desertmoose
Northern Nevada
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Joined: 10/15/2007
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While hitching up last monday, I had the trailer hooked up and was connecting the wiring. I asked the wife to crank up the tongue jack. About the time it got all the way up, the center post dropped out the bottom. Came completely free from the mechanism inside. I had to wire it up to get home and then use a floor jack to get the trailer off the hitch when I parked it.
I'll block up the front of the trailer tonight and remove it to see what happened, but I thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas what happened/broke?
Would trying to continue raising it after it was all the way up damage something? Is there a weld that broke. Shear pin?
Thoughts?
Sam
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Peg Leg
Anderson, IN
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Joined: 06/20/2004
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There should be a shear pin. Do a search on the brand of jack and shear pin you should be able to find the location. It's been so long since I've replaced one that I can't remember exactly where it's located.
Got real lazy and went the electric route over 10 yrs ago.
Good luck.
KA9ATV
K2500 7.4 3.73
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hemlox
Western Illinois
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Joined: 05/21/2007
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Its a perfect time to replace it with an electric tounge jack, its one of the best mods you can do. Sorry about your problem though.
25 ft. Gulfstream Conquest
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gouldc
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
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Joined: 10/13/2004
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Been there done that. Peg leg's right. They're be a pin within the gearing that is toast. And they're both right about the electric, unless you have a son.
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Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
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What's your secret? `I asked the wife to crank up the front jack'! I could never get away with that and we have electric!
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2003 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two bikes (both Electric Schwinn's with motor assist)
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Ron3rd
Upland, CA USA
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Joined: 03/22/2004
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Ditto what everyone said, and also if you choose to stay with a manual, they're not expensive if you want to throw a new one in. I just replaced mine at about 40 bucks.
2007 Tundra SR5 CrewMax 5.7 V8
2004 Aljo 250LT
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Ron3rd
Upland, CA USA
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Deleted. Double post.
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desertmoose
Northern Nevada
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Joined: 10/15/2007
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Well, it's fixed. Turns out the lower tube is fastened to the nut inside the column with a couple of "dents" that were driven into holes in the side of the nut. These dimples held the weight of the lower tube when retracted. With the trailer's weight on it, a flange on the nut bears on the top of the tube to take the weight.
Apparently the length of the lower tube is short enough that when the bottom foot is attached, the foot hits the outer tube bottom before the nut is fully raised. Continued cranking pulled the nut off the dimples.
I not only reinserted the nut into the dimples, but also drilled and inserted a couple of roll pins thru the tube wall into the nut. And for a final fix, I moved the foot at the bottom down one hole so the nut inside tops out before the foot hits the bottom of the outer tube. Thus no load on the nut/tube joint other than the weight of the tube and foot.
An electric jack would be nice, but with only 4 trips on the trailer so far, I'd be hard pressed to justify spending the additional. I need the exercise anyways.....
Ready for the next trip.
Sam
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