| SERRO SCOTTY CAMPER ENTHUSIASTS |
| J A C K S & S T A B L I Z E R |
JACKS |
BOB |
LEVELING YOUR CAMPER IS VERY IMPORTANT, FOR A FEW REASONS COMFORT BEING ONE, AND IN MODELS WITH REFRIGERATORS,YOUR CAMPER MUST BE LEVEL FOR IT TO WORK PROPERLY. THAT BEING SAID, LETS LOOK AT WHAT SOME OF THE MEMBERS HAVE DONE WITH DIFFERENT JACKS. THE JACK ON THE FRONT OF THE TONGUE IS USED TO RAISE TONGUE UP AND DOWN SO YOU CAN HOOK YOUR CAMPER TO THE HITCH ON YOUR TOW VEHICLE. A LOT OF THESE ORGINIAL JACKS ARE RUSTED OR STRIPED OUT AND DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. SO IT NEEDS REPLACED, THIS IS DONE BY GRINDING OFF THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE JACK ON THE TONGUE AND REMOVING THE OLD JACK. THE EASIEST WAY OF DOING THIS, IF YOU ARE NOT A WELDER IS TAKE IT TO A GARAGE, OR SHOP THAT DOES WELDING, AND HAVE IT DONE THERE. THE NEW JACK CAN BE PURCHASED AT PLACES LIKE VINTAGE CAMPER SUPPLY ON LINE OR AT YOUR LOCAL RV DEALER AND WOULD LOOK LIKE THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT. IF YOU DONT WANT TO GO THUR REMOVING THE OLD JACK A BOLT ON JACK CAN BE PURCHASED THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS. THEY BOLT TO THE SIDE OF THE FRAME AND RUN AROUND 35 DOLLARS THEY WORK GOOD, EXCEPT THEY ARE NOT AS STRONG AS THE ORGINAL TYPE JACK. I'VE USED THIS JACK ON A COUPLE OF CAMPERS. BUT IN GRAVEL THEY HAVE A HABIT OF TRYING TO BEND OR TILT AWAY. I WOULD NOT USE IT TO TRY TO MOVE YOUR CAMPER ON A ROUGH SURFACE. THE ORGINAL JACK HAS A WHEEL THAT SLIDES ONTO THE BOTTOM OF THE JACK THAT WORK BETTER, LOOKING LIKE THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT. SO WHAT EVER YOU DECIDE TO DO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR WHEELS ARE CHUCKED, PUT A WEDGE ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF YOUR WHEELS, SO YOUR CAMPER WONT ROLL AWAY AFTER YOU HAVE TAKEN FROM THE HITCH ON YOUR TOW VEHICLE, I ALWAYS LEAVE MY SAFTY CHAINS ON UNTILL I AM READY TO PULL AWAY FROM THE CAMPER, I JUST PULL AHEAD ENOUGH TO GET THE BALL ON THE HITCH OUT FROM UNDER THE TONGUE. |
LEVELING JACKS OR STABILIZER
JACKS USED TO STABILIZE YOUR
CAMPER, AND HELP LEVEL ,
AVAILABLE AT MOST RV CENTERS
JACKS USED TO STABILIZE YOUR
CAMPER, AND HELP LEVEL ,
AVAILABLE AT MOST RV CENTERS
 | |  |
| If you have any information that you would like to share with the group please email me at dturner26531@yahoo.com |
from James Gudat
I have a 1967 Highlander ( my second the first was a 68)
that I think is the coolest thing. We use it regularly and
often take it out to the Canton trade days. The last trip
out the tongue jack stripped out, nothing more
inconvenient than having to deal with a trailer that has an
inoperable jack. It required lots of research and countless
times being told “ no, you cannot repair your old jack that
is welded into the frame” but I did not give up.
I have finally found a fast, easy, and not expensive way to
repair it. All without having to grind out the old jack.
The key was finding a new jack that had the same style
mechanism as the old Atwood. The NORCO industries
BAL 1000 lb jack part number 29015 is exactly what you
need. It is a side wind, center thrust with a 1- 5/8”
elevation tube. Mine cost $59 at a local holiday rambler
dealer.
To replace your stripped out elevation tube, lift up and
securely support the front frame of your camper with at
least 25” from the bottom of the existing tongue jack to
the ground. remove the top cover of both jacks, with a
1/8” punch and a hammer lightly tap on the end of the pin
to push out the retaining pin for the vertical gear on both
jacks, pull out the handle, lift up horizontal gear off of pin,
remove pin from threaded rod. With hammer and wood
block tap the threaded rod down and out of the upper
portion of the jack. If it is well rusted it may take a bit of
force to get it going, the wood block will transfer the impact
without mis-shaping the top of the rod. Once it breaks free
the extension tube will fall out of the upper part of the
jack. ( if your jack is operable at all it is best to first, fully
retract it so that it is easier to pull out from under the
tongue) .
To put the new extension tube in your old jack housing be
sure to retract the new threaded rod pretty much all the
way down ( allowing for the shortest length to work with) .
I would add some additional bearing grease to the threaded
rod and the outside of the extension tube .
The new extension tube assembly has a better upper
bearing set up. To match up with the old upper jack case
that is welded to your camper ,simply take one of the fiber
washers from the old extension tube assembly and place
one of them on top of the new bearing on the new tube
assembly. The old jack did not have a bearing and simply
worked on a system of two fiber washers with a metal
washer in between.
Once inserted you will see the top of the new threaded rod
come up through the center hole of the old upper jack
assy. Slide in the retaining pin and drop the horizontal gear
in place (you can use the old one if it is in good shape or
the new one, I cleaned up and reused my old ones and kept
the new ones for spares) . Next slide in the handle through
the hole of the jack top, through the vertical gear. Rotate
the handle so that you can see the pin opening and then
insert the handle/vertical gear retaining pin. Apply a good
coat of bearing grease , replace the gear cover and you are
done.
I did find that the new jack at full retraction still left the
camper a bit tongue high, so I used a sawsall and cut about
2 -1/2” off of the wheel end of the extension tube so that
with my original metal Atwood wheel I could perfectly level
the camper. ( I think newer wheels do not sit up as high as
the old metal wheels did so if you have a new wheel you
may not want to make that cut)
I like the original look of the welded in jack but decided to
change out the handle to the new handle. The old one was
just a metal rod bent to shape, the new one has a roller
style grip so no more blisters from raising and lowering the
camper!
Hope this helps fellow Scotty lovers as I was sure happy to
have mine fixed.
James
pictures below
I have a 1967 Highlander ( my second the first was a 68)
that I think is the coolest thing. We use it regularly and
often take it out to the Canton trade days. The last trip
out the tongue jack stripped out, nothing more
inconvenient than having to deal with a trailer that has an
inoperable jack. It required lots of research and countless
times being told “ no, you cannot repair your old jack that
is welded into the frame” but I did not give up.
I have finally found a fast, easy, and not expensive way to
repair it. All without having to grind out the old jack.
The key was finding a new jack that had the same style
mechanism as the old Atwood. The NORCO industries
BAL 1000 lb jack part number 29015 is exactly what you
need. It is a side wind, center thrust with a 1- 5/8”
elevation tube. Mine cost $59 at a local holiday rambler
dealer.
To replace your stripped out elevation tube, lift up and
securely support the front frame of your camper with at
least 25” from the bottom of the existing tongue jack to
the ground. remove the top cover of both jacks, with a
1/8” punch and a hammer lightly tap on the end of the pin
to push out the retaining pin for the vertical gear on both
jacks, pull out the handle, lift up horizontal gear off of pin,
remove pin from threaded rod. With hammer and wood
block tap the threaded rod down and out of the upper
portion of the jack. If it is well rusted it may take a bit of
force to get it going, the wood block will transfer the impact
without mis-shaping the top of the rod. Once it breaks free
the extension tube will fall out of the upper part of the
jack. ( if your jack is operable at all it is best to first, fully
retract it so that it is easier to pull out from under the
tongue) .
To put the new extension tube in your old jack housing be
sure to retract the new threaded rod pretty much all the
way down ( allowing for the shortest length to work with) .
I would add some additional bearing grease to the threaded
rod and the outside of the extension tube .
The new extension tube assembly has a better upper
bearing set up. To match up with the old upper jack case
that is welded to your camper ,simply take one of the fiber
washers from the old extension tube assembly and place
one of them on top of the new bearing on the new tube
assembly. The old jack did not have a bearing and simply
worked on a system of two fiber washers with a metal
washer in between.
Once inserted you will see the top of the new threaded rod
come up through the center hole of the old upper jack
assy. Slide in the retaining pin and drop the horizontal gear
in place (you can use the old one if it is in good shape or
the new one, I cleaned up and reused my old ones and kept
the new ones for spares) . Next slide in the handle through
the hole of the jack top, through the vertical gear. Rotate
the handle so that you can see the pin opening and then
insert the handle/vertical gear retaining pin. Apply a good
coat of bearing grease , replace the gear cover and you are
done.
I did find that the new jack at full retraction still left the
camper a bit tongue high, so I used a sawsall and cut about
2 -1/2” off of the wheel end of the extension tube so that
with my original metal Atwood wheel I could perfectly level
the camper. ( I think newer wheels do not sit up as high as
the old metal wheels did so if you have a new wheel you
may not want to make that cut)
I like the original look of the welded in jack but decided to
change out the handle to the new handle. The old one was
just a metal rod bent to shape, the new one has a roller
style grip so no more blisters from raising and lowering the
camper!
Hope this helps fellow Scotty lovers as I was sure happy to
have mine fixed.
James
pictures below
| FROM BOB CLARK, A VERY EASY WAY TO LEVEL YOUR CAMPER PACIFIC RV PARTS |