Power Jack

[fs_ar]

Now that I am going to the Equalizer hitch I am wanting a power tounge jack. Waht is a good one?

Steve

[Colorado Osprey]

Atwood A-frame tongue jack is really the only choice.

[robertmII]

Originally Posted by Colorado Osprey

Atwood A-frame tongue jack is really the only choice.

How do those compare to Ultrafab power jacks? I guess why do you choose Atwood over all the rest?

Also, if using an equalizer, what strength do you recommend? They range from 1500lbs up to 3500. I'm using it on a 24ft car hauler.

Thanks man!

[Colorado Osprey]

The Ultrafab uses a gear reduction which uses a smaller motor with less power and it takes forever to wind up and down. The Atwood 2.5k lifts at 4"/min and the 3.5k lifts at 7"/min.
The Atwood is the indusrty standard that you can get serviced/parts almost anywhere. The Atwood is also used as a factory jack by many trailer manufacturers.

To determine weight capacity look at the GVWR of the trailer and get a jack with 30% lift capacity of that number. For example if the GVWR is 14k then you need a jack with 4.2k worth of lift capacity. Static load capacity should be double that or 8.4k
If you have a 7k GVWR trailer a 2.1k jack is sufficient, but the 3.5k will work faster... for the money buy the 3.5k.... it's about $40 more.

[fs_ar]

Originally Posted by robertmII

How do those compare to Ultrafab power jacks? I guess why do you choose Atwood over all the rest?

Also, if using an equalizer, what strength do you recommend? They range from 1500lbs up to 3500. I'm using it on a 24ft car hauler.

You ask the questions I wanted to know. Thanks!

I ordered the Atwood 3500 jack and also have a 10000 equalizer sitting here waiting to be installed. I too am installing it on a 24 ft car hauler. I need to get pictures for the "what are you hauling" thread. I really am not using the equalizer for the weight, but want the sway control. But am sure I will gather up more stuff to carry with us to the strip. Really the truck is not sagging but about 3 or 4 inches so far, but hope to add cabinets and a generator soon and I am sure that will add a bunch of tounge weight.

Thanks Colorado for the help!


Steve

[robertmII]

Hmmm. Very good to know. I was wondering why the Atwood was more expensive. It sounds like the way to go though.

I am going to get the 3.5k one as well. I would rather have more power than needed than not enough.

Thanks Colorado.

[fs_ar]

Well my jack got here yesterday. I have been looking at the instructions and it is not clear to me how to wire this thing up. Does the jack need it's own battery or can it be hooked up to the trailer plug. I also have a winch cable which is pretty heavy duty I can patch it into.

For what you have to pay for these I expected better instructions.

Steve

[Colorado Osprey]

Yes you should have an aux. deep cycle battery for the jack.
If you don't you can also run it with the aux. charge line but you might blow some fuses from extended raising and lowering sessions.

In a 7 pin connector.... looking at the truck socket the aux. charge line is in the 1 o'clock position.

A wire needs to be ran from this location to the power side of the jack.
The other only needs a chassis ground if it even has 2 wires.... can't rememeber.

If you want to install a aux battery the wiring for the jack remains the same with the exception that the power wire will also need to go to the positive side of the battery and the negative needs a chassis ground as well.

If you decide to go the non-battery route..... The jack will only operate when the truck key is turned on and the trailer plug is plugged in.

[robertmII]

Just bought a remanufactured one off Ebay for $150 shipped. Got the 3500 unit that has the adj. foot pad. Comes with the same 1yr warranty as a new one so should work out well.

I have a big marine battery in the trailer I'm going to hook the jack up to. Wiring is very straight forward as Colorado stated.

[BigFly10]

I'm a little slow replying to this one, but I have an Ultra Fab 3502 I purchased off ebay and have had no issues at all with the jack.

Ultra Fab also gets great comments for customer service although I can't speak to that because I haven't had to use them yet.