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09-17-2017, 12:22 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Tongue jack cranking bad
I have been having an awful time cranking the tongue jack. I had sites where I had to crank to the top a number of times. Never had it this bad in previous years or on the 19'. Used some 3-in-1 oil but no difference. Brought it home and my husband is having the same trouble. Just really hard to crank. Anyone having this?
Maybe I am just getting old and it seems harder. My hands and arms are bad. I am pretty sure I gained some muscles cranking it around the Midwest to a bunch of states. But really became diffcult even on flat concrete. Just did not have this problem before.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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09-17-2017, 12:34 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
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Time for power tongue jack....
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09-17-2017, 12:46 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Yes, I have wanted a power jack from day one. But wondering the problem. Just have not had this and it certainly seems to be the jack and not us. Has yours become very difficult to crank? I have not heard of people having the crank become so hard.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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09-17-2017, 01:33 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
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No, never had one do that, but went to power tongue jacks years ago and quit messing with cranking. My guess would be you'd have to disassemble it and lube the gears then reassemble, or replace it. I'd just replace it with a power tongue jack at this point and don't look back. Three bolts run the electrical and you will be very happy campers.
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09-17-2017, 01:41 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Not going to get any younger.
I'm getting more cranky though.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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09-17-2017, 01:44 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 44
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power tongue jack
I hate cranking the tongue jack. The last several trailers I have owned I replaced the tongue jack with a power one. It makes it easier to hitch and unhitch.
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09-17-2017, 01:49 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19'
Posts: 264
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My original tongue jack got hard to crank and eventually failed last year. I got a replacement from ETI. I had asked ETI about lubing the jack when it started to get stiff, and was told to put grease on the top gear, but that does not lube the threaded post inside.
The replacement has a grease nipple which will allow me to lube the internal parts, also a lower gear ratio which means easier but more cranking.
I probably abuse my jack more than most people, as I crank it up high to get level on my sloped driveway, and also crank it up hard when hitching and unhitching with the Andersen WDH to make adjusting the chains easier.
If you want a power jack, sounds like now is the time to get one.
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Kirk & Shelley
2014 19'
Surrey, Beautiful BC, Canada
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09-17-2017, 03:19 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Denison, Texas
Trailer: 2015 21'; 2011 19' sold; 4Runner; ph ninezero3 327-27ninefour
Posts: 5,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KirkB
My original tongue jack got hard to crank and eventually failed last year. I got a replacement from ETI. I had asked ETI about lubing the jack when it started to get stiff, and was told to put grease on the top gear, but that does not lube the threaded post inside.
The replacement has a grease nipple which will allow me to lube the internal parts, also a lower gear ratio which means easier but more cranking.
I probably abuse my jack more than most people, as I crank it up high to get level on my sloped driveway, and also crank it up hard when hitching and unhitching with the Andersen WDH to make adjusting the chains easier.
If you want a power jack, sounds like now is the time to get one.
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Were you in warranty or had to pay? From what you say, maybe that high cranking caused the problem because that is what I had the last many weeks.
Yes, we just need a power one now. Can't keep trying to do this.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.... "
Emerson
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09-17-2017, 03:33 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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I figure if I am too old and weak to turn the handle on the trailer Jack then I will just guit camping .
I drilled and tapped a small hole about 1 1/2" to 2 " inches below the handle in the outer tube . Took a spray can of lithium grease with an extension tube and shot some grease through the hole I drilled. I aimed the spray tube upward to get the upper gear and downward to get the screw threads on the shaft .
Worked the crank a few times and everything freed right up.
Took a short machine screw with anti sieze and plugged the hole I drilled and covered the screw head with a couple of wraps of black electrical tape.
Every spring I remove the tape and screw and apply more grease.
Jack seems to work just fine by hand
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09-17-2017, 07:17 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve dunham
I figure if I am too old and weak to turn the handle on the trailer Jack then I will just guit camping.
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Better quit driving then if your vehicle has power windows. After all, if you can't crank a window open or shut you might as well give up.
Sorry for the sarcasm, but your comment makes no sense. We don't have a power jack because we are "too old and weak" to crank it manually, we have one because it's convenient and quick, particularly when using an Andersen hitch.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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09-17-2017, 07:38 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
Better quit driving then if your vehicle has power windows. After all, if you can't crank a window open or shut you might as well give up.
Sorry for the sarcasm, but your comment makes no sense. We don't have a power jack because we are "too old and weak" to crank it manually, we have one because it's convenient and quick, particularly when using an Andersen hitch.
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I just don't think everything in life needs to be motorized or computerised
It's not that big of a deal to turn a crank a few revolutions IMHO but it seems to others it is one of life's most extreme physical challenges
I have no issue with your sarcasm , I stated my honest opinion and that's all I am willing to do . If you believe that a power jack is a necessity , while I disagree I respect your opinion and your right to state same.
** PS : I also have a WDH **
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09-17-2017, 07:41 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Steve, why not insert a zero grease fitting, then all you need is your grease gun, some jacks have a fitting.
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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09-17-2017, 07:50 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Steve, why not insert a zero grease fitting, then all you need is your grease gun, some jacks have a fitting.
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I didn't have a grease zerk and was too lazy / cheap to drive into town to buy one . So I have no good excuse or reason for what I did , all I can say is what I did worked .
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09-17-2017, 07:53 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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I find listening to the screech of the electric jack more painful than cranking manually, but I'm also losing my hearing, so an electric jack may be in my future.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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09-17-2017, 08:01 PM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,049
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I wanna know why these manual jacks are so high geared (or is it low geared)? Where you crank and crank and the dang thing moves 1/4 of an inch. When it's hot out, it's a great way to get sweaty and then a person truly deserves a cold beverage
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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09-17-2017, 08:03 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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Kind of like a bike, the lower the gear ratio, or is it higher, the easier the peddling.
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Happy Motoring
Bob
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09-17-2017, 08:06 PM
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#17
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,049
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
Kind of like a bike, the lower the gear ratio, or is it higher, the easier the peddling.
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Yeah, going up hill on a 10 speed. The legs are going like crazy and the bike barely moves
But back to the original problem. I wonder if dosing the jack with some PB Blaster would help?
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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09-17-2017, 08:32 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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You can always replace your original jack with a better one, just make sure the capacity is the same but otherwise some are very easy to operate, manually.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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09-17-2017, 09:06 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19'
Posts: 264
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Quote:
Originally Posted by float5
Were you in warranty or had to pay? From what you say, maybe that high cranking caused the problem because that is what I had the last many weeks.
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My trailer was over 2 years old when the jack died, so I didn't ask for any warranty coverage, I was just looking for a good price on a quick replacement so I could unhook my trailer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D.
I wanna know why these manual jacks are so high geared (or is it low geared)? Where you crank and crank and the dang thing moves 1/4 of an inch. When it's hot out, it's a great way to get sweaty and then a person truly deserves a cold beverage
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I think ETI used a higher weight capacity jack as the replacement, so more cranks per inch of lift. I suspect I am not the only customer to have a problem with the old model, with no way to lube easily. I get tired of cranking with the new jack, even when it isn't hot out. Does your cabana boy deliver cold beers?
__________________
Kirk & Shelley
2014 19'
Surrey, Beautiful BC, Canada
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09-17-2017, 09:35 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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I donno. My jack is original to 2008. I haven't noticed any particular issue with the jack, only that I'm older.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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