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Powerbuilt Unijack 4,000 Lb.

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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote David and Danette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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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Pod People View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Pod People Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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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lostagain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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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Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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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Post Options Post Options   Quote poston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 4:23pm
Originally posted by StephenH

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.


I like the handle.  Mine doesn't have that.



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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote David and Danette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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.
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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.
StephenH
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Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post 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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