Power Tongue Jack

[cic317]

Just picked up our new 21'  Fun finder, unfortunately came with a manual jack looking to upgrade to a power jack. Seems there is a wide range on prices, Can anyone recommend a good one?
Thanks

 

[grashley]

Compared to a manual jack, they are ALL good ones!  ;D

I have no direct experience.  I had a manual jack on the pop up, but it was light and I was much younger.

Make sure the jack is rated for the most you will be lifting, but you do not need a 3000# jack for a 600# tongue.  That is a big part of the different prices.

Personally, I would avoid a Lippert jack.  It seems to me they are the low price, low quality leader in the RV industry.

 

[kdbgoat]

Power jacks at Northern Tool have good prices and good reviews.

 

[Hammster]

Our Arctic Fox came with an Atwood powered tongue jack. We really like it.

 

[Joezeppy]

I had a Barker on our last TT and really liked it.

 

[Rene T]

You need to weigh the tongue with the RV loaded. Here's how to do it using a bathroom scale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMoLA44lcgU

Then you can pick out the right size jack.

 

[Punomatic]

I put this one on our trailer, which has a dry weight of 3800 lbs., maybe 4800 loaded. Tongue weight is around 575. Although the jack is rated  for 3500 lbs., I have never regretted having the extra capacity. It has worked flawlessly in all kinds of weather for more than a year. The price was very attractive to me.

 

[Lou Schneider]

If you have an equalizing hitch, using a power jack to lift up the hitch a bit after you latch the coupler on the ball relieves the tension on the bars, making it easier to lift them into place.

This means the jack will have to lift both the trailer's hitch weight plus part of the car's weight, so it's a good idea to get a power jack with some reserve built in.

 

[SWFL FlyFisher]

We replaced the manual jack on our FunFinder 214WSD with a 4500lb Husky Brute.  It was a quick and easy replacement and works great.  It's a bit overkill on the weight rating requirement, but I figure I'd rather have more capacity than needed than less, plus as mentioned above it makes connecting the bars on our Equal-i-zer WD hitch so much easier.  We got the version with the remote and I can now pretty much hook up solo using my truck's backup camera and the jack remote.  Bought ours through Amazon for right around $225 total.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063ZBXZC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AIJP7UMTW4R7L&psc=1

 

[lynnmor]

If you have an equalizing hitch, using a power jack to lift up the hitch a bit after you latch the coupler on the ball relieves the tension on the bars, making it easier to lift them into place.

This means the jack will have to lift both the trailer's hitch weight plus part of the car's weight, so it's a good idea to get a power jack with some reserve built in.

Pay attention to this.  The only thing I would change is to replace "some" with "a lot of" reserve built in. 

 

[Badlands Bob]

A 3500 lb tongue jack should be plenty for your trailer. 

 

[scottydl]

I haven't been able to bring myself to spend $200+ on a power jack yet... you guys/gals like them THAT much?  It seems like a lot to pay, in exchange for a little manual cranking.  Yeah I get the convenience aspect.  I'm in the same boat with the Andersen levelers at around $85 for the 2-pack I would need.

 

[lynnmor]

I haven't been able to bring myself to spend $200+ on a power jack yet... you guys/gals like them THAT much?  It seems like a lot to pay, in exchange for a little manual cranking.  Yeah I get the convenience aspect.  I'm in the same boat with the Andersen levelers at around $85 for the 2-pack I would need.

My wife runs the jack up and down as needed, then latches the coupler.  No jumping in and out to see how much the truck rocked back and forth, preventing attachment. 

 

[Joezeppy]

I haven't been able to bring myself to spend $200+ on a power jack yet... you guys/gals like them THAT much?  It seems like a lot to pay, in exchange for a little manual cranking.  Yeah I get the convenience aspect.  I'm in the same boat with the Andersen levelers at around $85 for the 2-pack I would need.

Yup. Definitely in the "priceless" category especially on a hot day!

 

[Badlands Bob]

I was in Florida about 2 weeks ago.  As I was pulling away from the campsite, I heard this terrible grinding noise.  I thought the trailer brakes had locked up.  I got out and discovered that I had forgotten to retract my power tongue jack.  Duh.  It bent the pipe  about 30 degrees.  I took out the three bolts and tried unsucessfully to remove the bent jack.  It was bent so badly, it wouldn't feed out of the holes in the hitch.  I ended up using a wooden block to raise it up enough to travel and of course it was Sunday.  No RV supply stores open.  The next day, we I went to an RV dealer ship and they charged me $308.00 for a new power tongue jack.  Amazon sells the same tongue jack for $172.00 but they had me over a barrel.  I had to cut the old tonge jack off with a reciprocating saw, which was on sale at Lowes.  I now have a new over priced tongue jack, a new reciprocating saw and a lesson.

 

[butchiiii]

I haven't been able to bring myself to spend $200+ on a power jack yet... you guys/gals like them THAT much?  It seems like a lot to pay, in exchange for a little manual cranking.  Yeah I get the convenience aspect.  I'm in the same boat with the Andersen levelers at around $85 for the 2-pack I would need.

I'm a big guy and after cranking up that tongue once I went and got a power jack. also got the Anderson levelers. saves alot of headache telling the
wife what to do. That never ends well  ;D