Electric Tongue Jack Opinions: Atwood vs. Ultra Fab

[Michael Pupeza]

You guys are BAD!
I've now ordered one of these electric tongue jacks! Am I easily influenced? I guess so!
I've been pondering what devices to make my Egg Trailering more fun and then this
thread came up. I've seen these but never really considered it until I heard all of
the pro's, con's and other. Now it seems that I MUST have one! I really can see how it
would be a benefit, so I took the plunge!
With the side wheel screw jack wheel leveler and this jack, it should be much easier
and better to level up.
Thanks, guys!
Now, if I can still keep my Egg within safe towing weight, I should be OK.
However, no more good ideas, eh!
Mike .....>

[Jane P.]

Well, I had a chance to look at my trailer today.

The engraving on the tongue reads: 700 tongue weight. Total allowable gross trailer weight is: 5000 lbs (can that be right?)
I didn't see a total dry weight.

So, my question is: what Jack weight corresponds to the tongue weight?

DOES BARKER MAKE A VIP 25OOLB JACK? I could only find a VIP 3000 or 3500!

I'd like to contact them. Does anyone have a website for the manufacturer?

Thanks all!

[Bill K]

http://www.barkermfg.com/

Bill K

I'd like to contact them. Does anyone have a website for the manufacturer?

[GeorgeR]

.............................

The engraving on the tongue reads: 700 tongue weight. Total allowable gross trailer weight is: 5000 lbs (can that be right?) .............................................
...................So, my question is: what Jack weight corresponds to the tongue weight?

I'd like to contact them. Does anyone have a website for the manufacturer?

Thanks all!

A tongue weight should be between 10-15% of the trailer weight so 700/5000 lb looks good.


The tradeoff between high versus low capacity jack could be in reliability and speed of lifting, you could ask this question. I would also ask if all Barker jacks have limit switches and recalculating ball bearings.


George.

[Donna D.]

Hi Donna,

I believe you posted a similar thought in another thread on electric tongue jacks.

Echo, echo, echo. Are you saying I'm repeating myself Sometimes that happens with age

[Jane P.]

Echo, echo, echo. Are you saying I'm repeating myself Sometimes that happens with age

Actually, I believe that a good idea is worth repeating. Your thoughts regarding protecting the tongue Jacks from ultraviolet light is a good one that I would never have thought of had I not seen it. Your repeat of this idea was great in that it reminded me not to forget.

[Jane P.]

This might be a dumb question, but can a power tongue jack have a wheel attached at the bottom? I have the swing up jack with a wheel, it's pretty convenient to get close enough and then I can wiggle the trailer around on it's wheel to hook up just right.

I spoke with Bob at Barker Mfg. Regarding your question, he said that they do not attach a wheel at the bottom of their electric Jacks and to do so would be dangerous. I asked him if he knew of a way to attack a wheel to the side of the tongue so that you could pivot the trailer into, say a small parking spot. He said he did not thing you could do such a thing.

That was a good question.

[ThomasE]

Thanks for checking, I figured there must be some clearance issues why it's not offered with a wheel.

I spoke with Bob at Barker Mfg. Regarding your question, he said that they do not attach a wheel at the bottom of their electric Jacks and to do so would be dangerous. I asked him if he knew of a way to attack a wheel to the side of the tongue so that you could pivot the trailer into, say a small parking spot. He said he did not thing you could do such a thing.

That was a good question.

[Alan #1119]

I use a manual jack with a wheel. At home and in a camp site I always lower the jack with the wheel at right angles to the trailer. That way I can bump laterally to align the hitch with the ball. For fore or aft alignment, I move the TV. You could do the same thing with the pad on the electric jack by placing it on a board and moving it by bumping. A slick board would work easiest.

[RussL]

The engraving on the tongue reads: 700 tongue weight. Total allowable gross trailer weight is: 5000 lbs (can that be right?)
I didn't see a total dry weight.

Hi Jane,

You may already realize this or I may be incorrect but it sounds like you're describing the capacities stamped on the coupler at the front of the tongue. These would be expected to be quite a bit higher than the actual weight of your trailer or tongue. Those numbers apply strictly to the coupler and don't necessarily imply that the rest of the trailer is built to support those weights.

Russ

[Jane P.]

Hi Jane,

You may already realize this or I may be incorrect but it sounds like you're describing the capacities stamped on the coupler at the front of the tongue. These would be expected to be quite a bit higher than the actual weight of your trailer or tongue. Those numbers apply strictly to the coupler and don't necessarily imply that the rest of the trailer is built to support those weights.

Russ

That is exactly what I was describing!

Let's get something out in the open about me:

I was thinking that these numbers were way high. The trailer's dry should only be 500 - 800 pounds higher than the Bigfoot 17. And the tongue weight should be between 450 - 500 pounds. The numbers on the stamp I was looking at mirrors a Bigfoot 21 or 25.

But what is the purpose of the stamp by the coupler. Why is it so high?

And, what should I be looking at with respect to an appropriately sized electric tongue Jack?

I need [b]info!

[BobB]

I think you were looking at the rating for the coupler, ie the highest loads it is designed for. Just about any electric tongue jack you choose will more than handle the 500# tongue weight of your trailer. Installation is pretty simple, as long as the 3 bolt pattern on the tongue fits the 3 bolt pattern on the electric tongue jack. One 10 gauge wire connects to the Pos battery terminal and the other to one of the bolts attached to the trailer frame. There will be a fuse probably in the positive wire or inside the jack itself.