Jack post drags when loaded
ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-09-09 5:09 AM (#110450)
Subject: Jack post drags when loaded



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Location: Corpus Christi, Texas

Hi All,

My new (to me.. it's an '07) Hart 2 horse slant bumper pull has a jack that doesn't wind all the way up.. stopping I'd say 6-8" down.. When I first pulled it home, it dragged, so had someone flip my hitch over (@ 3-4" drop/lift) so that I could get it home..Didn't think too much of it at first.. thought flipping over my hitch and ball would be enough.. I realized that it wouldn't when I went to get hay a month or so ago.. drug the jack again when backing into my driveway to unload the hay.  This newer trailer is apparently a bit nose heavy.. Plus my front tack is crammed with all my stuff.. portable corral, (empty) corner water tank, etc.  My husb says I need new springs and shocks on my SUV..Which is fine.. I can and will do that, but I say the jack should retract all the way up.. I can buy a new hitch with a deeper drop/higher lift, but that's just a bandaid.. I haven't yet even loaded the horses in it.. It's too blasted hot to go anywhere or do anything with them yet.. What will it do when I'm heading out for a 1-2 day trip and fill my water tank?.......any ideas on a solution without relacing the jack? How hard/expensive is this?

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Tresvolte
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-09-09 7:53 AM (#110467 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded




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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...

If you take off the wheel or pad, whichever it has, it should go up flush with the bottom of the trailer on a Hart.

Is it hard to crank right before it gets to where it stops? Sounds like the jack may be bent. Tractor Supply carries the jacks and they are fairly inexpensive. Put the trailer on jack stands, take the weight off the jack, remove three bolts, and the jack lifts straight out. Put the new one in, put three bolts back in and tighten down. You should be good to go.



Edited by Tresvolte 2009-09-09 8:02 AM
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gard
Reg. Aug 2007
Posted 2009-09-09 8:25 AM (#110468 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded


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Location: western PA

When was the last time the jack gearbox was lubricated?

You might consider Timbrens or air shocks instead of standard shocks and springs. You probably don't want to adversely effect your original ride.

gard

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ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-09-10 12:22 PM (#110552 - in reply to #110467)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded



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Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
No, it is not hard to crank.. It goes right up until it stops and then pretty much stops dead there.. I also was told maybe I had a tooth missing.. Haven't gone to the barn yet to check this out but I will...We are actually getting rain this week... real rain.  The ground is too soft to pull the trailer out and I don't want to jinx myself with the Rain-Gods and make it stop.. I don't know when the gear box was last lubricated.. I'll squirt some W-D 40 in it and also have it checked when I have my trailer serviced before camping season this fall/winter.  Glad to know it's not a hard thing to replace the jack.  That might be a to-do for this winter..

Edited by ridingarocky 2009-09-10 12:24 PM
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gard
Reg. Aug 2007
Posted 2009-09-10 4:37 PM (#110564 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded


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Location: western PA

The top crank jack on our bumper pull failed and had to be replaced. Even though it was welded on instead of bolted, it was an easy replacement. The welder cut the three sides, dropped the wheel and lifted it out. The nose of the trailer didn't even have to be supported while it was being changed. The flanges on the new one were the same size and fit perfectly.

Quite inexpensively, I upgraded the weight capacity of the jack when I bought the replacement. For about ~$10- $15 more, I was able to purchase a jack of almost double the original capacity. It also had an external Zerk fitting for the gearbox lubrication, which the original didn't. It worked easily and well for the next three years when we sold the trailer.

The bolt on type will be even easier to exchange. Here are some examples:

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=195

Gard



Edited by gard 2009-09-10 4:48 PM
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genebob
Reg. Nov 2007
Posted 2009-09-11 2:07 PM (#110586 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded


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Is it possible that the jack is a tilt-away, the kind where you pull a pin and the jack swivels up parallel to your tongue?
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ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-09-15 6:23 PM (#110723 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded



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I don't hink so.. The whole tongue looks like any other. the jack is a top-crank, it just stops before recessing completely.
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Tresvolte
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-09-16 7:42 AM (#110741 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded




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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...

Are you removing the foot from the jack and it still doesn't recess all the way?

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ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-09-16 11:47 AM (#110744 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded



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it doesn't even have a foot or wheel.. just the bare post

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horsey1
Reg. Dec 2004
Posted 2009-09-16 2:40 PM (#110752 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded


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I'm going to guess it has a bend, and thus cannot come all the way up.
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ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-09-17 12:52 PM (#110806 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded



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Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
it's possible and probable..I'd thought of that myself..... either way a replacement will fix the problem i guess.. Thanks every one for your input.
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ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-11-10 12:00 PM (#112992 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded



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Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Looked at my jack post finally.. It is a bolt-on, so I'm guessing a fairly easy fix... What size jack should I get?  I've researched thenm a little and was amazed by the array of plain old jacks..
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gard
Reg. Aug 2007
Posted 2009-11-10 3:46 PM (#112998 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded


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We had an 18' steel stock/combo BP that had an original jack of about 1500# capacity. When it failed, I had installed a new one of 3000# capacity. It only cost a few dollars more than the original size, and never gave a bit of problem there after.

Gard



Edited by gard 2009-11-10 3:49 PM
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ridingarocky
Reg. Aug 2008
Posted 2009-11-10 7:30 PM (#113002 - in reply to #110450)
Subject: RE: Jack post drags when loaded



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Posts: 681
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Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
thanks!!!!
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