Which Jack do you use?

[ruatha]

Hi,
New to caravanning and the forum, and now have a Swift Challenger (2007) sitting on the drive getting ready for its first trip out. However I have noticed there is no Jack and started looking to see what we needed.
I am not keen on the Al Ko side jack and points as it seems expensive so am thinking of scissor jack or bottle jack to use on the chassis jacking points *which I have yet to crawl under and locate).

Not keen on fitting the side jacking points either because we are having a mover fitted and I understand this could interfere and I understand a trolley jack should only be used on a flat, hard surface plus it is a bit of a weight to carry around for an emergency.

So what type of jack do you use and why please?

 

[Dustydog]

https://www.purpleline.co.uk/lifting-levelling
See above.
The brackets are far stronger and safer than Al-ko's which are susceptible to sudden failure. The bottle jack is not so good in that the seals leak. I use the bottle jack from the car. Dead easy.

 

[Dodger524]

I use Mayday but Greenflag is just as good.

 

[otherclive]

I use the Alko sidelift which if you look on Ebay, or either of the two clubs Classifieds you can pick one up for a reasonable price. The brackets are not expensive when bought new, which I would recommend. My movers have always been in front of the wheels so having the Alko brackets doesn't interfere.

 

[emmerson]

I use Mayday but Greenflag is just as good.

Dead right Dodger, although i use RAC. No way am I going to crawl around on the side of a motorway to jack up my caravan!
That's what breakdown companies were invented for.

 

[Dustydog]

Unfortunately the jack is essential if you wish to fit the Al-ko locks on a TA.

 

[Jaydug]

One of these these is carried in the car and I use it for both car and caravan.

 

[Hutch]

I have the older Kojack which is a hydraulic scissor type, cant see it on their website so maybe discontinued. This fits my SantaFe and has the Kock points to fit the Alko chassie. Also my Car Jack can be used .

 

[DrZhivago]

No way am I going to crawl around on the side of a motorway to jack up my caravan! That's what breakdown companies were invented for.

In fact the AA was invented to help motorist to avoid speed traps. Cyclists in recognisable uniform were employed to ride up the road to wave warnings to motorists. The story is that this originated along The Fairmile (on the Portsmouth Road near Esher) with cyclists doing it free-lance, the motorists tossing them a tip for a warning. The ability to help with breakdowns and tyre changes followed later as a natural development.

There are many situations other than motorway hard shoulders in which I would want to take the wheels off my caravan. One is on my own driveway, to take the wheels to a tyre depot for new tyres.

 

[thosoneill]

So what type of jack do you use and why please?

Bottle jack - ease of use

 

[emmerson]

No way am I going to crawl around on the side of a motorway to jack up my caravan! That's what breakdown companies were invented for.

In fact the AA was invented to help motorist to avoid speed traps. Cyclists in recognisable uniform were employed to ride up the road to wave warnings to motorists. The story is that this originated along The Fairmile (on the Portsmouth Road near Esher) with cyclists doing it free-lance, the motorists tossing them a tip for a warning. The ability to help with breakdowns and tyre changes followed later as a natural development.

There are many situations other than motorway hard shoulders in which I would want to take the wheels off my caravan. One is on my own driveway, to take the wheels to a tyre depot for new tyres.

Thank you for the history lesson Doc! I did say "breakdown companies", not any specific one.
Regarding wheels off to have tyres fitted, I take the van to the man, but there are now lots of companies who come to you.
No, after forty-odd years in and around the motor trade, my days of using jacks are long gone. Safety is all now. I want to preserve the few years I've got left.

 

[RayS]

Tried em all and now stick with a trolley jack which is good for the car too. Bottle jacks are very tricky on soft or loose ground - trolley has much bigger footprint even if it sinks in to 'chassis' level.
Mine has more or less paid for itself in 'thank you' bottles of wine from other residents on Spanish site who know I've got one.
Whichever you use, suggest you keep the caravan hitched to car with all brakes on, and lower the steady legs progressively as you raise the caravan ( but Do Not use the steadies to lift it). Then should it slip it may damage the caravan by not you.

 

[Dodger524]

No way am I going to crawl around on the side of a motorway to jack up my caravan! That's what breakdown companies were invented for.

In fact the AA was invented to help motorist to avoid speed traps. Cyclists in recognisable uniform were employed to ride up the road to wave warnings to motorists. The story is that this originated along The Fairmile (on the Portsmouth Road near Esher) with cyclists doing it free-lance, the motorists tossing them a tip for a warning. The ability to help with breakdowns and tyre changes followed later as a natural development.

There are many situations other than motorway hard shoulders in which I would want to take the wheels off my caravan. One is on my own driveway, to take the wheels to a tyre depot for new tyres.

Thank you for the history lesson Doc! I did say "breakdown companies", not any specific one.
Regarding wheels off to have tyres fitted, I take the van to the man, but there are now lots of companies who come to you.
No, after forty-odd years in and around the motor trade, my days of using jacks are long gone. Safety is all now. I want to preserve the few years I've got left.

My tyre man comes to my van at the storage compound.

 

[Gafferbill]

Bottle jacks are very tricky on soft or loose ground - trolley has much bigger footprint even if it sinks in to 'chassis' level.

.........all trolley jacks are sold with a warning stating that they must be used on a hard surface such that they are free to move forwards and backwards during the lift on the jacks wheels.
If the trolley jack is prevented from moving, such as when it sinks into a soft surface, then the lifting point will move relative to the load and is likely to slip causing danger.
All jacks need to be placed on a firm surface sufficient to take the weight.
Only trolley jacks must be able to move as they don't have a vertical lift. .....they lift in an arc.

 

[DrZhivago]

Bottle jacks are very tricky on soft or loose ground - trolley has much bigger footprint even if it sinks in to 'chassis' level.

trolley jacks must be able to move as they don't have a vertical lift. .....they lift in an arc.

Quite right. "Move" as in roll back and forth while the vehicle stays still with brake and chocks.

All jacks need to be placed on a firm surface sufficient to take the weight.

Yes, in a perfect world; at the same time I'd rather pull off a road and onto, say, a grass shoulder to be safe from other traffic. But you can place the bottle jack on a square of timber, say 9"x9" or more. You need some like that for the caravan steadies anyway. Having been involved in civil engineering, the answer to support on soft ground is more footprint area. Even if the support is insufficient the timber square will tend to sink slowly, not suddenly, and you are not getting under the vehicle anyway, are you?