Fixing a bent trailer jack

• Nov 26, 2014

• #1

Lebowski

Member

Hi.

I hope everyone is having an awesome Thanksgiving week. Hoping I can get some advice on fixing a bent trailer jack.



It's welded to my trailer or I would replace it. Any ideas?

Thank you kindly.

 

• Nov 26, 2014

• #2

A

aspringfield

Member

Grind the welds off and replace with a u bolted one

 

• Nov 26, 2014

• #3

T

The Longhunter

Banned

aspringfield said:

Grind the welds off and replace with a u bolted one

Click to expand...

What he said.

That one is intended to be bolted in the first place.

 

• Nov 26, 2014

• #4

BoosterC

Senior Member

aspringfield said:

Grind the welds off and replace with a u bolted one

Click to expand...

X3

cheaper and safer just to replace

 

• Nov 26, 2014

• #5

alexmlane

Senior Member

aspringfield said:

Grind the welds off and replace with a u bolted one

Click to expand...

I just did this on a pontoon trailer. Cheapest and fastest shipping I could find was here:

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Jack.aspx?Redirect=1

If you have just 2 welds, cut one of them and then put a pry bar under it and bend it back and forth a couple of times and the other weld will break off.

 

• Nov 27, 2014

• #6

F

fishingguy61

Senior Member

BoosterC said:

X3

cheaper and safer just to replace

Click to expand...

X4. I would use stainless u-bolts and locking nuts.

 

• Nov 29, 2014

• #7

W

whchunter

Senior Member

First

First I'd weld 2 angles top and bottom. This will strengthen and give you a place to place your ubolts.

 

• Nov 29, 2014

• #8

jay sullivent

Senior Member

If you just put u-bolts on that one it would prob pull it straight, it hardly looks bent

 

• Nov 29, 2014

• #9

N

NoGoodNoBody

Member

I would just bend it back straight. If it doesn't come out perfect, then I would cut it off and weld it back on the other side.

 

• Dec 1, 2014

• #10

RoadRunner14

Senior Member

whchunter said:

First I'd weld 2 angles top and bottom. This will strengthen and give you a place to place your ubolts.

Click to expand...

What he said...This would make it very strong and would have no chance of bending.

 

• Dec 4, 2014

• #11

EZ Spin

Senior Member

It looks like it is only the mounting plate that is bent - there is a right way and a wrong way to fix things. If it was my john boat trailer I would remove the jack and hit the mounting plate with a sledge hammer to knock it back straight. If it was on my Nitro I would do what the above posts suggest (right after I tried to beat it back straight with a sledge hammer).

 

• Dec 4, 2014

• #12

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator

Staff member

Is it affecting the operation of the trailer ? If you can still roll it like you want to leave it alone IMO.

 

• Dec 4, 2014

• #13

Wild Turkey

Senior Member

take the jack part off by removing big split ring.
Beat the sucker back straight. put it back on.

 

• Dec 5, 2014

• #14

Eugene Stinson

Senior Member

Let me fix it.

Bring it over to the house and I will delicately cut it off and grind flat the old welds. Remove the C-clip to separate the mounting plate from the jack. Weld a 1/4 inch matching plate to the mounting plate after I straighten it. Weld it back on and paint the damaged areas. Replace the jack and it will be like new.
Like I have always said It ain't nothing that a whole lot of money can't fix

 

• Dec 6, 2014

• #15

Lebowski

Member

Thank you for your feedback. If I were to replace the trailer jack and continue to use the existing mounting plate, is there a specific process for removing the jack? Here is a photo:



Would a replacement jack have standard mountings that would likely align w/ the existing plate?

 

• Dec 6, 2014

• #16

Backlasher82

Senior Member

Remove the cotter pin then remove the circlip, the jack then just slides off. Of course you'll something supporting the trailer tongue. Measure the inside diameter and the mounting depth to make sure the new jack will fit.

 

• Dec 6, 2014

• #17

BoosterC

Senior Member

Lebowski said:

Thank you for your feedback. If I were to replace the trailer jack and continue to use the existing mounting plate, is there a specific process for removing the jack? Here is a photo:


Would a replacement jack have standard mountings that would likely align w/ the existing plate?

Click to expand...

You are really trying to do it the hard way. Those jacks aren't designed to de disassembled and have components replaced. I would be real surprised if you could find any individual replacement "parts".

Why not just pop off the old jack and replace with a new one using U-bolts (which normally are supplied)? If you don't have a grinder to smooth it out, just put it on the other side of the tongue.

The way you are going, you are taking a 15 min replacement process into a half day knuckle busting affair.

 

• Dec 8, 2014

• #18

Lebowski

Member

Awesome feedback on installing the new jack on the opposite side. It took about 20 minutes and works perfectly.

On a second note, I've been unable to remove the circle clip for the old jack. Is there an easy way to remove the clip without having a fancy tool? Thank you kindly!

 

• Dec 8, 2014

• #19

T

T.P.

Banned

A pair of needle nose pliers might get it off.