Trailer-Aid Ramp to change tires

[JeremyN]

Everyone,

I helped a buddy change his tire today on his trailer. He had a Trailer-Aid ramp to do it, and we changed the tire in literally minutes. It was so fast and much easier than jacking up the trailer.

I went home and I decided to read some reviews before I bought one for my trailer. A few of the reviews said that if you have a spread-axle design like I do, then this Trailer-Aid device will not work.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I don't want to buy this if it won't work.

Thanks.

 

[dbbls59]

You would be putting a lot of weight on one tire. I have heard that doing so will permanently damage the tire on the ramp. Damage may not show up immediately but may appear later after a several miles.

 

[danemayer]

You would be putting a lot of weight on one tire. I have heard that doing so will permanently damage the tire on the ramp. Damage may not show up immediately but may appear later after a several miles.

While this is true, since you're not running down the road, the tire won't get overheated by the extra weight. From everything I've read, the overloading/underinflation damage issue is due to the excess heat that is generated.

There's been some discussion in the past about other possible Trailer Aid issues related to stress on axles and suspension. I'm not sure, but it seems to me that hitting some of the construction bumps we encounter at highway speed would put more stress on the axles and suspension than driving up on a ramp. My opinion.

 

[TXBobcat]

Let me see, if you have two tires on one side and one goes flat. How much weight would now be on the one that didn't go flat. Would it be so much different if you rolled the tire on a ramp to change the deflated one?? I have seen a number of people pulling a trailer down the highway while one tire was flat or chained up when one tire actually came off.

To many of us we took a different tack. We had or bought a leveling system installed that makes changing tires easy as well as other uses..

BC

 

[Wharton]

We have one and it generally works well, have only used it when greasing the bearings each year. We have 16" tires and find we need to put a piece of wood under it to get the tire high enough.

 

[JanAndBill]

If you want to try before you buy, here's a homemade version, made out of 2x6's.

 

[porthole]

If you want to try before you buy, here's a homemade version, made out of 2x6's.

View attachment 26054

I use this on my motorcycle trailer, works fine.


OP, what do you mean "spread axle"?


This is what the USCG specs for their 3 axle boat trailers.

EZ-jack, 20K rating. Works with springs or torsion suspension.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack,Wheel-Chocks/Blaylock-Industries/EZ-JACK.html


I have one of the EZ-jacks. Nicely made and seems strong enough.
It will not work on my motorcycle trailer as it is a low profile and too close to the ground. The triple wood block pictured above works fine on that.
Never tried it on the Cyclone because I have LevelUp.

Whichever type you use, kind of important that back off the same way you ramped up. You don't want to drive off the flat end.

 

[boatto5er]

Duane, a Spread Axle is the type you see on the North Trail Travel Trailers. The axles are much further apart than they are on the 5th wheels.

 

[JeremyN]

Guys, here is a picture where you can see the spread axle design on my trailer.

 

[JeremyN]

Guys, I had also contacted TrailerAid about my situation. After speaking with their Engineers, this is what they responded to me with:

Below is what I learned about the Trailer-Aid with the spread axle:

We do not know for sure. As we have learned in the past, the weight of the trailer, where the weight is distributed, and the stiffness of the suspension play a role in the trailer aid’s function. I cannot say definitively whether or not it will work for this particular application but the increased axle spacing will make it less likely to work. If he wanted to test if it will work prior to buying he can pull one wheel on a block or stack of blocks that are 3.75” tall for the TA and 4.75” tall for the TA Plus. If neither of these lift it high enough to raise the rear tire then the Product will not work for his application.


The trailer-aid does make it so easy to change a flat tire, we do get great reviews (most especially in the horse trailer market). Unfortunately, there currently is no other “easy” alternatives to the jack in the market for your particular type of axle. I’m sorry that I didn’t have a better answer for you and hate we can’t help you by supplying another product at this time.

Just wanted to keep you all updated on this.

Thanks for all the responses.

 

[JanAndBill]

Here you go guys, a "Jack in a Bag", plug a hose up to the exhaust pipe on your vehicle. $69 on Ebay. 4180# lift capacity, with 18" lift height.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Jeremy, I bought one and tried it on the Horn on a concrete driveway. It did not work very well. It just slid on the concrete and smashed it. It did however work on my work trailer which is alot lighter. So now it stays in the work trailer. I think the weight and surface makes a difference how they work.