Lifting trailer-flat tire
 

I have a (new to me) triple axle Manning and I am thinking of keeping a 2x8 (the piece would be about 6 inches long with a angle cut edge) in the tow vehicle so that when (not if) I get a flat, I just pull the good tire(s) up on the wood piece and that would lift the bad tire off the ground about 1.5 inches in order to change it out...would this work (or are the axles independently sprung)?

Works great! I have never used a jack on any trailer. Get 17.5 tires and you will never have a flat....

They are independently sprung, and even if you had NO suspension, it still wouldn't work with one 2x thickness since the tires compress too with added weight.

I had a whole trailer tool box filled with multiple lengths of 2x6s that I could puzzle together to lift any of the tires off the ground. (8" to 30" long, and you don't need an angle cut on them)

However, you are not going to make it work with just one thickness of 2x8. The flat tire is going to articulate down, and you will not get a new (inflated) tire on there. And the suspension on two tires that are carrying the weight are going to articulate further up, and those tires are going to compress more; all due to the fact they are taking the weight supported by 3 tires and now only 2.

Try it in your driveway. You have to lift it high enough to get an INFLATED tire off the ground anyway, since you have to get an inflated tire back on there.

Roger that, concept works but I will have to figure out how much thickness I need... agreed?

Bottle jack works pretty easy...

I have (3) 2 x 8's angle cut and screwed together to accomplish what you describe. I also carry a bottle jack. However I replaced tires every 4-5 years and thankfully have never needed to use either!

That depends too.
I always carry a bottle jack as well. However, Myco and perhaps others install the torsion axles so the outside suspended portion of the axle where the spindle mounts to points UP, so the trailer has a lower CoG.
However, you can't snag the end of the axle with the bottle jack due to this. As such, for a torsion axle that points UP, you would have to use the bottle jack to lift the ENTIRE axle and basically the weight of the whole trailer.

Now, if your torsion axle points DOWN, you can use a bottle jack on the edge of the spindle bracket, to pivot the individual axle up.

Follow up:

"Positive Angle" torsion axle, you can use a bottle jack to lift up the spindle end.
"0* Angle" or "Negative Angle", as soon as you try to raise that spindle end up with the bottle jack, the jack is going to kick out (to the right in this diagram).

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...jgAvBEhs4tMmmg

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https://www.overtons.com/dw/image/v2...sh=1000&sm=fit

https://www.overtons.com/easy-lift-trailer-jack-315931.html?s_kwcid=adwords__&gclid=Cj0KCQjwl6LoBR DqARIsABllMSaSkuJ5qFSNKMLsOiB46TCkUhFhsUsIJ2rrgB23 6seXFQ-PyA5nOlsaAmUXEALw_wcB

But notice, that's really only designed to work on LEAF SPRING axles. IF you try to use it on a torsion axle, you are going to lift the entire trailer.

I don't know for certain that would work on a triple axle trailer. You may need two of them, depending on which tire needs replaced, and you might need to drive over it, as it's not going to fit between two tires.

That's why I like went with a bunch of 2x6s of different lengths that I could build as I needed them.

Tip: if you are going to store them in a trailer box, just use regular pine, not pressure treated. IF your pressure treated wood gets wet, the salt treatment will leak out of the wood and corrode the inside of the aluminum trailer box. Ask me how I know that.

It is a heavy pain the ass but if towing any distance I throw a floor jack in the back of the Yukon. Works for the tow vehicle and the boat trailer.

Padraig

a curb works pretty good at 4AM in the middle of No FukIng Where-- coming home from MIA.

Thank Tyson for that tid bit one time :ernaehrung004:

[QUOTE=Sydwayz;4692633]

Excellent point!

Another great piece of "motherhood"!

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6d0430de61.jpg
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Wood works great. Also, flats seem to come in pairs.

Flats come in multiples because they are abused the same way. Then when one goes, the second one close by gets over-stressed and exits the building too.

1) Cover your tires when not in use, and not parked indoors. BEST covers on the market IMHO and IME: I have at least 20 of them, over all the trailer tires AND the spare tires.

2) Don't park on dirt/grass, as it wicks moisture into (lower part of) the tires and things just go south from there. Concrete or pavement best. Gravel second, And if it has too be on dirt or grass, get them elevated onto 2x12s or something, and you can even go so far as to put shingles, teflon sheets, or plastic over the wood.

16x16 Concrete paver pads are about $3 each at Walmart. I park my trailers on them. Also what he said about one going all are close behind. I do not purchase "trailer service only" tires anymore. I try to find a load range e lt tire and keep them for many years.

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These tires are the ez button fix for all the earlier photos in this thread. I had a yard full of shredded 16's from all 6 of my various trailers. The last straw was a few years ago I had a 16 explode while I was pulling through the truck scales with a flatbed. The officers thought it was a gunshot......exciting moment....So I switched out all my tires and rims on everything. My local Commercial tire dealer seems to not want to sell these. Why? because it will significantly reduce or eliminate repairs and sales of crap 16's. I have not had 1 failure in 4 years. I had a nail leak on one. I tried to plug it but it had so much steel I could not get the plug through. Had to do a old school bust the bead and patch...........

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6da90a9f39.jpg
I have about 6-7 versions of these and they double as chocks or tongue blocks if necessary.

What brand and ply?

Ran into this problem 4 months ago. Triple axle all American, 47 ft boat. Hit a piece of concrete in the road at 3 30 in the morning. Took out the rt side center & rear wheels.
I always carry a large assortment of 2x4, 4x4 & 6x6 pieces of wood when towing. It took about an hour & a half but using wood blocks, I got the tires changed. Good thing I had 2 spares.
I now carry 2, 20 ton bottle Jack's in the trailer tool box along with half inch steel plates to put on the top of the ram where it meets the trailer. It can be done with nothing but blocks of wood.

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bought 2 of these and lifted on the frame one side at a time. worked perfectly...

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/a...5704608&ipos=2