Changing your tire

[callowaykid]

Hey yall, so I have been doing a lot of catch up on the forum going back and reading a lot of old posts and I have recently been reading about all the tire blowouts. I have not run into this problem yet but I know it's just a matter time. I keep up with my tires religiously because quite honestly it scares the crap out of me to know one day I will have a blowout and it will happen when I have my wife and two young daughters in the truck with me. So my question is what kind of jack do you use to lift the frame of your travel trailer to change a tire? I have seen hydrolic jacks and run on ramps that will lift the tire up off the ground. I have a double axel with wide trax system, meaning the tires are spread apart a decent amount.
Thanks for any help

GO DAWGS!

 

[davidg]

12 ton bottle jack under the axle between the U-bolts, this is the way I do it and been doing it for many years never had any problems, other members may have different opinions.
David

 

[GOTTOYS]

12 ton bottle jack under the axle between the U-bolts, this is the way I do it and been doing it for many years never had any problems, other members may have different opinions.
David

Same way I do it. You only have to lift it an inch or two. But first get rid of the junk tires it came with and eliminate the worry of a blow out in the first place. Just because they're new doesn't mean they're any good.....Don

 

[JohnD]

So my question is what kind of jack do you use to lift the frame of your travel trailer to change a tire? I have seen hydrolic jacks and run on ramps that will lift the tire up off the ground.

GO DAWGS!

Roadside assistance . . .

 

[Lynn1130]

+1 on roadside service but if for some reason I would have to here is what I have in the storage area of the RV.

http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Aid-T...id=1465140109&sr=8-1&keywords=RV+tire+changer

 

[callowaykid]

Like the ramps Lynn just ordered 1 thanks for the insight. Yes I have Good Sam roadside but i would prefer to do it myself if possible.

GO DAWGS!

 

[MTPockets]

I have one of these.... Blaylock American Metal EZ-100 Wheel Lock https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R5PMWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_POevxbG6CKB23

 

[Gaffer]

Here you go. For more check out this very recent thread: https://heartlandowners.org/showthr...-Tire-Changing-Tool-for-2014-Road-Warrior-425

 

[Lynn1130]

OK, no offense here but why would one spend the effort to crawl under the axle, put down spacers, jack the axle up with the chance of the whole thing slipping off and injuring you while along side the road in 115 degree heat and that is just the air temps, when you can put the trailer aid or something similar under the wheel and pull forward or backward and have it in the air to work on? Or, my first choice call Good Sam.

 

[avvidclif]

Which tire did you want to change????

 

[JohnDar]

OK, no offense here but why would one spend the effort to crawl under the axle, put down spacers, jack the axle up with the chance of the whole thing slipping off and injuring you while along side the road in 115 degree heat and that is just the air temps, when you can put the trailer aid or something similar under the wheel and pull forward or backward and have it in the air to work on? Or, my first choice call Good Sam.

The TrailerAid is rated for 15000 lbs. So, if you've had your rig weighed and are safely under that, probably no problems. My BH3670 came in at 14575 lbs. at a rally a few years back and we didn't have all of our current "stuff" on board. Although I still have my black TrailerAid from when we had a lightweight TT, I'm not too sure I'd use it now. But I keep it in the truck in case someone with a smaller rig needs a hand (or our FD rescue equipment trailers blow a tire). The 4-point Ground Control system I have will lift a side, though, and I have a 12 ton bottle jack, as well.

 

[katkens-DW]

Last time we called Good Sam they said 4 hours wait ! I won' tell you what I said that was with broken springs.

 

[avvidclif]

Last time we called Good Sam they said 4 hours wait ! I won' tell you what I said that was with broken springs.

In that case, for a flat, I would probably just fix it myself. If a broken spring and off the road pull out a lawn chair and a cold one and wait.

 

[pegmikef]

I have used Good Sams Roadside Assistance twice in four years and both times someone arrived to change the tires in less that an hour. I have no complaint. The first time it was a truck tire and since I had had the service for over a year I decided to see if it worked and how the response was. I am satisfied with it . . . so far.

 

[Lynn1130]

Yeah, I think Texas would be like the rest of us that live and travel in the west. It is a long way between towns and if they can get there in an hour or slightly over I can live with it.

 

[katkens-DW]

In that case, for a flat, I would probably just fix it myself. If a broken spring and off the road pull out a lawn chair and a cold one and wait.

We were still on the road 2 lane road at that it was a mess. Then we realized we were 2 miles from the campground called our friend Bill Liming and he came and helped us by staying behind us watching things as we creeped down the road to the campground. Had Goodyear tires and it held up had a good size groove in it but it still held.

 

[JohnD]

I've looked at these and almost bought one several times:



But I've read that they don't work so good . . .

Has anyone here ever actually used one of these?

And how did it work?

 

[DuaneG]

Also interested in if the trailer aid works. Had major blow out the other day and good Sam road assist was worthless and I have been paying for years. We had the blow out in the mountains and barley got the trailer off the road. Asked them to start a tow ASAP but they wanted to ask a bunch of irrelevant questions and then insisted on using their GPS phone system to determine where I was. I told him my exact highway address with mile maker number and direction of travel. I told them the closest town with services. He told me I was in a different location. Anyway they took 40 minutes to find a company who wanted to change a tire. And then the tow truck went right by us along with three others that were diverted to a major accident. They never called to check on us or see if we were helped. It ended up taking over 4.5 hours.

The next day I ordered 5 new Goodyear tires and 2 bottle jacks and jack stands so I can do it myself in the future. Hopefully these tires will work better.

I didn't mind waiting an hour so I would not aggravate old injuries but sitting out in the heat waiting was miserable and wish I would have just changed it myself. Lots of lessons Learned this weekend.

Since each axle was rated at 7k I assumed the 6 ton 12k bottle jacks will work so I just bought 2 for approx the same price as one of the 12 ton jacks.

Thanks for sharing where to position them on the axle and the link to the other thread.

 

[Lynn1130]

666 customers on Amazon give it a 4.5 rating (out of 5).

 

[avvidclif]

Stack up boards (3 2x6) to simulate the height of the trailer aid and pull the front tire up on them. Does the rear tire clear the ground. If not you need the tall trailer aid. They have 2 different heights. The amount of movement in the center link is the problem.