Ranger Trail trailer jack problem

[davesz518]

For those that don't want to take the jack apart to lube the screw here is what you can do:
1. Measure down 51/2" from the black cap on the starboard side of the tube.
2. Drill a 1/8" hole in the middle of the tube...spot it 1st so the drill bit doesn't slide around
3. I use a hand held oil gun......filled with lower unit oil. Give it a couple of shots 2x/year

My jack screw made-up around year two. I've been adding oil the last 3 years w/o a problem......easy peasy!

I believe Carlos posted under maintenance threads (pictures) of a complete tear down....dunno.....haven't looked

[crawdadking]

Thanks Dave and everyone else, going to try this on my jack in the next couple of days.

[Ranger354]

good night...I sincerely hope you are not serious?????

I have him beat. Mine is 24 years old. A 1992 and still works perfectly.

[azhohar]

For those that don't want to take the jack apart to lube the screw here is what you can do:
1. Measure down 5 1/2" from the black cap on the starboard side of the tube.
2. Drill a 1/8" hole in the middle of the tube...spot it 1st so the drill bit doesn't slide around
3. I use a hand held oil gun......filled with lower unit oil. Give it a couple of shots 2x/year

My jack screw made-up around year two. I've been adding oil the last 3 years w/o a problem......easy peasy!

I believe Carlos posted under maintenance threads (pictures) of a complete tear down....dunno.....haven't looked

Dave - Why do you drill the hole on the starboard side of the tube? Does that give you a better chance of hitting the jack screw? Also, do you drill it with the jack fully extended so you're only drilling into the outer tube?

[davesz518]

Dave - Why do you drill the hole on the starboard side of the tube? Does that give you a better chance of hitting the jack screw? Also, do you drill it with the jack fully extended so you're only drilling into the outer tube?

Based on a conversation I had with the trailer people at the Ranger Plant....drill hole fully extended. Going out to lube mine right now....starting to get grabby. Starboard side middle just allows you to look at it head on from the side of the trailer.

[azhohar]

Based on a conversation I had with the trailer people at the Ranger Plant....drill hole fully extended. Going out to lube mine right now....starting to get grabby. Starboard side middle just allows you to look at it head on from the side of the trailer.

Dave, thanks for making that clear. I will have my trailer jack fully extended so that I only drill the hole in the outer tube. And I agree with you, drilling the hole on the starboard side of the jack allows for easier line-of-sight viewing of the jack screw. I thought about drilling it on the truck side of the jack so that the hole would face up when stowed, but it would have been harder for me to get my big body/head in place to see the jack screw.

What kind of lube are you using inside your tongue jack?

[davesz518]

I just squirt lower unit oil in the hole because that is what I have handy..... Mikesxpress uses white lithium grease (see post #32)

[mike28nc]

Guys if you take the jack apart. Then drill your hole. then clean out the metal shavings. Lube it back up and put it together. I did mine and never had issues. But I think you need to clean it and get all the old junk off the screw before you try to lube and go.

[azhohar]

For those that don't want to take the jack apart to lube the screw here is what you can do:
1. Measure down 5- 1/2" from the black cap on the starboard side of the tube.
2. Drill a 1/8" hole in the middle of the tube...spot it 1st so the drill bit doesn't slide around
3. I use a hand held oil gun......filled with lower unit oil. Give it a couple of shots 2x/year

My jack screw made-up around year two. I've been adding oil the last 3 years w/o a problem......easy peasy!

I believe Carlos posted under maintenance threads (pictures) of a complete tear down....dunno.....haven't looked

I did something similar to what davesz518 posted but I made my hole 1/4 inch. I used a grease gun with lithium grease in it but do not think much of it reached the screw jack. So I used a small flat head screw driver with grease on it to rub on the screw jack. It did help quiet the jack down and it doesn't grab now. I might try lithium grease in a spray can as I know that will reach the screw jack. I'm also pretty sure if I filled my hand held oil gun with lower unit oil that it will squirt far enough to reach the screw jack. By the way, I bought a new tongue jack for a spare and Dutton-Lainson added a second grease fitting, one that is and inch or so below the original fitting.

[mikesxpress]

Keep in mind whatever you lube it with makes its way out the bottom.

[crawdadking]

I drilled my hole just big enough to get the spray nozzle for a can of spray lithium grease and it really made the jack work a lot better, actually better than when new. But, like I always do, I over did it. Had stuff running out all over the place. Cleaned it up but Like Mike said, it will run out the bottom. Next time I have to lube it I won't use half a can.

[cfm56doc]

Curious, has anyone added a zerk fitting to the jack tube? I was just thinking this way you could just take a grease gun to it with marine grease for regular maintenance.

[mikesxpress]

That will not work. The acme threaded jack screw is located inside the lower sleeve. The jack must be extended allowing access to spray lube the screw.

[cfm56doc]

That will not work. The acme threaded jack screw is located inside the lower sleeve. The jack must be extended allowing access to spray lube the screw.

I get that for the screw, but how is putting a zero fitting on the side of the tube any different than drilling a hole to spray inside the tube? Seems to me that if just a hole drilled allows you to lube the jack, a jerk fitting in the same location would allow it as well.

But I may be wrong....

[Wormer]

I boat my Ranger new in 2003 and have to replace the jack a couple of times.
What I have found is usually we only disconnect at home and just jack it up enough to get disconnected.
I have had my jack fail a couple of time and it is always out of town and that causes problems.
Now when at home and when I disconnect from truck I raise the jack almost as high as it will go then bring it down.
If you don't the gears in the jack build up crap and when you have to jack it through this crap later usually away from home things break

Also when I hook up the night before fishing I swing the Jack around so the wheel is pointing up and spray a lubricant of your choice into it and let it sit overnight

[mikesxpress]

I get that for the screw, but how is putting a zero fitting on the side of the tube any different than drilling a hole to spray inside the tube? Seems to me that if just a hole drilled allows you to lube the jack, a jerk fitting in the same location would allow it as well.

But I may be wrong....

A zerk fitting on the main jack tube will deposit grease inside the tube and never reach the ACME screw which is in the center. You should have a zerk at the top that lubes the gear itself.

[azhohar]

I did something similar to what davesz518 posted but I made my hole 1/4 inch. I used a grease gun with lithium grease in it but do not think much of it reached the screw jack. So I used a small flat head screw driver with grease on it to rub on the screw jack. It did help quiet the jack down and it doesn't grab now. I might try lithium grease in a spray can as I know that will reach the screw jack. I'm also pretty sure if I filled my hand held oil gun with lower unit oil that it will squirt far enough to reach the screw jack. By the way, I bought a new tongue jack for a spare and Dutton-Lainson added a second grease fitting, one that is and inch or so below the original fitting.

So the above post of mine was on 9-22-2016 and I wanted to let you know that my tongue jack is still working smoothly 5 months later.

[planogtuck]

I know this is an old post but I thought I would reply in case someone else needed an idea and was searching for a solution. I replaced the center mount jack with a fultonxp15L. I mounted the new jack on the side. I moved the spare tire bracket to the other side and mounted in the center leaving the original jack.

Everything works great. see pics

[IRONBLOCK]

Newer link: (watch the one that says):Replacing 6812B and 6813A Miter Gear Kits

http://www.dutton-lainson.com/help-v...y-step-videos/

Mark

[jstbass]

Her is what I do to extend the life of my jack. when I am done for the day I place the trailer on a pair of concrete blocks and a piece of 2 by 4. this keep the boat more stable on the ground and weight off the jack. The only time I relay use jack is to hook up/unhook. been doing this for years replaced my jack on old Ranger 1 time in 19 yrs. hope this helps.