Jacking up the caravan
I've recently acquired a spare wheel, so I've been looking into how you safely jack up a caravan.
Important points I noted were that it should be hitched up when jacking it, and there are only certain points where a jack can be placed. Certainly not on the frame.
But I've seen products that attach to the chassis and allow a bottle jack to be used e.g. this
Is it even recommended to attempt this yourself, or should the AA be involved?
Comments
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if you don't feel confident in jacking your caravan & have AA/Mayday/etc, them them do it. I put the jack under an axle when I lift mine, but I use a big trolly jack at home. Attaching it to the car when jack is good, but not always possible.
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I have used the same item in the past and apart from a jack, which kept leaking, the brackets were good and provided a safe place for the head of the bottle jack. I would recommend trying to find a piece of steel or aluminium plate about 5mm thick and about 200mm square to place under the bottle jack when the jacking surface is soft or uneven. I have had a jack slip before when it started to sink into the ground. No damage, but not recommended.
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the trouble with bottle jacks is that they have a tendency to want to lean as the car/caravan is lifted ..... lift a car/caravan with a trolly jack and the wheels allow the trolly jack to move under, a bottle jack is unable to do the same. If you lift it far enough, the jack wants to slip or fall over.
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I have a 3 ton Draper air bag jack, which inflates by holding a pipe over the exhaust (much easier than it sounds!). I have used to lift a caravan on soft ground to replace a wheel and also on our motorhome. It is an excellent emergency piece of kit.
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Yes I can say that they work. The only time (and I sincerely hope the last time) I had to raise my caravan was when we had a seasonal in the lakes which were at the high top end of TH. There had a been one of those terrific storms (mid 2000s and people were taking refuge in the toilet block and games room rather than sleep in their outfits) we luckily weren't there but the whole caravan, steadies down and wheel clamp, had been pushed about two feet. I couldn't free the wheel clamp even unlocked as the parts of it had been pushed together. I would have to lift the caravan to free them.
I very gingerly took the (useless) jack but before I could start the very helpful chap across the road brought his air jack out, and as you say the pipe just pushed into the exhaust, started the engine revved the engine a bit and within minutes the caravan was up and the wheel champ just fell free.
Being at the shallow end of the gene pool (probably paddling pool) regarding doing anything mechanical it would be a call to Mayday/Green flag for me as ED says
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Andy
first you say about should the AA be involved, the AA will only come out if the vehicle that needs help is resisted with the DVLA, your caravan is not, so if you want to use a breakdown service ditch the AA and join one who will cover your caravan like Mayday.
or you can use a Kiojack and do it yourself, I have had no problems, I always jack mine up and put it on axel stands when we are at home
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Not sure this is true, this is what the AA say
"
Caravan breakdown cover
We’ll come to your rescue whether it’s a problem with the vehicle you’re driving or the one you’re towing.Our standard breakdown cover includes caravans, trailers, motorhomes and campervans
With 24/7 roadside assistance, we’ll try to fix your vehicle on the spot
We cover caravans or motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg) and 8ft 3in (2.55m) wide
Unlimited callouts each year, as long as it's not a recurring problem with your vehicle"
They are saying this
"The AA is no longer offering insurance for touring caravans.
If you're an existing customer don't worry – you're still covered.
AA Touring Caravan Insurance is provided by Towergate Insurance, and you can update or renew your insurance as a Towergate customer"
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DON'T think the AA will come out for your caravan, they WONT
their website states that the broken down vehicle & that includes changing a wheel
MUST be registered with the D.V.L.A. your caravan is NOT
they confuse people saying they will recover your caravan, if your car breaks down and needs to be taken to a garage or your home they will hitch up your caravan and take it to where your car is taken
you will need Mayday from the caravan club which is covered by green flag, or ariva provided by the rac, but for that you will have to also be a member of the other club
those are the only 2 who will provide cover for your caravan
their are two jacks for a caravan, alko scissor jack with brackets bolted on your chassis, or the Kojack bottle jack with brackets bolted on your chassis,
or if you want to use a trolly jack, but ONLY jack on the axel beam
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The AA will come out if it's just the caravan - I've had them out twice. Once for a flat tyre and the other time when one of the hitch pads had broken and I couldn't get the hitch off the tow ball.
All sorted by them, no questions asked.
Roxy.
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Hi Andy,
We had ALKO jacking points fitted to our Coachman Laser 575 (MTPLM 1800kg) which we use with the ALKO 2000kg jack. This system is fine for emergencies. I've used the system once (on level hardstanding) and its fine. Preference couple to the car as an anchor point or at least chock the opposite wheel on level ground. When jacking (or when lowering a Lock and Level airbag) on sloping ground a single axle caravan will pivot around the wheel which is in contact with the ground hence its best couple to the tow car before lifting the wheel.
Hope that helps,
Roger
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At home I use a 2 ton Halfords trolley jack. For emergency use in the van I carry a Coram bottle jack and a piece of plywood to sit it on. I raise the van by the axle. Not many bottle jacks will fit under the axle but the Coram, as used in Land/Range Rover will do the job. It is short and stubby but has a double lift piston and a cradle type top that fits nicely under the axle.
I have considered the Kojack system, but by van has an Alko M chassis with rear mounted motor mover. This means access to fit or use the jacking points is questionable.
Colin
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🤔 Looks to me as if they cover both the vehicle and caravan for breakdowns. Whether they now insure caravans is a different matter.
Caravan breakdown cover
We’ll come to your rescue whether it’s a problem with the vehicle you’re driving or the one you’re towing.
Our standard breakdown cover includes caravans, trailers, motorhomes and campervans
With 24/7 roadside assistance, we’ll try to fix your vehicle on the spot
We cover caravans or motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg) and 8ft 3in (2.55m) wide
Unlimited callouts each year, as long as it's not a recurring problem with your vehicleWhat is caravan breakdown cover?
Our standard roadside assistance includes caravan breakdown cover. If you break down, we’ll try to fix the problem on the spot or tow you to a garage for repairs.We cover the car you’re driving as well as the caravan being towed.
Call us out for a problem with your caravan, even if your car’s fine.
Recovery for both your caravan and your car if we can’t fix them at the roadside.We can also cover campervans and motorhomes under our standard roadside assistance. Just choose personal cover or take out a specific vehicle policy for your motorhome.
Caravan breakdown cover
We’ll come to your rescue whether it’s a problem with the vehicle you’re driving or the one you’re towing.
Our standard breakdown cover includes caravans, trailers, motorhomes and campervans
With 24/7 roadside assistance, we’ll try to fix your vehicle on the spot
We cover caravans or motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg) and 8ft 3in (2.55m) wide
Unlimited callouts each year, as long as it's not a recurring problem with your vehicle0 -
I've been thinking, done a bit of research and had a surprise.
The Kojack system and similar Alko look good, but a trolley jack under the axle is the best way to lift the caravan..
A bit of basic research shows a basic 2 ton trolley jack from the likes of Halfords and Clarkes weighs in at about 10kg. This is only a couple of kg more than the Kojack and Alko systems, so it looks like I'll be carrying my trolley jack in future.
Colin
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A 2 tonne trolley jack was included as part of the basic equipment that came with our Knaus when we got it. It's never been used and now that I've had E&P fitted, it's never likely to be!
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What is E&P?
edit - I've just Googled it and I'm guessing it is the automatic levelling system.
This then made me think, if it's using corner steadies then these areas on a caravan are not really designed as lifting points, but levelling points. The website for EP Hydraulics does say you can use the system for changing a wheel, but that would concern me.
Colin
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Any attempt to lift a caravan is best preceeded by running it up onto the levelling ramps that most of us carry. Makes it a lot easier to get a jack underneath, or to use the spare wheel carrier.
I use the trolley jack that I carry in the the Land Rover anyway, and the big piece of plyboard that allows the jack to move as it goes up - especially when on grass.
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Colin - you guessed correctly! Couple of points though......Alko - whom I believe now own E&P - say that using the steadies in the hydraulic system puts no more strain on the van than if they were used 'normally'. However - mainly for financial / convenience reasons, I have the Compact system fitted which means it only levels side to side using the hydraulic rams and levelling fore and aft is done manually (with the jockey wheel) and the steadies are deployed manually as normal. So your concerns don't apply.
Don't understand your concern about changing a wheel using E&P - in effect, it's no different from using a massive trolley jack - but much more stable and it's being lifted in the right places. I jack the nearside wheels clear of the ground every time I set up - to fit the twin Alko locks which takes just a few minutes using E&P.
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This a new concept to me.
I have always been under the impression that the steadies are so named as they steady the van. Good practice is to level the vehicle across the axle using a ramp etc and let this take the weight of the caravan. The location/mounting areas of the steadies may not have been designed for lifting, in fact they may not have all fixing points attached to the load bearing chassis.
Colin
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EM, the lifting is done by hydraulic rams, not the steadies. They still only come into play as steadies, albeit as part of the process.
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I'm pretty sure the E&P levelling system is designed to cope. I think the main bit of the lifting is done by two central jacks which are attached to the chassis. If you have the 'full system' fitted to the caravan they replace the cornersteadies and reinforce where they connect to the caravan.
My main concern about the E & P levelling system is .... the price!!! 🤣🤣
David
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It is some years ago now but Britannia Rescue came out and changed my caravan wheel without a problem, Fiddling around with a bottle jack beside the road is not for the faint hearted.. Also, have you checked to see if you can drop the spare wheel off the Al-Ko bracket under the caravan. It is nigh on impossible.
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The safest way to get the underslung spare is to unhitch the van and drop the front end. With rear steadies down it is then a lot easier and safer to retrieve it. Only problem this is you really should re-hitch the van to the car for extra stability when jacking the van up.
Colin
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I simply use the tow car to haul one or other or even both wheels up on my levelling planks and sometimes blocks.
This gains useful height to access the underslung spare if needed, but also compensates, and some, for the loss of ground clearance due to the "flat". That extra clearance helps jack access and reduces the lifting needed if when the flat is off the ground you move its planks away.
Plus of course the vehicle is hitched, so jacking is way more stable like that.
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I have been unfortunate in that i have twice had a blow out on the caravan, and i did exactly as you stay, i used the levelling blocks, I have a trolley jack and it makes it so much easier to get this under the axle especially as i have a mover fitted which makes it almost impossible to reach the axle from the front.
We once hand a caravan, Ellidis i think, where the spare wheel was in a well just inside the caravan door, so much easier to remove and store.
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