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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Hopkinsville, Ky | I'm getting old. I dont know how much longer I can continue to manually jack up my horse trailer. What are the advantages of each, also if I go with electric, the battery on my truck would be the logical choice to run it. For some reason, I dont have one on my trailer, although it is all 12 volt. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 259
Location: Topeka Ks | Bigfoot, I feel the hydraulic jack is the way to go, unfortunately you're looking a$1,500.00 USD. Mr. Truck has a few articles on the subject. |
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Member
Posts: 23
| Love my hydraulic jack! They are much faster than the electric and less issues. I've had mine since '06 and it has always worked. I can hitch up in about 5 mintues |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Originally written by bigfoot on 2014-09-11 2:11 PM
I'm getting old. I dont know how much longer I can continue to manually jack up my horse trailer. What are the advantages of each, also if I go with electric, the battery on my truck would be the logical choice to run it. For some reason, I dont have one on my trailer, although it is all 12 volt. All depends on the size of the trailer and the money you want to spend. Our Sundowner LQ has the electric over hydro which is great but my 14' dump trailer and our stock trailer has a regular old electric jack that hooks up to the crank and they work great too. The electric units cost me about $250. and the hydro single leg unit was around $1200.00 installed and both run off my trucks power.... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
Location: MS | I am also considering investing in a power jack. If the power runs off the truck, does that mean that the cord has to be plugged in before you actually hook the truck to the ball? Is it separate cord, or the regular plug for the lights?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 801
Location: Tenn/Ala. | For what it is worth, the electric jacks that I am familiar with cannot get enough power through the regular truck plug to operate. They must have a battery close by to supply the 80 or so amps. The truck does recharge the battery.I believe I recall HTB has a special heavy plug from his truck for this. That is a possible solution, but requires special wiring on the truck for this. Means trailer won't work on other trucks. But that could be a plus when folks ask to borrow. |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Originally written by RTSmith on 2014-09-13 10:38 AM
For what it is worth, the electric jacks that I am familiar with cannot get enough power through the regular truck plug to operate. They must have a battery close by to supply the 80 or so amps. The truck does recharge the battery.I believe I recall HTB has a special heavy plug from his truck for this. That is a possible solution, but requires special wiring on the truck for this. Means trailer won't work on other trucks. But that could be a plus when folks ask to borrow. Sorry, I did forget to add that...... It has been on my trucks so long and I even add this to the trucks I mess with from time to time just to save headaches later.On mine we run welding lead to the pos. side of the battery from the rear of the truck then another to ground to the frame of the truck and use a quick connect like is used for winches or jumper cables then do the same for the trailer. Really a cheap investment and saves wear on the batteries and electric motors too. |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: mancelona michigan | I'm going to build one this winter,while the trailer is just sitting in the shop. Myself,I would never power it off the truck. What happens when the truck breaks down and needs to be towed? You could get the trailer off the truck alright but it would be stuck where you unhooked it untill your truck was repaired and you could go back to get it.In my case I have 2 trucks and a tractor that I use to move or spot the trailer as needed.I already have a dual battery install on the trailer and Ive installed a lockable batt switch with an "off,one.both"position.I think you would really be limiting your options with a truck only batt connection. |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Originally written by trbomax on 2014-09-15 5:19 PM
What happens when the truck breaks down and needs to be towed? You could get the trailer off the truck alright but it would be stuck where you unhooked it untill your truck was repaired and you could go back to get it.QUOTE]NOTHING AT ALL HAPPENS........ And NO you would NOT be stuck either!Most ALL trucks have either a 6 way plug or the 7 way RV plug which has an aux. power supply running to the plug for this reason. Most all trailers are already set up to this wire to power lights, HITCHES or whatever so YOU would NOT be stuck to 1 truck or 1 trailer! The plus to my setup is I have constant power all the time to run big items like jacks or dump trailers without these items running slow! I can raise and lower any trailer that has a power jack by just plugging into my 6 or 7 way trailer plug. Same with my trailer, I can hook any truck to my trailer as long as it has a 7 way RV style plug for the truck! |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: mancelona michigan | Well not to get into a Piss*&%# match here,but all the electric and electric over htd jacks I looked at require a 100a power source. That wire in the 7 pin is at best a # 10,probably a 12. Lesseee........................# 10 wire wont support 100a at 1 foot let alone 20. I might support 30 a for a minute or so before the 7 pin melted from the heat.The absolute minimum wire size would be #4,and that would limit the useage to about 20 -30 seconds at a time between cool downs. #1 or 0 would allow the jack to run all day,or as long as the batts held out. download the wire diagrams for those jacks and see what they say,dont take my word. |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: mancelona michigan | Since we cant edit here,I would also point out that fords have a 20a fuse on that line in the underhood power panel. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
Location: MS | So in other words, if I decided to actually get a power jack...make sure I have someone install it that knows what the heck they are doing and make sure it as a manual override?
My trailer does have one battery on it...that has never been used and I am sure is long dead. But I am figuring that it can be replaced and a power jack hooked up to it and that would be enough? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | I am guessing that the battery you are referring to is the battery that powers the brakes thru the breakaway switch. Totally inadequate for the powered jack. The battery required will look like a standard car battery.
It would be a good idea to replace the battery if it is dead. |
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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Bryan Tx | I have not used a electric jack but I did install a hydraulic jack on our trailer its awesome. I paid about 900 .00 for it and I installed it. If you need the brand or any specifics I'll tell you what I know. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
Location: MS | Originally written by beeoerdog on 2014-09-17 10:20 AM
I am guessing that the battery you are referring to is the battery that powers the brakes thru the breakaway switch. Totally inadequate for the powered jack. The battery required will look like a standard car battery.
It would be a good idea to replace the battery if it is dead.
No, the battery I am talking about is a regular car type battery that I guess is to power the 12V lights and water pump. The breakaway battery needs replacing, too, though.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | Good, that battery should be enough. Make sure to keep it always charged and check the water occasionally. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Because you're regularly pulling many amps from the battery during the jacking cycles, I would recommend a marine deep cycle variant instead of an automotive starting battery. The heavier plates will ensure a longer lasting unit, when the battery heats up during the discharge cycles. It will also last longer when used as a LQ supply. |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Originally written by trbomax on 2014-09-16 8:29 PM
Well not to get into a Piss*&%# match here,but all the electric and electric over htd jacks I looked at require a 100a power source. That wire in the 7 pin is at best a # 10,probably a 12. Lesseee........................# 10 wire wont support 100a at 1 foot let alone 20. I might support 30 a for a minute or so before the 7 pin melted from the heat.The absolute minimum wire size would be #4,and that would limit the useage to about 20 -30 seconds at a time between cool downs. #1 or 0 would allow the jack to run all day,or as long as the batts held out. download the wire diagrams for those jacks and see what they say,dont take my word. WOW.... Makes me wonder why how they get away with selling trucks and trailers new since they are built this was at the factory! Looks like if it was a problem they would not be built and sold on a daily bases. But I have not clue we have only used truck and trailers with electric jacks for over 20 years now with no issues. Guess we have been lucky. |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: mancelona michigan | Could be that we are not talking about the same kind of jack If you are talking about the RV type tounge jacks that bolt to the A frame hitch on those trailers,then OK,it will work for a while. A 10000 lb post or LG jack as is found on goosenecks is a whole different animal.and (I believe) what this topic originally was referring to. Ive never seen a hyd or elec over hyd for a BP jack application, just those little power window motors they adapt to hand jacks. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | http://shop.thebigfootleveler.com/1pt-MO-Landing-Gear-SQI24-IMO.htm |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | Originally written by trbomax on 2014-09-16 8:29 PM
Well not to get into a Piss*&%# match here,but all the electric and electric over htd jacks I looked at require a 100a power source. That wire in the 7 pin is at best a # 10,probably a 12. Lesseee........................# 10 wire wont support 100a at 1 foot let alone 20. I might support 30 a for a minute or so before the 7 pin melted from the heat.The absolute minimum wire size would be #4,and that would limit the useage to about 20 -30 seconds at a time between cool downs. #1 or 0 would allow the jack to run all day,or as long as the batts held out. download the wire diagrams for those jacks and see what they say,dont take my word. Bigfoot Hydraulic jack requires 12 volt battery; make sure you use at least a 4 gauge battery cable for the power to the jack. http://thebigfootleveler.com/uploads/Square_Leg_Manual.pdf |
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Hydraulic vs Electric jack
