Check your leveling jack feet!

[mountainoliver]

We pulled into a campground for the night in Ft. Stockton Texas, I started to unhitch and noticed that the front jack foot was loose. I tightened it and checked the other two. The rear ones were tight. I checked them all right after we purchased our trailer in 2017 and haven’t thought about them since. Probably something to check periodically and will add some blue loctite to each bolt. Probably not good to lose one, at least I’d hate to run over one. 

[Geronimo John]

Glad you found the pending loss before it happened.  Last month in a response to Jason's post I stated:

"A bit off topic, but important.  I recently lost on the highway one of my jack foot plates.  Recommend checking their single bolt tightness occasionally.  Anybody know how to do so and to what torque?  My concern is that one could damage the jack tube if it is not restrained during tightening."

We now have two documented cases supporting the need to periodically check the torque of our jack leg feet.  Jason mentioned using a strap wrency to back-up the torque process so as not to damage the leg when doing so.

Pondering this further, I think it would be worth attaching a small diameter cable to act as a "safety chain" for the feet.

GJ

Edited October 21, 2024 by Geronimo John

[mountainoliver]

John, I just used a ratchet and a short section of pipe (cheater) and got it really tight. They are not a critical item so just get them tight. When at home I have several different Williams hook wrenches that should hook into the groove to hold the center tube from turning. I’ll get them properly tightened then. For now I just wanted to make sure that they’d stay tight until we get home. 

Edited October 22, 2024 by mountainoliver
Clarification

[johnwen]

We just arrived at Alcan for our axle replacements and noticed that one of ours had "left the building"...we're looking for a suitable substitute for the jack pad.  I think ebay is a possibility.  We just passed 53000 miles on "Bessie" and suspect our full timing is a little more demanding  on a trailer than many experience.  GJ's comments make a lot of sense...check tightness periodically and maybe a safety chain :)

John

[Patriot]

7 hours ago, johnwen said:

We just arrived at Alcan for our axle replacements and noticed that one of ours had "left the building"...we're looking for a suitable substitute for the jack pad.  I think ebay is a possibility.  We just passed 53000 miles on "Bessie" and suspect our full timing is a little more demanding  on a trailer than many experience.  GJ's comments make a lot of sense...check tightness periodically and maybe a safety chain 🙂

John

John,

Hoping all goes well with Lou and his staff with your install. Maybe post up on how the install goes? I think you will be very happy with the Alcan leaf pack, HD shackles and wet bolts.

Oliver Service might be able to ship you a jack pad/steel foot or for the bottom of your stabilizer or front jack. Or better yet a local RV shop may have a spare. I would consider using a little blue locktite on the fastener to secure it.

Safe Travels!

Edited February 21 by Patriot

[johnwen]

2 hours ago, Patriot said:

John,

Hoping all goes well with Lou and his staff with your install. Maybe post up on how the install goes? I think you will be very happy with the Alcan leaf pack, HD shackles and wet bolts.

Oliver Service might be able to ship you a jack pad/steel foot or for the bottom of your stabilizer or front jack. Or better yet a local RV shop may have a spare. I would consider using a little blue locktite on the fastener to secure it.

Safe Travels!

Roger on the locktite....will post next week on the install (so far so good).

Thanks :)

[BigTexas]

Thanks for posting.  It would have never occurred to me to check this.  Looks like lock tight is in order. 

[Wolfepack]

Lost my front one last year on the way up to TN.  We were in Nashville, were leaving the trailer at CGI Detailing, went to put the front jack down and saw that the foot had departed.  My immediate concern was the potential for causing damage, injury, and general mayhem behind me after spitting out a fairly good chunk of metal at high speed on a crowded freeway.  Secondarily, did a thorough inspection of the underside to make sure it hadn't put a hole in the fiberglass, much to our relief it had not.  Popped over to Oliver since I was in Nashville to pick up a replacement and applied blue Loctite to hopefully avoid any future incidents.  Now part of my regular inspection, both front and back.  Sounds like this is a recurring event that necessitates repeated close inspection.