help with MH jacks (1 Viewer)

Goshawk

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Mar 2, 2014
129
188
West Wales
Funster No
30,346
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
2012
hello folks, just been cleaning and removing wheels on my ford transit based autosleeper ravenna :Smile:, the front wheels were removed ok with the scissor jack supplied with the MH , but another matter on the rear wheels , difficult to know where to put the scissor jack , i got it up so far then it slipped off, with a bang:Eeek:, do i need to get a hydraulic jack ? am i doing something wrong ? any ideas, apart from ringing rac etc:Blush::Doh: thanks in advance , sorry if been covered before:thumb:
 

sean n maggie

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Apr 29, 2014
672
327
leeds
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31,196
MH
autotrail
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3
scissor jack never a good thing,,,,and i am a tyre fitter ( comercial too, so the big boys ) get a decent trolley jack , so much easier and safer,,,also if your leaving it jacked up a while get a set af axle stands,,as trolley jacks can leak preassure and go down slowly....:thumb:
 

chrissyvine

Free Member
Feb 15, 2014
62
56
Devon
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30,118
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1992
hello folks, just been cleaning and removing wheels on my ford transit based autosleeper ravenna :Smile:, the front wheels were removed ok with the scissor jack supplied with the MH , but another matter on the rear wheels , difficult to know where to put the scissor jack , i got it up so far then it slipped off, with a bang:Eeek:, do i need to get a hydraulic jack ? am i doing something wrong ? any ideas, apart from ringing rac etc:Blush::Doh: thanks in advance , sorry if been covered before:thumb:
Not an expert on this subject but I believe that the scissor jack as supplied is OK for the original chassis cab before conversion, but is not "man enough" for the converted van and contents. As you say it is not obvious where to put it at the rear other than under the axle (remember to chock the front wheels as handbrake will be ineffective) My advice is either to invest in a heavy duty trolley jack (more weight!) or call out the breakdown services as I do.
May it would be better to leave the wheels alone and not remove them unless you have a puncture!:Doh:

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sedge

Funster
Jul 7, 2009
5,494
13,035
Nr Jct 3 M6
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7,396
MH
C class
Exp
Aug 09 to date 9,000 miles!
On our Bessacar they had to jack the spring as well as the axle to get the rear wheel off to mend the puncture.

This was at a tyre place in France where they did everything up to tyres about 9ft diameter so they had plenty of suitable jacks LOL

The chap who did it had to ask his mate when he couldn't do it, and mate told him to get another one and where to put it (!) ISTR something like "Fou! - c'est un camping-car!" (lowers voice) "Imbecil ..." or words to the same effect, complete with :Doh: in our direction. ROFL
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Since 2005
chuck the scissor jack as far as you can.
Buy a wide based hydraulic bottle jack of at least 4 tonnes capacity...as a rule of thumb, around twice the axles capacity.

Less than £20 on eBay.

If you have an Alko chassis DO NOT jack under the chassis infront or behind the axle......it will buckle due to the small jack pad surface area.
Jack under the chassis directly below the axle tube....it has strengthening gussets for the axle mounts.
 
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Goshawk

Goshawk

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Mar 2, 2014
129
188
West Wales
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MH
Coachbuilt
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2012
hazard of scissor jack

thanks all for the info, it could be disastrous for other folk using the scissor jack , so i thought to post this , i think serious matter, :Sad::Doh:ta i shall be getting a hydraulic jack, and not use or stow the other scissor jack, i started to remove the steel wheels with a view to clean up and respray, which is why i came across this problem, i also now know in a dodgy situation i shall call the rac, make life easier, and i do pay my dues, i will look on ebay today thanks:thumb:

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Sep 10, 2013
1,186
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Chelmsford Essex
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Getting better
I have a twin wheel transit chassis and removing the wheels is not for the faint hearted. My advice would be visit a tyre specialist and have them use their kit to raise the vehicle and make sure the wheels come on and off safely.

Mine in rear wheel drive so you can get a trolley jack under the rear axle, but it needs to be the size for the job. MH's are heavy beasts and need to be treated carefully as any accident would be too awful to contemplate.:Smile:
 
Jan 3, 2008
3,329
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Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Funster No
1,118
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Looking
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35
Jack point

chuck the scissor jack as far as you can.
Buy a wide based hydraulic bottle jack of at least 4 tonnes capacity...as a rule of thumb, around twice the axles capacity.

Less than £20 on eBay.

If you have an Alko chassis DO NOT jack under the chassis infront or behind the axle......it will buckle due to the small jack pad surface area.
Jack under the chassis directly below the axle tube....it has strengthening gussets for the axle mounts.

Perhaps they differ. My Alco handbook indicates a rear jacking point with a locating pin in front of the rear wheel and beneath the shock absorber mounting plate well in front of the axle.
 

JeanLuc

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Nov 17, 2008
3,304
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MH
Hymer B630 Star-Line
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Warning for Sprinter Owners

Mine in rear wheel drive so you can get a trolley jack under the rear axle, but it needs to be the size for the job. MH's are heavy beasts and need to be treated carefully as any accident would be too awful to contemplate.:Smile:

Not sure whether this would be relevant to a Transit RWD but a word of warning to anyone with a Merc Sprinter base.
DO NOT put a trolley jack under the central diff to raise the back end. I spoke to a Merc commercial garage about a different issue (related to wheel geometry) and they offered this advice. Apparently it can cause the rear axle to bend - very expensive to correct as it requires a new axle. They stipulated that only the designated jacking points should be used. The jacking points on a Sprinter are pretty substantial anyway and I have raised the back end successfully using the supplied hydraulic pillar jack.

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Goshawk

Goshawk

Free Member
Mar 2, 2014
129
188
West Wales
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Coachbuilt
Exp
2012
hazards of using jacks

hello folks, and many thanks for the posts regarding lifting jacks, :thumb: as we know there are a lot of mh's about and i for one do not know about lots of things,:RollEyes: it is only when something occurs that we then have a problem,:Sad: and luckily for all of us someone on this brilliant site has an answer, to many questions and problems, so long may it continue:thumb::Smile:
 

pappajohn

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[HI]Perhaps they differ.[/HI] My Alco handbook indicates a rear jacking point with a locating pin in front of the rear wheel and beneath the shock absorber mounting plate well in front of the axle.

could well be, but at least your book states it is a specified jack point. :thumb:

All the axles will be similar design and all will have the reinforcing plates at the axle mount so in the absence of a designated jack point that should be used.

Never jack under the axle tube....it isnt designed to take that much weight.
 

Movinon

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Feb 1, 2012
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Lots
What a bunch of wimps you are! When I was buying my Fiat based 3.5 tonner I asked the dealer how you got the wheel out from the underside where it was stored to repair a puncture at the roadside, as there was very little ground clearance. He told me to use the scissor jack supplied to raise the motorhome so I could then scrabble around underneath to release the spare.

See! No problem. He must know as he's a dealer.

(Please note well: if you think this is a good idea you either have no brains or are planning to leave them underneath your van.....)

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Tootles

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Was a newbie, now a Middie.
Having already decided that jacking up a lot of Hymer back end is now far past my personal capabilities, (physical and physical), then all tyre changes are to be left to the man that can, including any roadside problems we might encounter. With that in mind, I have saved quite a few kilos by ditching the jack(s) to a place of safety, in this case, my shed.
 

Movinon

Free Member
Feb 1, 2012
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MH
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How you get it out depends on what you have. I used to have a Tranny base and could wriggle underneath the backend to unscrew the spare without jacking it up. Now that I have a Fiat with a body that gives very poor ground clearance I carry the spare in the garage. I believe it is possible to put it on a bike rack if you're not carrying bikes. Otherwise it's a call to your roadside rescue guy who might be willing to do it with better equipment after taking all necessary precautions. Of course there's always the wife ......

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