Twin Axle Questions

[Mark&Penny14]

Now that we have our nice shiny Coachman VIP 675 sitting on the drive and after reading and posting about various things to do with levelling and jacking twin axle vans, I still have a bit of a conundrum,  as I have done as several people have said and driven 1 wheel onto a ramp to see if it gives enough lift for the other wheel to be changed and can confirm that it doesn’t, all it seems to do is make the wheel on the ramp bulge a lot, suggesting too much load, anyway moving on, I have quad movers fitted so the access to the jacking points isn’t accessible as per the pic below or are these still useable with something like a Kojack.  

 

 

So with these not being useable I need to look at another jacking solution, I’m thinking of a small trolley jack that could be used between the wheels is that an option and if so would it be ok to jack on the strengthened section as per the picture below

 

 

Any my suggestions please.  

 

Cheers Mark.  

 

[AlwynMike]

If you can get a strong enough jack in there, then go for it.

 

I always jack mine on this plate (for better or worse?)

 

Have you tried offering up the Kojack brackets to see if you can a) fit them and b) get a jack on them when fitted.

[Mark&Penny14]

I don’t have a Kojack so can’t do that I think a trolly might be easier 

[Brecon]

30 minutes ago, Mark&Penny14 said:

so would it be ok to jack on the strengthened section

Absolutely OK to jack using the strengthened section as you were thinking.

If not there, then under the axle tube just behind the backplate.

 

A trolley jack is the better option, and safer than any side lift type,  to jack with as long as the surface it is on will allow the jack to move as the lift progresses to keep the jacking pad in the correct position.

Edited December 9, 2018 by Brecon

[Guest]

I have a twin axle and I can just get a 2. 25 tonne trolley jack in between the wheels and jack it up in the same place under the axle strengthening plate.

[V8Vmarkie]

Yep same as Gary, although I use a rubber block between jack plate and chassis 

[Mark&Penny14]

Yes I was thinking of a piece of timber or something to prevent metal in metal slippage.  

[Borussia 1900]

22 minutes ago, Mark&Penny14 said:

Yes I was thinking of a piece of timber or something to prevent metal in metal slippage.  

If you are going to jack it up connect the hitch to your car first

[Guest]

My jack came from Machine Mart and came with a rubber pad that sits in the jack saddle to help stop it slipping 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Mark&Penny14 said:

Now that we have our nice shiny Coachman VIP 675 sitting on the drive and after reading and posting about various things to do with levelling and jacking twin axle vans, I still have a bit of a conundrum,  as I have done as several people have said and driven 1 wheel onto a ramp to see if it gives enough lift for the other wheel to be changed and can confirm that it doesn’t, all it seems to do is make the wheel on the ramp bulge a lot, suggesting too much load, anyway moving on, I have quad movers fitted so the access to the jacking points isn’t accessible as per the pic below or are these still useable with something like a Kojack.  

 

 

So with these not being useable I need to look at another jacking solution, I’m thinking of a small trolley jack that could be used between the wheels is that an option and if so would it be ok to jack on the strengthened section as per the picture below

 

 

Any my suggestions please.  

 

Cheers Mark.  

 

Im amazed that a ramp doesnt lift enough, what height was the ramp? Yes the tyres will bulge a little more just as they will when you go over a speed bump etc but nothing untoward there.

 

[Mark&Penny14]

1 minute ago, AJGalaxy2012 said:

Im amazed that a ramp doesnt lift enough, what height was the ramp? Yes the tyres will bulge a little more just as they will when you go over a speed bump etc but nothing untoward there.

 

To be exact 102 mm but the other wheel remained on the floor 

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, Mark&Penny14 said:

To be exact 102 mm but the other wheel remained on the floor 

I have used a commercial levelling ramp with two different twin axles and never had a problem, in both cases plenty of room for the inflated wheel to go on.  

Learn something new every day!, That must be a lot of suspension travel on your van, well, greater than 102mm

 

 

[Guest]

As others have suggested I used a trolley jack for our twin axle caravans. A 1.5 tonne jack was perfectly acceptable as in effect it only has to lift half of the caravan weight if the other two wheels remain on the ground. Also as has been suggested I always coupled the caravan to the towcar with parking brake engaged, before attempting to lift one side as this prevents the caravan from rotating sideways as it if lifted, and also negates the requirement for applying the caravan's parking brake if on firm horizontal ground. That's all that's needed to replace a wheel.

The usual safety rules apply, so keep the towcar coupled and do not rely on the jack alone if you intend to work under the caravan - always use at least one axle stand, and if additional stability is required lower all four corner steadies, not forgetting to raise them again before lowering the caravan to the ground.

Gordon.

[Mark&Penny14]

26 minutes ago, Gordon said:

As others have suggested I used a trolley jack for our twin axle caravans. A 1. 5 tonne jack was perfectly acceptable as in effect it only has to lift half of the caravan weight if the other two wheels remain on the ground. Also as has been suggested I always coupled the caravan to the towcar with parking brake engaged, before attempting to lift one side as this prevents the caravan from rotating sideways as it if lifted, and also negates the requirement for applying the caravan's parking brake if on firm horizontal ground. That's all that's needed to replace a wheel.

The usual safety rules apply, so keep the towcar coupled and do not rely on the jack alone if you intend to work under the caravan - always use at least one axle stand, and if additional stability is required lower all four corner steadies, not forgetting to raise them again before lowering the caravan to the ground.

Gordon.

[Durbanite]

Why don't you buy the Lock n Level which will solve your issues.

[CommanderDave]

When you are only using one wheel on a twin axle you are applying possibly twice the maximum weight to the suspension and tyre to the one on the ground so it should not be left for a long period but as short as possible .

 

 

Dave

Edited December 10, 2018 by CommanderDave

[Griff]

18 hours ago, Mark&Penny14 said:

I don’t have a Kojack so can’t do that I think a trolly might be easier 

 

Trolley jack for me, also handy for the cars.

 

Machine Mart do several narrow enough to fit between the tyres of a twin axle, mine is a CTJ2, a 2 tonne and is 196mm wide.

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, CommanderDave said:

When you are only using one wheel on a twin axle you are applying possibly twice the maximum weight to the suspension and tyre to the one on the ground so it should not be left for a long period but as short as possible .

 

 

Dave

Static load will be nowhere near the dynamic load the tyre experiences during use. Every bump in the road will put much higher load on it than the caravan itself.

 

[CommanderDave]

24 minutes ago, AJGalaxy2012 said:

Static load will be nowhere near the dynamic load the tyre experiences during use. Every bump in the road will put much higher load on it than the caravan itself.

 

 

A bump in the road is not the same as compressing the suspension with twice the weight as it will damage the suspension if left for a extended period .

 

Dave

[Silversurf]

On 09/12/2018 at 20:26, Mark&Penny14 said:

To be exact 102 mm but the other wheel remained on the floor 

 

Have a look at these, a neighbour uses one for punctures on his Ifor Williams twin axle trailers.

 

https://www. ebay. co. uk/itm/1-x-HEAVY-DUTY-RAMP-FOR-CHANGING-TYRES-ON-TWIN-AXLE-TRAILERS-NO-JACK-REQUIRED/181947159464

[Guest]

9 hours ago, CommanderDave said:

 

A bump in the road is not the same as compressing the suspension with twice the weight as it will damage the suspension if left for a extended period .

 

Dave

I completely agree but were not talking extended periods here and the bump in the road will be many times higher. Consider also you could unknowing park with one wheel over a pot hole / speed bump etc also adding load to one axle. Theyre not as fragile as you believe.

9 hours ago, Silversurf said:

 

Have a look at these, a neighbour uses one for punctures on his Ifor Williams twin axle trailers.

 

https://www. ebay. co. uk/itm/1-x-HEAVY-DUTY-RAMP-FOR-CHANGING-TYRES-ON-TWIN-AXLE-TRAILERS-NO-JACK-REQUIRED/181947159464

Yep, thats the same idea.

[DeeTee]

9 hours ago, Silversurf said:

 

Have a look at these, a neighbour uses one for punctures on his Ifor Williams twin axle trailers.

 

https://www. ebay. co. uk/itm/1-x-HEAVY-DUTY-RAMP-FOR-CHANGING-TYRES-ON-TWIN-AXLE-TRAILERS-NO-JACK-REQUIRED/181947159464

I would like to see a demonstration of changing tyres with the above FleaBay item.

Doesn't seem to do what it is claimed. It may be possible to change a caravan wheel with a ramp.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, DeeTee said:

I would like to see a demonstration of changing tyres with the above FleaBay item. Doesn't seem to do what it is claimed.

Here is a link to a similar device.

Personally I have never tried this, preferring to use my trolley jack as that can also be used if you have access to a second spare and you have the misfortune to puncture both tyres on the same side of the caravan - unlikely, but possible. Obviously this device can only be used on multi-axle outfits.

[Paul_B]

I have a single axle but have used the leveling ramp to pull the caravan onto, this raise the flat tyre high enough to get the jack under to change the wheel.

[DeeTee]

4 hours ago, Gordon said:

Here is a link to a similar device.

Personally I have never tried this, preferring to use my trolley jack as that can also be used if you have access to a second spare and you have the misfortune to puncture both tyres on the same side of the caravan - unlikely, but possible. Obviously this device can only be used on multi-axle outfits.

That will enable someone to change the wheel which is raised off the ground. What it does not appear to allow is for someone to change the TYRE (TIRE)

Edited December 11, 2018 by DeeTee
corrected minor typos