Electric trailer jack

[john in la]

If it cranks that hard, it is unlikely that the electric add-on doodad is going to work well, or for very long before it strips or burns out. You need to get the jack freed up and working better first. That or replace the jack with a dedicated electric unit.

On a 5th wheel unit it is usually the leg gets bent.
On a gooseneck with a ball it is usually the gear box clogged with old grease and water.

I’ve had some over the years you could not move them in high gear. You had to use low gear the whole way and even that would leave you short of breath.

 

[rrlund]

On a 5th wheel unit it is usually the leg gets bent.
On a gooseneck with a ball it is usually the gear box clogged with old grease and water.

I’ve had some over the years you could not move them in high gear. You had to use low gear the whole way and even that would leave you short of breath.

It's not a matter of how hard it cranks, it's how many revolutions you have to make. The crank is long in the vertical part, so you have to out your whole body in to it. One revolution is more than a two foot swing. I counted when I unhooked it Monday, after the pad hit the block that I put under it, it took 60 revolutions to get it above the bed or the truck. That's a lot of leaning on and leaning out. Like I said, I'm just asking about the electric cranking device, not wandering through the daises looking for dog crap.

 

[Scott 730]

Wow.

 

[Ole blue]

u asked if something worked. Myself and others gave u other options that we know first hand that work or what might be causing your problem. If u consider that looking for dog nnalert in daisies I guess u shouldn’t ask for input

 

[rrlund]

u asked if something worked. Myself and others gave u other options that we know first hand that work or what might be causing your problem. If u consider that looking for dog nnalert in daisies I guess u shouldn’t ask for input

About two more replies and somebody is going to tell me to buy another truck, hook it to the trailer and leave it there.

 

[Jim.ME]

Do any of you guys have anything like this for a gooseneck trailer? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Electric...k0yo1aItlApeV_c6ZtLi9c4oLc8YfA3UaApZyEALw_wcB

Do they just go in where the crank is? My flatbed trailer isn't bad, the threads must be fairly coarse, but on the livestock trailer, I have to crank forever to get it above or below the flatbed on the truck. At 70, I'm getting too old to be doing that much cranking to hook on and unhook.

It looks like a good idea. They say it fits the 12K Bulldog brand jacks, is that what your jack(s) are? The issue could be the shaft size, and pin locations as you have to remove the existing shaft from the jack you install it on and install the shaft of this drive in its place. Did you find and watch the installation video or review the installation instructions? Here is a Bulldog video of installation

Bulldog jack drive installation

 

[rustred]

About two more replies and somebody is going to tell me to buy another truck, hook it to the trailer and leave it there.

lol, this place is full of comedians . im just wondering what the jack looks like and how dirty it is inside. they should crank easier than that. on my fifth wheel gooseneck it dont take 2 hands but i try to keep it lubed.

 

[john in la]

About two more replies and somebody is going to tell me to buy another truck, hook it to the trailer and leave it there.

You asked if anyone has an electric assist jack for a gooseneck trailer and if such a thing would help you.
You also said your crank is very hard to turn.

One comment put it bluntly and several others have beat around the bush to give you advice.

If your jack is hard to crank you need to fix that problem first. A electric assist is going to do nothing to fix your hard cranking problem.

So yes if fixing the original crank is not on the table then maybe what you need is another dedicated truck.

 

[Mcrafty1]

I'd buy two for when the first one burns up, do to the landing gear turning so hard. Unless they are local and can be had in short notice. Or keep what ever you'll need to put the original crank system back together with the truck/trailer.

 

[Mark-Ia]

The jacks on the semi trailers I used to pull, you could crank them with 1 hand and the gear boxes were sealed and no service required for 10 years.

 

[jon f mn]

About two more replies and somebody is going to tell me to buy another truck, hook it to the trailer and leave it there.

I was wondering how long that would take. I'm thinking about trying the one where you use the impact wrench on mine.

 

[rrlund]

You asked if anyone has an electric assist jack for a gooseneck trailer and if such a thing would help you.
You also said your crank is very hard to turn.

One comment put it bluntly and several others have beat around the bush to give you advice.

If your jack is hard to crank you need to fix that problem first. A electric assist is going to do nothing to fix your hard cranking problem.

So yes if fixing the original crank is not on the table then maybe what you need is another dedicated truck.

I never once said it was "very hard to turn". I Absolutely did not say that. I said it doesn't turn all that easy. The big problem is how far the throw is in every rotation and how many turns it takes. I said it doesn't turn any harder in hot or cold weather. Some of you guys really like to read in things that aren't there. I just don't know why we can't stay on topic. My first reply was that I wanted to stay on the subject of the electric crank device and not get sidetracked, but it just can't happen can it?

How about this for a solution. One of you pack up all of your stuff and move closer so I can call you when I need to hook on or unhook, and you can come and do it. Any of you would only have to put your whole body in to turning that crank that far for 60 revolutions either direction and you'd be looking for an alternative too. Then you'd REALLY have something to talk about on here.

 

[cjunrau]

The darned thing doesn't turn all that easy either. You can't stand beside of it and turn it with one hand, you have to use both hands and put your whole body in to it.

Sound like it turns hard if you have to put your body into it.

I understand after you say 60 revaluation I would be looking for something else.

I have seen boat trailers with the electric and wow that works slick. Those hitches had about 1000 lbs on them.

 

[Scott 730]

So just so we all can understand this fiasco..................... is this 60 turns to lift it off the ball, and then 60 turns to set it back down again on the same truck??

 

[cjunrau]

So just so we all can understand this fiasco..................... is this 60 turns to lift it off the ball, and then 60 turns to set it back down again on the same truck??

Yes. I have a jack exactly like that and I count 45-50 every time. I let my teenager do it. Lol

 

[rrlund]

So just so we all can understand this fiasco..................... is this 60 turns to lift it off the ball, and then 60 turns to set it back down again on the same truck??

Yes, 60 either way. It wasn't bad at all when I had a plate in a pickup box, but with the flatbed that I have now, it has to go about three times as far. All it had to do was come up off the ball in the pickup, but with the flatbed, it has to come off the ball, up out of the bed, then another few inches to clear the back of the bed, which raises when the trailer weight comes up off of it. Unless somebody has one of those units and can answer the original question, it's time to just let this post die. I'm sick of it.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

There's a guy on you tube, Matt from Ranching Sodak, who took an old riding mower transmission, and welded it or mounted it somehow to his goose neck jack. I think he used a cordless drill to run it. It worked well as best I could tell. Mark.

 

[DWF]

I know what your saying about all the cranking. If I was you I would try an electric assist, at least you would know then.
DWF

 

[chvet73]

Yes, 60 either way. It wasn't bad at all when I had a plate in a pickup box, but with the flatbed that I have now, it has to go about three times as far. All it had to do was come up off the ball in the pickup, but with the flatbed, it has to come off the ball, up out of the bed, then another few inches to clear the back of the bed, which raises when the trailer weight comes up off of it. Unless somebody has one of those units and can answer the original question, it's time to just let this post die. I'm sick of it.

I’m guessing that most of those who seem to think cranking a trailer jack is fun aren’t old like myself and many on this board. I hope when you get to our age you’ll understand why cranking up a trailer ain’t the easiest task anymore. I only have one trailer anymore but I’ve thought seriously of looking at one of the electric jacks for it.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If the handle is too long, make yourself a shorter one. The crank handle comes off with one bolt. I've made short crank handles for both of my trailers with that type of jack. Use a PTO pin to attach them. You can wheel the jack up and down with one finger.