Leveling Jack Nut Came Loose

[Ben]

I started using a cordless drill to raise and lower the jacks when I first got the teardrop. This worked pretty well up until I was a little careless one day and instead of lowering the jack, the drill took off and smacked my hand against the trailer pretty good - enough to run get an xray to make sure I didn't shatter any bones.

I had the bright idea that an impact driver would be a better option - and I suppose it is. It won't buck against you but the down side is that it only has one power setting and that is full force.

This past weekend as I was putting my impact driver onto the nut to raise the level back up, the nut came loose from the long screw that raises and lowers the jack. Fortunately, I was able to put it back on and raise the jack. Miraculously, when I went back to try to fix the problem, the nut was still there!

I figured I would have to just purchase and install a new jack - not a huge deal. However, doing some research on this site, back in 2012, someone had a similar problem and posted about how to fix it. There is a pin that runs through the nut fixing it to screw. I broke that pin.

There were 2 possible solutions - A roller pin that you tap into the hole and a cotter pin. A trip to Lowe's produced several roller pins but none that fit and a cotter pin that fit just fine. I got that on pretty easily and now will have to give it a try. It's easy to get lazy with oiling the screws when you have such a powerful little beast to get the jacks up and down. I'll grease them up this time and hopefully the cotter pin will hold.

 

[Sweeney]

Ouch! Glad you're OK. I've messed up 2 camping trips so far by doing stuff like that. Both because of sharp objects. Its horrible to put wound care on the agenda for a time one is trying to get away from the everyday...

Didn't this happen just last summer - I seem to recall a long thread about the missing nut. I'm thinking impact wrenches aren't such a good idea for stabilizers.

I fought with the crank for about 1 trip before I realize there had to be a better way. I finally landed on carrying a single ratchet wrench stowed in the galley, which is generally the first thing we open when we arrive. It only takes a few turns, and the ratchet makes it easy. The big advantage to this, is there is nothing extra to carry or unpack --- the tool is right there, and I can raise the tire off the ground in less than a minute or two if I need to. Its also quieter, so the late-night arrival doesn't shatter the silence any more than we already have.

 

[Ben]

That does sound like a good way to go about it. The impact driver is effortless and quick so the noise factor at least is short lived however it has more oomph than is really called for.

 

[Warren Mary Ellen]

Ouch! Glad you're OK. I've messed up 2 camping trips so far by doing stuff like that. Both because of sharp objects. Its horrible to put wound care on the agenda for a time one is trying to get away from the everyday...

Didn't this happen just last summer - I seem to recall a long thread about the missing nut. I'm thinking impact wrenches aren't such a good idea for stabilizers.

I fought with the crank for about 1 trip before I realize there had to be a better way. I finally landed on carrying a single ratchet wrench stowed in the galley, which is generally the first thing we open when we arrive. It only takes a few turns, and the ratchet makes it easy. The big advantage to this, is there is nothing extra to carry or unpack --- the tool is right there, and I can raise the tire off the ground in less than a minute or two if I need to. Its also quieter, so the late-night arrival doesn't shatter the silence any more than we already have.

We have ratchet with correct sized socket stored in the camper too. Another camper showed us this & it works great. I didn’t want to keep with drill on a camping trip.