Rear Electric Stabilizer Jack adjustment - help?

[tallmandan]

The manual crank post of my rear stabilizer jack is too high and comes in contact with the interior fiberglass cover under the curbside bed.  It's causing damage to the underside (see photos). 

Anyone else have this problem?  Is there a way to adjust the positon of the jack down to stop contact?

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

I have not experience this but others have noted the jack stabilizer mounts may come lose possibly causing an upward shift of the jack and the unwanted contact?

[dewdev]

I would suggest as above, to check the tightness of the 4 bolts. Also, try looking at the unit while someone else is operating the jack.

If no change, try calling OTT for further advice.

Edited April 22 by dewdev

[Galway Girl]

Haven't heard of that.

Here's a page showing how to "service" the rear jack that may help.

In it there is  mention of 3 allen set screws that hold the power head on the jack .

Maybe those have backed off an the head has popped up?

CS

 

[jd1923]

Dan, it's good you noticed this before it got worse. Check out my picture. The two carriage bolts, shiny round heads faced up, go straight down through the frame. Get under your Oliver just behind the wheel well and tighten the two large nuts. If there is a  split-ring washer that has lost its spring, replace it. If not use some blue Locktite (not red). Then check the other side as well.

Edit: If you find the main jack mounting bolts are tight which is highly possible, then the head of the jack has slipped up off the post. In this case, remove the head (2-3 Allen screws), check the post for vertical markings from it slipping to be certain of cause. Then remount head. Age of your hull, having it out would be a good time to do thorough maintenance. I'm the only one that has worked the complete service and if you will do so, let me know and I will supply the link.

In the meantime, do not use your stabilizer jacks.

Edited April 22 by jd1923
See section marked EDIT above

[tallmandan]

Thanks for your suggestions. As  @jd1923 suggested, I checked the mounting bolts under the trailer and they looked tight visualy with lock-washers fully compressed.  I put a wrench on them anyway and was able to tighten both bolts (on both sides) by about a quarter turn.  This did not seem to change anything.  

Before pulling anyting apart, I started to measure differences between my curbside (too high) and my streetside (just fine) stabilizer jacks.  I've attached the photos and I'm stumped. The curbside jack seems to be somehow mounted about an inch higher than the streetside jack. 

The inside photos are measuring to the mounting bracket.  The outside photo shows that the cylinder for the shaft is an inch lower on one side.  

Is there some adjustment that I am not seeing?  I believe that the curbside stabilizer jack was always touching the fiberglass lid but I never thought much of it.  It seems to be doing damage to the lid now.  Both jacks operate just fine as always.

I am going to open a ticket with Oliver, but does anybody have a suggestion.....?

[Geronimo John]

That is strange.  Time to submit a ticket on this one.  

GJ

[jd1923]

On 4/22/2025 at 6:01 AM, tallmandan said:

Anyone else have this problem?  Is there a way to adjust the positon of the jack down to stop contact?

This is a bummer Dan. I see a few issues. In your very first picture there is a grease stain on top of the jack. In your last picture, the jack head looks somewhat cock-eyed to the post assembly and even more so to the fiberglass opening above. Neither picture looks normal, as I know for a fact that the tops of both of my rear jacks are bone dry/clean shiny paint and they are level, square to the cover that sits above them. 

I measured both of mine and they are left-to-right side identical within 1/16". They both measure 3 and 9/16" from the fixed post section to the bottom of the aluminum mount, where yours measures 4" on the good side and about 3" on the other. Your hull, 4 years newer, could have a different measurement but of course both sides should be equal.

My feeling is the weld of the mounting plate to the post assembly has failed. Not sure, but these mounts were likely fabricated and welded by OTT, as they do not look like off-the-shelf jacks like our standard front jack. 

Given the age of your hull, likely it would no longer be under warranty. You could remove the bad side, simple enough by removing the two nuts you tried tightening earlier and pulling the jack out from above. When it's out, you'd quickly see whether a weld has failed (please post picture when you do).

If so, then choices would be to get it welded locally and service the head <OR> enter a Service Ticket with OTT. If they did fab the mount and weld it, they may replace it for you or in lieu of a local repair, OTT could supply the replacement part. Again, don't use it until corrected as it would soon cause much more damage than the rub on your basement cover. I could be wrong but this is my best guess from looking at your pictures and measurements. You've taken all the right steps.

Edited April 26 by jd1923

[topgun2]

5 hours ago, jd1923 said:

My feeling is the weld of the mounting plate to the post assembly has failed. Not sure, but these mounts were likely fabricated and welded by OTT, as they do not look like off-the-shelf jacks like our standard front jack. 

OTT DOES fabricate these mounting plates "in-house".

There were a couple of earlier models (in the low 100's hull numbers) where the welds did fail and Oliver both repaired these and changed the way these brackets were manufactured.

Bill

[Rivernerd]

16 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

That is strange.  Time to submit a ticket on this one

Please post Oliver's response to your service ticket, and your ultimate solution.  Yours may not be the only hull with this issue.

[tallmandan]

Thanks @jd1923 and @topgun2   JD, really appreciate you taking the time to measure your stabilizer jacks for a comparison!  I had previously noticed that it sat high and just touched the fiberglass but didn't really think much of it as it worked just fine.  I never had both of the under-bed compartments open at the same time to really see the difference until yesterday and then took measurments (should have done that a long time ago!!  -- just busy with life and the trailer has only had occasional use until now)

The bracket welds are intact, all bolts are tight and the unit is steadfast and operational.  It appears that the mounting bracket was improperly welded to the jack assembly - both in height and in level/plumb.  The jack shaft is plumb from front to back but not from right to left.

Mike from Oliver service responded via email to my service ticket within hours --- impressed!  I've emailed him more photos showing the welds and I've included photos showing the positioning out of plumb using a level.  Hopefully, Oliver will take care of me....

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, tallmandan said:

It appears that the mounting bracket was improperly welded to the jack assembly

Welded to the wrong height is a worse manufacturing defect than a weld failing after 5 years use. You’d think they would have a jig to hold the two parts at a consistent height. Probably do and the tech just got sloppy. Good find!

Edited April 26 by jd1923

[Geronimo John]

12 hours ago, jd1923 said:

You could remove the bad side, simple enough by removing the two nuts you tried tightening earlier and pulling the jack out from above.

I believe one would also need to remove the jack foot plate from the unit to pull it out.  Easy to remove the plate bolt from below the foot plate.

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

You’d think they would have a jig to hold the two parts at a consistent height.

True.  OTT provides the bracket to Barker who welds it on to their standared jack.  Point is that it may be a OOPS by either OTT or Barker.  Or maybe both???

GJ

GJ

[Patriot]

On 4/26/2025 at 11:43 AM, tallmandan said:

Thanks @jd1923 and @topgun2   JD, really appreciate you taking the time to measure your stabilizer jacks for a comparison!  I had previously noticed that it sat high and just touched the fiberglass but didn't really think much of it as it worked just fine.  I never had both of the under-bed compartments open at the same time to really see the difference until yesterday and then took measurments (should have done that a long time ago!!  -- just busy with life and the trailer has only had occasional use until now)

The bracket welds are intact, all bolts are tight and the unit is steadfast and operational.  It appears that the mounting bracket was improperly welded to the jack assembly - both in height and in level/plumb.  The jack shaft is plumb from front to back but not from right to left.

Mike from Oliver service responded via email to my service ticket within hours --- impressed!  I've emailed him more photos showing the welds and I've included photos showing the positioning out of plumb using a level.  Hopefully, Oliver will take care of me....

Just following up…..did Oliver provide a fix for your issue? If so care to share?

[tallmandan]

14 minutes ago, Patriot said:

Just following up…..did Oliver provide a fix for your issue? If so care to share?

Well....not yet.  I was impressed that Mike Sharpe from Oliver Service sent me an email within hours of opening my service ticket.  I sent him photos and then heard nothing back.  Three weeks later I emailed him again and Mike responded that he had "sent this over to our manufacturing department to take a look into this." 

Then nothing for another 10 days and I emailed him again on Tuesday of this week.  Mike responded with one sentence: "No response as of yet. I have reached back out to them."

It's been over a month now.....so.....not too impressed anymore.... but hopeful that Oliver will make this right since it's clearly a manufacturing defect that should have been caught by both the supplier and Oliver installer.

I've had to tape wood shims around the underside edge of the fiberglass lid to raise it and attempt to stop the damage.  This is obviously not acceptable.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to better communicate with Oliver Service, please let me know...?

 

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, tallmandan said:

It's been over a month now.....so.....not too impressed anymore.... but hopeful that Oliver will make this right since it's clearly a manufacturing defect that should have been caught by both the supplier and Oliver installer.

Your report sounds familiar re an issue or two we've had. No more service tickets for me. I figure OTT owes me nothing on our 10-year-old hull. When 2 frame crossmembers dropped from bad welds, I got a local welder to repair it. OTT is too far from us for service needs anyway. In 3 days it was done.

It doesn't take a month sitting on an engineer's desk to simply ship out 1-2 new jacks! 🤣 

Dan, given everything is solid, the weld is good however misaligned, could you reinstall it adding a plate and/or washers underneath, space the jack to sit lower? That's what I would do if it's possible and be up and running the same day. You may have to purchase spacers and bolts an 1" longer to make this idea work.

Or escalate with OTT management because all they have to do is admit their mistake, their manufacturing defect, and ship you two news jacks immediately!

 

[tallmandan]

On 5/29/2025 at 10:32 AM, jd1923 said:

could you reinstall it adding a plate and/or washers underneath, space the jack to sit lower?

Thanks for your input and idea @jd1923.  My trailer is out at the storage lot so I can't make a quick check....but I'm not sure I'm following you.  The unit sits too high, not too low so adding a plate or washers would raise it....or am I missing something?  I believe I recall that the bracket is a steel "L" bracket with two vertical and two horizontal bolts.  I don't think I can alter it vertically and still have the horizontal bolts allign.  I know you're much better with mechanical/engineering than me so if I'm not understanding and there is a "fix" other than replacemnet maybe you could let me know just how I could do it ?

In the meantime, I plan to call Oliver next week and discuss my issue live. I think it's fair for a new unit to be sent to me and I will take care of the swap-install....that's what I am asking for......

[jd1923]

11 minutes ago, tallmandan said:

I'm not understanding and there is a "fix" other than replacement maybe you could let me know just how I could do it ?

OTT owes you a replacement, but if you need to go without their help, with more pics from you I can help you create some kind of work-around. Best to you Dan!

[Geronimo John]

On 5/29/2025 at 3:51 AM, tallmandan said:

If anyone has a suggestion on how to better communicate with Oliver Service, please let me know...?

 

On 4/26/2025 at 9:05 AM, Geronimo John said:

OTT provides the bracket to Barker who welds it on to their standard jack.  Point is that it may be a OOPS by either OTT or Barker.  Or maybe both???

With no response yet from OTT, I now suggest that you call Barker Mfg.  They have been hyper responsive in the past. 

I know of no way to adjust the jack plate stop point (When it clicks on the clutch).  It is a fixed point based on the assembly length.  The stack up height of the jacks is a function of the jack length (Likely variable for different brands, and the OTT bracket thickness.

My guess is that you somehow got the wrong length of the Barker Jack.  Sending them your great pictures will be very informative.

GJ

PS:  Since the jack leg length is easily confused, I also suspect that the root cause is the same as that for the Bulldog Coupler OOPs....Likely wrong part installed.  There is a possibilty that the OE1 and OE2 have different jack leg lengths.  Either way getting Barker into this dog tussle is a good idea.

Edited May 31 by Geronimo John

[Geronimo John]

The below is in response to the bent jack.  Nothing to do with the rubbing issue.

These jacks are really strong, but they do bend.  Especially when they are fully extended and moved with the foot loaded.  I have seen a lot worse tilt and they continue to be just fine.  Sadly, this likely is not an OTT issue, but an owner / operator caused OOPs.  

[Mike and Carol]

7 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

These jacks are really strong, but they do bend.  Especially when they are fully extended and moved with the foot loaded.

Wood blocks and legos… my jacks rarely extend more than 6” or so.  Less is better.  If I do drive off while they are down chances are they will just slide off the block.

[tallmandan]

8 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Especially when they are fully extended and moved with the foot loaded.  I have seen a lot worse tilt and they continue to be just fine.  Sadly, this likely is not an OTT issue, but an owner / operator caused OOPs.  

I've never lifted the trailer with the jacks, never moved it with the foot loaded and always stacked 5 or 6 inches of 2x6 wood pieces under them to avoid full extension.

Now, I did buy the trailer after the original buyer had used it for about 4 months, so I cant' speak to that period of time. 

However, the fact is that the bracket is welded incorrectly to the jack.  I cant' see any evidence of stressed weld points or damage. If it were bent I would expect the operation to be effected in some way including, at least, a noticible difference in operational sound compared to the other jack that would indicate strain.

Isn't it possible that the weld is off both vertically and horizontally ?

[Geronimo John]

4 hours ago, tallmandan said:

always stacked 5 or 6 inches of 2x6 wood pieces under them to avoid full extension

Very wise!

4 hours ago, tallmandan said:

Isn't it possible that the weld is off both vertically and horizontally ?

Absolutely possible.  Barker has built thousands of jacks using the OTT bracket.  They would have a jig fixture to weld the OTT provided bracket to the jack.  So this could be a new guy mistake.  

Frankly it is time for you to just remove BOTH rear jacks from the trailer and bench inspect them side to side.  Photo what you find.  Doing so gives you the facts.  It also puts you in a position to say it is "Obvious"  and also if It is a Barker or OTT issue.  Then you can politely share your results.  It would also be a great opportunity to figure out how//if you have a bent jack leg.   

On 4/25/2025 at 8:47 PM, jd1923 said:

Given the age of your hull, likely it would no longer be under warranty. You could remove the bad side, simple enough by removing the two nuts you tried tightening earlier and pulling the jack out from above. When it's out, you'd quickly see whether a weld has failed (please post picture when you do).

Once again JD is on point.... 

With an intact and relatively straight jack leg, I think you would either dig a deep hole below the jack to remove the leg down.  Or likely easier, remove the jack foot and pull the jack leg up and out.  Also, as JD mentioned, use Lock-Tite Blue on the  jack foot bolt when reassembling.   

I have found that with facts, both OTT and Barker are stand up and make it right teams.  Get them the facts and I'll wager you get a new jack and bracket free even though it is out of warranty.  Why?  That would be the stand up make it right answer.

GJ

Edited June 1 by Geronimo John

[Snackchaser]

On 5/30/2025 at 7:05 PM, tallmandan said:

I'm not understanding and there is a "fix" other than replacemnet maybe you could let me know just how I could do it ?

I totally agree that the mounting bracket was probably welded in the wrong position, and I’m sure that they will somehow make it right for you.  But I also think this could be fixed with a drill and angle grinder without disturbing the weld.  The jack needs to be lowered about 1” to match the other jack, and probably less than that to clear the lid.  On my trailer, it looks like there is enough room to achieve that.

There is plenty of space to drill new holes in the 3-1/2” x 2” angle iron to lower the jack by up to 1”.   However, there is limited room to lower the jack before the welded bracket hits the floor.  It looks like the jack could be immediately lowered about 1/4 to 3/8 without any interference, but then it’s hindered by a fiberglass fillet where it transitions from the frame rail to the floor.  This could be enough to gain the clearance you need, but you'll need more drop than that so the proposed new holes don’t overlap with the existing holes.  Or fab a new piece of angle iron, I'm sure you could source it locally.

You could probably gain another 1/8” or more drop by re-positioning the angle iron and (outside) aluminum bracket to clear the obstructing fillet.  The mounting holes of both brackets are elongated, and the hole though the fiberglass is oversized, to allow for truing the jack angle.  These brackets are held by the long bolts that go through the frame and you can loosen them just enough to tap the brackets over to help clear the obstructing fillet.  

If still more drop is needed, to avoid overlap of the new holes, then you can slightly trim the bottom edge of the welded bracket with an angle grinder to make up the remaining distance.  Before drilling the new holes in the angle iron, I’d experiment lowering the jack to assure you can get adequate drop and hole separation.

This shouldn’t  impact the structural integrity and it I personally wouldn’t hesitate doing it.  I'd ask Oliver to reimburse me for fair value of a new jack.  Sorry for the crappy drawing, but hopefully it helps clarify my suggestion.

Cheers, Geoff

[tallmandan]

@Geronimo John Thanks for taking time to consider and draw out a possible fix.  Appreciate your time!  I'm impressed with your engineering skill as it's way above me!  I'm neither an engineer or mechanic.  I don't even own an angle grinder so trying to go this route would not exactly be in my comfort zone.

I feel Oliver should send me a properly welded stabilizer that I can swap out, and that's what I've asked for. 

Today, I spoke with Mike Sharpe at OTT Service.  He said that the action OTT takes is up to "manufacturing" and not his call to make.  He agreed that he would like to send me a new one but had to wait for "manufacturing" to make a decision on my issue.  I asked him if there was someone else I should speak with and he said no - that he was the contact.  He went on to say that there is a meeting with "manufacturing" tomorrow where he will make sure my issue is discussed.  We agreed that I will call him back on Thursday.  I will update then...

Much appreciation to this group, especially @Geronimo John and @jd1923, for your technical expertise and willingness to help.