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Trailer jack, lug wrench


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OK so you have a $50K boat. Ya sprung for the slick under mount spare tire carrier and spare tire/wheel.

BUT Do you have the 'proper' tools and equipment to change a tire???

Luckily both my tow vehicles have a jack that 'would' work if I had to use them. But I finally bought a 'lil 4 ton bottle jack from Sears that works perfectly. In my boat tool box I have the needed socket, ratchet and extension.

...Just a heads up!

Pat

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OK so you have a $50K boat. Ya sprung for the slick under mount spare tire carrier and spare tire/wheel.

BUT Do you have the 'proper' tools and equipment to change a tire???

Luckily both my tow vehicles have a jack that 'would' work if I had to use them. But I finally bought a 'lil 4 ton bottle jack from Sears that works perfectly. In my boat tool box I have the needed socket, ratchet and extension.

...Just a heads up!

Pat

Good tip! I actually have a small floor jack that works great. I keep it in the tow vehicle. I also carry a torque wrench and check the lug nuts before any long haul. I've become quite the expert at changing trailer tires in the 120 degree heat of CA and AZ deserts. :( Having the right tools makes all the difference!

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I bought one of those 4 way X-looking lug nut wrenches to keep on the boat, as my Toyota lug nut wrench, which is probably metric, would not fit on the Boatmate lugs. The Toyota did come with a bottle jack though, which was nice...

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i have a jack from an old toyota that colpases down to about 3" that i have planned on using. plus getting a lug wrench... when i mount my trailer mounted toolbox.....

so many projects/so little time...

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I keep an "easy lift" trailer jack in the boat. Works great, nice and compact. I tried the drive up a block once with my tandem, but it was a pita.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/overtons/d...71810&fcat=2AN4

Addict,

I have looked at this many times in the catalog and thoght to buy -- but -- how does it work? need two people to get it up? Does it work if you have a catastrophic blow out with no rubber left and the wheel is on the ground?

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I keep an "easy lift" trailer jack in the boat. Works great, nice and compact. I tried the drive up a block once with my tandem, but it was a pita.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/overtons/d...71810&fcat=2AN4

Addict,

I have looked at this many times in the catalog and thoght to buy -- but -- how does it work? need two people to get it up? Does it work if you have a catastrophic blow out with no rubber left and the wheel is on the ground?

you can definitely use it by yourself. You basically hook the large notch around the axle and then either pull forward or backup, essentially pushing the axle against the jack and rotating up to the upright position shown in the catalog picture. the jack has treadlike metal extensions giving it traction on the ground (allowing it to rotate & lift the trailer) instead of sliding across the ground.

when first hooking up the jack you don't need much clearance, so I think you'd be able to hook it up even with the rim on the ground -- definitely if you have a tandem.

Edited by Addictedto6
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On my low riding trailer, not much is going to fit under the axle once the tire is flat.

I have this. I keep it bungee corded to the underside of my truck and had it Line-X'd. It works well.

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

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I have a real full-sized rolling floor jack in a huge tupperware bin with the "X" wrench. I don't want to screw with a bottle jack on the side of the highway, and the ground clearance is not much as Pete mentioned.

What worries me more than tires is bearings. I also carry all supplies needed to do a full bearing/race swapout on the hub on the side of the road. Now I have a new trailer, so I'll have to get these same supplies for this trailer as well. What I would love to have is a spare hub pre-loaded with bearings and grease. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. Nothing worse than seeing a trailer on the side of the road, propped up on one side with the spindle sitting there with no hub and the car missing, presumably to get a new hub. I see at least one of these every time we take our annual up north trips.

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On my low riding trailer, not much is going to fit under the axle once the tire is flat.

I have this. I keep it bungee corded to the underside of my truck and had it Line-X'd. It works well.

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

Looks good but for us poor single axle schmucks . . . . . .

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On my low riding trailer, not much is going to fit under the axle once the tire is flat.

I have this. I keep it bungee corded to the underside of my truck and had it Line-X'd. It works well.

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

Looks good but for us poor single axle schmucks . . . . . .

I think it would probably still work, but YMMV.

EDIT: Sorry, thought you were talking about the easy jack, not the one in pistol pete's post. i'd try out the easy jack (or maybe call overtons).

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

When I tried, I stacked to 4x6 wood blocks on top of each other and had to use another 4x6 block for a "ramp". that's when i bought the easy jack.

Edited by Addictedto6
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OK so you have a $50K boat. Ya sprung for the slick under mount spare tire carrier and spare tire/wheel.

BUT Do you have the 'proper' tools and equipment to change a tire???

Luckily both my tow vehicles have a jack that 'would' work if I had to use them. But I finally bought a 'lil 4 ton bottle jack from Sears that works perfectly. In my boat tool box I have the needed socket, ratchet and extension.

...Just a heads up!

Pat

Yup, I am the king of flat tires Mad.gif

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On my low riding trailer, not much is going to fit under the axle once the tire is flat.

I have this. I keep it bungee corded to the underside of my truck and had it Line-X'd. It works well.

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

I haven't but the hubby has had plenty of experience with his job trailers. And our Extreme isn't a lowrider. Tongue.gif

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I bought one of those 4 way X-looking lug nut wrenches to keep on the boat, as my Toyota lug nut wrench, which is probably metric, would not fit on the Boatmate lugs. The Toyota did come with a bottle jack though, which was nice...

Great info. Shame on me, I assumed that the toyota lug wrench would fit the Boatmate's lugnuts. I guess I'm going to the auto parts store before Spring to buy a lug wrench.

As far as bearings, I guess I always figured I could limp home or to help somewhere running slow with the other wheel on our T/A trailer.

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What worries me more than tires is bearings. I also carry all supplies needed to do a full bearing/race swapout on the hub on the side of the road. Now I have a new trailer, so I'll have to get these same supplies for this trailer as well. What I would love to have is a spare hub pre-loaded with bearings and grease. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. Nothing worse than seeing a trailer on the side of the road, propped up on one side with the spindle sitting there with no hub and the car missing, presumably to get a new hub. I see at least one of these every time we take our annual up north trips.

M3,

I have seen, somewhere, a trailer company that did supply a pre-loaded hub and all necessary parts bolted right with the spare tire. It was mounted on the right front of the trailer where the tire is; up away from the water. I just can't remember where I saw the pic. or, who the trailer co. was.

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Well being a Mechanic!! I have all the cool tools!!

AAA Towing BABY!!! Yahoo.gif plus if the truck has a dead battery, flat tire or out of gas its still covered under the boat. Rockon.gif

You sure about that ? when My Dodge Ram threw a rod 60 miles outside of Vegas with the boat behind us, since I didn't have an RV rider my tow cost $ I told the lady in the calmest voice I could muster at 2:00 am that if someone had me aware of it sooner I would have bought it.

On my low riding trailer, not much is going to fit under the axle once the tire is flat.

I have this. I keep it bungee corded to the underside of my truck and had it Line-X'd. It works well.

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

I haven't but the hubby has had plenty of experience with his job trailers. And our Extreme isn't a lowrider. Tongue.gif

Pete,

It does work I had a tire guy/fellow boater show me how to do it when I had a flat in the lake parking lot.

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I carry a 4 ton floor jack in a carrier and an extendable lug wrench when towing long distances. It's come in handy more than once. I also keep an easy lift in the boat, but haven't had to use it yet. Fortunately, the Nissan lug wrenches also fit my trailer. Unfortunately, having those tools didn't help too much when my trailer wheel met a gas pump guard stantion. Cry.gif Bent the axle & spindle. I haven't been able to get my wife to tow the boat since.

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I carry a 4 ton floor jack in a carrier and an extendable lug wrench when towing long distances. It's come in handy more than once. I also keep an easy lift in the boat, but haven't had to use it yet. Fortunately, the Nissan lug wrenches also fit my trailer. Unfortunately, having those tools didn't help too much when my trailer wheel met a gas pump guard stantion. Cry.gif Bent the axle & spindle. I haven't been able to get my wife to tow the boat since.

Ouch. I can't say that I blame her. I may be the boat driver, but I leaving the towing to slider for this reason. He's much, much better with a trailer than I am.

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On my low riding trailer, not much is going to fit under the axle once the tire is flat.

I have this. I keep it bungee corded to the underside of my truck and had it Line-X'd. It works well.

I don't think Tracie has actually had to do the rock-under-the-other-wheel trick, it doesn't really work. I've had two trailer flats before I got this, since then, haven't had a flat. The biggest problem was the fact that my axels are about 3" off the ground once the tire is flat. I've had to dig a hole in the ground then back the trailer over it to position bottle jacks under the axle in the past. Never again.

... I just travel with Pete & my cell phone ;)

When you're around Pete, all the bad luck seems to go his direction - like a vortex of bad luck Biggrin.gif

Edited by SacRiverRat
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I bought a small floor jack from Checker for $20 that I take on long trips along with tools. My truck jack and lug wrench will work good enough for the short trips.

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