6-point levelers for changing a flat

[dedmiston]

I think I've had to change a flat four times in the six years we've owned our current fifth wheel with the Lippert 6-point leveling system. It bugged me every time I tried to use the leveling jacks and the system would stop just short of getting the affected wheel off the ground. I've always been lucky enough to find a pothole nearby instead and pull up to the hole so I could get the wheel off. It's not a slam dunk though. Even with our decaying infrastructure, you can't count on finding a pothole exactly when and where you need one.

I tried something different yesterday and I'm kicking myself for not thinking of this sooner.

We mostly boondock in the desert where it's very uneven, so I've always carried a ton of those yellow Lego blocks for various reasons. Like last new year where the ground turned out to be so soft from recent rains that I had to build 2x2 pads out of the blocks to simulate snowshoes for the pads.

When I had to change a flat yesterday before we left camp, I hitched up the fiver so I could raise all the jacks, and then I put three Legos under each of the jacks so that I could jack the entire trailer three inches higher than normal. It didn't take much of a tilt at all to get all three wheels on one side off the ground. This was the fastest tire change I've ever had.

I'm so ashamed that I didn't think of this six years ago.

[dedmiston]

ajriding wrote:
Does it work to pull the other tires on that side up onto something high enough to get the flat in the air? maybe the blocks would work? I used a curb or leveling blocks to change a two-axle tire. Just drive the good tire up onto something and the flat tire will dangle.

I used to do that with our double-axle trailer, but it doesn't work so well with a triple. The unsupported wheel sags too much.

About 50% of my flats are at camp, which is a lot easier to change. I used to just dig a hole in front or behind the flat wheel and then pull up/back until the flat wheel dangles over the hole (after loosening the lugs while it was on the ground). Using the levelers was a ton easier/faster though. This will be my go-to method from now on.

[dapperdan]

I made up a set of 4 of these, they work great! Just have to remember to slip them off BEFORE leaving your site! 🙂

These weren't my idea, I "stole" the idea from another DRV friend! Thanks Everett! :B




Dan

[ajriding]

Does it work to pull the other tires on that side up onto something high enough to get the flat in the air? maybe the blocks would work? I used a curb or leveling blocks to change a two-axle tire. Just drive the good tire up onto something and the flat tire will dangle.

[dedmiston]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Sounds like your 4 rear jacks should be lowered.

No can-do. I need the clearance for off-road. I dig trenches in the sand already as it is.

[dedmiston]

Grit dog wrote:
That’s alotta flats though. How many miles a year do you rack up on that thing? Or is it more on and off road hazards causing it?

I haven't kept good logs, but one year alone was in the 13-15k range.

A lot of people burn pallets out in the desert, so there are nails and hazards everywhere. We do what we can to clean up after the fools and avoid the hazards, but flats are a reality.

The other problem is because of the geometry of the axles. The tires on that third axle scrub like crazy and it's really hard on those two tires. I usually replace the rears every year. This one died an early death though.

[Cummins12V98]

Sounds like your 4 rear jacks should be lowered.

[Grit_dog]

That’s alotta flats though. How many miles a year do you rack up on that thing? Or is it more on and off road hazards causing it?

[Grit_dog]

Ha! Don’t you hate that?
Glad it’s not just me that has the occasional epiphany that makes something just “work”, that a 5th grader likely could have figured out!