum Jiffy Jack, maybe a bit cheaper depending on the retailer. But I kind of prefer metal over polymer (dunno why ... I do have plenty of polymer items around here ... but they don't have to hold up my trailer) and thought I'd just stick with what I'd already used and liked. :)
Posted 2008-09-22 5:05 PM (#91908 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
I made a couple out of treated 6x6 scraps on my band saw. Took less than 10 minutes for both. On a test run, they worked well. They're faster and more secure to use than a jack. I would go for a medium size, and the least expensive. Both materials are strong and hopefully it won't be well used. The wider of the two will be a little more stable on the ground.
Posted 2008-09-22 5:37 PM (#91910 - in reply to #91908) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 92
Originally written by gard on 2008-09-22 3:05 PM
I made a couple out of treated 6x6 scraps on my band saw. Took less than 10 minutes for both. On a test run, they worked well. They're faster and more secure to use than a jack. I would go for a medium size, and the least expensive. Both materials are strong and hopefully it won't be well used. The wider of the two will be a little more stable on the ground.
Good point about the width. My husband could probably make me a pair also, but it would be at the bottom of his to-do list, LOL. If I want them before Christmas I should just buy them. ;)
Posted 2008-09-22 7:06 PM (#91920 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434 Location: Brooksville, Fl
I have an aluminum Jiffy Jack and we have, unforuntely, used the crud out of it. It is a wonderful thing to have. I have a med which I purchased originally with my 20ft 4 horse steel trailer. It works fine with a loaded 28ft LQ trailer too. I think a med would suit your needs just fine. I like the aluminum because you don't have to deal with rust.
Posted 2008-09-22 7:12 PM (#91923 - in reply to #91907) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
I have The "trailer aid" for my 4horse steel featherlite and I've used it quite a bit. I love it. There is a bracket made for those that so that you can hang it on a wall. I have one, I've had it for years now but I've never hung it up. I'll get to it someday.
Oh, I have the regular trailer aid, not the "plus". We have one in the horse trailer and camper.
Posted 2008-09-22 11:02 PM (#91949 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Location: KY
We have the polymer ones and use them as tire chocks. Broke an end off one but it is still usable. 'Course we are like our horses, we could tear up an anvil in the pasture.
Posted 2008-09-23 12:07 AM (#91950 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
We had the larger version of the jiffy jack and worked great until we purchased a new trailer that turned out to be over 2000lbs heavier than we was told and we smashed the jack, then we moved onto gards idea of using wood and it works great and also works well when needing to level the trailer while camping. I used 2 2x10's that was 12 foot long and made the bottom 30" long, the second board is 20" and the third is 12". I made 2 and the second one I made 4 boards tall just incase. I was lucky enough and mine fit in my truck tool box great and out of the way.
Posted 2008-09-23 11:14 AM (#91969 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
To answer the load capacity of a plastic "trailer aid"
Here's a picture of my trailer fully loaded for a week's camping. Three 15.3+ hand TWH's aboard. (thick bodied horses) I'm changing the tire, the trailer is on the Trailer-aid
15 minutes later, we're back on the road toward a week of fun. I highly recommend all horse trailers have similar equipment with them. A jack is too unstable to safely change a tire with the horses loaded.
Posted 2008-09-24 11:04 AM (#92033 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 76 Location: Cowboy Cradle of the Southwest
We had a polymer one and used it for leveling the trailer. It cracked. I probably overloaded it or the AZ sun just baked it. Anyways we ended up buying a steel one and have had no problems with it.
On a side note, I had an acquaintence that changed the outside dual on his F350 by driving the inside dual up on a Trailer-Aid and changing the tire. The LQ Gooseneck was still hooked up. It is a wonder that I haven't read about him yet in the Darwin Awards.
Posted 2008-09-25 12:26 PM (#92089 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I've had 4 different trailers that came with similar product. Each was welded up by the trailer makers and integrated into the trailer as part of the spare tire holder. Two of the were aluminum plate and two are made from steel angle iron welded ina ladder type frame. Both styles have worked great. I've not had to change a flat. But I have used them when I pull wheels and grease bearings etc.
Posted 2008-09-25 1:38 PM (#92095 - in reply to #92033) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 1416 Location: sc
Originally written by AZPenner on 2008-09-24 11:04 AM
We had a polymer one and used it for leveling the trailer. It cracked. I probably overloaded it or the AZ sun just baked it. Anyways we ended up buying a steel one and have had no problems with it.
On a side note, I had an acquaintence that changed the outside dual on his F350 by driving the inside dual up on a Trailer-Aid and changing the tire. The LQ Gooseneck was still hooked up. It is a wonder that I haven't read about him yet in the Darwin Awards.
Since the Trailer-aid is rated at 6 tons, and the whole rear axle of an F350 is rated at ~4.5 tons, I dont see the problem???
Although for yours breaking, I doubt they are UV stable.
Posted 2008-09-25 2:19 PM (#92097 - in reply to #92095) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Member
Posts: 26 Location: Southern New Mexico
Originally written by chadsalt on 2008-09-25 1:38 PM
Since the Trailer-aid is rated at 6 tons, and the whole rear axle of an F350 is rated at ~4.5 tons, I dont see the problem???
Although for yours breaking, I doubt they are UV stable.
I am not positive but I think the point she was making is some duallys don't have a nut to hold the inside dual on. With a little rocking the inside dual could come off the lugs.
Posted 2008-09-25 8:57 PM (#92127 - in reply to #91904) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Veteran
Posts: 105 Location: Illinois
I have the plastic one but have only had to use it once. When lightining hit the truck and trailer and two of the trailer tires were blown out I just used two 2" boards that gave me enough lift to remove the tires. Had to get a loner truck as mine was in the shop getting $4,300 in repairs. Replaced all four tires on the trailer plus other repairs to trailer. Yea for insurance. Trailer is a three horse with 12 ft LQ loaded, trailer is 13,500 lbs.
Posted 2008-09-25 10:39 PM (#92130 - in reply to #92127) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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Posts: 2614
Originally written by Snickers on 2008-09-25 8:57 PM
. When lightining hit the truck and trailer and two of the trailer tires were blown out I just used two 2" boards that gave me enough lift to remove the tires.
Posted 2008-09-26 10:13 AM (#92140 - in reply to #92095) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Regular
Posts: 76 Location: Cowboy Cradle of the Southwest
Originally written by chadsalt on 2008-09-25 12:38 PM
Originally written by AZPenner on 2008-09-24 11:04 AM
We had a polymer one and used it for leveling the trailer. It cracked. I probably overloaded it or the AZ sun just baked it. Anyways we ended up buying a steel one and have had no problems with it.
On a side note, I had an acquaintence that changed the outside dual on his F350 by driving the inside dual up on a Trailer-Aid and changing the tire. The LQ Gooseneck was still hooked up. It is a wonder that I haven't read about him yet in the Darwin Awards.
Since the Trailer-aid is rated at 6 tons, and the whole rear axle of an F350 is rated at ~4.5 tons, I dont see the problem???
Although for yours breaking, I doubt they are UV stable.
As someone else has already mentioned, the overall weight was not the issue, the issue is that nothing was holding the inside dual on the truck after the outside was removed.
Posted 2008-09-26 11:08 AM (#92144 - in reply to #92140) Subject: RE: Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
Originally written by AZPenner on 2008-09-26 10:13 AM
Originally written by chadsalt on 2008-09-25 12:38 PM
Originally written by AZPenner on 2008-09-24 11:04 AM
We had a polymer one and used it for leveling the trailer. It cracked. I probably overloaded it or the AZ sun just baked it. Anyways we ended up buying a steel one and have had no problems with it.
On a side note, I had an acquaintence that changed the outside dual on his F350 by driving the inside dual up on a Trailer-Aid and changing the tire. The LQ Gooseneck was still hooked up. It is a wonder that I haven't read about him yet in the Darwin Awards.
Since the Trailer-aid is rated at 6 tons, and the whole rear axle of an F350 is rated at ~4.5 tons, I dont see the problem???
Although for yours breaking, I doubt they are UV stable.
As someone else has already mentioned, the overall weight was not the issue, the issue is that nothing was holding the inside dual on the truck after the outside was removed.
Good grief. I was under the impression you were talking about changing the tire on the rim, we do that on our semi tractors at work. With the offset of a dually wheel I'm really surprised the inside wheel stayed on with no lugs..............
Couple of Jiffy Jack questions
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. When lightining hit the truck and trailer and two of the trailer tires were blown out I just used two 2" boards that gave me enough lift to remove the tires. 
