# To jack or not to jack?



## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

If you were unfortunate enough to suffer a flat tyre on your MH, would you change the wheel yourself or rely on a recovery/assistance service? I'm guessing that the bigger the MH, the more its likely the answer will be no.

Mike


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

I would just change ours.

It is not much difference to changing a car wheel.


Richard...


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We've twice needed to change the tyre- slow punctures rather than bursts. The first happened very conveniently outside a Norauto and the second we managed to make it to a campsite (in Verdun).

The first one was done by the Norauto people, the second time we called Saga our insurers.

I would not have been happy to have my other half jack up the van using the piddling little jack supplied.

( Both punctures were caused by rivets in the tyres; we have a theory that the ferry companies lose bits of their boats; either that or they are in cahoots with the tyre companies and scatter them deliberately !)

G


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

I would if I had to but only as a last resort - that's the same philosophy that I apply with car wheels and mostly I have avoided having to change them. If i can get to a garage / tyre fitter then that's what I do. In the car, I carry a can of tyre weld and I've found that that has enabled me to carry on to a garage on several occasions. The advice from my m/h home dealer was NOT to attempt to change the wheel unless absolutely necessary. I've no idea whether tyre weld can work on m/h tyres - I will look on the can and see whether it can. I suspect that the pressures required are too much.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Change it no probs :roll: 

Loddy


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We don't have the spare mass needed to carry a proper jack so, as said above, would not attempt it ourselves.

When the tyre was changed at Verdun and the young man who came out to do it saw the jack provided he was somewhat scathing about it.

G


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It would depend on the location, time of day, the weather, level of fitness, the urgency of the journey, the presence of a phone signal or not, if the jack would actually lift the damn thing, if It'd been fixed since the last puncture, and finally if I could be 4rsed.

We don't carry any tyre weld, but I might consider it if anyone has actually used it to good effect.

Kev.


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## DocHoliday (Jul 18, 2008)

I suffered a rear puncture in Greece recently - it went down overnight and was completely flat when I attempted to set off in the morning. I decided to call RAC European assistance (well, I'd paid for it!), but began to regret it when the Greek rescue van took nearly three hours to find me. However, when I saw what a strain it was for the guy to complete the wheel change I was glad I had left it to him. The jack provided is barely up to the job and he eventually used a bottle jack of his own. Much sweating and (I assume) swearing took place.

I would not have hesitated to change a car tyre, having more than adequate mechanical competence and strength. But if you've paid for the breakdown cover and you're not in a hurry, why sweat over what is a much tougher job?


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Change it.

One of the first things I did when we got the new(ish) van was to ensure we had ALL the tools for the job. First stumbling block was the stupid tube spanner supplied to remove those posh chrome hub caps. The shaft on that tube spanner just twisted round - but the ones I found to replace it with don't. Checked out the jack and took a couple of the wheels off to prove I could do it. I had to take the rear outers off anyway to check the tyre presures of the inners. I also now have a tougher and more persuasive spanner for removing wheel nuts.

Sods law is that you will get a blow out half way up a mountain on a Friday night, no mobile phone coverage and no population for miles. So be prepared.

C.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

The Fiat scissor jack is next to useless. I recommend you buy a low entry bottle jack, as standard one may well be too tall to fit anywhere safe to jack, especially at the front, Alan.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

firstly, depends where you are. If on the motorway / autoroute, and on the "busy" side, definitely get the professionals out! If it's on an easily accessible place, probably do it ourself, but I do not rely on the scissor jack - totally flimsy. I have an old screw jack in my double floor which I fit under the axle as the scissor jack raises the wheel, and screw it up to take the weight. That way you're not putting your life on the line by relying on the scissor jack :idea:


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

*To change or not to change*

I recall there was some debate about the quality of the Fiat scissor jack on mhf a wee while ago, up to you if you use it but make sure you are on level ground.
Would also like to advise the purchase of one of these to make wheelnut removal much easier :-http://www.toolsdiy.co.uk/shop/view/hand-tools/sockets-socketry/extending-wheel-brace-wheelmaster/ , I've now got a decent bottle jack and a block of wood onboard............just in case.


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## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi.
First..I AM NOT A FITTER..Ok, i would buy a bottle jack and carry a lump of wood,approx 6x6x1.inch.
In the event of a puncture,if you have level chocks,drive wheel with flat up onto the l/block locate jack on wood and jack, this way when the jack is operated the wheel is already so far off the ground and does not need to lift so high,when fitting good tyre this is obviously bigger than the flat one,remove the l/block wheel fits in easier job done. I do believe that todays wheels need to be re-torqued after 50 miles,i would do this and again after 100 miles if not before.
Whatever jack you use ,if access is tight for the jack,Level blocks under the offending tyre and away you go. Right thats how i have done it times a plenty,now,come on all you spanner wielders and tyre fitters,please tell us all the correct way,i never made the first team.
Gear Jammer.


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

*to jack or not*

Sounds good to me bud, would also like to mention never ever get under a jacked up vehicle with a wheel off unless you have it safely blocked up or on axle stands http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID24066/images/jacked_up(1).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-24066-Denver-Workplace-Safety-Examiner~y2009m11d23-Do-you-really-know-your-jack&usg=__38uFIUe_K7cbHdsJUXVcKvKMcds=&h=299&w=399&sz=30&hl=en&start=15&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=W9GR1QzBQQ6GyM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhealth%2Band%2Bsafety%2Bjacked%2Bup%2Bvehicle%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rlz%3D1T4RNWN_enGB307GB308%26tbs%3Disch:1 8O


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## tokkalosh (May 25, 2006)

I recently had a puncture, offside rear, on the M20 sliproad to the M25, it was about 2245 hrs.
No hesitation, I rang my rescue service.

Maybe 20 years ago I would have changed it myself but not now, recovery paid for so may as well use them, better safe than sorry.


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

*to jack or not*

Very wise, motorways can be a problem due to the speed of the traffic flying by, even with your hazard lights on some arse is just as likely to run up the back of you :roll: dont forget peeps if you break down on the motorway, get out of your vehicle and out of harms way over the crash barrier if possible.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

In the 'very old days' I have seen people who suffered a puncture in their car drive the punctured wheel up on top of the spare so that the car was already raised up to get an hydraulic jack underneath.

Has anyone done this with a motorhome, is it feasible or would it damage the spare?

In my case unless I was in an area out of mobile phone reception I would certainly call RAC rescue.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I've used the supplied jack on my X2/50 several times to extricate the van from soft sites. It works just fine, although you must carry some flat wood to support it, otherwise the van stays where it is and the jack bores an impressive hole on its way to Oz!

My problem is the spare wheel which is hidden right underneath the chassis. Wouldn't be bad with a boiler suit on and in the dry, otherwise you would need to be hosed down before setting foot inside the 'palace'.. :lol:


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

I pay my breakdown insurance for a reason. Put the kettle on, have a brew, and wait for someone who knows what they're doing to come and do it.

Paul


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## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

I carry a trolley jack which is in a neat plastic case. I also have an 18" knuckle bar and socket to do the wheel nuts so plenty of leverage there. I will add that I was an engineering artificer in the navy and one of my jobs since was agricultural engineering so used to removing tractor wheels etc. Always slacken the wheel nuts slightly while wheel is on the ground then jack up, remove/change wheel and do final tightening with wheel back on the ground.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Agree, scissor jacks are useless and dangerous especially if you have to extract the spare from under the vehicle. Mercs come with a bottle jack which is good. We also carry some chunks of wood. I made (using a chain saw) a couple of ramps and these laid on their side are very usefull when one needs to change a wheel.
As I said, calling the emergency service is OK if you have a phone that works. Otherwise show a bit of leg and flag down a nice lorry driver if changing a wheel is beyond you!

C.

MCP


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Rosbotham said:


> I pay my breakdown insurance for a reason. Put the kettle on, have a brew, and wait for someone who knows what they're doing to come and do it.
> 
> Paul


But not if you are on the hard shoulder or road verge.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Newmarket/Familydevastatedbycrashdeath.htm


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

I once changed the wheel of a big old Vauxhall with 6 of us aboard on the M1 at about 10.00 at night in the winter in the pouring rain and mist with lorries storming past. Scary without doubt and in those days Mobile Phones had not been invented. Today it would be a hard shoulder job and right off the carriageway if at all possible. Perhaps "sod the tyre" and drive to the nearest exit and get off the motorway.
But half way up a French mountain on a little road with no traffic on a Friday afternoon in summer is a different ball game. One must judge each situation on its merrits. But Be Prepared.

C.


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

unfortunately had two punctures luckily both on rear , after the struggle with the first realised i needed 2 jacks one to spread the spring to clear the side paneling and a bottle jack to lift the load.
second time we were out with a mate who told me he had seen a french camping car on an aire change his by driving the flat tyre onto his levelling blocks and then jack up about one turn and slide his block out [this also enabled him to acess his spare wheel easily as well],
sounded good so we tried it mine was completely flat and took a bit of persuading to climb the block but it certainly made life easier, not sure if it was that or two of us working that made it a painless experience this time


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

I would do it, in fact I have had to do it once at the side of a busy by-pass, but was able to get off the carriage-way.

The Sprinter hydraulic bottle jack is good - but I carry a 1" thick block of oak to spread the load on soft ground. Then I carry an impact-quality socket spanner, extension and long breaker-bar to undo the wheel nuts, and a torque wrench to do them up again. And the spare is usefully carried in the garage of the Hymer, not underneath. I also carry a Truckair heavy-duty 12V inflator to check that the spare is at the correct pressure.

Philip


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

*to jackor not*



CliveMott said:


> . show a bit of leg and flag down a nice lorry driver if changing a wheel is beyond you!
> 
> C.
> 
> MCP


 :lol: what are you trying to say Clive ? are you infering that lorry drivers bat for the other team or .......................  (sorry could not resist) :wink:


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## Pollydoodle (Aug 18, 2005)

I wouldnt let my husband do it _unless_ there was no other option - my van I get to call the shots :roll: He is not in the best of health, and he still thinks he's 27, not 77 :wink:
I would call the AA, otherwise there is little point in paying for their services


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

Seldom known to praise FIAT but I have used my scissor jack a couple of times (3.5 tonne)and found it more than adequate for the job be sure you are on firm level ground.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Scissor jacks can be satisfactory but it is as well to be aware of their limitations because they can fall over very easily and that is dangerous. You cannot always choose the ground you will be on.

Remember that if you do buy a decent jack you can keep it when you sell the vehicle, Alan.


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## brillopad (Mar 4, 2008)

Had to change the tyres twice, once on the M25 hard shoulder on the drivers side with all the lorry's wizzing by, some even pulled out as they passed, some drivers hooted, the other time i was about 200 yds from the entrance to the shepton show last year, i nearly blocked the whole road up, i would'nt call for help, it takes to long, and i'm not getting any younger. Dennis


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## badger750 (Nov 1, 2009)

i wpuld do it at the drop of a hat as said it can take so long for the rescue services to come out i could have done it and driven another fair few miles after also if you are in a bad position the longer you are there the more chance you have of getting in trouble


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