How many jacks?

havepen · 06-02-2019, 02:01 PM

I have a 2018 Vegas 25.2 and have a spare on a Roadmaster pivot hitch carrier so that I can lay it down when I extend the rear slideout. Hopefully I won't get any more senile and forget. I have a spare because both my Camper King and Progressive insurances say they will only pay for a tire change as long as I have a serviceable spare. If I wanted to change my own tire, I have been told by the dealer rep that I would need two jacks to jack up both axles to prevent tweaking the frame or cracking the windshield. Is this is true? I don't plan to change my own tire but would like to know that whoever comes out to change it for me does it right.

taylorbob1 · 06-02-2019, 02:14 PM

He’s right
It’s like having hydraulic levelers and only using one corner
If you only use one corner & jack it up 2’, the frame will tweak from all the weight

Another advantage for installing levelers...
makes changing a tire very simple
Just jack-up entire side, entire front, or entire back (two at a time)
Then remove and replace

havepen · 06-02-2019, 02:53 PM

Thanks. I didn't realize that raising an axle just enough to change a tire would strain the frame that much.

JamieGeek · 06-02-2019, 03:02 PM

Why would you jack it up 2'?

Wouldn't you just jack up the axle enough to remove the wheel/tire--maybe 6".

(Trying to remember what the tire place did when they replaced all 6...I think they did front/rear--they didn't use a lift they left it out in the parking lot and used jacks. Nonetheless however they did it, it was one guy and he could only jack one corner at a time. We still have the original windshield with no cracks.)

taylorbob1 · 06-02-2019, 03:13 PM

When you jack up the frame, the tire/rim sags
So you need to jack up higher than 6”

On the other hand, if you’re able to place the jack just inside of the tire, on the knuckle (for the fronts) then the tire/rim will rise along with the frame.
The rears can be jacked up under the leaf spring

If I’m saying that correctly....

JamieGeek · 06-02-2019, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylorbob1

When you jack up the frame, the tire/rim sags
So you need to jack up higher than 6”

On the other hand, if you’re able to place the jack just inside of the tire, on the knuckle (for the fronts) then the tire/rim will rise along with the frame.
The rears can be jacked up under the leaf spring

If I’m saying that correctly....

Right: Jack up the axle and not the frame.

havepen · 06-02-2019, 03:46 PM

Thank you both for your inputs.

Bob Denman · 06-02-2019, 04:21 PM

You make i wound as if it would be easier to just put down the levelers, and then dig a hole under the offending tire...

Mr Sunshine · 06-02-2019, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by havepen

I have a 2018 Vegas 25.2 and have a spare on a Roadmaster pivot hitch carrier so that I can lay it down when I extend the rear slideout. Hopefully I won't get any more senile and forget. I have a spare because both my Camper King and Progressive insurances say they will only pay for a tire change as long as I have a serviceable spare. If I wanted to change my own tire, I have been told by the dealer rep that I would need two jacks to jack up both axles to prevent tweaking the frame or cracking the windshield. Is this is true? I don't plan to change my own tire but would like to know that whoever comes out to change it for me does it right.

I'd suggest you put some kind of reminder over the "Extend" button, so you don't forget that spare and cause serious damage.

I don't think anyone with a 2017 or later Vegas has had a broken windshield from torquing the chassis.

IMHO, I don't believe jacking one front corner up enough to change a wheel will cause a break either, especially with models on the E-450 chassis. The RV road service I used when the tires on my previous Class A were aging sent a guy with a new tire both times I had blowouts. Both times, the cost was the same as I paid later when I replaced the rest.

Bob Denman · 06-02-2019, 10:56 PM

When you talk about twisting frames...

When I was in High School (A thousand years or so ago...); a kid in the the next Town decided to drop a supercharged 454 V-8 into a Vega...
It took him forever! Moving the firewall, losing the inner fenders, finding room for the steering, suspension, and the exhaust.
But he did it!

The very first time he fired it up, and let that baby sing: the torque of the engine popped the doors open, and cracked the windshield!

It was fun while it lasted!

havepen · 06-02-2019, 11:19 PM

Thanks. I was sort of kidding about getting too senile. I have a routine of putting the tire down as soon as the coach is level, then doing hookups and extending the slide-out last. I agree about the 450 chassis and told the dealer that but he said I have a F53 chassis which is weaker. If true, why is Thor using it? I don't know the difference. In any event, it is good to know that the price was the same either way. I have't had a flat yet but haven't put a lot of miles on it either. Having had two previous smaller RVs, I know that it is a matter of when, not if. Thanks again.

JamieGeek · 06-02-2019, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by havepen

Thanks. I was sort of kidding about getting too senile. I have a routine of putting the tire down as soon as the coach is level, then doing hookups and extending the slide-out last. I agree about the 450 chassis and told the dealer that but he said I have a F53 chassis which is weaker. If true, why is Thor using it? I don't know the difference. In any event, it is good to know that the price was the same either way. I have't had a flat yet but haven't put a lot of miles on it either. Having had two previous smaller RVs, I know that it is a matter of when, not if. Thanks again.

Correction:
Axis/Vegas units are on E-350 or E-450 chassis. (I guess you could say the E-350 chassis is "weaker" than 450 but not by much at all.)

Bigger units (ACE, Challenger, etc.) are on F-53. F-53 is NOT weaker.

Mr Sunshine · 06-02-2019, 11:56 PM

Your "dealer rep" is blowing smoke. Wonder what other misinformation he provided?

havepen · 06-02-2019, 11:59 PM

All of you guys are great. I should have had one of you with me to explain things to the dealer rep. The sales guy didn't know crap and the rep I'm talking about was a sales supervisor who did the walk through with us. My most previous RV was a used Jamboree 22 ft Class C on a 350 chassis; I changed a couple of tires on that back when RVs came with a spare tire and factory mount as well. This unit also came with one bottle jack and I never considered needing more than that one jack. But then, that unit was about 11000 gross compared to 14000 or more on this one.

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