Any changed a fixed to a swing away jack?

[Monk]

The center mount trailer tongue jack drags when entering my driveway on my Scamp 16. It has resulted in damage to the "A" mounting. Want to find if someone has changed to a swing away side crank jack. I have only 5 inches of horizontal clearance between the tanks and "A" mount.

Much appreciate any ideas.

[Casita Greg]

Not a swing away, but I think this is even better. When the tongue is on the hitch ball, the entire jack stem is removable. I also like it for the fact that I can now open the tailgate on my truck with the trailer hooked up. Something I couldn't do before. I've had mine for about two years now and love it. No welding, drilling or anything exotic to change your existing jack. In fact, you use your existing jack in it. Only need a few wrenches and about 20 minutes to install it.
To remove it, just get the weight off it and drop the wheel, then give it a 1/3 of a turn and lift it out.

Jack-E-Up

[mary and bob]

I installed a "Ultimate Jack" on my Casita. The whole thing raises and lowers by turning a lever. Kind of expensive, around $60, but works great for me. I can raise it up for travel, drop it down to open the truck tailgate. Bought it at Tractor Supply.

[Monk]

Both are great alternatives. Look at both on line. The Ultimate Jack seems to be very adjustable.

Thanks for the quick reply.

[mary and bob]

The Ultimate Jack is actually not made to completely slide it out the top. I easily modified mine so I could do that, but found that I never needed to do that. It will drop low enough to open the tailgate. I bought one of those Jack-E -Up but never installed it. Due to another mod on the tongue it was too big, and I didn't want to remove the jack completely anyways. Either one should work for you.

[gordon2]

Another happy " Ultimate Jack" owner here but a word of caution...

The lever that allows you to raise and lower the jack is held in place by a hitch pin clip. With the clip inserted as shown in the instructions (see photo below), I had an experience with it coming out while on the road, and the jack dropping down. I was lucky that it did not hit the ground. YMMV.

I now insert the clip all the way in (to the big circle) when going on the road. It can be a bear to get out (even more so the way I do it) and it takes a few wacks with a hammer or piece of wood while jiggling the handle to get it out. But at least the jack is securely locked in place. I carry spare clips also since I know I will bend or break it sooner or later.

[Mike Magee]

I am a longtime happy user of swing-away jacks. In fact, when I ordered my Hauley I specified a swing-away jack be installed at the factory. For other trailers, I've relied on the cheap-o Harbor Freight swinging jacks because they bolt on easily (no welding, yay!) and are affordable.

[Sohkraites]

We installed the center post lift during our rebuild, and on our first trip, we came out of a gas station and in the dip of the driveway, we bent the a-frame and the plate of the jack. At our next stop, we went and got a swing away jack and installed it at the camp ground. Unfortunately, the handle wasn't very well secured and we lost the handle somewhere on the . We ended up replacing it with a home made one made from a bolt, some of washers and a length of PVC pipe. Although we like the swing away, we still use a screw jack on the opposite site of the tongue for stability.

[Raspy]

The side mount swing type jacks are nice for clearance, but thy are not as stable as the center mount type. I had one identical to the one pictured. It had a snap ring holding the swivel part on. One day the snap ring popped off and the tongue fell to the ground. I suggest getting the style where there is a socket mounted to the tongue and the jack has a sleeve that fits into the socket and pins in. These can also be taken off very easily and stowed in the TV and they will not fall.

Another advantage to the side mount swing jacks is you can leave the wheel on. Then moving the trailer around is easy.

[floyd]

Scamp now uses a vertical jack on their 13. It has the plate welded lower on the case and therefore less post below the tongue.
I actually replaced my swing jack with this vertical jack right after Scamp made the change. I have had no issues with it and the tongue is closer to the ground on my 13 than on your 16.
You could buy one from Scamp or just ask them for a part number.
I did not check when I bought mine to see if they switched to this jack on the 16 or not, it would probably still extend far enough to level.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Monk

The center mount trailer tongue jack drags when entering my driveway on my Scamp 16. It has resulted in damage to the "A" mounting. Want to find if someone has changed to a swing away side crank jack. I have only 5 inches of horizontal clearance between the tanks and "A" mount.

Much appreciate any ideas.

I did on my Campster, works great, I put on a swing away wheel jack soon after I got it and eventually took off the center tongue jack.

[rainjer]

I had the same issue on my Compact Jr. I replaced the jack with this one. It retracts so high it only hangs below the frame a 3-4 inches.

Jeremy



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[mary and bob]

tongue jacks are available in different projection lengths. You have to note this when purchasing

[Captleemo]

Have you checked out one of these fastway flip jacks to see if it might work for you?

Fastway Flip 6 in. Jack Extension, 3,000 lb. - For Life Out Here

[Monk]

This is great feedback and helpful. Thank you all!
Monk

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by gordon2

...I now insert the clip all the way in (to the big circle) when going on the road. It can be a bear to get out (even more so the way I do it) and it takes a few wacks with a hammer or piece of wood while jiggling the handle to get it out. But at least the jack is securely locked in place. I carry spare clips also since I know I will bend or break it sooner or later.

Gordon2... I am now very confused! When sailing with DH a few years ago (me being newbie, he being skipper of 40+ years), he asked me to put the "cotter pin" into something on the rigging. I did. A few minutes later the pin hit the deck and something came loose. Yikes. I did it again. Again it fell.

Finally he watched what I was doing, which was inserting the clip all the way in to the "big circle", which apparently did not keep it secure. He advised me to place the pin JUST to the first "bump."

I actually cannot fathom how pushing the clip FARTHER in would make it less secure, or how it could possibly FALL OFF, but that's my story. It's true, and I'm sticking to it!