For Sale: "Powered" Trailer Jack (via cordless drill).. 'shaft & nut' replace hand-crank.

[schmidjo]

Replace your hand crank with this Shaft (1/2") and Nut (3/4") to allow use of a cordless drill (making your hand-crank-jack a "powered" jack). See pic.

I've been using mine for a couple years. And it works well with a cordless drill. (I use the same drill and socket for my stabilizers/ also .75 or 19mm). It is especially nice if you have the Anderson WDH (since you have to jack up and down an extra time). The nut and shaft compared to power jack is less $$, allows use of the lighter and lower profile jack, more reliable? (if your drill fails can still use a wrench) and if you are carrying a drill anyway for stabilizers...

I made a few spares (3 for now). (But can also make more.) $23 but I'll cover the shipping (which will probably be on avg $5 usa ,first class package, I haven't researched shipping to Canada yet. we'll figure it out, if there is any interest.

First time listing something. Send me a private message ? if you wish to order. I can also list on ebay if wish to purchase it that way (more protections etc), Just let me know.

NOTES:
- (obviously) Make sure you have the correct / same or similar hand crank jack as me (see pic). Note the Shaft is 0.5" dia X ~ 4" long with 5mm hole in it (for the driving pin).

-The three I currently have are carbon steel (or chrome-moly?) tube .065 wall (quite sturdy). The OD is ~.502 which did fit and works well. (note the original hand crank is about .495"). So I will aim for any future ones to be within that range. Some futures one might be solid, depending on what material I have or thinner wall if I am buying new material.

-the nuts are bored out (lathe) and then silver brazed on. In the future I will probably brass braze them.

-to replace the hand crank you (or someone will have to take the two 10mm nuts off the jack, take the clip off, and then use small punch (or rod or screwdriver etc) to tap out the 5mm pin. Reverse to install this new nut and shaft. Grease/oil etc. It's not difficult. 5~10 minutes ? if you have all the tool ready..

-To operate, don't use an impact driver but rather just a cordless drill. low gear. Switch to a clutch setting when no load and bringing the jack up all the way... If you don't, it will throw the drill when get to the hard stop. [My current drill, the clutch setting are strong enough that I can leave it in clutch mode for raising and lowering even when lifting the vehicle for the Anderson WDH. ]

-Ask any questions, issues or etc.

[cpaharley2008]

Personally, if the effort to raise the jack becomes too arduous, I will hire Donna's cabin boy to perform those services......

[fudge_brownie]

I have converted my jack to use my electric drill. I have found two issues:

-a 18 volt drill is not enough to turn the jack.

-the process requires a great deal of hand, arm and body strength to hold drill, think of the cartoon spinning a body around while trying to drill.

[schmidjo]

Hmm I am surprised.... I just ran down and operated my drill lifting the 21c.

- My Makita XFD13 18v drill turns it just fine. Just no effort. (440 in-lbf) This is on shelf at home depot. I would think the other drills would be similar. Ok Yes you'll need 1/2" drill and probably ~ 400 in-lbf.

-I gauged how easy it is to hold the drill while the jack is lifing. It was really effortless for me and I am not that strong. I mean I am just lightly holding it and its lifting away. That said some drills have a handle for the extra torque.

-YMMV, and evidently, based on comments above, not a good choice for some...

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

I have converted my jack to use my electric drill. I have found two issues:

-a 18 volt drill is not enough to turn the jack.

-the process requires a great deal of hand, arm and body strength to hold drill, think of the cartoon spinning a body around while trying to drill.

That was my experience with the Trailer Valet drill-driven jack but it was also harder to crank by hand than the jack that came with the trailer. My question- how easy is it to replace the handle if for some reason your drill isn't working?

[brroberts]

You can use a wrench or socket and ratchet. To put the handle back in requires you to reverse the modification done with the half inch bolt.

[fudge_brownie]

5-10 minutes to reverse the installation but first try a socket and ratchet. The socket size is the same as the stabilizer jacks.

[cpaharley2008]

They make replacements for the "A" frame jack, here is one I have been "eyeballing"
https://www.amazon.com/Golflame-Trai...7JC3P9HH&psc=1

[schmidjo]

i'll drop the price to $18 including shipping. Note yes you can buy a 1/2" screw partial thread that is long enough for ~ $5 , But you'd still need to accurately drill the pin hole and hacksaw off the threads and a file to clean things up. And pay for gas to run to the hardware store or pay for shipping...

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

They make replacements for the "A" frame jack, here is one I have been "eyeballing"
https://www.amazon.com/Golflame-Trai...7JC3P9HH&psc=1

A top wind jack will interfere with the propane tank cover. All current bumper pull Escapes have a side wind jack.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

A top wind jack will interfere with the propane tank cover. All current bumper pull Escapes have a side wind jack.

Good point, back to the drawing board......

[BobG]

I modified hand crank to use a drill. I have used the hand crank on the 21NE and the power jack on a 17B. My drill is 11 year old 14.4V Li, 2 speed with variable speed trigger and original batteries.

My experience: Drill is faster than adjusting the leveling arms with a hand crank and the drill is much faster than both the power and hand tongue jacks. I operate at high speed setting except sometimes when lifting the tongue when I switch to low speed. When raising the leveling arms, I slow down as they near the full up position to avoid twisting my wrist as they top out.

Advantages that I see using the drill is that it is a little more secure from thieves, is faster and it is easier.

The advantage of the hand jack vs the power jack is that the foot is a couple inches higher when in the raised position, it is less expensive, and it doesn't interfere as much with opening truck tailgates.

[Iowa Dave]

The reason I do not use the drill, or as some do, the impact wrench for deployment is that I am still able to get down on the ground and get back up, have virtually no shoulder problems and have maintained my physical strength pretty well. I feel that any stretching that the set up of the trailer requires is physically good for me. We do have an electric trailer jack that was on the trailer when we got it. I’m not concerned about speed when I’m setting up, I’m retired. To each his or her own.
Iowa Dave

[Escape_19]

Why wouldn't anyone just go to a power tongue jack if they were changing?

[brroberts]

Originally Posted by Escape_19

Why wouldn't anyone just go to a power tongue jack if they were changing?

Most of us have cordless drills, and a 1/2” bolt is a lot cheaper.

[Ron in BC]

I converted my jack because of handle interference with my tailgate.

All that's needed is a 1/2" bolt long enough to have a smooth shank past the rear bearing. Cut off the threads and drill a hole.

I use my non-impact drill for fast up and down only. The design of the tongue jack is low quality. There are no bearings and at the rear it's a metal shaft through a drilled hole, very low tech and not good for a heavy load situation.

I made a manual handle for the heavy part of use like cranking up the WDH or final lifting the tongue to a level position.

Like the stabilizer situation, it's good for fast up and down in no load situations but it's better to finish off manually.

Ron

[schmidjo]

sold - move to archive. Thanks everyone.