Have you ever, have you ever? (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

Have you ever tried to jack up YOUR motorhome with the manufacturers supplied jack?
I am trying to re-position the twin wheels on my Transit, and I cannot lift it off the ground at all. I got the jack under the axle an that was bad enough but once they made contact that was it I have not enough strength lying on the ground to rotate the handle and get it to lift at all.
This is the first time that I have tried to do this and I am thankful that it is now, and not in the middle of nowhere with a flat tyre.
I am going off to buy a 10 tonne hydraulic jack now as that will give me a fighting chance to get it up higher without the struggle of turning the handle, as the pump action is a lot easier with the higher rating , just takes more pumps, but easier.
I strongly suggest that YOU go out and try it, with whatever you have on the vehicle and not find out at the wrong time that you cannot do it either.

 

[Forestboy]

Yeah tried it when I first got the Hymer. Impossible and dangerous.
Got myself a 5 tonne hydraulic jack from Lidl works perfect.
Not sure how they get away with supplying those things with vans as they're not fit for use.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Never tried but don't have a spare wheel so can't envisage a situation where I would want to. Compressor and gunky stuff for me

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

Agree totally with uselessness

Personally though would never think about changing a wheel, for above reasons and garage is too full of other things we need to fit a heavy jack in

We are in the hands of the RAC if ever needed, chances are it would be on a motorway if in the UK, certainly not messing around on the hard shoulder

 

[wizzer59]

 

[Mikey RV]

Would never attempt to raise van with standard jack. I am lucky that I have glide right levelling jacks and when I last had two new tryes put on the front the guy came out with the trolley jack and I said no need for that mate, pressed the button and up it went so he could change tryes. His face was a picture.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Judge Mental]

thats what breakdown insurance is for.....

 

[jonandshell]

Yes done it and it works!.
Ours is a Transit.

 

[MitchandJenny]

Yes done it and it works!.
Ours is a Transit.

Yeah man !! Dreamy REME rules..
Mitch

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[GWAYGWAY]

IT GOT WORSE. I bought a hydraulic 8 tonne jack from screwfix and then welded a channel to fit the axle onto. then my mate and I thought now that is OK we would fit valve extension on so that is is easy to check pressures, that meant taking off the rear wheels to line the valves up Off with wheels YEAH OK THEN! they would not budge the hubs were rusted to the hubs on the right side, Big bars sledge hammer, various pieces of torture equipment from my workshop, nothing would not come off, in the end a large hydraulic extractor (the type that all homes should have)Pulled it away slowly. Cleaned it all up cleaned inside the wheel and a bit of paint then a little bit of copper grease in the inner rims and all went back with the valves connected. 1 1/2 hours of hard swearing later that was done. The other side and all the gear lined up ready to go undid, the nuts wheels fell off X^%X?"2CK IT. That side took 15 minutes all in but still got the copperslip treatment. I will check the fronts tomorrow but expect no problems as they had always had trims over the nuts.
What now worries me is that it might have been 10.00 pm in a dark and lonely place(ie Romania) with a blowout, the breakdown service would not have done it without the heavy gear. This van was serviced regularly by main Ford dealers every year for 7 years by the previous owner and the wheel had never been off. A bit more checking coming up from me even though it has only 19000 miles.
Bit worrying really.
PS I HAVE RECHECKED THE WHEEL NUTS after going for a quick Jolly around the area for a few miles and I have added a set of nut pointers to all the nuts so I can see visually, if they move towards coming loose.

 

[jollyrodger]

thats what breakdown insurance is for.....

Not if you in France and on any A road

 

[Judge Mental]

Not if you in France and on any A road

Really?..Oops!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Zains Pops]

IT GOT WORSE. I bought a hydraulic 8 tonne jack from screwfix and then welded a channel to fit the axle onto. then my mate and I thought now that is OK we would fit valve extension on so that is is easy to check pressures, that meant taking off the rear wheels to line the valves up Off with wheels YEAH OK THEN! they would not budge the hubs were rusted to the hubs on the right side, Big bars sledge hammer, various pieces of torture equipment from my workshop, nothing would not come off, in the end a large hydraulic extractor (the type that all homes should have)Pulled it away slowly. Cleaned it all up cleaned inside the wheel and a bit of paint then a little bit of copper grease in the inner rims and all went back with the valves connected. 1 1/2 hours of hard swearing later that was done. The other side and all the gear lined up ready to go undid, the nuts wheels fell off X^%X?"2CK IT. That side took 15 minutes all in but still got the copperslip treatment. I will check the fronts tomorrow but expect no problems as they had always had trims over the nuts.
What now worries me is that it might have been 10.00 pm in a dark and lonely place(ie Romania) with a blowout, the breakdown service would not have done it without the heavy gear. This van was serviced regularly by main Ford dealers every year for 7 years by the previous owner and the wheel had never been off. A bit more checking coming up from me even though it has only 19000 miles.
Bit worrying really.

I had the same problem last year, the wheels were rusted solid onto the axles, loads of penetrating oil over two weeks and careful use of a sledge hammer eventually got them free. My local tyre guys did that for me and refitted after cleaning up the hubs and applying copper grease.
This year I have just finished servicing both sides, mainly a visual inspection of the disks and pads, all ok, although worryingly the wheels on the off side were again a right bug*er to shift. Now replaced with a smear of copper grease again, so it looks like it needs to be an annual service item on twin wheel models. I am with you and concerned that if we had a roadside issue then even with roadside assist, unless the wheels come off we are all up sh*t creak. Last year there would have been be no way for any one to have a hope of getting the wheels off at the roadside.
Twin rear wheels are great for getting out of slippery sites but they do seem to require some maintenance if they are not to become a complete nightmare.

 

[Forestboy]

Whenever we change van one of my first jobs check jack and wheelbrace then take off all the wheels just to make sure its all ok. Used to own and operate a fleet of trucks so no problem changing a wheel on a 5 tonne motorhome. Changed a rear one, front tag, a few months ago on roadside just outside Shrewsbury, picked up a massive bolt, ten minutes start to finish.
Breakdown recovery for a flat tyre no thanks do it quicker myself.

 

[PORKSTER]

Always thought about what if but never looked at it. I know the spare looks almost impossible to get too

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[gus-lopez]

thats what breakdown insurance is for.....

it's part of the vehicle insurance here !

 

[wasp]

When the tyre shop put my new tyres on last weekend he use 4 jacks two to lift the axles and two to lift the body
couldn't have got the wheels off otherwise