Posted 2007-02-16 3:01 PM (#55689) Subject: One or Two jacks
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560 Location: Mena, AR
What size trailer needs two jacks? My 10ft 3H, has a single jack. Browsing the trailers for sale I see 12ft sw & even 14ft sw with a single jack. Sometimes I wish my trailer had two jacks. Is it based on weight? Seems like a 14ft sw trailer would surely need two jacks.
Posted 2007-02-16 4:06 PM (#55692 - in reply to #55689) Subject: RE: One or Two jacks
Expert
Posts: 1871 Location: NY
when I was shoping for trailer I notice that the older once had two jacks the new ones had one I think that the company have a differnt metteral to make better jack.??
Posted 2007-02-16 4:09 PM (#55693 - in reply to #55689) Subject: RE: One or Two jacks
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383 Location: Texas
From what I've seen it's based on weight although I've seen some huge LQ trailers with one jack. I would sure hate to unhook them on anything other than a concrete pad. My trailer has two and I set some good sized blocks under them and it still will shove them down in the ground an inch or two but it's really heavy.
Posted 2007-02-16 5:13 PM (#55696 - in reply to #55689) Subject: RE: One or Two jacks
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534 Location: Zionsville, Indiana
The single jacks are rated at 10,000# and 12,000#, so will handle the weight of most LQ trailers. The thing is, can you crank it? A single hydraulic electric jack is rated at 12,000#, and you just need to push a button, not crank. Remember that the jack is not lifting the entire trailer, just the tongue weight. Dual jacks add stability when the trailer is unhooked. I personally want two jacks, not for lifting power, but for stability because my motion sickness kicks in when the wind is blowing and gently rocks the trailer in the middle of the night. A single two speed jack will help with the cranking problem. The slow speed (is that high or low gear??) takes a while to lift the trailer, but you can almost do it with one hand. The fast speed (the other gear) is a real chore to use to lift, but goes down fast. One nice thing about a two speed jack is that you can add an electric motor to it. The electric units will lift 5000# and 6500#, depending on the model, and are obviously intended for the smaller LQ units.
Posted 2007-02-16 7:47 PM (#55701 - in reply to #55689) Subject: RE: One or Two jacks
Location: Central Arkansas
I have a 3H LQ with a 8' slide that has a electric dual jacks and a 4H LQ that has a single hydraulic jack. Regardless of which trailer I am using, I still use the little ratchet top pedastal jack under each front corner of the LQ to take the "rock" out of the front. They are quick and easy to use. I never would have thought of it but I noticed a few years ago that is what all the trailer venders use at the Congress.
Posted 2007-02-17 2:13 AM (#55711 - in reply to #55689) Subject: RE: One or Two jacks
Location: Central Arkansas
Yes, something like that. I got mine at Wallyworld for about $19 for the pair. Seems they are rated for 6K each. I thank Mona @ 4 Star for the how to info on these. I put down an oak board on each front corner of the trailer, preset the little corner jacks and drop the front of the trailer right down to a snug fit. Absolutely no front end movement of the LQ! And that is even with a full house of folks! It is sooooo much easier than trying to hand adjust the individual feet on the dual jacks that are mounted behind the propane tanks and other things under the front of the trailer. I like the quicker, easier, faster way of leveling one. And while folks had a problem getting their jacks out of the ice at the OKC NRHA Furturity, I had taken the pressure off of my single hydraulic jack so it wasn't frozen to the ground. All I had to do was drop it down, jack it up kick the jack stands out, back the truck under it , air up the air ride and away I went. The oak boards are still probably frozen into the ground as we speak. Oh, and most everyone had to cut their water hoses off their trailers since they were frozen to the ground. I just ran off my pump and put water in as needed to avoid that problem also.
Posted 2007-02-17 9:07 AM (#55723 - in reply to #55689) Subject: RE: One or Two jacks
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309 Location: MO
That's interesting about the corner jacks. I wonder if the trailer frame is strong enough to support the weight just by the corners. I'll check mine out.
One or Two jacks
