Trailer Jack types, with examples

When it comes time to pick out a trailer jack for your trailer, there are plenty of types to choose from. Each type has characteristics that make it more or less desirable for your given application.

Even within a certain type of hitch, there are variations in design attributes. After designing trailers for over 30 years, I have a pretty good understanding of the types of jacks, their attributes and the advantages of each type.

When it comes to types of trailer jacks, there are the conventional rigid mounted jacks, swivel tongue jacks, drop leg trailer jacks, electric trailer jacks and landing gear (2 jacks connected by linkage). For each of the above types, there are various ways of mounting the jacks and attaching the handles. There are two basic styles of feet, the flat bottom and a swivel caster.

Read on a we will discuss each type of trailer jack in more detail. You will begin to develop a better sense of what type of trailer jack is better for your application.

Rigid Mounted Trailer Jack

When it comes to trailer jacks, the rigid mounted trailer jack with a foot plate is about as simple and economical as they come. These types of jacks are a commodity in nature, and it seems like everyone and their brother has one. Whether they come with side or top cranks and mount on the side, or have an a-frame mount…these trailer jacks are the basis for all other jacks to add upon. We will use these jacks as a reference point for comparing the cost of all of the other jacks.

A-frame jacks tend to be located more central to the trailer centerline then side mounted trailer jacks. This gives them the distinct advantage of having a better loading condition. Side mounted trailer jacks will create a twisting moment, and the further it is located from the trailer centerline, the more that twisting moment will be.

Relative Cost – In general, at the time of writing this article, the cost for this type of trailer jack, rated at 2,000 lbs, with roughly a 14″-16″ stroke is in the $30-$40 range. We will use those specifications and costs as the reference for all of the other types of trailer jacks in this article.

Specifications of featured Trailer Jack – Vestil CT-02 top crank trailer jack

Capacity – 2,000 lbs

Weight – 9 lbs

Size – 5″ x 9-3/4″ x 26″

Stroke – 14″

Country of origin – China

Swivel Tongue Jack

What is a swivel tongue jack, and how does it work?

A swivel tongue jack is a trailer jack with a built in mechanism that allows it to swivel out of the way when not being used. The swiveling assembly allows the rotation, and the locking pin holds it in place.

The major advantage to this type of jack is the extra ground clearance that is generated when the jack is swiveled into its horizontal position. When towing over bumps, curbs and ramps, it is less likely to inadvertently contact the ground which could cause damage to the jack, or the trailer.

Swivel tongue jacks can come with a bolt on mounting plate, or a weld on mounting tube. Some swivel assemblies use ball bearings, some just use two plain tubes. One advantage to the two tube swivel assembly, is that the jack can be removed entirely with ease by just removing the pin.

Relative Cost – Compared to the Rigid Mounted Trailer Jack, the Swivel mount version is about 180% of the cost. That being said, I believe the ability to swivel it out of the way, and easily remove it, makes the cost increase well worth it.

Specifications of featured Trailer Jack – Curt 28323 Weld on Swivel Jack

Capacity – 2,000 lbs

Weight – 16 lbs

Size – 5″ x 8″ x 22″

Stroke – 15″

Country of origin – China

Drop Leg Trailer Jack

What is a drop leg trailer jack and how does it work?

A drop leg trailer jack is a trailer jack that allows the operator to quickly pin the foot in a lower position, to speed up the jacking process. It works by using telescoping tubing and a pin to facilitate the “dropping” action.

The major advantage to a drop leg trailer jack is the ability to quickly close the gap between the trailer jack, and the ground. It is this “drop” action that reduces the amount of cranking needed to lift the tongue of the trailer.

Some drop leg trailer jacks have a spring loaded foot, so once you pulled the pin, the leg retracts on its own. This attribute keeps the operator from having to bend over in order to retract the leg of the jack.

Relative Cost -Compared to the Rigid Mounted Trailer Jack, the Swivel mount version is about 170% of the cost. That being said, I believe the ability to drop the leg quickly, makes the cost increase well worth it.

To put things into perspective, dropping the leg 6-9″ could save you like 2-3 minutes of cranking. Using the National average wage index of $56,628.50 (2020 data) that two minutes would save you slightly more than a dollar each time you used it. After using the jack a couple dozen times it pays for itself. Just remember that it is always better to work smarter, not harder.

Specifications of featured Trailer Jack – Lippert 733926 Quick Drop Tongue Jack for A-frame trailers

Capacity – 2,000 lbs

Weight – 12 lbs

Size – 4.72″ x 8.85″ x 22.44″

Stroke – 14″

Country of origin – China

Electric Trailer Jacks

What is an electric trailer jack and how does it work?

An electric trailer jack is a trailer jack that uses and electrical motor to extend and retrack the leg of the jack. They reduce the amount of manual work required to operate the jack. They work by tapping into the electrical system of the trailer in order to power the motor, and by the operator using the control to initiate movement.

The major advantage to electric trailer jacks is that removes the manual labor out of the process. Some jacks come with a manual over ride in case you lose power to the jack. Electric jacks overall offer the user a first class experience.

Relative Cost – Compared to the rigid mounted commodity tongue jack, the Electric Powered Trailer Jack would have a cost of roughly 300%. While there are very few options in the 2,000 lb range, once you get to the 3,500 lb and above, there starts to be a lot more options.

Specifications of featured Electric Trailer Jack – Uriah Products 12 Volt DC Trailer Jack

Capacity – 2,000 lbs

Weight – 16.25 lbs

Size – 5.6″ x 7.8″ x 31.5″

Stroke – 14″

Landing Gear

What is landing gear and how does it work?

Landing gear is a system that utilizes two trailer jacks, tied together by linkage, to simultaneously raise both jacks in order to stabilize the trailer completely and safely. Landing gear can be found on heavier trailers, and semi trailers. Landing gear is typically equipped with spring loaded drop legs and a dual speed crank system. Low speed is used when under load, high speed is used when it is not under load.

Landing gear is also seen a lot on 5th wheels trailers, an trailers that need more stabilization than you would get from a standard tongue jack.

Relative Cost – We are not able to draw a direct comparison of landing gear versus the other jack types in this article because the other jacks that we listed are all in the 2,000 lb capacity range, and we were unable to find landing gear in that range.

That being said, the landing gear to the right are rated at 8,000 lb for the set, and they run in the $500-$600 range.

Specifications of featured Floor Lock – Reese 500708 Fifthwheel Landing Gear

Electrical Supply – 12 Volts DC

Amp – Less than 25

Capacity – 8,000 lbs

Weight – 80 lbs

Size – 4.5″ x 7″ x 38″

Stroke – 36″

Trailer Jack Characteristics

Generally speaking, there are trailer jack characteristics that are common across the different types of trailer jacks. We will briefly discuss below. They can be categorized into mounting, handle crank and foot type.

Mounting – There are a handful of mounting types and methods that are common in the world of trailer jacks. There is a side mount which places the jack on the side of the tongue or frame. There is an a-frame mount that installs the jack in the general area where the two side rails come together in a “Y” shape.

There is a rigid mount in which the jack is mounted in a permanent or semi permanent manner. There is also a swivel mount which allow the jack to rotate out of the way when not in use.

There are two main methods of attaching. Welding which is the most permanent method. Bolt-on which is more of a semi-permanent method.

Handle Crank – The crank handles typically come in two types. A top crank and a side crank. The mounting and the design of the trailer will help dictate what type of handle is best suited for your application. A top crank is often used on an a-frame mount, while a side crank is more likely seen on a side mounted trailer jack.

Foot type – Generally speaking there are two basic styles of feet for a trailer jack. There is a landing plate or a swivel caster.

The landing plate, also called a foot plate, sand pad and a sand foot, are basically the same thing. There is a tube section that mates with the jack leg which can either be pinned or bolted on. Some are designed that they can pivot on the attaching bolt to accommodate un-even ground. They have large surface area in which to spread out the tongue weight, which can be advantageous on soft ground.

The swivel caster is good for hard surfaces and aids in positioning the trailer by hand. Using a swivel caster on soft ground, may cause the wheel to sink making it difficult to move.

Summery

As you can tell from the above mentioned article, there are many types of trailer jacks, each having specific characteristics that help determine its optimal application. I am glad that you stopped by and gave us the chance to help you, in your journey to find the right “Jack” for your trailer. As you can tell, we really do know jack.

John Yater

My name is John Yater, owner of materialhandlinginsider and Engineer of Material Handling Equipment. I have been providing ingenious solutions to your most difficult material handling problems for the past 30 years.

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