Trailer Jack for Coachmen 192 RBS

[Last_Train]

The bottle jacks I have on hand will not reach high enough to a secure jacking point on our trailer frame. What do you recommend? Larger bottle jack? Andersen Rapid Jack? Other?

Also, seems to be some discussion about the proper jacking point on our 192 RBS. A call to our dealer was just a little too imprecise for my liking.

Your thoughts?

[Last_Train]

SoundGuy wrote:


Since the Rapid Jack can be flipped on it's side for this same use I could leave my wood stack at home ... love it when something like this can be used for more than one purpose. 🙂

We actually did that for this past weekend, and it worked great - albeit on a smooth, concrete pad site. Due to its somewhat crescent shape I'd want to take a close look at uneven ground before using it under our landing jack. But then again, maybe I'm just a little too cautious . . . Still happy with it, regardless.

[SoundGuy]

SoundGuy wrote:
Thanks for your report, I'll have to get an Andersen Rapid Jack for my own 192RBS. 🙂

Last Train wrote:
I tested it yesterday on a concrete pad site when we were breaking camp from a long weekend trip.

So after my one test, I'd say sure, it works for our 192 RBS rigs. Let me know if you have other observations.

I always use a 6" stack to reduce tongue jack extension when camping on a "level" or tongue high site, only replace it with a single piece of plywood when on a tongue low site.



Since the Rapid Jack can be flipped on it's side for this same use I could leave my wood stack at home ... love it when something like this can be used for more than one purpose. 🙂

[Last_Train]

SoundGuy wrote:
Thanks for your report, I'll have to get an Andersen Rapid Jack for my own 192RBS. 🙂

I tested it yesterday on a concrete pad site when we were breaking camp from a long weekend trip. On fully inflated (50 psi - cold) tires, I placed the jack in front of the street side tandem wheel - just as if I were chocking the tire. With my wife carefully watching - and I think having someone watching is key -I just pulled forward slowly until she said "Stop." The result was that the rear tire was lifted perhaps 1 1/2" above the pavement. I didn't measure, but it was certainly sufficient to raise a fully inflated tire in order to remove it.

You know how our 192 RBS easily absorbs things like speed bumps, etc.? It just sort of glides over them (for non-owners). Well, this favorable attribute is why, admittedly after only one effort, that you really need someone observing when you need to stop on top of the Rapid Jack at the appropriate point. I really could not tell from inside our Ridgeline when I needed to stop. I could foresee that I might easily continue rolling forward with the Andersen then it flipping upward and getting caught in between the axles. I didn't take time to analyze the geometry, so maybe I'm just dead wrong. It was only eyeball analysis. But we had a 4+ hour trip to get home before us, and 18-20 mph headwinds, to boot, so we were in a hurry to hit the road.

My question about jacks for our rig was to have a "best practice" approach to raising the trailer. Certainly blocking a bottle jack is an obvious solution, but I kind of like to reduce the number of variables when lifting significant weight off the ground. So after my one test, I'd say sure, it works for our 192 RBS rigs. Let me know if you have other observations.

[SoundGuy]

beemerphile1 wrote:
That doesn't work with all rigs depending on the axles and the equalizer. Try it before you need it.

Last Train wrote:
Turns out the Andersen Rapid Jack works like a charm on our rig. Did a live test to be sure.

Thanks for your report, I'll have to get an Andersen Rapid Jack for my own 192RBS. 🙂

Unfortunate we can't also use the Andersen Leveler. 😞

[Last_Train]

beemerphile1 wrote:
That doesn't work with all rigs depending on the axles and the equalizer. Try it before you need it.

Any bottle jack should reach if placed under the axle at the spring attachment point. That is the same place the weight is carried when on the road. In fact, when you have a flat tire, the jack may be too tall.

Appreciate the feedback. Turns out the Andersen Rapid Jack works like a charm on our rig. Did a live test to be sure.

[beemerphile1]

Last Train wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
blocks under the jack

...we went ahead and sprung for an Andersen Rapid Jack. Hope we never have to use it...

That doesn't work with all rigs depending on the axles and the equalizer. Try it before you need it.

Any bottle jack should reach if placed under the axle at the spring attachment point. That is the same place the weight is carried when on the road. In fact, when you have a flat tire, the jack may be too tall.

[Last_Train]

Terryallan wrote:
blocks under the jack

Truly the obvious solution, and we do have blocks on hand for that kind of use. Appreciate the affirmation. But I was thinking about the eventuality of unstable or sloping ground surface under the jack. Sort of worst case scenario type thinking. I probably should have noted that in my original post.

Since we are headed out this morning for an extended weekend camping trip to NE Texas, we went ahead and sprung for an Andersen Rapid Jack. Hope we never have to use it, but it does give me an additional option to the blocks under our existing bottle jack.

Hope I do not have to be on here reporting on its use!

[Terryallan]

blocks under the jack