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SAFER TIRE JACKING - TIRE CHANGE RAMP


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PLASTIC RAMP TO RAISE ONE WHEEL AT A TIME

Over the years, I have had more occasions than I like to recall, to have to jack up a trailer. Either it was a tire change on the side of the road, coming home from a faraway tour, or brake and bearing service, or the oddball repair you run into after years of trailering.

Unsure if it would work on my new torsion axle trailer, I bought a really neat, light-weight reinforced plastic ramp. It is made to drive, or back-up one axle of the trailer, so that the other axle's wheel is suspended.

IT WORKS !!! It cost less than $ 40. Now I don't have to crawl under the trailer when it is on a floor jack --- always use a jack stand for safety !

Be sure to break-loose the lugs of the wheel you wish to remove before using the ramp.

You may wish to place a mat under the ramp to prevent it walking on paved surfaces.

There were two types - one has an additional hard rubber surface riveted to the top curve to give an extra inch or so of height. I bought this one, and it's extra height was not really necessary, but works great.

I found an additional use - It came in handy for adjusting the brakes and packing the wheel bearings on the trailer --- HOW OFTEN DO YOU REMEMBER TO PACK/GREASE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND ADJUST BRAKES?

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Marty...Good idea.

On the other hand, I beveled a 12" piece of 4x4. Serves the purpose of tire changing/greasing bearings and is a lot cheaper than $40. Also use as a tire chock when static.

We cannot reach everyone on this good topic so if one finds themselves in a flat tire situation along a highway look for a rock that would support the "good" tire temporarily.

Best,

Peter J.

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Peter,

Good thoughts, of course, but for a few bucks it is one light-weight, safe (with the wheel parked in a "dip"), easily transportable unit that also serves as a wheel chock.

Here in Southeast Louisiana we do not have any rocks -- just soft dirt or mud. No bedrock for construction - houses sit on a slab which rests on pilings held up by the capillary action of the mud. What works in one area may not be best for another. If you aer passing through our area and find you need a rock, call me - always glad to lend a hand.

Seriously, thanks for your thoughts - good idea!

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Marty.

One thing for certain both of our methods work. Some cheaper/some salty however same results. I would rather use one of them versus toting a heavy high-rise jack. As for safety well teaching people common sense with any of our suggestions could be a futile effort and not part of this subject.

Regards,

Peter.

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Marty.

One thing for certain both of our methods work. Some cheaper/some salty however same results. I would rather use one of them versus toting a heavy high-rise jack. As for safety well teaching people common sense with any of our suggestions could be a futile effort and not part of this subject.

Regards,

Peter.

No question both methods work. I suppose it comes down to one's own preference. Before I purchased my ramp I used a 36"X12"x1" piece of beveled wood. I still keep some of the wood in the trailer to support/level out my trailer's ramp door when loading/unloading. Often times trailer parking areas at events are anything but level.

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