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Jacking up a motorhome


ColinM50

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Have you tried it? Wanted to remove my fresh water tank so set about jacking up the rear of my m/h and putting it on axle stands. Cor blimey, what a palaver. Tried using my 2 tonne trolley jack, no chance. Just wouldn't do it, couldn't get it positioned to be effective and be able to pump it up. So got out the Peugeot supplied jack and that was very tricky to get positioned and to get it working safely.

 

So took the easy way out and poured some Puriclean in the tank rather than do the job properly. But it got me thinking. If i definitely positively had to jack it up, eg for a puncture, what's the best way to do it? Does the supplied jack actually work? It looks all a bit lightweight and dubious to me. So, anybody ever actually done it themselves rather than rely on AA/RAC?

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I use a 12 ton low profile double action bottle jack

Wheels are off/on for service and I rotate the wheels fronts to rear to even out the tyre wear

Only used rwice for punctures once in Portugal with little chance of help and in the isle of man where I had it sorted in 30 mins and on our way

Supplied jack is not safe for use on a fully loaded motorhome if fact the Fiat handbook states you need to unload the van before use

Others may chance the fiat jack or use a recovery service

Ray

 

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I tried out the bottle jack supplied with my Sprinter based van and struggled to get a front wheel off the ground. The main problem was access and getting a secure place. If I had a puncture on route I'd opt for the roadside assistance.
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ColinM50 - 2019-04-19 9:00 AM

 

...Does the supplied jack actually work? It looks all a bit lightweight and dubious to me. So, anybody ever actually done it themselves rather than rely on AA/RAC?

 

Assuming that your 2017 Peuegeot-based Elddis has the same tool-kit as my 2015 Fiat Ducato-based Rapido that has the scissor jack shown in this advert

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/391910362602?chn=ps

 

I can confirm that the jack does ‘work’ OK.

 

I use my jack annually to remove the Rapido’s wheels for cleaning and, although care (obviously) needs taking regarding safety, I’ve never had any real difficulty doing this.

 

It’s worth adding perhaps that - for convenience - I use a ratchet-spanner and extensions to operate the jack, rather that the Fiat-supplied tool, but the jack itself has been able to handle the load.

 

(I’ve also used the jack to raise deeply dug-in front wheels after I’d driven the Rapido on to soft ground a couple of years ago and that was definitely not a fun experience.)

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ColinM50 - 2019-04-19 9:00 AM

So got out the Peugeot supplied jack and that was very tricky to get positioned and to get it working safely.

 

 

Having an older van on a Fiat chassis I have the benefit of a spare wheel and a standard heavy duty scissor jack to lift it. I use it annually to check the brakes etc and it carries out the lift with ease. My only addition is a lump of wood to spread the load under the jack in case of soft ground conditions. When I first got the van I purchased a 6 tonne bottle jack as a fall back but frankly I think that it’s dead weight so I’ll probably leave it at home in future.

 

It’s interesting to note that your positioning of the jack was tricky. My chassis has specific jack points that the jack engages into.

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The current Boxer/Ducato chassis has four ‘turrets’ with a hole into which a short ‘stub’ on the top of the scissor-jack plugs, but it’s still necessary to position the jack so that, when extending, it goes up vertically.

 

Changing a wheel using the standard scissor-jack (or any other jack for that matter) is best practised at home when there’s no hurry and potential problems can safely be identified. An emergency wheel-change with no previous experience of what’s involved invites disaster.

 

(I’m not sure that there would be much difference weight-wise between jacking to raise a Boxer’s rear to fit axle-stands or changing the rear wheels, as in both cases it’s the chassis that’s jacked up. But the risks involved in having both wheels removed would be higher.)

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Tool station do a 4 ton bottle jack which the screw extension fits in the hole in the centre of the jacking points. I use a 75 thick 150 mm square block of wood to get the height right works fine. I would not trust the supplied Jack that came with my Elddis.
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I have used the supplied jack to remove the wheels for cleaning and painting suspension parts and it did the job but I was not happy so purchased a 3T low profile, high lift trolley jack which makes the job much easier. Not so sure Iwould be so happy to use the Fiat jack at the side of the road though.
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I use the Fiat jack twice a year to fit and remove winter tyres/wheels on our 3.7t van. Been doing it for 8 years so that is proof that it is up to the job.

 

The thread did once tear off some swarf which took a bit of running through to remove, ever since I've kept it well greased but still use the original though I now carry a new one in the van which I've once had to use in anger.

 

I always double chock the opposite wheel and strap around them.

 

If you have an Alko rear axle remember NOT to have the handbrake on when jacking the rear.

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mikejkay - 2019-04-20 11:46 AM

 

kevina - 2019-04-19 11:53 PM

 

If you have an Alko rear axle remember NOT to have the handbrake on when jacking the rear.

 

Why?

 

1. It says so in the manual.

 

2. If you do accidentaly apply the handbrake then you will notice the vehicle begin to creep (forwards I think, by several centimetres thus inclining the jack) as the weight transfers to the opposite wheel.

 

Something to do with the geometry of the trailing arm torsion bar and the handbrake design. You will also hear some unhealthy sounding "graunching" as you lower it.

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Thanks all for your recommendations and comments. I bought a 3tonne bottle jack from Screwfix for £17 and using a combination of this and my trolley jack can get the m/h up high enough to put some bricks under the axle or maybe I can fit some axle stands under too. Only want to lift one side so I can get at the bolts that hold the water tank on.

 

But thanks again everybody.

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ColinM50 - 2019-04-21 9:29 AM

 

Thanks all for your recommendations and comments. I bought a 3tonne bottle jack from Screwfix for £17 and using a combination of this and my trolley jack can get the m/h up high enough to put some bricks under the axle or maybe I can fit some axle stands under too. Only want to lift one side so I can get at the bolts that hold the water tank on.

 

But thanks again everybody.

 

Please, please, please DO NOT use bricks or any other building blocks to support any vehicle you are working under!

 

They have a very low crush weight and are liable to collapse at any moment with no warning.

 

You absolutely MUST use proper axle stands rated for the weight they are supporting and suitably sited under the axle or chassis.

 

Keith.

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Having had the supplied scissor jack fall over when the van was struck by a strong gust of wind at just the wrong moment I now carry an 8 ton bottle jack and a 4 ton trolly jack as well as several thick pads of wood.

 

The threaded rod on the scissor jack was bent at a right angle :-D. Fortunately, no damage to the vehicle as the wheel was still on.

 

In the wilds of SW Ireland. A local farmer got me out of trouble with his trolley jack despite my being english.

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