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Old 08-17-2013, 01:58 PM   #1
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Name: Judi
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New owner learning question another

I've mastered hitching my scamp now. Last obstacle: had hitch lowered and now cannot get wheel off front of scamp to get moving. When hitch was higher, no problem. We tried turning crank all the way up and down not wheel is immovable. Any advice? Get a taller ball if one exists?
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Old 08-17-2013, 02:32 PM   #2
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If the wheel is off the ground a slight tap on the top of the wheels tube flange usually does the trick.

Occasionally I have to park the tongue on a raised jack stand to get the wheel off. I then lower the jack onto a piece of plywood and raise the ball to drop on the hitch.

If this is always a problem when hitching, your ball may be to low or your TV is dropping to far from the weight of the tongue.



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Old 08-17-2013, 02:41 PM   #3
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There is no space between ground and wheel now no matter how low or high we crank, the wheel never loses contact with ground. Since this was the second try at right height of hitch (1st try hitch was 23 inches and rode too high. They put in lower arm and hitch is now 17 1/2 inches. But again cannot make room for wheel to move from ground contact. Don't think weight on hitch is too much. I have nothing in trailer. Getting frustrated with the hitch adjusting issue.
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Old 08-17-2013, 02:48 PM   #4
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Hi, Judi. You may not want to do this, but we don't even use the wheel on our tongue jack. We just use a couple of wooden blocks under the jack stand. It means you really have to have the tow vehicle's hitch perfectly matched up to connect, but it does make the jack stand shorter.

For what it's worth, we've just gotten a new tow vehicle and were surprised that it uses the same hitch (draw bar) as the old one. The new TV is higher so we thought we'd need a draw bar with more drop. Tried it and it was too low (couldn't get the jack stand to clear the wooden blocks). So, I'm thinking my anecdote dovetails with Bob's suggestion that maybe your ball (draw bar drop) is too low.

I hope this helps - it'd be easier if I'd take/post a picture, eh?

Ah, on edit, I was posting the same time as yours, so didn't see that you have already tried the higher hitch...
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Old 08-17-2013, 02:56 PM   #5
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Here's what I have to do with our Daughters pop up camper when using the wheel on the tongue jack. I crank the jack down, put a jack stand under the tongue to hold it up, crank the jack up enough to get the wheel off, then crank it down and raise the tongue to get the jack stand out, then back the car up and hitch up. You can get inexpensive jack stands at Sears. Another method would be to back the cars rear wheels up on something when hitching up, thus raising the ball enough to get the wheel off the jack, and when you pull off whatever, the trailer sets properly. A couple pieces of 2 X 8 lumber or those lego like leveling blocks should do it, then take them with you for leveling at the campsite. I always put a wood block under the tongue jack, wheel on it or not. There is also available a curved, or dished out base to set the jack wheel in to prevent the trailer from rolling.
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Old 08-17-2013, 03:01 PM   #6
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We've seen this problem before in this forum.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Infogypsy View Post
There is no space between ground and wheel now no matter how low or high we crank, the wheel never loses contact with ground.
... hitch is now 17 1/2 inches.
This means that the tongue is never getting lower than the space required for the wheel. Unless this is an enormous wheel, that means that the jack doesn't retract short enough for this entirely reasonable tongue height - it is probably the wrong height of jack, so we should get some more information.

Is this an A-frame jack or is it mounted on the side of the frame... which usually means swiveling?

Using A-frame jacks for an example, they come in various "retracted heights", from less than 6" to more than 10". 10" of jack plus a wheel probably wouldn't fit under the tongue, but 5" of jack plus the same wheel might have room to allow the wheel to be removed.

For a quick fix, if you don't need the wheel to move the trailer around when unhitched, you can probably (depending on the jack) replace it with a plain foot which is shorter.
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Old 08-17-2013, 03:02 PM   #7
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We have the same issue on uneven ground. We hook up, crank the wheel up as far as it will go, and then put a scissor jack under the hitch point. We jack it up slightly until the wheel clears the ground, pull the wheel jack pin and swing it up, and then lower the scissor jack until it is clear. Off we go!
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Old 08-17-2013, 03:05 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mary F View Post
... we don't even use the wheel on our tongue jack.
My very used Boler came without a wheel, or even a foot. Someone had dragged the jack at some point so the end doesn't fit a wheel or foot properly anymore. We just put it down on a block, like Mary. I like the jack - a side-wind which works nicely - so I have not been in a rush to replace it just to have a wheel which lets the trailer move around when I want it to stay put.
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Old 08-17-2013, 03:37 PM   #9
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Attaching pics. Not understanding terms of responses so far. Short explanation if my situation: at 70 woman on own traveling 6-8 days in a row so can leave car hitched to trailer those days. Then 1-2 weeks parking trailer not in use. Then back on road again staying in different campground each night. Basically living on road (no house). Not sure what you mean by jack or some other terms. I can hitch trailer fine; just can not get wheel off to get on road. Hope that helps. I am determined to master this. I do hate the idea of going back to hitch people for a third bar (that holds ball). As I said I was at 24" and easy to get wheel out but trailer fish tailed mucho. Now 17 1/2 inches including ball and cannot get wheel out when hitched.
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Old 08-17-2013, 03:38 PM   #10
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Old 08-17-2013, 04:05 PM   #11
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looks like a bolt goes thru the jack and wheel to hold it on, can jack the trailer up high enough to place another jack or stabilizer underneath (even some cinder blocks) so that you can retract the jack enough to remove the bolt and wheel. Just be careful that you have adequate support and wheels are chocked.
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Old 08-17-2013, 04:38 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Infogypsy View Post
Attaching pics.
Great - that helps.

The jack is an A-frame jack.

You can see a few inches of the black outer housing of the jack sticking down beyond the frame of the trailer tongue. The wheel (which looks like an industrial caster, not a common trailer jack wheel) and its mounting hardware all has to fit in below that, and there just isn't enough room.

A jack which doesn't stick down as far would reduce and hopefully eliminate this problem. A-frame jacks like this are usually bolted in, so they are relatively easy to change... and relatively cheap.

I'll let someone else more clearly describe the jackstand approach... but it would be easier to just not use the wheel, and to put a foot on instead. The wheel is removable.
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Old 08-17-2013, 05:48 PM   #13
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Thanks. You're giving me optimism. Another jack and or an inch taller tongue bar for ball.
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Old 08-17-2013, 06:05 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Infogypsy View Post
Another jack and or an inch taller tongue bar for ball.
just be careful raising the ball mount, or as you call it the tongue bar. When hitched to trailer, the trailer should set level or slightly down in the front. If you don't use the wheel to move the trailer around, leave it off and put a block of wood [not too tall, couple pieces of 2 X 6] under the tongue jack when you unhook. Be careful with concrete blocks, they can break if a load is concentrated in a small area. On the rare occasions that I use them to support something I'll but a piece of 2 X 8 on top of the block, and the block sets with the holes up.
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Old 08-17-2013, 06:07 PM   #15
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I would if it was me, get rid of the wheel and put a foot pad on, or new jack with proper wheel. Inch higher stinger (tongue bar) might get you going, BUT what happens with dips in pavement with only a Inch clearance? My guess you would be buying a new jack anyways......
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Old 08-17-2013, 06:24 PM   #16
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So when I get to San Francisco which is where I will park trailer for 10 days and house sit, I should bring wood with me to sit trailer TV on? I don't think I want to bring a cement block w/ me but wood is okay. I did have the ball mount at 24 inches and it swayed all over so they put the lower one on. Think I won't mess any more with ball mount. Thanks. But how do I get Tv of trailer up high enough first to get the wheel off and toss it?
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Old 08-17-2013, 06:26 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Infogypsy View Post
Attaching pics. Not understanding terms of responses so far. Short explanation if my situation: at 70 woman on own traveling 6-8 days in a row so can leave car hitched to trailer those days. Then 1-2 weeks parking trailer not in use. Then back on road again staying in different campground each night. Basically living on road (no house). Not sure what you mean by jack or some other terms. I can hitch trailer fine; just can not get wheel off to get on road. Hope that helps. I am determined to master this. I do hate the idea of going back to hitch people for a third bar (that holds ball). As I said I was at 24" and easy to get wheel out but trailer fish tailed mucho. Now 17 1/2 inches including ball and cannot get wheel out when hitched.
Judi, I misspoke in my explanation. When I said "jack stand" I just meant the vertical tube that raises and lowers when you crank it. A true jack stand is actually a separate thing that one typically places under an axle or bumper to hold the vehicle in place (for example, while changing a tire). Sorry for adding to the confusement by using the wrong term.
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Old 08-17-2013, 07:59 PM   #18
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Judi, you didn't mention which trailer you have but Scamp recommends a ball height of 18" for their 13' trailer and 21" for the 16 footer. Raising the ball height may just give you the room to remove the wheel.
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Old 08-17-2013, 08:15 PM   #19
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Yes. I started there. Made sure my ball height was over 20 inches. Took a week to get it right. Only when I got 8 hours away and got
My scamp my seller told me it was too high. I made it home with white knuckles. So I lowered the hitch to 17 1/2 inch and it's to low now to get wheel jack off. Oh well we will figure it out with all your help.
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:45 PM   #20
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Smile My Solution

I had somewhat the same problem. I added a spacer where the three bolts hold the jack to the a-frame. If all you need is an inch and a half or less, this should work. I actually used a piece of 2x8, cut it in a circle with a hole in the middle like a doughnut, placed the jack in the doughnut hole, located the holes for the bolts from the jack, drilled the three holes and then bolted it on. I had to buy longer bolts, of course. After awhile, the wood did split, but a large hose clamp fixed that. Also I painted it black to match the frame.
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