Jack method for tire changing, suggestions?

[b2910]

I don't have a farm jack and am probably mistaken about the actual issue, something about the pins not catching the holes when you are in the lowering mode, etc. I can pinch my hand with a bullnose hitch so I am sure I would find a way to pinch my hand with a jack if it is possible.

 

[zing]

Thanks for the suggestions and tips. The wedge is probably what I remember from way back, same as driving up on a block, however schmism's post does make some good sense about overloading a single axle with those methods. I haven't tried jacking under the load leveler, maybe that is a good solution with my car jack. Currently I don't have the trailer hitched to my truck and I do have one set of wheels off and want to remove the other side as well to work on the brakes and get new tires, etc. I will try that load leveler method and try to see how stable the trailer is when it is jacking up. I have a block and some wood under the spring for one wheel and a car jack under the axle on the other, the wood and block will probably provide enough stability so the trailer won't shift. For flat tires on the road it would be hooked to my vehicle so chocking the truck would be a good idea, something else I need to start carrying. I have a small bottle jack, probably too small a capacity for the trailer with a load on it but if my car jack fits between the tires that would be very convenient. The jack's wheel direction would be perpendicular to the trailer's tendency to move so that should not be an issue.

I have thought about getting a farm jack but some posts around here made me a bit wary of how easily they apparently can catch your hand when lowering. I really prefer lifting the wheels directly since a small amount of lift gets the tire off the ground, the farm jack lifting the entire side sounds a bit unstable to me but I guess a trailer doesn't have to be jacked up very much to get the wheels off the ground unlike a car.

Thanks again for the information.

I have one of these and have used it three times now, every time with horses in the trailer. Worked like a charm and way faster then jacking, which makes a difference when you have horses that start kicking the crap out of your trailer when you stop driving but don't open the door. As far as load goes, I had 4 horses plus tack one time and no issues, but I guess it depends on how much you load your trailer.

Camco Trailer Aid Tandem Tire Changing Ramp, Torsion Bars - Amazon Canada

 

[CurlyDave]

...Consider when you are likely to get a flat, In my experience as well as 90% of the stories from friends, its come when the trailer was loaded. This means your likely to overload the single axle by useing the above type ramp jack...

The axles are meant to handle the dynamic loads at 55 to 65 mph or higher. Raising a trailer by driving one wheel up a ramp carefully at low speed is unlikely to bend the axle.

I suspect the weak point in any wheel-axle assembly is the tire. You are definitely overloading the single tire when you drive up a ramp, but it was already overloaded since the flat one didn't support any weight. And, you are overloading it at very low, or zero speed. Not a problem.

 

[DT86]

The axles are meant to handle the dynamic loads at 55 to 65 mph or higher. Raising a trailer by driving one wheel up a ramp carefully at low speed is unlikely to bend the axle.

I suspect the weak point in any wheel-axle assembly is the tire. You are definitely overloading the single tire when you drive up a ramp, but it was already overloaded since the flat one didn't support any weight. And, you are overloading it at very low, or zero speed. Not a problem.

I agree 100%

I've used a wedge with a 3/4 ton pickup on a flat bed trailer once and with a full load of cattle on a 24'-32' trailer many times.