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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6326 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Trailer jack
    Posted: 05 May 2018 at 11:03am
Originally posted by Tom A

A newbie here, but what about using the leveling jacks that are built in to the camper?  Too much weight?
A small floor jack like is sold at Walmart for around $20 ($30 is you want it with a case) is not hard to pack. If you look in my mods (link in signature), you will see a jacking block I made from two pieces of spare lumber screwed together and then cut to fit around the axle tube and wiring harness. This lets the axle mounting flanges be used to support the trailer and keep the pressure off the axle tube. This along with the jack makes it fairly easy to raise the wheel enough to change or lube as needed. I got the jack and made the block when I ended up bending the jack that came with the Ford Escape the first time I tried to jack up the 'Pod to lube the bearings.
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Leo B View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4516 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 9:13am
+ 1 we have made a binder like that, it travels in the pod just in case. We also made a binder on a lot of the camp grounds other members have given tips on. Use google earth for a birds eye photo and then a printout of the web page with the campground map.
Helps a lot for making plans................................and finding good fishing locations. 
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
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2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Tom A View Drop Down
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Joined: 04 May 2018
Location: Evanston, IL
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Posts: 70 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 8:59am
Yeah, I agree with have stuff like this in PRINt form.
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 8:23am
Tom A - get a 2-3 inch binder and start gathering info, granted you can collect and store on numerous devices, but I like having a printed something. The info is all out there, just time consuming to find and collect. This forum has a lot of data, and one member Techntrk has done some outstanding work collecting data for an owners manual. Granted changes every so often. I don't go anywhere without my binder.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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Tom A View Drop Down
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Joined: 04 May 2018
Location: Evanston, IL
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Posts: 70 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 8:08am
Thank you!  I suspected that.  

I have a lot to learn that is not spelled out anywhere because an owner's manual is not a feature of these apparently.
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
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Posts: 1447 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 7:10am
The stabilizers really aren't jacks.  They won't lift the weight and they are in a very wrong place for lifting.  They will bend the frame before they'll lift a tire enough to change it.  And it will take a lot of effort to get anywhere close to that point.  The stabilizers are only for stabilizing.

TT
2010 176
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Tom A View Drop Down
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Joined: 04 May 2018
Location: Evanston, IL
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Posts: 70 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 6:35am
A newbie here, but what about using the leveling jacks that are built in to the camper?  Too much weight?
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6326 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr 2018 at 5:54pm
There is also a difference between the steel wheels most cars used to have and the alloy wheels on a lot of the newer cars and on the R-Pods. The coefficient of expansion between the steel brake drums and studs is different than that of the alloy. It could potentially cause them to become loose. The last thing one would want is to be passed by one of the trailer tires going down the highway. Shocked

Using a Torque Wrench helps ensure the lug nuts are neither too tight nor too loose, but just right. Approve
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr 2018 at 4:54pm
Well they have a torque spec. For years I worked in my Dad's repair business and I like you did it all by hand. I started torqueing when disc brakes became the norm on vehicles. Today I guess I just follow the specs, not a big deal to me.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2649 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr 2018 at 4:53pm
Originally posted by SC for Huskers

60 plus years of changing tires at home and Dad's service station, never used a torque wrench. Have to say really don't use an impact either.  Why must we use one on a Rpod? Thanks in advance. 
Well, I guess you don't "have to". Decision is yours, except that it's easy to over or under do it. The alloy wheels on many/most R-pods could be damaged if you overdo it.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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