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Old 03-31-2015, 09:12 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Wow, that's close... like it was made for the garage (which, of course, it was )

Adding spacers to move the jack up (or changing it out for one which sits higher) adds clearance to install the wheel, but it also limits the height the tongue can be lifted to, and causes tailgate/hatch interference for some tow vehicles. A clever alternative which I read about in a FiberglassRV forum discussion is the Ultimate Jack. The body slides vertically and can be pinned at various heights, to suit the requirements of the moment. I haven't personally tried it, but if well made it could be a good solution is the conventional jack doesn't quite work for someone's situation.
Looks really good. Will have to see if it clears everything on 21' with the Silverado.
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Old 03-31-2015, 10:31 AM   #22
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The ultimate jack is nice, but may not work with the Escape since it is top wind and you may have clearance issues with the propane tank in the lower position. Measure first.
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Old 03-31-2015, 11:08 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
The ultimate jack is nice, but may not work with the Escape since it is top wind and you may have clearance issues with the propane tank in the lower position. Measure first.
You are correct, won't work on 21. Is right against propane cover.
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Old 03-31-2015, 11:22 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
...Adding spacers to move the jack up (or changing it out for one which sits higher) adds clearance to install the wheel, but it also limits the height the tongue can be lifted to, and causes tailgate/hatch interference for some tow vehicles...
Now if I was wanting to add a wheel to my jack and did not have sufficient clearance to put it on, I would consider putting the wheel on semi-permanently (using a pin or bolt through the jack shaft). I would then measure the distance that the wheel will extend to below the bottom of the existing jack shaft, and would add spacers to the top of the jack (as described previously in this thread) to raise the entire jack assembly an amount equal to that distance. The end-result would be no loss in jack travel from the original amount, but will do nothing to resolve (and could worsen) any tailgate clearance issues.

Of course, I do not have any need or desire to add a wheel to my jack, so this is unlikely to be done by me.
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Old 03-31-2015, 03:46 PM   #25
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Could also just cut the amount req'd off the bottom of the tube. Wouldn't seem to make sense to me to buy another one when the present one can be used.

Ron
Cutting is not as straight forward, because I will need to re-drill the holes on the tube that are used to pin the wheel.

The trailer is really low clearance. We can't even keep the jack base foot plate installed when towing due to its interference with the safety chains. No way we can keep the wheel attached full time.

Just when I thought a dolly from Harbor Freight can solve our problem, I realize that we do want the option to use the hitch wheel at the campsite. We had visited a couple of campgrounds where we turned the trailer(our old popup) around for better hookup/view point. Addressing the jack is probably more versatile, unless I want to bring the dolly with us everywhere we go.
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Old 03-31-2015, 03:57 PM   #26
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This has gotten a following among Casita folks:
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Old 03-31-2015, 04:44 PM   #27
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With previous trailers I thought a wheel on the jack was a standard, indispensable aid to fine-tune maneuvering the trailer after De-hitching. Taking delivery of the 19 I got really miffed when their shop wheel came off and went back to the factory leaving me with no way to pivot the trailer.

Reading my rant, Fran, nearby, not needing hers, gave me one, free. I remain most thankful for that. I subsequently found, however, that leaving the swivel wheel attached when towing put the jack too close to the pavement. If ever De-hitched in transit (yes it happened to me) the tongue cup could not nest in the safety chains. That means the swivel wheel is now in control of the trailer while the tow driver is gathering his/her wits and slowing down.

Seems like a recipe for a tragic flip-over. I now keep my swivel wheel stored in the tongue box, available to slip on after parking, if ever needed. It never has been needed.

I should mention the 19 is just too much trailer for me to manually nudge over, anyway. And, my new tow has this great little video camera in its tail gate.
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Old 03-31-2015, 05:04 PM   #28
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Myron,

It doesn't appear your coupler would catch in the chains even with the wheel off...I concur that the wheel should come off when traveling, but perhaps your chains could also be shortened?
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Old 03-31-2015, 05:11 PM   #29
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Could be. The thing is, once De-coupled the trailer is now pulled only by the chains, stretching them taught, raising the nest. Shorting by another link might be ok but then reduces your turning freedom left and right. Also, if too short that eliminates needed slack for using a Clovis hook.
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Old 03-31-2015, 07:13 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akoaoka View Post
Cutting is not as straight forward, because I will need to re-drill the holes on the tube that are used to pin the wheel.

The trailer is really low clearance. We can't even keep the jack base foot plate installed when towing due to its interference with the safety chains. No way we can keep the wheel attached full time.

Just when I thought a dolly from Harbor Freight can solve our problem, I realize that we do want the option to use the hitch wheel at the campsite. We had visited a couple of campgrounds where we turned the trailer(our old popup) around for better hookup/view point. Addressing the jack is probably more versatile, unless I want to bring the dolly with us everywhere we go.
All problems usually have a solution. The first step is understanding the problem and for this some data is required. The number in inches that the bottom of the tube would have to have removed or the height that the spacers would need to be has to be measured. Give us some idea of what that amount is.

The tube is easy to remove, shorten and drill a new hole for the pin. I never travel with the wheel attached. I pull the pin and put the wheel in the box.

I'm sure there's enough help on the forum to work out a solution. Don't worry about a dolly, they have some drawbacks also. Also, I'd rather pull my trailer uphill with a rope around my waist to the back bumper than push it uphill with a dolly. (Actually I cheated and made a power dolly because pushing or pulling is too much like work)

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Old 03-31-2015, 07:40 PM   #31
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When I tried to hitch up today, using my regular hitch, I couldn't get the jack up far enough to remove the blocks under the jack post. I had to install the WDH, which is higher than the regular hitch, to remove the blocks.
I think the easiest thing to do is use Linx blocks and a bottle jack to raise the nose enough to insert the wheel.
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Old 03-31-2015, 08:09 PM   #32
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Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
When I tried to hitch up today, using my regular hitch, I couldn't get the jack up far enough to remove the blocks under the jack post. I had to install the WDH, which is higher than the regular hitch, to remove the blocks.
I think the easiest thing to do is use Linx blocks and a bottle jack to raise the nose enough to insert the wheel.
Here is a trick that I have used when you cannot lift the front of the trailer high enough with the jack to clear the hitch. Jack the trailer up as high as it will go. Put down the front stabilizers on the Escape. Back off the jack enough to fit another block below the jack post. Add another block and jack up the front end. Raise your front stabilizers, hitch up your car, and you are good to go.
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Old 03-31-2015, 08:17 PM   #33
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That's a plan. As long as they hold up.
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Old 03-31-2015, 10:49 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
I subsequently found, however, that leaving the swivel wheel attached when towing put the jack too close to the pavement. If ever De-hitched in transit (yes it happened to me) the tongue cup could not nest in the safety chains.
I think this is a common problem, and occurs with tow vehicles (such as mine) that have a relatively low hitch receiver (and thus low safety chain loops) and higher trailer tongue - essentially, anyone who needs a significant rise (rather than drop) in the ball mount.
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Old 03-31-2015, 10:57 PM   #35
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Here is a trick that I have used when you cannot lift the front of the trailer high enough with the jack to clear the hitch. Jack the trailer up as high as it will go. Put down the front stabilizers on the Escape. Back off the jack enough to fit another block below the jack post. Add another block and jack up the front end. Raise your front stabilizers, hitch up your car, and you are good to go.
Sounds like a good plan to me. I would certainly do this with my current (non-Escape) trailer, but it doesn't have front stabilizers (only rear, which I added).

Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
That's a plan. As long as they hold up.
I'm sure the front stabilizers will hold up, since they're all rated higher than required for this purpose. Are Escape front stabilizers the same BAL C-Jacks as the rear stabilizers? Those are rated to hold the whole weight of the trailer - just the front is nothing for them.
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Old 03-31-2015, 11:18 PM   #36
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They are not jacks, as ETI often repeats. They are stabilizers, only intended to keep the trailer from rocking when somebody is moving about inside.
They might hold up, briefly, if used to support the front of the trailer ( most weight being on the wheels - of my single axle ).
It might work, but then it might fail on you.
Only speaking for my trailer.
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Old 03-31-2015, 11:39 PM   #37
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They are not jacks, as ETI often repeats. They are stabilizers, only intended to keep the trailer from rocking when somebody is moving about inside.
They are not intended by Escape Trailer Industries to be used as lifting jacks, but the suggested method does not lift with them, only holds static load. Besides, they are jacks, used to prevent vertical motion by supporting load and thus stabilizing the trailer.

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Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
They might hold up, briefly, if used to support the front of the trailer ( most weight being on the wheels - of my single axle ).
It might work, but then it might fail on you.
The C-Jack is rated by the manufacturer to holds thousands of pounds - much more than needed. They are rated far higher than typical tongue jacks on light trailers. They are also described by BAL as "fine leveling" jacks, which means they're even good for cranking them to raise the trailer (not lifting the wheels off the ground) to adjust the level while carrying load. If these jacks collapse holding up the front of the trailer without the tongue jack, they are clearly defective.

If the front jacks are 3/4 of the way from axle to coupler, they will need to support 4/3 of the tongue weight if nothing is supporting the tongue. That's a few hundred pounds at most... and there are two jacks.

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Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
Only speaking for my trailer.
Perhaps Baglo's trailer has some other model, but even the wimpiest stabilizing (not leveling) jack can safely hold much more than the tongue weight of an Escape. In the BAL line, the lightest are the Light Trailer Stabilizing Jack (the model I put on my current trailer), which can lift 1400 pounds per pair and support a full ton per pair... four times the capacity needed for an Escape 17'.
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Old 03-31-2015, 11:42 PM   #38
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Mine cannot be used to lift the trailer.
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Old 04-01-2015, 08:01 AM   #39
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While I don't recommend using the stabilizer "jacks" to level an Escape 17 (I believe the reason given by Escape is the possibility of bending the frame), in my case it doesn't matter; I cannot turn the crank enough to actually lift the trailer more than a 1/2" or so unless I put some kind of extension on the handle (or used a hammer drill) so it isn't going to happen.
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Old 04-01-2015, 08:25 AM   #40
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The method I suggested does not "lift" the front of the trailer with the stabilizers, you simply snug the stabilizers down to the ground, and then release the weight off the front jack. As Brian mentioned, the jacks are designed to support much more weight than the proportion of tongue weight carried during this approach.

I suggested this approach to solve Gbaglo's problem where he had to switch hitches on his tow vehicle to hook up his Escape. Presumably, he would switch hitches, hook up, move to a level spot, unhook, switch hitches, and continue towing. With this simple and pretty low risk approach you can greatly streamline that process.
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