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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37

    Ranger Trail trailer jack problem

    Hey guys,
    I have a 2006 Ranger Trail trailer that has a center swing jack that has become very hard to raise and lower. I have added grease through the zerk fitting but it does not help. I sent Ranger an email and this is their reply:

    The grease at the top does not grease the lead screw that lifts the trailer.
    No jack manufacturer supplies a way to oil this screw.
    You can drill a hole in the tube that will let you add oil to the lead screw. This should make it easier to turn.
    Other than that the only fix would be replacement of the jack.


    Have any of you had this problem and if so how did you resolve the problem. I need more information than the Ranger reply offers.

    Thanks in advance for the help.

    Charlie

  2. Amatuer Table Rock Special's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Oldfield
    Posts
    7,014
    #2
    Guys are generally only getting 2 years from the jacks, if they fish 2-4 days a week. The weight is at the max rating for the jacks and that's what happens if it's used much.
    Replace it and plan on doing it again in a few years.

  3. Member cwilt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Homestead, FL
    Posts
    11,227
    #3
    my jack is taped to the trailer and the trailer is on a jack stand. it was hard to turn the handle for a couple of months. well on saturday i was connecting it to the truck and it finally snapped. the roll pin in the jack broke. there was nothing going to stop me from fishing with my son. so i duct taped it in the up position as the wheel is not all the way retracted. going to take it apart again tomorrow and replace the roll pin. i am getting about a year of use after rebuild. PITA.....
    2008 Ranger 178VX
    150 Yamaha V-max

    GO Fins!!!

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Mountain Home AR.
    Posts
    4,144
    #4
    Drilling the 1/8" hole and squatting in some lower unit oil works well..
    2018 Z521L 250 PRO XS V8

  5. Banned
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Warrenton, Virginia
    Posts
    11,852
    #5
    Won't drilling let water in (more than normal) and greatly shorten the lifespan?

    TOXIC

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Mountain Home AR.
    Posts
    4,144
    #6
    Not really, water always gets in when launching on a shallow ramp and drains right out and the oil reduces the rust..
    2018 Z521L 250 PRO XS V8

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Des Moines
    Posts
    74
    #7
    I figured out how to take mine completely apart, lubed the center screw and the lower tube and then put it all back together. It works great now, but I don't know how long it will last, time will tell. Mine is side mounted, so it might be a completely different setup, but its worth a shot if you don't want to buy a new one. It was not hard to do.

  8. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37
    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by howieranger View Post
    Drilling the 1/8" hole and squatting in some lower unit oil works well..
    Where do you drill the hole and how much oil do you squirt in?

    Did you plug the hole with anything?

    Does the oil not run out when the jack is stowed since it will then be horizontal?

    Thanks for the input.

    Charlie

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37
    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by 55SKI View Post
    I figured out how to take mine completely apart, lubed the center screw and the lower tube and then put it all back together. It works great now, but I don't know how long it will last, time will tell. Mine is side mounted, so it might be a completely different setup, but its worth a shot if you don't want to buy a new one. It was not hard to do.
    Can you explain how you disassembled the jack?

    Thanks

    Charlie

  10. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Des Moines
    Posts
    74
    #10
    Take the cap off the top, mine has a couple of small screws holding it on. The crank handle and upper gear are held in place by a shear pin, find the groove in the gear and drive the shear pin out. Remove the crank, gear and the crank bushing from the tube. The lower gear just sits on top of the center screw shaft. I took a screw driver thru a hole in the side of the tube and pryed the lower gear out of the tube. There is a short shear pin thru the shaft that fits in the bottom of the lower gear, should just pull out of the shaft, mine actually fell out. There are a couple of washers below the short shear pin, then a plate that is welded to the jack outer tube, then a couple more washers below the plate, but at this point the lower section of the jack should just pull out. Just keep track of which washers go where, I did not keep track and it took some trial an error getting it back together as they provide the spacing for the gears to fit right. The lower section has screw shaft, which I screwed out as far as it would go and greased it. Also greased the lower tube. Hopefully this makes sense, hard to explain without pictures, but an easy job after the intial learning curve. Driving the shear pin out and then back in was the hardest part.

  11. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37
    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by 55SKI View Post
    Take the cap off the top, mine has a couple of small screws holding it on. The crank handle and upper gear are held in place by a shear pin, find the groove in the gear and drive the shear pin out. Remove the crank, gear and the crank bushing from the tube. The lower gear just sits on top of the center screw shaft. I took a screw driver thru a hole in the side of the tube and pryed the lower gear out of the tube. There is a short shear pin thru the shaft that fits in the bottom of the lower gear, should just pull out of the shaft, mine actually fell out. There are a couple of washers below the short shear pin, then a plate that is welded to the jack outer tube, then a couple more washers below the plate, but at this point the lower section of the jack should just pull out. Just keep track of which washers go where, I did not keep track and it took some trial an error getting it back together as they provide the spacing for the gears to fit right. The lower section has screw shaft, which I screwed out as far as it would go and greased it. Also greased the lower tube. Hopefully this makes sense, hard to explain without pictures, but an easy job after the intial learning curve. Driving the shear pin out and then back in was the hardest part.
    Thanks for the tutorial. I am going to dissemble mine and see what it looks like inside.

    Charlie

  12. Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    17,419
    #12
    awesome info..thanks for posting. to the maintenance section we go!

  13. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Marlow, OK
    Posts
    3,458
    #13
    09 Z520 w/ Fulton. Can anyone tell me the model so I can compare prices. Is it much of a job to change out center mounted jack? Sorry, boat is kept elsewhere and I can't get to it at the moment. thanks

  14. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37
    #14
    I wanted to follow up on my jack problem and tell you what resolution I came to.

    My jack was built by Duffon-Lainson Company and it is my understanding that they build all of Rangers center swing jacks. I spoke with their engineering department and they said my jack is no longer produced but they had repair parts for it. They also advised that I attempt to repair the jack before replacing it. They pointed me to a 10 step tutorial, on their website, that walked my through the process of dissembling the jack. All it needed was some lube and now it works good. I believe the Ranger work around would also work but I felt more comfortable with the dissemble and re-lube than drilling holes in the jack. The folks at Duffon were VERY helpful and were a pleasure to work with.

    If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me.

    Charlie

  15. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Grand Prairie, TX
    Posts
    292
    #15
    Please link to the site or PM me. Having same issue.

  16. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37
    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by SRJbb99 View Post
    Please link to the site or PM me. Having same issue.
    https://www.dutton-lainson.com/categories.php?cat=8
    Last edited by jc2bg; 08-08-2021 at 08:37 AM.

  17. Mike Lamb
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    raleigh, nc 27603
    Posts
    1,559
    #17
    that took care of the jack issue I had. tks for the link!
    Michael Lamb
    2017 / Ranger 518c 200 Mercury Pro XS
    Raleigh, NC

  18. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Shreveport
    Posts
    37
    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by mike28nc View Post
    that took care of the jack issue I had. tks for the link!
    Glad to be of help.

    Charlie

  19. Member
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    Aug 2006
    Location
    fayetteville, n.c.
    Posts
    12,205
    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt1212 View Post
    09 Z520 w/ Fulton. Can anyone tell me the model so I can compare prices. Is it much of a job to change out center mounted jack? Sorry, boat is kept elsewhere and I can't get to it at the moment. thanks
    I had to change my jack, due to rusting and it was a simple change, just 4 bolts and the middle pin.

  20. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Jackson, Tn.
    Posts
    1,954
    #20
    Drill the 1/8th inch hole 51/2"down from the black cap. I use the lower unit oil and give it a couple of squirts about every 4 months.

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