Trailer Jacks

[maltpj]

View attachment 83763

View attachment 83763







This wasn't my idea, but it's a good one so I used it.

The jacks were $20 a piece at Harbor Freight.

I welded the mounts that came with them to a small piece of plate and bolted them on.

Now the rear of my truck stays on the ground when I load it up!

 

[MrJimi]

Great idea, hello from a neighbor in Orange Park, Don't forget to raise them, that is the biggest killer of those and the front jacks
Be careful and you will be fine
Jim

 

[jayhaitch]

Awesome idea and great pics!

I want to do exactly the same, but my trailer is aluminum. Do I need to put something between the steel plate and the aluminum frame to prevent galvanic corrosion, or does it matter?

If you can weld, could you not have welded the circular mounting flange directly to the trailer instead of to the steel plate? Any benefit to using the bolt on steel plate vs directly welding?

 

[Skyco]

If you can weld, could you not have welded the circular mounting flange directly to the trailer instead of to the steel plate? Any benefit to using the bolt on steel plate vs directly welding?

He might be like me- I can weld fairly well on something flat, but trying to weld vertically and upside down is very hard to do well

 

[maltpj]

He might be like me- I can weld fairly well on something flat, but trying to weld vertically and upside down is very hard to do well

Yes what he said.



I want to do exactly the same, but my trailer is aluminum. Do I need to put something between the steel plate and the aluminum frame to prevent galvanic corrosion, or does it matter?

If you can weld, could you not have welded the circular mounting flange directly to the trailer instead of to the steel plate? Any benefit to using the bolt on steel plate vs directly welding?



If you painted the plate and you used stainless hardware it would probably be OK.

 

[wushaw]

Yes what he said.



I want to do exactly the same, but my trailer is aluminum. Do I need to put something between the steel plate and the aluminum frame to prevent galvanic corrosion, or does it matter?

If you can weld, could you not have welded the circular mounting flange directly to the trailer instead of to the steel plate? Any benefit to using the bolt on steel plate vs directly welding?



If you painted the plate and you used stainless hardware it would probably be OK.

Aluminum will always loose where dissimular metals are concerned...painted or not. Sealing it to keep the water out is the best preventative.

 

[jayhaitch]

If I did exactly what Maltpj did, but on my aluminum trailer, how would I seal it against water? You mean run a bead of silicone around the edge of the steel plate? Anything else?

 

[Skyco]

Simple solution if the disimilar metal corrosion is a problem- place a thin aluminum sheet metal "shim" between the aluminum trailer and the steel jack mounting plate. That way if corrosion happens it is on the thin shim, which is easily replaced after a few years.....might even be able to cut it out of a beer can...

 

[wushaw]

If I did exactly what Maltpj did, but on my aluminum trailer, how would I seal it against water? You mean run a bead of silicone around the edge of the steel plate? Anything else?

Apply sealant to the entire plate then bolt it to the aluminum, apply enough so you get squeez out then just run your finger around the edge to make a clean edge...water will not have a place to enter.

 

[jayhaitch]

Got it. Thanks!

 

[workinallthetime]

i see broken or bent jack handles in the future, better make sure you secure them in the up position. I have seen that kind of set up on travel trailers many times but they use screw jacks mounted under the trailer.
good lookin job man

 

[Johnagain]

If you painted the plate and you used stainless hardware it would probably be OK.[/QUOTE]


Don't use Stainless hardware it is pretty soft. I would hate to have those bolts shear off when your driving up the ramp and the nose of the tractor dive down. Use only grade 8 bolts for that kind of weight.