Powerbuilt Unijack 4,000 Lb.
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15486
Printed Date: 18 Jun 2025 at 6:36pm
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Topic: Powerbuilt Unijack 4,000 Lb.
Posted By: David and Danette
Subject: Powerbuilt Unijack 4,000 Lb.
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2022 at 9:53am
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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?
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Replies:
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2022 at 11:02pm
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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 ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 2:48am
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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. ------------- 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." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 6:44am
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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 - https://www.homedepot.com/p/American-Forge-Foundry-12-Ton-Bottle-Jack-INT3512/207047702 ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 10:28am
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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. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 3:37pm
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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. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-Tough-2-Ton-Trolley-Jack-Red-Black-T82011W/249069581?athbdg=L1101 - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-Tough-2-Ton-Trolley-Jack-Red-Black-T82011W/249069581?athbdg=L1101 ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 4:23pm
I like the handle. Mine doesn't have that.  ------------- -- Jim Virginia City, Nevada 2016 R-pod 180 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 7:40pm
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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) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 7:49pm
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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 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2022 at 8:51pm
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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. ------------- Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Kawasaki KLR650 |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2022 at 5:45am
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I found a video where the Vista Cruiser was lifted by the frame where the leaf spring connects to the frame but I will need several blocks to reach that height. The Walmart Hyper-tough trolley jack would have been a better choice and I may end up buying one. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2022 at 7:01am
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I used a floor jack when we lived in Nevada to lift our 172. The area where we parked the trailer was covered with gravel and sloped for a drainage swail under the middle of the trailer. It was a real pain getting the jack into position and even harder to pump the handle, which was under the trailer and was hard to get any leverage on. The bottle jack, on the other hand, was easy to position and stabilize, easy to pump and release, and was considerably lighter to move around under the trailer. The only time I needed a jack when I was on the road was a camping trip at Hope Valley, CA, where I discovered that I had burnt up a bearing on the left wheel. It was parked on an uneven surface, next to a log laying on the ground, in soft dirt. I had no problem setting up the bottle jack and accessing it. Had I tried to use my floor jack, it would have been almost impossible to get it into position, stabilize in the soft ground, and pump it with the log blocking access to reach the long handle under the trailer. Both the jack that StephenH suggested and the low profile jack from Home Depot are good choices. They have about the same unextended height [5 5/16" vs. 5 1/2"], both are lighter than a floor jack [18.3 lbs. vs. 25 lbs.], and both have adequate capacity [2 tons vs. 12 tons]. The bottle jack costs a little more, but takes up a lot less space. The big difference to me is access to the handle and ease of pumping it. The bottle jack is easy to pump from an accessible position. The trolly jack, in order to be positioned under the axle lift point, must be in a position that makes it harder to reach the pump handle. If it requires a lot of force while pumping [as was the case with my floor jack], then it could be a bit more difficult to use. Our current trailer, like Dave and Dannete's, has leaf springs, so we don't need a super low profile. The bottle jack I use has about 6" of unextended height and works quite nicely with a piece of 2x6 under it. I wouldn't even think about using a floor jack, or anything with wheels where we currently park our trailer. It'd sink right into the soft dirt where grass used to grow.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2022 at 7:35pm
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+1 LA. A good bottle jack is versatile and applicable in most situations. Really hard to do better than that. ------------- Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Kawasaki KLR650 |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2022 at 6:18am
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Certainly not all vehicle jacks will work on the rpod axle, that's why I suggested trying it to see. In my case, the Toyota scissors jack is designed to slot into the flange that runs along the bottom of the rocker panel. The jack slot fit perfectly into the vertical part of the weldment attaching the axle to the rpod frame. That is a very strong point and avoids placing a point load directly on either the trailer axle or frame, neither of which are very robust, to say the least. The slotted connection also assures that the jack can't slide off the frame, greatly increasing safety. I would be very cautious about using a bottle jack due to risk of sliding like that, and advise never jacking a trailer unless it is hitched to the tow vehicle and the opposite wheel was chocked. As for bending an F150 jack lifting a small travel trailer, it's hard to imagine how that would happen. An rpod axle fully loaded only weighs about 2000 lbs so any jack with a 1.5 ton capacity or higher should be fine. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2022 at 11:32am
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Any jack with a small footprint, bottle, scissor, or otherwise is at risk of toppling or moving, if the vehicle is not adequately secured. Floor jacks with wheels can manage limited movement if they are on a smooth hard surface but the trailer still needs to be secured. Personally, if the trailer on an incline of any significant degree or cannot be secured from rolling, I agree with OG's suggestion that it be secured to the TV. The same applies if the ground below the jack is soft or unstable. It's also a good idea to use jack stands if you can fit one under a structurally sound lift point next to the jack.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2022 at 9:11am
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OG wrote "That is a very strong point and avoids placing a point load directly on either the trailer axle or frame, neither of which are very robust, to say the least." With frames so weak, it's amazing these things even make it off the lot without falling apart!  Safe travels! ------------- Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Kawasaki KLR650 |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2022 at 6:07am
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Heck, you'll never bend a frame or axle if you just leave the trailer sitting in your driveway. Since probably half of the trailers sold get that treatment, FR and Lippert are home free on 50% of their potential warranty claims. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 30 Oct 2022 at 6:55am
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The Powerbilt unijack 4,000 Lb worked great for our camper I placed it under the frame behind the leaf spring. Needed to lift each wheel to grease bearings it was very stable and liked that it has a jack stand and bottle jack joined together with a stable base. It only weighs about 15 pounds and it's compact and easy to store it's a little more expensive than a bottle jack alone but I think it is worth the higher price. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |