Where do you jack your trailer?

BigBlue

BigBlue
Scott
Could you address the question on where we should place the jacks to work on our tires. The Al-Ko manual says to follow the trailer manufacturer's recommendations on what to do. The owner's manual I received does not address it very well.
I had an RV repair shop and a trailer shop tell me that I could jack on the tie plate that holds the axle to the spring. Is that right?

Thanks
 

Scott

Well-known member
I am going to tell you to call into our Plant and speak with Cris Myers (LM engineering) on this one, as I just don't know. I do know that our frame is a continuous 10" I-Beam in that area, so I would think that close to the axle area, but on the I-Beam would be the way to go - BUT I want you to talk with our engineer for the OFFICIAL word on that.
Ph. is 574.262.5992
ST
 

fulltimer

Member
I have direct TV and I am wondering how to install it myself. If this has been discussed before please let me know where to find the answers. There are two locations on the side of my Grand Canyonto to connect to, which one do I use? Behind the surround sound are blue and red marked cables, do I use one of them for the direct TV box. Then I must use some cable to connect the audio and video between the box and the TV

Fulltimer
 

Scott

Well-known member
Regarding the satellite (Direct TV) connections, in your docking center, the connection on the left goes up to the roof in case you are mounting your dish on the roof. The one on the right goes into the entertainment center and is for using a tripod mounted dish. If you do use a roof-mounted dish, you get a "jumper cable" to run between the two in the docking center.
As far as the cable ends marked with colored pieces of tape - it used to be green for the satellite and blue for the switch box, but we must have changed because you didn't mention any green. I am going to say that the red one is your satellite IN from the docking center.

ST
 

fulltimer

Member
I was wrong you still use green and blue. So I assume I put the green into the spot marked Satellite In on the back of the dish box. Do I do anything with the cable marked with the blue tape?

Fulltimer
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Fulltimer,

Yes, if your coach is wired per the diagram (called audio.pdf) in a post at this link, then connect the cable with the green tape to the SAT IN on the satellite receiver. Then, out in the UDC, connect your satellite dish to the Sat. jack on the right, towards the rear of the coach.

Be patient as you do all of this and plan a fair amount of time for it. A few coaches have had the 2 wires mis-labled and a few coaches have had a defective cable and/or connectors coming from the UDC into the entertainment center. The first time doing this, I'd suggest you use a portable TV set with the satellite receiver outside of the coach and peak in your dish first. When you have a great signal level and picture, secure the dish, connect the wire from the dish to the rear jack in the UDC, move the receiver into the entertainment center, conect the green labeled wire to SAT IN, power it up, then connect your TV set in whatever manner you choose (TV OUT or VIDEO OUT).

Should work. If not, post your issue in the Satellite section of this forum and we'll give you some ideas.

The blue labled wire goes from the entertaiment center to the VCR input on the RF Switcher in the coat closet. This will allow you to connect any audio/video source within the entertainment center and route that source to your bedroom TV and basement TV jacks. Note that your audio/video source must have an RF (TV) output as this is a single RF cable running to an RF only switcher.

Another option is to install an inexpensive external RF Modulator on the video/audio outputs of an additional audio/video source (DVD/VCR/iPod etc), tune it to channel 3 or 4 and connect the RF output to the blue cable. See more information on this in the Entertainment section of this forum.

Best of luck to you,

Jim
 

BigBlue

BigBlue
I called Al Ko about jacking the trailer and they reiterated their stand on not jacking on any portion of the axle. I talked to Cris and she recommended jacking on the frame. She said we should be able to jack high enough to get the middle wheel off the ground it necessary.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
BigBlue / Anyone,

If one were to use either a hand-pumped 5-ton bottle jack or an air-powered mega hydraulic jack like the roadside service providers use, what would the recommended practice be:

1. Jack on the ground and blocking from the top of the jack cylinder to the frame rail (maybe with a flat board under the frame rail) - or

2. Blocking on the ground, jack on top of the blocking and jack cylinder to the frame rail (maybe with a flat board under the frame rail)

3. Some other method?

I really want to know. I hope to not have to haul a bunch more stuff to jack the trailer properly.

I may end up moving some of these jacking posts to a new thread outside of the ATF forum later.

Jim
 

BigBlue

BigBlue
I would think either method 1 or 2 would work. The only thing Cris mentioned was not to lift on the flange, stay in the middle of the frame.
If you watch any of the History Channel programs on moving things, they usually show blocking under the jack. It's probably more stable to have the blocks under the jack instead of above the jack.
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Jim;

I carry a block 6 x 8 x 8 and use a 12 ton bottle jack. I put the block under the jack and nothing between the jack piston and the frame. Seems to work well. I don't like stacked blocks like I've seen some people use. To much chance for slippage.
John
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Good points - thanks John.

Now, where did I put my house moving cribbing so I can cut me a section to carry in the trailer........
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Jim;
Check with local landscapers or deck builders. I got mine from pieces that I cut off when building the deck over my walkout. Landscapers use them on retaining walls and usually have smaller chunks left over. Wish I had known, 'cause I left half a dozen in Minnesota.
John
 
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