Power Tongue Jack - Barker or Bulldog?

[SWFL_FlyFisher]

After a few days of hooking and unhooking during my hitch install and adjustments, we have decided that an electric tongue jack is the next addition to our TT. I've been doing a lot of searching and reading and I think I've narrowed it down to two finalists, but before I pull the trigger I figured I'd see what you all think.

Here are my top two:

Barker #30828 (3500#)

Bulldog #500188 (also 3500#)

Reviews for both seem to be pretty good, both list full one-year warranty and Barker says limited 5-year, but is about $40 more.

Thoughts/comments?

Thanks,

Daz

[bob213]

Well back to jacks...just an FYI.. the Bulldog can be rotated to miss the tailgate. Mine is.

[drsteve]

here's one for guy who demands MORE POWER. 8000 lb capacity, 12V running a hydraulic pump. Yours for only $595.

Clicky

[harley4275]

I had a Barker on another trailer and when the unit stopped working ,a simple email to the company explaining why it would do this ...they sent me a new switch (no charge)which was the only problem and it worked perfectly after the re instlall of said switch.

[Westcoasting]

Barker jacks are probably the best but having said that i haven't the need to ever look any farther as mine are great.

[DavidP]

Barker the last 10 years and has worked great.

[Atlee]

The Barker Deluxe High Power 3500, like the Husky Brute, uses a ball screw. That's what I just added to my trailer.

The power jack has always interfered with my tailgate. However, I finally read the instructions where by loosing the 3 set screws on the Barker head, the head can be turned sideways. I did that, and now I can lower the tailgate all the way.

I understand that the light is now pointed the wrong way. However, the likely hood of me unhitching in the dark is pretty slim, but in the remote possibility I had to, I'd just cut the front trailer light on.

ktmrfs wrote:

But when I need to replace either it will for sure be a ball screw jack, not an acme thread.

In my case how the motor mounts is a non issue since neither design interferes with either the tailgate or the propane tanks. But I know others who do have interference problems with the front mount motor jacks interfering with the tailgate. So check carefully first.

[ktmrfs]

I've had a barker on one trailer for 14 years now with no failures, and it sits out uncovered in the rain all winter long. I have a Atwood on the other trailer, also uncovered for 8 years. No problems either.

The summary of differences is a good summary.

However, the Atwood really strains compared to the Barker, and both are lifting similar weights and both have the same lift rating and both are acme thread. The atwood motor noticeably slows once it starts to lift whereas the barker does not.

But when I need to replace either it will for sure be a ball screw jack, not an acme thread.

In my case how the motor mounts is a non issue since neither design interferes with either the tailgate or the propane tanks. But I know others who do have interference problems with the front mount motor jacks interfering with the tailgate. So check carefully first.

[Huntindog]

This is a common question, and there are many threads on this. The common theme seems to be that the Barker owners are very attached to their jacks, almost all of them rave about the fantastic customer service. My take on that is that it can't be all that reliable if customer service is needed so much. That said, there are two basic designs. The front side mounted motor ie: Barker, Ultrafab etc. And the top mounted motor ie: Atwood. Most of the front side mounted motors offer a built in level on the top, which at least on some of them doubles as the plug for the backup hand crank. The front side mounts have many drawbacks. On many TTs using the backup hand crank will require either removing the propane tanks, or turning the crank 1/2 turn, removing it, turning it 180 degrees, reinserting it and repeat this process. Very inconvenient. My concern here is not the need to use the handcrank due to a jack failure so much as a dead battery Due to the motor being mounted on the front side it almost always will result in interference with the tailgate. A common solution is to rotate the jack so that the motor is on the side. But then the hitch light points in the wrong direction. The front side mounts also have several penetrations (holes) in the housing for the switches and backup crank that is a common source of water intrusion into the motor. This is so common that many have posted here that Barker has supplied them with a free cover for the jack. This style of jack really needs to be covered, to eliminate the risk of water intrusion. Owners report that they can operate the jack without removing the cover by feeling the switch through it. But then the light is useless. Owners report that they don't use the light anyway. Probably because most of them have rotated the jack for tailgate clearance, so it points in the wrong direction. I would have a concern that the light switch would get turned on accidently and since it was under the cover go unnoticed and drain the battery. Then the hand crank would need to be used. See previous concern. If your TT has a front slide, then you may have to use a front side mounted motor as they are a little shorter and less likely to interfere with the slide. The top mounted motor, (Atwood) has no penetrations in the housing for water intrusion. So it doesn't need covering. The backup crank inserts in the front, so there is no propane tank interference. And the motor will not interfere with the tailgate. So the jack can point the light at the hitch where it is needed. The only complaints some have is they don't like the sound of the motor as much as some of the others. That's got to be a personal thing, as mine sounds like music every time I press the button and it does it's work without me breaking a sweat. And I cannot attest to Atwood's customer service as in 18 years of use, I haven't needed any. I also haven't read about it here either. At any rate, look the features of both styles over closely and decide which one makes sense for you. Spend the money. Then enjoy it. I hope this helps.

[SoundGuy]

Atlee wrote:
The Barker allows you to loosen 3 set screws and turn the head sideways, thus allowing the tailgate to fully lower.

I just replaced the junk power tongue jack that came on my trailer with a Barker Deluxe High Power 3500 Ball screw jack Part #27452. I was easily able to turn the head to the side. The jack is relatively quiet and operates very smoothly.

Thanks for that info, good to know! :B

[Atlee]

The Barker allows you to loosen 3 set screws and turn the head sideways, thus allowing the tailgate to fully lower.

I just replaced the junk power tongue jack that came on my trailer with a Barker Deluxe High Power 3500 Ball screw jack Part #27452. I was easily able to turn the head to the side. The jack is relatively quiet and operates very smoothly.

SoundGuy wrote:


Depending on what your goal is you could. Only the Husky is all metal construction and as far as I can tell none of them have additional holes in the base plate to allow rotating the jack so it might better clear a truck tailgate, in which case I'd want to know if the head itself on any of them could be rotated. The devil is in the details. 😉

[SoundGuy]

bob213 wrote:
I have the Bulldog and am happy. The Husky mentioned above is a good choice also. You really can't go wrong with any of the 3 mentioned.

Depending on what your goal is you could. Only the Husky is all metal construction and as far as I can tell none of them have additional holes in the base plate to allow rotating the jack so it might better clear a truck tailgate, in which case I'd want to know if the head itself on any of them could be rotated. The devil is in the details. 😉

[bob213]

I have the Bulldog and am happy. The Husky mentioned above is a good choice also. You really can't go wrong with any of the 3 mentioned.

[ktmrfs]

ScottG wrote:
Abused & neglected my Barker for 13 years and it just begged for more.
Now have Atwood and the noise it makes is horrific. Doesn't sound like it will last.

we have an attwood on the big trailer, and it is much noisier than the barker on the smaller trailer. Both are acme screw. But the atwood is holding up. get's used a lot. But when it goes, on will go a barker or another ball screw, but not an atwood.

[ScottG]

Abused & neglected my Barker for 13 years and it just begged for more.
Now have Atwood and the noise it makes is horrific. Doesn't sound like it will last.