Trailer jack binding up.

[Cricket Too]

I have a Fulton trailer jack that has decided to bind up on me. It's a real pain too because my boat weighs about 6000lbs. and you can't lift it manually, I have to use an automotive floor jack to raise and lower it from my hitch. Is there a reason why these things bind up usually, that can be fixed or do they just crap out and need to be replaced? Also what is the cost of them, it may be easier and quicker just to replace it. Thanks, Mike.

 

[WoodsJ]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

I have the same jack and it did the exact same thing, I ended up breaking it to try to "loosen" it up. I found the price to be in the neighborhood of $50.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

Woods....Did you ever figure out why it binded up? Anyway 50 bucks is pretty reasonable I'll probably just replace it anyway. I guess I'll tear mine up to figure out why it binded, just for the hell of it. Thanks again. Mike.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

I have had many trailers over the years, and probably to many in the yard right now. Anyway, every trailer jack that I ever had bind up on me was because it got bent slightly. Maybe left it down a little to far and hit something in the road, or a hole on the yard, ect. On the fixed leg, welded jacks on all of my other trailers, i was alble to get the bind out by taking a sledge hammer to the leg of the jack in hte opposite direction (usually hitting the bottom of the leg toward the tonge coupler). Not to try to knock it to Canada, but a few small taps to reverse the intial hit that binded it up. You may want to at least try it before spending the $50 bucks. If it does not work, you are not out anything. BTW, $50 bucks is about right.<br /><br />Knightgang

 

[JB]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

I never found a trailer jack that was good for more than 1 year when in a marine environment, Mike.

 

[WoodsJ]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

MMCPECK; My boat and trailer are used all the time in salt water since I live in hawaii, I think this is a majority of the problem and things just last about 1/8 of the time that they do in freshwater. My jack is a sealed unit for the most part so I have no idea what bound up. I have a boat in tx that is only used in freshwater. It has a 14 year old jack, a little grease no problems with it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

I drill + tap my jacks for Grease Fittings....<br />1 at the spur gears.....<br />1 at the screw plate.......<br />1 at the swivel plate.........<br />I've Never had 1 bind, that wasn't Bent.....<br /><br />If you Grease it, It Can't Rust..........

 

[sunbird1]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

Mine recently bound up and all I had to do was grease the gears for the crank. They were almost dry after three years of use. Since then no problems. I aslo keep a little bearing grease on the leg to keep from rusting. So far so good. Mine is also used only in saltwater.

 

[DJ]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

mmcpeck,<br /><br />If yours has a plastic lid at the top of the tube, you can sometimes pry those off and add some lube.<br /><br />If not, it's probably time for a replacemnt.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

djohns... I have taken that plastic lid off and there is plenty of grease in it. I can see that the two gears on top are moving slightly in either direction when you turn the handle, but then it binds up. It feels like it is binding up down low so I think that maybe it is bent, i'll try the hammer trick and see what happens. Thanks.

 

[poolshark38759]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

only time i have one bind up is when there is pressure on it from parking on a hill...i have had many jacks on farm equipment and never get greased or oiled and have never had any problems...except for when one of the tubes get bent... then its a real pain to them..i use swing a way jacks that mount on the side and pull the pin and swing it up out of harms way or toss it in hte truck bed...

 

[edwardh1]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

need to also get grease oil to the inner fulton screw that runs the inner leg up and down.<br />I turned mine horizontal,extended the inner tube and drilled two holes in the upper 1/4 of the outer tube and dripped in oil.<br /><br />Fulton must like to sell new jacks as they need to fix this hard to lube problem.<br />Fulton does not even have email - amazing.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Trailer jack binding up.

Did the the big hammer trick work? What was the problem and did you end up replacing the jack?