danskool
Elma, N.Y.
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Joined: 07/24/2004
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I think they put that in manuals for safety and care to not over lift one axle.
Your little bottle jack only has about 1"diameter head lifting on a round surface. It could easily kick out. The frame is flat and more surface less prone to sliding/tilting/kicking.
If your careful and on somewhat stable ground you won't have any trouble lifting by the axles u-bolts. I have been lifting trailer axles since i was a kid helping dad/grampa's on there trailers. Car/campers/animal trailers.
I took a bottle jack and welded a v-block to its head (2 contact points instead of 1 little one). And i carry a piece of aluminum 1\2" thick 12x12" for a pad to sit jack on. And i lift just enough to get tire on or to spin tire to do bearings. I think this is something that should come with the camper. Like the jack in your trucks.
With my bottle jack/my dewalt battery operated 18v impact driver. I will never call AAA to change my tire. I could do it less than 5 minutes. I won't wait 45 minutes to an hour for them to come and jack up my axle to change my tire. I always prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Dan
Dan
2005 Crossroads Cruiser 27RL
2001 F250 XLT 7.3 PSD
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golfsforfun
Erlanger, Kentucky
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Joined: 04/19/2006
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Bought a nice 20 ton bottle jack at Wal Mart for about 50 bucks, works great
 Me & Wife 
Old Fireman/Viet Vet (Agent Orange Victim) & Wife, 2004/350SD/PS Ford 4x4/LWB, Xtra Coolers/oil/trans,4w Disc brakes,Torque Shift 5 speed,Tekonsha Sentinel, DrawTite 16K fifth/slider & 30,000# DrawTite goosenck,05 35.7RLS3 Open Road
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Jim2007
Greeley, Colorado
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Joined: 01/18/2007
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Hi Patrick45: I do have a 12 ton bottle jack that works great for changing tires on my 5th wheel trailer. I have needed to change tires twice in 14K miles. Three items to remember are orange cones, triangle reflectors (both help warn traffic of what is going on) and a long pipe that will fit over the handle of the wrench you are using to loosen the lug nuts with (the long handle will give you extra leverage on the wrench handle and help loosen stubborn lug nuts). The lug nuts are put on with air wrenches at the tire shop and can be a difficult to get loose with a hand wrench.
Happy Camping, Jim2007
TV: Dodge 2004 Diesel
Rig: 2004 Flagstaff 5th Wheel 30'
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TOiler1
On the road, USA
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Joined: 07/26/2004
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The jack that comes with your pick-up wasn't meant to lift a 15,000 lb trailer. Also why use the axles as lift points when you have a major frame to use, better safe than sorry.
We just had to change a tire on highway 12 in Louisiana (major bad road), we drove it up on blocks to change the tire. After getting to the CG we had to change out the spare and used a 12 ton bottle jack positioned on the frame near the tires to lift our 40' 5er. All is now well.
If you plan a trip to Louisiana make sure you have a spare. The bridge transitions are a b$#^&. 
Pat & Jack
1999 F350 CC PSTD Dually
2004 Open Road 396RDDS "USS BAT"
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SK1-XRay
Jackson, MO
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Joined: 12/18/2003
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I had three blowouts and used this plastic ramp I got from Camping World and I must say it works great. It's faster, easier and pretty safe. Let the truck do the work of getting the bad tire off the ground. I must tell you though I did have to add a board under this ramp to get more ground to wheel clearance. With that done it still
works pretty darn good.
SK1-XRay
2001 F250 P/S 4x4 Crew Cab Short Bed
2004 HitchHiker II LS
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jdog
Some Place
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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I had a 2 ton jack I carried. One day I decided I should try lifting my trailer with the jack. It would not move. I couldn't believe it and was I surprised. I got a 3 ton floor jack, turned out to be worthless. Now I have a 6 ton bottle jack that works on my 10,000 trailer. Try your jack at home to find out if you need to get a bigger jack if needed. Don't wait until you are out in the middle of no where and find out your small jack won't work.
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biljo99
Bonaire, Ga, USA
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Joined: 02/05/2004
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I think I will continue to use Coach-Net for any tire changing problems. It's worked for me so far. As far as changing brake pads and greasing the axles, I've always called a mobile RV service. They've always been cheap enough, done a great job, fast, very efficient.
2008 Ford F450 CC PSD LB DRW 4.30 Moonroof King Ranch 6.4 auto Tow Boss Navigation Sirius/XM radio Audiophile
Transfer Flow 70 Gallon tank with Monitor
Reese 16K hitch
2004 Everest 364Q MotoSat MD500
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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Patrick45 wrote:Do you carry a jack? What kind? Where do you place it when using?
I use a Torin Double Ram Bottle Jack — 2-Ton, Model# TF0202. Tires are rated for just over 1800 pounds so I figured 4000 pounds lift should be plenty. I place it under the ubolt that attaches the axle. I have changed tires and repacked bearings using this method with no troubles. I bought the two stage jack to make sure I could get in under the ubolt even when the tire is flat and still have enough lift to put on the spare. Lift range is about 5.5" to 14". I bought it at Northern Tool for $17.99 I am sure it is better to jack on the frame but this works for me.
2001 F150 SuperCrew 5.4 Lariat Offroad 4x4 Tow Package 4.10 Truetrac
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
12K SuperGlide, KGE3000Ti 2.3kw rated 2.6kw max
Frank's voltage booster, Prosine 1800 powered by 4 GC2 batteries
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spencefam
CA
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Joined: 02/17/2007
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I've got an aluminum, banana shaped ramp my father-in-law gave me. You drive the good wheel up the ramp and the flat tire follows off the ground. I haven't tried it yet, but he says it works. Two flats on the same side...well I've only got one spare, so I guess I'm not going anywhere anyways!
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farmer_boots
Weirsdale, Fl
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Joined: 11/20/2003
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I talked to Dexter about lifting from the axle and they have valid concerns that the axle tub can be damaged by the jack. The reason is the small amount of surface area contact between the jack and the axle. All the weight on the axle is focused on this very small contact area.
I have concerns about lifting from the spring U-bolt that connects the axle to the spring. The reason is the U-bolt does not provide much more contact area than the jack. Remember the load from the fiver is on top of the axle where the spring is connected to the saddle welded to the top of the axle. All engineered to handle the weight/load of the fiver.
As far as driving one tore up on blocks to raise the flat tire off the ground and the loads imparted in the good tire, I don’t think there is a issue. The reason is that most things are designed to withstand 3 to 5 times the expected working load without damage. Having said that, I would not expect to see any damage to the good tire or axle if it picked up the load for one side of the trailer while you replaced the flat tire. Think what forces are imparted into an axle when you drive over speed bumps or through pot holes?
HTRN
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