Power Jack with Andersen Hitch

[Loren & Cathy]

I considered the power jack but decided I need the exercise. Loren

[santacruzer]

I did the power jack, but no WDH. I'm glad I got it, but for some reason, when the fiberglass propane tank cover is in place, it blocks me from opening the storage box. Have yet to figure out if it's worth moving anything, so am just using a cheap set of propane covers from CW. Also, if you use one of those tongue jack cones it results in less movement of the jack, and less irritating noise.

[jamman]

ETI says they install the Atwood 3000# jack. I have been looking at the Atwood, Husky and Barker in the 4000# range. They each appear to have some nice features. And I have seen a few comments here about the noise from (I assume) the factory Atwood. Our former Casita jack (not sure of the brand) was OK on noise.

How bad is the Atwood 3000# noise? Is the 4000# Atwood quieter? Good experience with any 4000# jack? Clearance issues with the storage box and propane tank cover?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by jamman

ETI says they install the Atwood 3000# jack. I have been looking at the Atwood, Husky and Barker in the 4000# range. They each appear to have some nice features. And I have seen a few comments here about the noise from (I assume) the factory Atwood. Our former Casita jack (not sure of the brand) was OK on noise.

How bad is the Atwood 3000# noise? Is the 4000# Atwood quieter? Good experience with any 4000# jack? Clearance issues with the storage box and propane tank cover?

The latest Atwood 3000, called the "Premier Performance Series with RoboFoot" is an improvement on the older model. Instead of an ACME screw, it uses a ball-bearing drive so there's no direct contact between the screw and the shaft. It also has the "robofoot" which flips up when you retract, and flips down when you extend. Its also quieter than the older 3000 according to E-Trailer. I don't think ETI is yet using the latest model, but I'm not sure.

The Husky 3000 was one that I seriously considered, because its very quiet. But, the head is bulky and you can't use it with the propane tank cover in place.

The Barker VIP 3500 is a very nice unit, with a powerful lamp facing the ball, and a great reputation. It will also fit with the tank cover in place. I'm leaning towards it, but it only has a 2 year warranty while the Atwood has a 5 year.

A model with a higher lift capacity would not be quieter because the motor would have to be larger, which would probably produce as much or more noise than the lighter model. Besides, don't really need 4000 lbs of lift capacity on a tongue that weighs around 350 lbs.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

The latest Atwood 3000, called the "Premier Performance Series with RoboFoot" is an improvement on the older model. Instead of an ACME screw, it uses a ball-bearing drive so there's no direct contact between the screw and the shaft. It also has the "robofoot" which flips up when you retract, and flips down when you extend.

Ah, recirculating balls (a ball screw) like a pre-rack-and-pinion steering gear. This allows for more lifting force with less friction and thus less power needed, so potentially less motor noise.

I didn't know that Atwood was using a flip-up foot, but there it is on their web page. The Fastway Flip is the one I've seen, but this looks effectively similar.

Originally Posted by rbryan4

A model with a higher lift capacity would not be quieter because the motor would have to be larger, which would probably produce as much or more noise than the lighter model.

Logical, but on the other hand a lightly loaded big motor and gearbox might be quieter than a smaller motor and gearbox working harder to lift the same load. In this case, the Atwood web site only says the 4K model has the ball screw, although eTrailer says both do. There are so many variables...

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Besides, don't really need 4000 lbs of lift capacity on a tongue that weighs around 350 lbs.

Yes, every power jack available has much higher capacity than any Escape needs.

[azjack]

I have the Husky 4500, it works well, seems fairly quiet to me when used in early morning hours and after hooking up the jeep I can lift it and the tongue to insure I am hooked and the chains are loose for installing the bracket and pin. I had it delivered Amazon overnight to the next camp ground last summer when my shoulder started complaining about all of the cranking. The gas bottle cover still fits and my jeep tail door still opens.
Jack

[rbryan4]

I can't see how it fits. The housing protrudes several inches back from the shaft and has a power cord storage rack attached to it. Do you have the storage box? With the storage box and the dual propane our jack's shaft barely clears the tank cover, and that's with the manual jack that has no head on top. Do you have a photo? I'd love to go with the Husky since it's much quieter than the others. Or is it that its tall enough to clear the cover?

[jamman]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I can't see how it fits. The housing protrudes several inches back from the shaft and has a power cord storage rack attached to it. ...

The plug storage is removable - page 1, #4, tip: http://www.huskytow.com/wp-includes/...okup/87247.pdf

I also saw a reference to removing it in the Amazon reviews.

[Zardoz]

Just now opened and read this thread for the first time. Been doing pretty strenuous yard work for the past four days and just ordered the Atwood 3000 five minutes ago. Sorta like going grocery shopping when your hungry, huh? Thanks to all for your assessments which gave me confidence in my purchase!

[jamman]

Husky 4500 with Escape 21 - courtesy of azjack.

[rbryan4]

Thank you Doug. Looks tight but it does fit if you remove the plug holder.

Went back and forth on various models but in the end I ordered an Atwood Premier Performance Series 4000 with a 5 year warranty. Made in the USA. Found out the Husky is made in China. That's not automatically bad, but I like to support North American made when I can. The only other power Jack I could find that's made in America was the Barker. Nice jack, but the cover yellows after exposure to the sun according to many reviewers, and again no 5 year warranty. The Atwood should be fine, albeit a little noisier than the Husky. Also like the 'robofoot' vs the drop leg, and the permanently lubed ball drive.

[Zardoz]

Installed the Atwood 3000 this afternoon; piece of cake. Three 9/16" bolts and a little wiring (actually I spent about 5 minutes on the mechanical install and 30 minutes splicing and running the wiring under and up into the front storage box). Had to add about 4' of 10 gauge wire but in the end, it was a clean install coming up and through the plastic conduit that holds the positive & negative battery leads. Using a clip for the positive power lead for now. Plenty of clearance with the propane cover. The Robofoot is a nice addition too; makes short work of raising and lowering the unit. And much more quiet than I expected.

[rbryan4]

Yeah, its a pretty easy install, Rich. Good to know that the 3000 is quiet too. Only thing I don't like about the RoboFoot is that if the trailer is on ground that slopes up in the front, I can't really retract it enough to level the trailer all the way. I may retrofit it with a drop leg at some point. We'll see how it goes.

I was kind of surprised that you needed to extend the wire, assuming your batteries are in the tongue box. Ours just fit, with about 6" to spare. Maybe the wire supplied with the 3000 is shorter than the 4000?

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Yeah, its a pretty easy install, Rich. Good to know that the 3000 is quiet too. Only thing I don't like about the RoboFoot is that if the trailer is on ground that slopes up in the front, I can't really retract it enough to level the trailer all the way. I may retrofit it with a drop leg at some point. We'll see how it goes.

I was kind of surprised that you needed to extend the wire, assuming your batteries are in the tongue box. Ours just fit, with about 6" to spare. Maybe the wire supplied with the 3000 is shorter than the 4000?

Well, you just helped me decide whether or not to keep the plastic cone support I'd been using 😉, thanks! Yea, I ran the wire along the 7-pin power cord until I was right under the 12V leads into the storage box. Go figure? Robert, why'd you opt for the 4000?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

Well, you just helped me decide whether or not to keep the plastic cone support I'd been using 😉, thanks! Yea, I ran the wire along the 7-pin power cord until I was right under the 12V leads into the storage box. Go figure? Robert, why'd you opt for the 4000?

Ah, I see. My wire just ran down the pole to the a frame then along the passenger side of the frame and into a tiny hole I drilled into the storage box next the battery terminals.

Went with the 4000 because I was told it was slightly quieter, and because I was getting conflicting documentation about whether or not the 3000 had a ball drive like the 4000. I think they both do, but the price difference wasn't that much so I got the 4k. Here's the thread on the install:
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...tion-5857.html

[Losangeles]

I own a 17' casita now with WDH and cranking is easy.

Is a 21' escape with WDH harder to crank? ( effort)

Thanks

:-)

[cpaharley2008]

All depends on your tow vehicle, I have an Andersen and a manual jack but I do not always use the Andersen unless traveling great distances with a full load.

[fudge_brownie]

I would say cranking is cranking, the addition of a WDH makes very little difference. My take on cranking is the repetitions, not the force required. I added an Anderson WDH after the fact so have used the crank with and without the WDH, it does not make a difference in the force required or the number of repetitions.

[rbryan4]

We are loving the power jack the more we camp - especially with the Andersen Hitch. Since we jack it up high after hooking up in order to attach the triangle plate, and we also jack it up high to remove the plate when setting up, that's a bit more cranking than other setups. The Power Jack makes it a snap.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

We are loving the power jack the more we camp - especially with the Andersen Hitch. Since we jack it up high after hooking up in order to attach the triangle plate, and we also jack it up high to remove the plate when setting up, that's a bit more cranking than other setups.

A lot of people do that with conventional weight-distributing hitches as well, to make it easier to attach the spring bars (with a chain snap-up bracket or whatever gear is used by that particular WD design), so this is not unique to the Andersen "No-Sway" WD. Of course, even with the Andersen you can turn the nuts to loosen before uncoupling and to tighten after coupling, so the the extra cranking is not inherently required by the Andersen design.