Power Jack ?
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
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=8587
Printed Date: 12 May 2024 at 9:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Power Jack ?
Posted By: mjh203
Subject: Power Jack ?
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 9:50am
| I am looking for recommendations for a power jack for my R-Pod 178. Also, this is probably a question I should know the answer too but I don't so... If I have a power jack and my battery goes dead, will plugging the 7 way into my truck instantly give it enough juice to operate the jack? |
Replies:
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 12:50pm
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Maybe this isn't the solution for everyone, but I replaced the crank on my stock jack with a hex nut the same size as the shafts on the stabilizer jacks. I use an 18v cordless drill for both now. Less work and a lot less expense than buying a power jack. The drill has plenty of power for cranking the trailer up or down quite a few times. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 1:06pm
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That's a good tip! ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 8:17pm
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+1. But if you decide to get a power jack I use a Husky brand jack with my current trailer. Get one that is rated at least 3000 pounds if you have a WDH since you will be lifting the rear of the TV, too. http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=68046&rewrote&affiliateid=5193&gclid=CjwKEAjwrcC9BRC2v5rjyvSbhWASJACKkjDzVno_f-oaj6EUWTwX4DIGMbQ1Aymeq1ujEDP4Mata3BoC_Anw_wcB - http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=68046&rewrote&affiliateid=5193&gclid=CjwKEAjwrcC9BRC2v5rjyvSbhWASJACKkjDzVno_f-oaj6EUWTwX4DIGMbQ1Aymeq1ujEDP4Mata3BoC_Anw_wcB ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 8:37pm
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I purchased the http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712&PID=79202&title=our-escapod-mods#79202 - Jack Quick model for our R179. The link will take you to pictures of it installed. It has a 3650 lb capacity and costs $111.61 on Amazon. It is a Prime item if you are a member. ------------- 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: mjh203
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 8:52pm
| Thanks for the info! |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2016 at 1:52pm
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I followed StephenH's lead and purchased the the Jack Quick 3500 JQ-3500B 12v electric tongue jack. It is still on Amazon for the $111.61. We have the Amazon Prime so we got free shipping with 2 day delivery.It has the 3650 pound capacity. It was a very easy install and will make set up quite a bit easier. Thanks StephenH for the info! ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2016 at 10:02pm
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I am glad you found the information useful. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Bovine0001
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 10:48am
how did you do that? My crank does not simply come off. ------------- 2014 Rpod 178 Mods in Order: 1: Added USB charging port 2: Added Spigot at Fresh Water to make easy empty 3: Solar Panel 4: Cut dinette bench panel to improve access underneath |
Posted By: JScottHouse
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 12:02pm
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Yes, plugging in the tow vehicle will provide the power for the jack .... Provided the seven way is wired with a charge wire. ------------- 2016 RP-180 2013 Ford Explorer 4WD |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 1:55pm
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1.50$ 
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 4:44pm
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I just bought the Quick Jack from Amazon. I'll install it sometime next week, and report back. i have a trip in late September, and every time I camp at this place, the sites are very sloped. My trailer tongue is either very high, or very low at these sites. Plus with the addition last year of my Anderson WDH, it should make it easier/faster to install the hitch chains. My driveway slope is also near the max limit of the full extension of my current tongue jack, so I get some exercise every time I park the trailer and hook up in the driveway. I use an old spare 12V DeWalt 3/8" cordless drill and a Camco adapter for the trailer stabilizers. I've never had to touch those with the hand crank!! ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 5:24pm
I wish I'd taken pictures.... The crank on my tongue jack was attached to the top, so it turns like a merry-go-round, as opposed to a Ferris Wheel. The crank was held on with a rivet-like thing. I ground off one end of the rivet, slid the rivet out and removed the handle, leaving a shaft with a hole in the middle. Then I went to the big-box hardware and got a nut the same size as the cranks on the stabilizers.... to lazy to go measure right now, probably 3/4ths or 13/16ths. As I recall, the hole in the nut was the right size to fit easily on the shaft of the jack, but maybe I had to drill it out a bit. I did drill a hole from one face of the bolt, through the center and out the other side. In the center of one face, through the middle of the nut and out the opposite face. The hole was just the right size for an appropriate sized roll pin. I dropped the nut on the shaft, lined up the nut holes I drilled with the hole in the shaft that the rivet used to go through, and I drove the roll pin in. Then I ground the ends of the roll pin flush with the face of the nut, so that a socket could slide all the way down on the nut. Voilà. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2016 at 5:56pm
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Marwayne, you got my vote! And I like the price too !
------------- 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: Bovine0001
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2016 at 10:59am
Did you cut your crank off? Mine is not detachable. Sorry to pester ya, but this looks cool. ------------- 2014 Rpod 178 Mods in Order: 1: Added USB charging port 2: Added Spigot at Fresh Water to make easy empty 3: Solar Panel 4: Cut dinette bench panel to improve access underneath |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2016 at 12:12pm
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Yes I cut the crank off, but left the nipple as long as possible
so I could cut a thread on it to screw the nut on. There is also a set screw on the nut.
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2016 at 6:09pm
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I don't have a tap and die set (yet), so I'm thinking popping the top of the crank removing the crank/roll pin and cut threads off a 1/2 inch bolt with dremmel or hack saw and drill a hole for roll pin. I've seen that idea somewhere on the interwebs. If I can borrow a die set before, marwayne's idea is much simpler. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2016 at 8:20pm
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Now that I have the JackQuick power jack installed, I have the manual jack as a backup. I might try to modify it as I will be able to work on it without fear that I will leave my R-Pod without a means to raise and lower it. That way, if something were to happen to the JackQuick, I would have a backup on hand. ------------- 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: Leo B
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2016 at 9:07pm
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Sounds like a good plan!
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2016 at 12:28am
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I saved the crank had a friend weld a 3/4"socket on the end so I can still crank it manually.
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2016 at 7:40am
Another good idea. It is good to have a backup. I have a 16V cordless drill/driver from Aldi that I carry to use with the stabilizers. Do you think it would have enough power to work a jack, or would you say that 18 to 20V would be the minimum? I already know it does not have enough power for the BAL leveler, but that is not geared. ------------- 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: marwayne
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2016 at 11:43pm
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I use an 18 volt Ryobi, it lifts the tongue and truck when hooked up to put on the bars for the WDH.
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2016 at 8:29pm
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I just finished the install of the Quick Jack. Extremely easy as far as bolt on mods go. 1) hook up tow vehicle to stabilize R-Pod. I use my SUV as a big wheel chock... 2) unbolt old tongue jack (9/16 socket - 3 bolts) 3) drop quick jack into hole vacated by old jack 4) install star washers under the quick jack mount plate, and reinstall the 3 bolts Elapsed time 20 minutes, including hooking up the tow vehicle.. 5) The electrical....Well, they include a circuit breaker, but NO way to connect to power. 6) Auto parts store (or raid the electrical supply cabinet at work ..shhhhh don't tell) Purchase a 12-10 AWG splice crimp, and a 5/16" stud 12-10 AWG wire crimp (yellow). This is for the battery terminal. I decided to wire it "hot" and not through my battery selector switch. Used outdoor rated zip ties to neatly run the jack power wire (there is only one wire) along the trailer connector cable. Elapsed time to perform electrical about 15 minutes. And it works very well. It came with a jack foot pad that has several holes in it for adjusting how high it can lift the tongue off the ground. It has about 18 total inches of lift, but with the foot pad in one hole space higher I can finally get the R-Pod level in my driveway without bottoming the jack. It will be a big plus on a hot day when setting up or leaving a site, and when leaving or coming back from a trip. I won't break a sweat. Here's a couple pics. The old jack, and the new jack. I added a photo of the installed unit. I'm going to debate whether or not to install the power wire direct to the battery as it is now, or change it over to one of the switch terminals so it can be powered by the battery switch.    ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2016 at 9:43pm
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Congratulations on a successful installation. I wouldn't want to go back to a manual jack.
------------- 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: Kickstart
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2016 at 10:12pm
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ToolmanJohn, if your Jack Quick is like mine, you'll find that it does a great job and is much quieter than many of the expensive brands. The nice included vinyl head cover is NOT water proof. I line mine with a gallon ziplock bag, and like many others cover the whole jack head with a plastic bucket when storing my trailer. I've been well satisfied with the Jack Quick over the last couple years, and those of us who live in the hinterlands sure get the use out of Amazon Prime!
------------- '10 RP 175-Replaced by 2014 Kodiak 173 QBSL '12 Toyota Tundra '05 Sportster (half a Harley) Retired-We're on Beach Time! |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2016 at 7:18pm
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I like the bucket idea for covering it completely when not using the camper. I'll do it. ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: TigerPawd
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2016 at 2:33pm
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I got a Quick Jack HH3500 and it works great on our #179. Except for one thing - through the years, I have had four different jacks on three different TTs without a problem on four different tow vehicles. No problem with any - till I tried to back up my Ford Expedition with the tail gate open for hookup to our Pod. That's always worked before and it did this time too - till I went to close the tail gate. This model of Quick Jack is several inches too tall, so the tail gate hits the top of the jack. I have had to switch back to poles on magnets, which is not nearly as convenient. Be sure to check measurements before ordering. Measure twice, order once. ------------- Joan, Jerry and the two Pugs 2015 R-Pod 179 |