Travel trailers have become extremely popular as people began embracing this great outdoor adventure and recreation lifestyle. The first thing that most people do when they start looking for a travel trailer is size up the family.
Many people get caught up with getting bigger trailers so they can be able to bring more things “just in case”. Travel trailers are just like homes, so you bring what you need and then work off that list.
A dual axle travel trailer is a type of trailer with two axles. These are usually towed for long distances, and their weight will cause them to bounce on the road.
A dual axle travel trailer should be pulled by a truck with a weight capacity of at least 5,000 pounds. Flip over jacks/spindles for towing a dual axle travel trailer are also available in the market for easier maneuvering.
How to Jack Up a Dual Axle Travel Trailer: Step-by-Step Instructions
A jack stand is a proper tool for a dual axle trailer, such as Aliner, Baja, Chinook. Instead, make sure to use a tire ramp for a dual axle trailer. Follow these tips to jack up a dual trailer:
Step 1: Park Your Trailer
Park your Trailer on a hard surface like a driveway. Set your emergency brakes in order to prevent the trailer from rolling back.
Remove any furniture or items that are placed on top of the jack legs before you proceed with the following steps.
Set up the safety cones and secure them into place, keeping at least 20ft distance between them. This will ensure that there is enough room for the jack to extend without hitting the cones.
Step 2: Wear Safety Equipments
Put on your safety goggles and gloves before you begin.
Step 3: Place a Rubber Mat
Place a rubber mat or piece of carpeting underneath the jack point on your dual axle travel trailer where you are going to place the bottle jack.
Step 4: Place the Tire Ramp
Hike up a dual travel trailer to place the tire ramp under one of the tires. The length of the tire ramps must be enough to cover the gap between two pieces of road surface and enable it to hold itself stable. It should also have a secure surface for preventing skidding.
Step 5: Trailer Tongue Jack
After you’ve placed the ramp under a tire, lift up your trailer tongue jack and secure it in place with a tire ramp.
Step 6: Parallel to Trailer Jack
The next step is to set your trailer jack parallel to the travel trailer axle. The height of your trailer jack must be adjusted so that its handle will just be able to slide freely under the edge of the tire when it’s all the way down. You can remove some loose dirt or gravel if necessary so you can use this height for each wheel afterwards.
Step 7: A Drawbar Strap
Once you’ve got both tires off the ground, pass a drawbar strap through each axle and connect it to your tow vehicle using chains or secure straps.
Step 8: Change The Flat Tire
Lift the trailer off of the tire ramp and chock all four tires. Loosen lug nuts on each wheel. Remove lug nuts using your socket wrench, but remember to put them aside in a safe place.
Step 9: Jack Down The Tires
Lower the bottle jack until it is resting under the tire.
Step 10: Remove The Flat Tire
The next step is to remove your flat tire and wheel from the trailer. You should use a lug wrench to loosen the bolts holding it in place.
But, be careful not to drop any of these nuts or washers so you’re able to put them back on again once you get a replacement flat tire.
Pull the flat tire off of your wheel, and then place the spare tire in its place after loosening the bolts using a lug wrench.
Step 11: Fasten The Flat Tire
You should not leave any of your tires loose because they could get damaged while you are driving down the road.
Tighten all four lugs on each wheel with your socket wrench. Put away the lug nuts and washers you removed earlier.
Step 12: Lower The Trailer
Slowly begin to lower down your trailer jack, but do not let it rest on the ground just yet. When lowering the travel trailer, be careful that the tires are sitting squarely onto their respective chocks without moving around too much.
Press down the ramp until it can’t go any lower, and make sure that you have removed all pressure from your ramp before you move it away to avoid accidents or injuries.
Driving Tips after Learning How to Jack Up a Dual Axle Travel Trailer
When driving with a flat tire, always carry an emergency kit in case the wheel goes flat again. Always follow the recommended spare tire pressure for your vehicle’s tires as shown on its owner’s manual or on the inside of the driver door. It is also important to rotate your tires every 6,000 miles to help evenly distribute wear and avoid having to buy new ones too quickly.
FAQs:
1. Where Does Jack Go on a Double Axle Trailer?
Answer: The jack goes in the center of the axle just like it does on a single axle trailer.
2. Can I Add another Axle to My Trailer?
Answer: Nope. As far as I can tell, you can’t do that, not even with a bit of hacking.
There’s only one time to consider adding another axle as a way to raise your trailer when you don’t want to add airbags for some reason, and there aren’t any problems with the trailer’s suspension.
When it comes right down to raw height increase, axles are the best choice by far (Airbags will give you about 2″ of boost without modifying anything). But if you don’t have a problem that needs solving, generally folks who need more distance between tires at full suspension.
3. How Do You Change a Trailer Tire Without a Jack Stand?
Answer: You can use the flat tire ramp to raise and lower it, requiring a little more effort but still achievable. The best method is to use a tire ramp and use a spacer under the axle, with ‘posts’ that will keep the flat tire from slipping down the tire ramp. If you can find an old spare tire rim that is about the same diameter as your axle, that will work even better, and you don’t need to worry about spacer blocks.
Conclusion:
We have discussed the important things that you need to know when jacking up your trailer to change. We also gave you tips on how to jack up a dual axle travel trailer and what tools you will need in doing so.
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