Caravan Jack
Submitted: Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 21:16
ThreadID:
68117
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12849
Replies:
6
FollowUps:
3
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westskip
Hi all
After a couple of difficult wheel changes last year using a bottle jack I am now looking at purchasing a jack specifically for the van. Can't make up my mind whether to buy the expensive Trail-A-Mate or to just go for a 4x4 hi-lift which is quitye a bit cheaper. Our van has jacking points behind the wheels.
Any suggestions or recommendations would be welcome.
Thanks
John
Reply By: Member - Willie , Sydney. - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 07:38
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 07:38
Hi
John,
What were the problems with the bottle jack ? I use one and think it's great, but
mine van is a dual axle and might be easier to get at underneath.
Gee whiz, a trolley jack weighs a ton - you wouldn't want to cart one of them around, surely.
Trailermate sounds like the go, if the van does not fall off it.
Cheers,
Willie.
AnswerID:
361011
Follow Up By: westskip - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 09:42
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 09:42
Hi Willie
Our van is single axle and we managed to lose a wheel on the Bruce Highway last year. Not the best of locations and we were having great difficulty getting the bottle jack under the axle until someone came along with a Taril-A-Mate to help out (completely stuffed the wheel and tyre as it slid under the hub). Trolley jack would be more stable but I am very conscious of space and weight.
Looks as if we'll have to bite the bullet and buy a Trail-A-Mate.
Thanks for the info.
John
FollowupID:
628768
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 11:26
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 11:26
Gday Willie,
The people I know who use trolley jacks are all older people. The 1500-1800kg variety are not that heavy, They will go under axles that bottle jacks may not and they are dead easy to work without crawling under a vehicle or trailer. Some people use a plywood platform underneath with 4 cutouts for the wheels, making it stable on sand.
Cheers
phil
FollowupID:
628784
Reply By: Member - Fred G NSW - Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 08:46
Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 08:46
I always carry one of the small trolley jacks and a piece of plywood to roll it onto on grass or dirt/sand. The trolley jack fits nicely behind the back
seat of the Triton, and the small ones don't weigh that much.
Mine has got me out of many tricky situations, including lifting the boat trailer axle off the ground after dropping a wheel, picking up the drawer bar of the caravan after the jockey wheel clamp let go and the drawer bar hit the deck, and I find them very stable, and can get into small spaces where you can't get a normal jack. Can even use them to lift those heavy spare tyres into place, for those of us with backs past their use by date.
I never leave
home without it, as it's always in the Triton. Not dear, cost about $40 at Repco. Mind you I still carry the normal bottle jack for the vehicle.
I checked out the Trail-a-Mate the the
Sydney Supershow, but couldn't justify the price tag of almot $300, on my budget.
Fred.
AnswerID:
361028