SAFELY jacking up 5th wheel

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Mar 31, 2006 | 08:56 PM

jwearly

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SAFELY jacking up 5th wheel

Any suggestions for jacking a 8000# 5th wheel?

I need to check the wheel bearings. My trailer is 3 years old and has never been done. ( silly me )

Also thinking of the inevitable flat tire.

I want to be as SAFE as possible.

I have 4 wheel chocks ( Plastic / fiberglass?) and plan to do this hooked to truck with truck parking brake set and opposite side tires ( 2 axles) chocked.

Should I get a hydrolic bottle jack or something else?

Apr 1, 2006 | 08:38 AM

MC1

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floor jack is best, bottle jack will work too

Apr 1, 2006 | 09:54 AM

Colorado-native

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Joined: Jul 2003

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From: LaPorte, CO

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwearly

I have 4 wheel chocks ( Plastic / fiberglass?)

I have seen those plastic chocks shatter into many pieces - use something more substantial like the chocks for big rigs.

Get a heavy duty pair of jack stands and use them under the frame when you have the trailer up with the wheels off. They could save your life if the jack slips or fails.

Apr 2, 2006 | 07:08 AM

cangim

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From: Utah County, UT

Agree with all above. I use bottle jacks mainly, one they are cheaper, and two hold more weight than floor and are easier to store. That said, happy greasing, I have to check mine out pretty soon as well. Also a good time to clean out and service brake drums if needed.

Apr 2, 2006 | 06:08 PM

rebocardo

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Joined: Jun 2002

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From: Atlanta GA

Two eight ton (16k) jack stands and a 6k floor jack to lift it. Bottle jacks are okay as long as they have a saddle. Use solid rubber chocks or heavy metal ones, the plastic ones can break as someone correctly pointed out. I chock the back and front of a wheel.

Apr 3, 2006 | 05:12 PM

nkfd110

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Joined: Feb 2006

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If you drive the front tire up onto a block of wood, the rear tire will be off the ground with no jacks needed.

Apr 3, 2006 | 05:29 PM

cangim

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From: Utah County, UT

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkfd110

If you drive the front tire up onto a block of wood, the rear tire will be off the ground with no jacks needed.

yeah, but that would be the easy way to do it

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Apr 4, 2006 | 07:33 AM

SLE

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Joined: Nov 2004

Posts: 1,708

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From: North Dakota

I think we are making to much of this. I actually have all of my tires off my TT at the moment, did it just this weekend and it'll probably stay this way for tow weeks. All I used were the stabilizing jacks, tow 3 ton jack stands, the hitch jack and a 3 Ton floor jack. I simply put the floor jack under one side jacked it up off the ground, placed my jack stand undernieth (behind the rear tire), went to the other side and did the same. at this point it'll be sitting on 3 points, the two jack stands and the hitch jack. On yours, because its a FW, it'll be sitting on four points due to your front jacks. I then simply cranked down all four of my stabilizer jacks and called it good. you'll then have 6 good solid attatchment points that are in direct contact with the ground.