Replacement Trailer Jack for 2002 Magic Tilt Trailer and 20 Foot Fiberglass Deck Boat  

Question:

Helpful Expert Reply:

Typically the tongue weight and the height needed to clear the towing vehicle coupler are the considering factors for choosing an appropriate trailer jack. I recommend determining the weight of your existing trailer and boat fully loaded, so that you can determine the correct weight capacity of jack you will need.

It is recommended to choose the jack has that is at least the tongue weight of your trailer and boat or higher.The jack should provide enough lift to clear the vehicle coupler when in a level position by 4 inches. Selecting a jack with a much higher weight capacity is not an issue and can reduce the effort that the jack exerts, therefore extending the life of the jack.

The typical reasons that jacks fail is due to over extension and over loading the jack. I would like to caution you to make sure that you do not overload or over extend the jack.

One small modification that you can do that would reduce the stress on the jack and the mounting hardware would be to move the mounting position forward. I recommend mounting the jack as close to the coupler as space allows. This will increase distance from the axles when acting as a pivot point and will optimize the leverage force of the jack. With this increased leverage it will reduce the amount of weight that the jack will have to lift, and will reduce the force that the jack needs to raise the trailer. By reducing the force the jack needs to exert this will add longevity to the lifespan of the jack and reduce stress on the mounting hardware.

The mounting bracket for the jack that you mentioned is designed for 4 inch by 5 inch trailer frame, which will work with your 4 inch by 4 inch trailer. If you choose this jack you will want to make sure that when mounting the bracket that the base of the mounting bracket lines up with the base of your trailer frame (one inch gap should be at the top of the trailer frame). This jack has a capacity of up to 1,600 pounds and provides 10 inches of lift. If your boat and trailer has a tongue weight of less than 1,600 pounds this jack will work great for you.

From my research it looks like the tongue weight of your trailer and boat would be significantly less than 1,600 pounds, probably more in the range of 500 to 1,000 pounds, but not knowing the specifics of your boat and trailer (engine size, available cargo weight, trailer axles, and trailer material) this is just an estimate. Please verify the tongue weight of your system completely loaded. If the weight capacity of the trailer jack that you need is between 1,000 pounds and 1,500 pounds we do offer several other trailer jacks that offer adjustable mounting brackets that will more closely fit your trailer frame.

I have provided a link to all of the bolt on, swiveling, trailer jacks that we provide for your reference. You can then filter these choices according to the weight capacity that you may need for your boat trailer.

I have included links to the parts above, a short video and a couple of helpful article for your reference.

expert reply by: Rachael H

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