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Old 08-06-2016, 01:16 PM   #1
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Electric jack question

I'm curious if anyone has added a removable swivel wheel ( replacing the flat foot ) on an electric jack
Not sure if this would even be a good idea ( i m not an engineer)
It just seems like an option that would be handy
At times i find it somewhat difficult to line up my tow vehicle w/ trailer
Just a thought
Ideas / suggestions etc are welcome


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Old 08-06-2016, 01:22 PM   #2
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Best feature of a removable swivel wheel is that it can be removed and left at home.
I think that's where most people keep theirs. It's only of use on perfectly flat concrete. Might be of use on a really light trailer ( or you could just pick up the hitch ), but on a trailer with any tongue weight, it's quite useless.
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Old 08-06-2016, 01:56 PM   #3
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Name: Mike
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I have an electric jack on my burro . The wheel was permanent and was always a issue bottoming out so I removed it and made a sleeve so I could take it off when towing. It now works very well
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Old 08-07-2016, 10:24 AM   #4
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The wheel does add about 4" of height which in some campsites can be very important when trying to level up the trailer.
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Old 08-07-2016, 11:57 AM   #5
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To those that responded
Thanks
So what im looking for is doable
I was thinking that it might help in attaching tow veh to trailer
And then be removed
For traveling
Any suggestions on where to find one
I was also thinking i could leave the flat foot on and get one if those car caster dollies w/ 3 or 4 wheels to slide under the foot
While i m sure on pavement it would work but not on dirt

Thoughts ?



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Old 08-07-2016, 12:00 PM   #6
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Name: Tommy
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I use my wheel all the time. I'm by myself and my trailer about 90% of the time, so getting it lined up exactly every time is a little hard for me. My solution is to take a long piece of three-quarter inch plywood, and use it as a base for the wheel. I find that I can jockey the trailer around to line it up above the ball.
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Old 08-07-2016, 12:18 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papasm2 View Post
I use my wheel all the time. I'm by myself and my trailer about 90% of the time, so getting it lined up exactly every time is a little hard for me. My solution is to take a long piece of three-quarter inch plywood, and use it as a base for the wheel. I find that I can jockey the trailer around to line it up above the ball.
Now that's just too simple a fix.
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Old 08-07-2016, 12:51 PM   #8
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Our NTU 2013 Casita SD 17 came with a removable wheel (you have to take it off when traveling, as it hangs down too low). I asked about it, on the Casita Forum I think, and responses were universally, "Get a foot! You don't want a third pivot point and the danger of the trailer rolling unexpectedly!"

So I got a removable Curt Jack Foot from Amazon:

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

and that's what I use all the time. Some say the wheel is useful if you need to have the trailer pulled up onto a flatbed tow truck, so I keep it in my TV just in case. The jack foot works great.

For backing up, I bought a pair of magnetic telescoping yellow balls, like those in the photo below.

Ultra-Tow Magnetic Trailer Alignment Kit | Trailer Alignment| Northern Tool + Equipment

You put one on your hitch ball, and the other on the hitch and back up, keeping them in line. All my wife has to do is tell me how many inches distant I am. But if you first raise the trailer hitch so it hits the guide stem on your TV, you could manage it by yourself.

/Mr Lynn
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Old 08-07-2016, 04:21 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Lynn View Post
Our NTU 2013 Casita SD 17 came with a removable wheel (you have to take it off when traveling, as it hangs down too low). I asked about it, on the Casita Forum I think, and responses were universally, "Get a foot! You don't want a third pivot point and the danger of the trailer rolling unexpectedly!"

So I got a removable Curt Jack Foot from Amazon:

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

and that's what I use all the time. Some say the wheel is useful if you need to have the trailer pulled up onto a flatbed tow truck, so I keep it in my TV just in case. The jack foot works great.

For backing up, I bought a pair of magnetic telescoping yellow balls, like those in the photo below.

Ultra-Tow Magnetic Trailer Alignment Kit | Trailer Alignment| Northern Tool + Equipment

You put one on your hitch ball, and the other on the hitch and back up, keeping them in line. All my wife has to do is tell me how many inches distant I am. But if you first raise the trailer hitch so it hits the guide stem on your TV, you could manage it by yourself.

/Mr Lynn
Those telescoping tennis balls are the best thing ever invented for hooking up to a trailer!!!!!! They allow you to do it all by yourself and leave your spouse out of the picture ensuring that you will be able to start your trip without having a bodacious fight over xy coordinates and spouse's inability to understand that both are important!!!!! $9.95 at Fleet Farm!
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Old 08-07-2016, 05:16 PM   #10
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Name: Lynn
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21C, NTU April 2022 (was 2013 Casita Spirit Deluxe 17)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Cantrell View Post
Those telescoping tennis balls are the best thing ever invented for hooking up to a trailer!!!!!! They allow you to do it all by yourself and leave your spouse out of the picture ensuring that you will be able to start your trip without having a bodacious fight over xy coordinates and spouse's inability to understand that both are important!!!!! $9.95 at Fleet Farm!
Actually it's xyz coordinates. But my wife does understand them. I just have to caution her to stop shouting and waving her arms in two directions at the same time.

/Mr Lynn
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Old 08-07-2016, 06:19 PM   #11
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Name: Tom and Stephanie
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I know about the z coordinate but we're still working on x and y. I now can take care of z by measuring the trailer hitch to 2 inches above my knee cap the tennis balls take care of x and y. And we all live happily ever after.................
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Old 08-07-2016, 07:59 PM   #12
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Name: Peter
Trailer: Trillium Jubilee 15'-0
British Columbia
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I really like having the wheel on my adjustable leg and find that the the vast majority of campsites that I've experienced are gravel or grass which allows me to manoeuvre the hitch onto the ball by a little movement sideways or backwards and forwards.

At a recent site at Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island I was able to 'spin' the Jubilee 180º on my own in order to make a much easier exit from a site that I had Driven into. I wouldn't be without that wheel and I will be adding the piece of 3/4" plywood to sit it on in order to make life even simpler.
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