Powerbuilt Unijack 4,000 Lb. |
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David and Danette
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1218 |
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Topic: Powerbuilt Unijack 4,000 Lb. Posted: 08 Oct 2022 at 9:53am |
We ordered the Powerbuilt Unijack for our camper and while reading reviews I read that etrailer recommended it for a r-pod owner. Haven't received it yet but by reviews I hope it is a good choice for wheel maintenance or changing a tire on a light weight camper or ones tow vehicle. Does anyone have experience with this jack it seems to be a popular jack with fairly good reviews?
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2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
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Pod People
Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1081 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 08 Oct 2022 at 11:02pm |
I don't know the minimum height of your unit for jacking-you may even have double axles?? the specs say 8.6" minimum height. . Our RPod 179 with lift kit would not let us use a bottle jack if the tire was flat. There was not enough room between the ground and jacking point for the jack. I'm sure you can guess how we found out!! we had to use a floor jack. Hope this helps Travel often and safe Vann
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jato
Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3258 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 2:48am |
Over the years and at our pod rallies I have strongly advised having a floor jack instead of a bottle jack for the very reason Vann listed above. Bad enough to have a flat on your r-pod (which I did this spring) and then not be able to change it because you don't have enough clearance to get under your axle. Yes, the floor jack weighs more and takes up more valuable storage space than a bottle jack - but it works whereas the bottle jack won't.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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lostagain
Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 6:44am |
There are some low profile bottle jacks on the market that may work. We have one that has about a 6" unextended height. Home Depot sells a 12 ton that they say has a 5" unextended height. That is not really much more than the height of a floor jack and, if it fits, would be much less hassle to carry around. It's about 1 1/2" higher than the lowest collapsed height Harbor Freight 1.5 ton floor jack. https://www.homedepot.com/p/American-Forge-Foundry-12-Ton-Bottle-Jack-INT3512/207047702
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 10:28am |
First check to see if you can make use of the jack in your tow vehicle. That would save needing to carry a second one. The scissors jack that came with my Highlander worked perfectly on the rpod. The jack only has to lift about 2000 lbs max on a midsize rpod.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6329 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 3:37pm |
Not all of the vehicle jacks will work. Back when we were towing with the Escape, I tried using the jack from it and the jack bent. That is when I purchased the little trolly jack from Walmart which has worked quite well, even when we had the blowout last time we went out west.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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poston
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 28 Mar 2018 Location: Nevada Online Status: Offline Posts: 197 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 4:23pm |
I like the handle. Mine doesn't have that. |
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-- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
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David and Danette
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1218 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 7:40pm |
You are right the jack will not fit under the axle my mistake and I wonder why etraler recommended the Powerbilt Unijack for a r-pod I guess they were wrong too. Is there another safe location to place a jack besides under the axle? Our Vista Cruiser has leaf springs it's not a torsion axle like the r-pods. I like the two ton trolley jack from Walmart wish I had seen that first.
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2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6329 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 7:49pm |
If you can place it with a support block under the part of the axle that attaches to the frame (the two vertical plates), you should be okay lifting there. I made a V shaped block to fit the shape of the axle and then modified it to allow space for the wiring. It is cut so the axle fits in the V and the top of the block contacts the axle brackets. There is no pattern. Just cut one out of a block of wood to fit. You might need to put two pieces of lumber together to make one.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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gpokluda
Senior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: NM Online Status: Offline Posts: 344 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 8:51pm |
Maybe etrailer was referring to using the jack on the Rpod frame, where I personally would rather lift the trailer from rather than the axle tube. I use an 8 ton bottle jack that I had laying around and a single jackstand. Nice thing about the bottle jack is the ram head fits nicely between the LP line and wiring on the driver side frame. Doesn't take up much room and works perfectly for annual bearing packing.
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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Kawasaki KLR650 |
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