Ultimate Trailer Jack

[mary and bob]

The Ultimate Jack is actually not removable. Well it can be with a little modification which I did. The jack has a indentation or groove down the side and a plastic guide piece that is screwed to the base. The guide piece keeps the jack from twisting when slid up and down. The groove in the jack does not go all the way to the bottom, so the jack can not be pulled up and out. The instructions say to use loctite on the screw that holds that plastic guide piece in. What I did was to extend that groove so I can pull the jack up and out if I want. Probably voids the warranty but I don't care. Turns out just by dropping the jack all the way down I can open the truck tailgate so don't need to remove it. I like it, works good for me. Can you use a side crank jack rather than a top wind. Bought my Ultimate Jack at Tractor Supply.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Kevin PDX

So, it seems like a few of you have used it and I'm wondering what the final verdict was.

.

I've been using mine for 18 months and it does what I need it to do.

A few things however:

The hitch pin came out on me one time and the jack lowered at 65 MPH. I got lucky that it does not go low enough to hit the ground and somehow even when I went over a sharply inclined driveway (before I noticed it was lowered), it did not get damaged. I now push the hitch pin ALL the way on, and it can be hard to remove (which is needed to raise or lower it).

The aforementioned plastic piece is (I think) subject to wear. No problem for me so far but something to keep an eye on. I think it might be damaged if you let the jack drop unassisted also. Always turn the lever with one hand and control the inner shaft with the other.

It looks like the minimum length from the top of the tongue to the bottom of the jack (with foot attached) is about 15 inches. Its about seven inches from the top of the tongue to the top of the handle where it is over the shaft. The handle of course is higher but it turns out of the way.

Might be best to buy from someplace where you can return it if it does not fit or work out. I knew it had been used on the Scamps so I bought it online (maybe for less) but return shipping would had been expensive if needed.

[Terry G]

Originally Posted by Kevin PDX

So, it seems like a few of you have used it and I'm wondering what the final verdict was.
Kevin B

I've been using an Ultimate Jack on my Casita 17' for the last couple seasons and absolutely love it. The problem I had with regular jacks was that I couldn't get the tube far enough up and sometimes it would hit the pavement on really big dips. The Ultimate Jack allows me to raise the bottom plate until it is right up against the bottom of the trailer frame. I bought mine at Tractor Supply for about $50.

[mary and bob]

Gordon; my hitch pin is really stiff and hard to get out when only pushed in to the first "notch". Wonder if they use a different one now. I've read your comment about it coming out before, and was thinking about using one of those pins that has the attached pivot loop that hooks over the end, like holds the foot on. Would have to make the pin hole slightly larger I would guess, even for the smallest pin available which may be 3/16.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Gordon; my hitch pin is really stiff and hard to get out when only pushed in to the first "notch". Wonder if they use a different one now. I've read your comment about it coming out before, and was thinking about using one of those pins that has the attached pivot loop that hooks over the end, like holds the foot on. Would have to make the pin hole slightly larger I would guess, even for the smallest pin available which may be 3/16.

It does seem to me that something better might be possible. Whether the clip is in normally, or all the way, it is hard to remove. And I don't have complete faith in it to hold. Maybe I should call the manufacturer to see what they suggest since I had the problem but so far I have just been using it as is. BTW, I take the safety chain hook and put it on the clip, then pull the chain to get the clip out.

[Kenny in Ohio]

I bought one at Tractor Supply a couple of years ago. Had to grind the hole in the trailer a-frame a little to allow the Ultimate jack to go in. The spring loaded adjustment pin has a clip to assure it won't come out however it would seem it couldn't unless not seated properly. I spray the shaft with silicon lubricate once a year to allow it to slide freely. I wanted to be able to lower the tail gate while I was hooked up to the TV.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by gordon2

It does seem to me that something better might be possible. Whether the clip is in normally, or all the way, it is hard to remove. And I don't have complete faith in it to hold. .

How about a safety chain for the jack, from the frame to bottom of the jack to keep it from sliding down. Could someone have pulled the pin when you were away from the trailer? If we do a stop while traveling I always do a walk around before pulling away, with attention to the the coupler, jack, and ball mount pin.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Kenny in Ohio

.. The spring loaded adjustment pin has a clip to assure it won't come out however it would seem it couldn't unless not seated properly. ...

I fully disagree. First, it happened to me.. the hitch pin came out and jack lowered on the Interstate. Second, the spring loaded latch does not have to turn very far to release the inner shaft and the vibration of the road seems to be enough to do that. Third, if the spring gets old and weak, it become more likely to have an unintended drop when the hitch pin is out.

Originally Posted by mary and bob

... Could someone have pulled the pin when you were away from the trailer?..

Very very doubtful. It's been a while so I cant recall for sure, but I don't think any stops were even made from the time the jack was secured until we stopped for lunch and I saw the jack down. Yes, I do a visual check of the rig at every stop, along wiht feeling the bearings on most stops, etc.

[sokhapkin]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I fully disagree. First, it happened to me..

The pin can't go out by design. Most likely you didn't lock it. Blame yourself but not the excellent Ultimate jack.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by sokhapkin

The pin can't go out by design. Most likely you didn't lock it. Blame yourself but not the excellent Ultimate jack.

Wrong.

For example, a hitch pin clip that has been bent, or has a manufacturing defect, or is the wrong size, so that the "S" part does not apply sufficient pressure, will fail to stay in place. In the extreme case, it is nothing more than a piece of wire stuck in the hole, with nothing to hold it in place.

Now if by "lock it" you mean engaging the clip to the "A" position as shown in this diagram, then I can assure you that it was "locked."

But that did not hold. And I now "lock" it to the "B" position.

Don't get me wrong, I am happy with the jack, but this has been my experience. If you think I am wrong then feel free to do as you wish, and deal with the consequences when the jack drops at 65 MPH.

[Kevin PDX]

Originally Posted by Tom Trostel

Kevin, Another challenge you may face with a new jack for the Compact is the diameter of the hole in the tongue plate where the jack is bolted in. I could not fit a standard size jack in my 1973 without enlarging that hole.

Thanks Tom, not certain it it will be an issue. I had to pull the original jack out when I first got it. Everything was bent and misshaped took some banging with a 5# just to get the metal flat. Hole was chewed up a bit so I had to grind the rough edges out. It's already a little larger.

[Kevin PDX]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

The Ultimate Jack is actually not removable. Well it can be with a little modification which I did. The jack has a indentation or groove down the side and a plastic guide piece that is screwed to the base. The guide piece keeps the jack from twisting when slid up and down. The groove in the jack does not go all the way to the bottom, so the jack can not be pulled up and out. The instructions say to use loctite on the screw that holds that plastic guide piece in. What I did was to extend that groove so I can pull the jack up and out if I want. Probably voids the warranty but I don't care. Turns out just by dropping the jack all the way down I can open the truck tailgate so don't need to remove it. I like it, works good for me. Can you use a side crank jack rather than a top wind. Bought my Ultimate Jack at Tractor Supply.

The spare on my TV sticks out way too much for my comfort. Only a few inches clearance from the jack, even with an extended ball hitch. I'd have to either take off the spare or remove the jack.

Jack I could tuck anywhere, not so much the tire.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Kevin PDX

The spare on my TV sticks out way too much for my comfort. Only a few inches clearance from the jack, even with an extended ball hitch. I'd have to either take off the spare or remove the jack.

Jack I could tuck anywhere, not so much the tire.

Make the modification that I did and it will pull up and out

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Kevin PDX

The spare on my TV sticks out way too much for my comfort. Only a few inches clearance from the jack, even with an extended ball hitch. I'd have to either take off the spare or remove the jack.

Jack I could tuck anywhere, not so much the tire.

Have you seen Jack-E-Up ?

[Jon in AZ]

A side-mount jack might be another option.

[mary and bob]

I bought a Jack-E-Up but never installed it. Can't find it now, but the base is maybe 6 to 8" diameter and I didn't have room for it. I assume you can't travel with the jack in place on the tongue, which is what I want to do. Might work for the OP though, and cheaper than the Ultimate Jack.

[Kevin PDX]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

I bought a Jack-E-Up but never installed it. Can't find it now, but the base is maybe 6 to 8" diameter and I didn't have room for it. I assume you can't travel with the jack in place on the tongue, which is what I want to do. Might work for the OP though, and cheaper than the Ultimate Jack.

I've looked into the Jack-E-Up. I don't know about cheaper. I've priced Amazon and they're running $75 plus shipping. Otherwise it's a 3 hr drive (one way) for $50. The pricing for the Ultimate Jack from Rentz Trailer is around $50, with USPS shipping it comes to $62.

[mary and bob]

Looks like I was wrong on the Jack-E-Up price. But I did buy mine at Camping World for less than $40, although that probably was a couple years ago and it was on sale. Sorry about that.

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by sokhapkin

The pin can't go out by design. Most likely you didn't lock it. Blame yourself but not the excellent Ultimate jack.

Anything can happen of course, but for the Ultimate Jack to drop several things have to happen. First, the clip either has to be left out, pulled out, or somehow jump out against spring force and gravity (does not seem likely). Second, the horizontal jack pin has to work back out of the jack tube against spring pressure. I have the Ultimate jack and like it a lot but check these things each time. Pilot error is often found to be the cause of problems.

[Kevin PDX]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Looks like I was wrong on the Jack-E-Up price. But I did buy mine at Camping World for less than $40, although that probably was a couple years ago and it was on sale. Sorry about that.

No need to be sorry about anything. Prices fluctuate all the time. Can't count how many times I've priced and budgeted for a project only to see the costs go up.