Putting your trailer on jacks for the winter

[Raya]

Sherry,

All good here

Maybe we'll meet up at a rally sometime. Preferably in Florida!

Raya

[Michel, Bouchard]

Hi Perry, there is so many variables, it's hard to know where to draw the line

The "new" 73 Boler I got last spring had its axle replaced only 4 years ago and was totaly shot. I trust the previous owner telling me it was replaced 4 years ago, the shipment sticker from Dexter was still on the axle with the date of shipment to a Caravan dealer in Chateauguay that the the installation. I think that the previous owner was jacking it, at least it was when I went to visit it last spring. But I suspect that the axle installation wasn't properly done, they did weld it to the frame and I think that they most probably have over heated the rubbers inside the axle, so this would be the reason of its short life.

The shop that gave me the advise, they only do that, RV suspension, it's their business, may be they could make more money not telling it to customers ? But you are right, 5 years is to take with a grain of salt. It may be true with the long 30 feet trailers using Dexter double axle they are used to work on, when you think a trailer that size can easily accumulate near 7000 lbs of snow during winter.

When we got our previous Boler, a 73 in 96, the original 23 years old axle was still in good shape, I know for sure that the previous owner was jacking it that way for winters, it was the father of my wife.

In any case I'm not taking the chance and just blindly follow their advise , it's only a 10 minutes job for my peace of mind.

[Byron Kinnaman]

One has to be careful in jacking and blocking up the trailer. The picture in a previous post could be asking for trouble. If the blocks slip the axle tube could land on the blocks and ruin the axle. I have no idea how strong the axle bracket is, but I believe it was designed to hold the axle in place against the frame and not to hold the wight of the trailer. Here's what Dexter says about it.

Page 77 of Dexter's "Complete Service Manual"

2. Jack the trailer up put jack stands under the trailer frame so that the weight will be off the tires. Follow trailer manufacturer's guidelines to lift and support the unit. Never jack up or place jack stands on the axle tube or the equalizers.

Bold is my emphasis.
I don't think you really gain much by blocking. I know one person that blocks all the time even the trailer is only going to sit for a week.
I never block mine, I simply use it year around. I also doubt you gain that much by blocking except the exercise.

[Ray N]

More quotes from the Dexter Axle manual:

Found at numerous locations, with all their various suspension systems, whenever they talk about jacking up the trailer.
“CAUTION: Do not lift or support the trailer on any part of the axle or suspension system....Follow trailer manufacturers recommendations for lifting and supporting the unit.”

Found in their section on storage, general guidelines for all their suspension systems:
“If your trailer is to be stored for an extended period of time or over the winter, it is important that the trailer be prepared properly....Jack up the trailer and place jack stands under the trailer frame so that the weight will be off the trailers. Follow trailer manufacturer's guidelines to lift and support the unit. Never jack up or place jack stands on the axle tube or on the equalizers.”

[Raya]

I think one difference for those of you who use your trailers year around is that you are moving the tires fairly often. From what I understand, it's not great on the tires (radials included) to sit on the same place constantly. Of course if you are using the trailer (or moving it regularly) this isn't happening.

[Michel, Bouchard]

First I want to say that I don't want to be rude to anybody, sometimes my somewhat limited knowledge of English language turns my sentences into something I wouldn't have want.

The picture Byron was referencing to was taken from my neighbor's 30 feet caravan with dual axle, its brackets were made for that. Myself, on my Boler I put the blocks againts the frame as near as I can from the axle.

Don't ever use stabilizers a the corners. I saw so may caravans in winter time with their doors opened because freeze did expand the ground under them. The force may not be enough to permanently twist a frame but enough to make the door opened at least.

[Raya]

Michel,

Totally understandable since English is not your first language (but also I can see where you would want to explain that). I spent a year in a French-speaking country and oh boy, some of the things I said (that I did not mean)

Two I can remember:

At the crowded dinner table on Easter, I told a cousin of the family I was staying with "Je t'aime" He was sitting across the table, so of course I had had to speak up and everyone heard me. Erm...oopsie, it turns out that even though that verb means both "love" and "like," the way I said it meant I'd just declared "I love you" (Should have said "Je t'aime bien," which means more of "I like you as a friend," and believe me, I won't be forgetting that!)

Another time (why are these always at the dinner table), when the mom asked me if I would like another helping of food, I said, No thank you, and then used French words that translated directly to "I'm finished." Well, she gave me a really weird look, and it took a bit of explaining for me to understand that, although we (casually if incorrectly) use these words in English, it DID sound a bit drastic, and I should have said "I have finished." Maybe she thought her cooking had just about killed me (which could not have been further from the truth).

Anyway, back to jacks and axles

Raya

[Byron Kinnaman]

Michel,
Thanks for the explanation.
As for the language thing, your English is much better then my French.
I'm reminded of my working days and talking often to a customer in Montreal. Many times we had to each repeat things using slightly different words to communicate. A great learning experience for me and hopefully for him.

Happy Caravaning.

[Andrew Gibbens]

Ah, la français québécois - I worked in Lévis (Quebec City) for a while and even though I was nearly bilingual in French French as a child, I really struggled with Quebec French. It's very nearly a separate language, just from the different pronunciation, but so musical!

[Cyndi B.]

Most likely like high and low German. Different dialect.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens

Where is Frederick? From memory, he found that jacking up just the extreme four corners of a Fiber-Stream so the wheels were off the ground was enough to crack the frame.

My frame warped and sagged to the point that the door frame was out-of-square, and it flexed 1/2" when stabilized to true so that the door could operate properly.
While I read here that Scamp's frame is made from 3" x 1.5" tube, the original frame for Fiber Stream is only 2" x 1" tube for weight reduction. I have doubled up my frame with an additional 2" x 2" tube sistered to the bottom of the original, from the coupler to the bumper, with gussets at the corners where the main rails meet the tongue triangle, which is a separate piece and not bent. This tube also has thicker walls than the original. The leaf spring brackets were cut off of the original frame and new ones were installed to the bottom of the sistered frame. Now the entry door operated properly and there is no flexing when stabilized.

[Jack Allen]

I ignored and DID NOT BLOCK UP a 13' Scamp in the early 80's and several feet of snow was on the roof a number of times during the winter. In the spring the tires did not fit through the wheel well to be removed until I forced the spindle down for more clearance.