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Recommendation for "portable" jack for tire change

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gpokluda View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Recommendation for "portable" jack for tire change
    Posted: 26 Aug 2023 at 8:36am
First, let's establish that the Rpod has 3 lift points on each side: Frame just in front of the axle, axle flange, frame just behind the axle. Everything I mention here, I have with me on a trip. 

Using a combination of the 4@2X6 wood sections and 12" worth of stabilizer pads, build a short ramp to roll the flat tire up onto. Save at least one or two pads or pieces of 2X6 for the bottle jack if needed. You should now have plenty of room to place your bottle jack underneath. I use a 12ton bottle jack that has a 6X6 inch base for 36 square inches of footprint (I would not mess around with a 2ton jack). It is 9" tall compressed. Doing the math, you have 3" of clearance, 18" of pad/2x6 lift capacity. Yah, you get the point.

I also carry a jack stand and would use the trailer stabilizers for added safety.
Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Rpod-Couple Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2023 at 9:01am
Anyone using a scissors-jack that came with your tow vehicle? My VW Atlas came with a scissors-jack. Lifts up one side of my 4300 lb SUV so sufficient for my 171. It’s low profile and with my leveling blocks provides plenty of height. I can’t see carrying the extra weight of an additional jack I hope I never need. BTW - never put any part of your body under the vehicle while changing a tire in case the jack slips. Lower your stabilizer jacks for extra measure as well.

At home, I use my rolling floor-jack to lift up the R-pod and place blocks under the axle/frame attachment point to take weight off the tires and axle between trips. Hope to avoid bent axle problems. 


Steve & Elaine
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2023 at 9:12am
I tried once with the sissors jack that came with our previous Ford Escape. It bent. Never again. I'll stick with the trolley jack or the bottle jack.
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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote David and Danette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2023 at 11:13am
 I don't think a sizzor jack would be very stable I think a car or truck would be more stable than a trailer being lifted to change a tire. I would use a lot of caution using a sizzor jack. 
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Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2023 at 3:50pm
Originally posted by David and Danette

 I don't think a sizzor jack would be very stable I think a car or truck would be more stable than a trailer being lifted to change a tire. I would use a lot of caution using a sizzor jack. 

Agreed. I have never been a big fan of the scissor jack for use on the road, however, in a shop setting they can be quite handy when you have a solid surface to work. We used them quite a bit in my motorcycle shop. We had a couple that we modified a high grade bolt to fit where hooked handle would go. Then we could use a drill driver with a socket to raise the jack. Very effect for removing rear wheels from motorcycles and as well as changing tires on ATVs.
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2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023)
2022 Escape 5.0TA
2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB
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Post Options Post Options   Quote David and Danette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2023 at 6:21pm
 I am terrible at spelling!
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
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Post Options Post Options   Quote hank*pod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Sep 2023 at 8:25pm
My F150 has a scissor jack that I've used to raise the trailer tongue off the ground (because reasons). If I had a blowout and couldn't fit my bottle jack under the trailer frame wouldn't hesitate to use the scissor jack to get enough clearance for the bottle jack. At some point I'd put a jack stand under there too.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote renhui Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Sep 2023 at 9:16pm
wow good to see all the replies. 

As a quick update, I bought a Powerbuilt  All-in-1 3 ton with 21 ft lift range, which should work perfected for my 178 HRE. (Local Costco started carrying it at an amazing price only about US45 compared to online retailers here)
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Post Options Post Options   Quote James07 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2023 at 8:01pm
I carry a floor jack.  They are heavy and take up a lot of space.  But, I've used bottle jacks before and it is scary when the vehicle shifts during the lift and bottle jack starts to tilt.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote renhui Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2023 at 9:35pm
I got around to testing the all-in-1 jack today on the rpod, and it worked pretty well. it has a jack stand type of contact with the frame vs. the round top of a pure floor jack, which turns out to be fairly stable. 

I've got two floor jacks at home, but due to the height of the rpod, only the large 3 ton one is able to lift it up for tire change, which I was really reluctant to carry and prompted to get something smaller. 
2016 Rpod 178 HRE
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