ok where do most people jack their vans , on my trailers i tend to jack on the axle , but not sure on the van should i jack on the chassis or the axle as need to do a wheel swap ?
If just doing a wheel swap say at home I would use the axle as there would be less lift height. Out on the road with a flat, probably wouldn't be enough clearance & then You would need to use the chassis. I always carry two jacks as one will never give enough lift to replace a flat. Remember to put the jockey wheel down.
Under axle if possible. I use U bolt mounting plates right next to tyre. Standard Toyota Landcruiser jack does it in one lift easily, you can get em at wreckers..
I carry a small (6' X 4') heavy duty tarp to lay on and slide jack under easily with the hook handle.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
A.. while in transit or trailer is attach to tow vehicle.
Goes with out saying hand brake on, manual in gear, auto in park. If possible chocks in front and behind at list one axle.
Single axle, run the flat tyre up onto a caravan levelling ramp or block of wood, this will allow you to get the jack under the axle easier. In my case I use a one sissor lift jack behind the axle on the chassis section, this allows you to work from the side of the caravan and not under the caravan, then I grab the second one also a sissor lift jack from the car and place it in front on the chassis near the wheel, work the two, you will be lifting around half the weight of the caravan less the tow ball weight. Our van 2000kgs equals about approx. 900kgs per side.
When you have finish replacing the flat tyre leave the block of wood/ramp out as the inflated tyre will take up the difference in the height
Dual axle, run the flat tyre up onto timber/your ramps to help make it easier to lift the flat tyre and axle off the ground.
Good news with flat tyres they never happen where there is shade or some where it is flat and easy to do things. Look for some where better to do the job, if need be drag the culpit a bit further down the road, the damage will be minimal to whats already happen if taken slowly.
Murphys rules it will be hot, muddy and the wheel nuts will be over tight so loosen these before you start to raise the axle.
First stand back and look where you are, then try to place your vehicles in the safest and best position to do the job.
Next get tools, spare wheel down from rack, before you start the job, I carry a pair of light working gloves to do the work in.
There is also a very good hydraulic jack come jocky wheel system that can be attached to side of your chassis, most caravans have the place for attachment these days built into the chassis and mostly where the mud flap hang from for around $400. A very good investment and for those that are a bit more challenged may I subjest joining your states road service, funny enough is probably at our age is as good as it gets, make a phone call, put the billy on and relax.
Hope this in some way helps. Ralph.
PS. it made sense when I was writting it. I am a doer not a very good writer.
-- Edited by Radar on Thursday 3rd of September 2015 06:10:43 AM
One of the few good things the manufacturer did with their vans, which I obviously have one of, is they have a small jacking plate which sticks out the side of the 'van by the dual wheels. The jack is a wind-up type and it fits onto the jacking plate. No crawling under the van (oh, my bloody back) in the mud or stones. Just bend over, fit the jack onto the plate and it has a large wind up handle. But I still carry a 400kg hydraulic bottle jack for the tug - it has the usual cheap and hard to operate wind up jack that goes under the axle.
And I was told by the Dealer and also a caravan repairer to always leave your 'van or trailer attached to the tug - never un-hook them for safety reasons
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
ok thanks for all that will have a better look tomorrow and think that i will use the bottle jack that i have for on the road , think i will take the van to the tyre place and let them do the swap as the tyres are stuffed on the van old and look to me treadless ( how it passed a road worthy i dont know ) and the spare ( looks brand new ) is the wrong size and just a road tyre not a light truck
Radar Sounds like you've done this a couple of times bloody good advice a great reply more advice of this nature is always welcome
Early this year we pushed the limit with our caravan tyres, used by date more then anything, tried to buy new ones in a hurry in Brisbane but not available at short notice, one blew 4 hours down the track, still could not aquire any until Tamworth a further 4 hours down the track who had about 10 tyres in stock. I was looking for a light truch tyre with good speed and load rating, there is plenty of them but they don't have a good load rating.
In a hurry I did most things wrong and when I thought about it latter we still get a giggle up as I had been changing truck tyres on the side of the road for better then 45 years. Should of know better.
One of the things I did was loosen the nuts on spare a little then gave the spanner to my wife to undo the nuts then when she had done that, I lifted it down and placed it on the ground leaning against the rear bumper bar, I went back to jacking the caravan up. As I jacked away in the corner of my eye I saw the spare rolling down the slight camber of the road into the gutter and on its merry way, I am on the ground and the panic was on for young and old as it headed bush picking up speed with me in chase and even steeper drop of coming up.
I should know how to change tyres as when I first started long distance driving in the very early seventies if you had gone all week with out a flat that was a really good week, 1 flat was still a good week after that yeah good week, cause I could do it again next week. As tyre technology improved, radical tyres we could go weeks with out changing a tyre but now most company drivers don't and by chain of responsibility are not encouraged to.
Fergit all thoughts of using car jacks.
I've used a 1.8ton trolley jack for over 25 yrs. Finally karked.
Now a 2 ton one till I find another 1.8. (2 ton a prick of a size,) the 1.4 ton units are pretty weak and minimal lift.
They jack up your car/van, whatever. in a coupla strokes. Tandem. T,ween the axles. (Simplicity the easiest. by far.)
Carry a piece of ply to suit under load bearing end of jack and a coupla blocks of Sq Ally or timber to suit any extra lift req'd.
They take ALL the hassles out of jacking, up and down. Missus can do it.
And any wheels you have fitted at tyre place New Tyres etc.
ALWAYS get them to leave loose. and YOU tighten them up with your "Wheel Brace".
With a length of tube that fits opposite end of brace for extra crank.and doubles up for releasing the H/R bars on and off tension.
With the tyres.
Most brands have L.T with higher sidewalls and extra load rating (IE Ply Rating). even the A/T tyres.
I use Bridgy A/T for 30 yrs. always the L/T 10pr over the 8 PR and only ever had one blow out on caravan in all those yrs (Age of tyre)
Luckily Tandem and only 250 km from Camoweal with no spare. Thankfully they had ONE and only $200. about 15 yrs ago.
Selectyour tyres size and rating. and sweap them out every 6 to 7yrs max. Regardless of mileage. and you'll have the least or none. Problems.
I've just swapped out Missus Honda tryes. '09 and 31k on clock still new to look at.Spare never on road.
ALL went down the dump with grinder through the walls.
Nowadays they are a compound. NOT rubber as days of old.
7 yrs about max usable life of any tyre, 6 safer.
