Where to place jack on frame

[RamboRey]

Where is best place to place floor jack to lift 310 GK to remove tire? I have heard stories of people warping frame. Dealer removed air to add tire leak stop stuff against my better judgement. Needless to say broke beed on tire by not jacking up. Could not air back up. I told them to forget that stuff and replace tire with tire and rim off another solitude. When they did bent side skirting (slide was out) with floor jack handle. Put tire back on with impact. Saw them running lugs in and out. Looks like forced on not hand starting lugs or tightening with torque wrench. There is a sticker right above tires that tells you to do so. I need to remove and check studs to see if stripped. I couldn't trust them. A couple look crooked. Take a look at pics.

Thanks for help!

[Country Campers]

That is terrible. I would get your dealer to compensate you and take this to a trailer shop, or a good mobile tech, and have those studs replaced as they sure look like they are stripped or bent. You can use a floor jack right at the u-bolts on the axel, use a block of wood between the jack and axel/u-bolt. There is also a saddle made for bottle jacks that cradle the axel tube, again between the u-bolts, that lots of folks use.

Brian

[RamboRey]

Thanks Brain!
I have a 15 Ton bottle jack I’ll use, Anyone ever tried a Trailer-aid plus?

[Cate&Rob]

RamboRey

If you lift by the frame, you will need a significant amount of blocking to get your jack high enough to lift the frame at least 3" starting at about 24" off the ground. If you do jack by the frame, stay as close to the outer spring hangers as possible and be careful not to crush wiring/propane hoses/etc. A much better way is as Country Campers Brian describes by lifting just the end of the axle which means that you will only have to lift an inch or two with the jack sitting on the ground. It is important not to jack the thin wall axle tube with the flat top of the jack. This will damage the tube. Use a block of wood on the underside of the U bolts . . . or better yet, buy or fabricate a U saddle that nest tightly to the axle tube between the U bolts. With this configuration, the jack cannot slip in any direction.

Rob

[RamboRey]

Thanks for answers.
Treads looked a little Galled. Lug caps are in bad shape. Had to tap on socket for breaker bar on a couple. Guess I’ll ask for new from dealer to send. It would be a 4.5 hour drive.

[RamboRey]

Manuel says 130 -150 ft.lbs. What are y’all with experience setting them at?

[Cate&Rob]

From the look of those lug nuts and your description of what has happened so far, I think you want to stay away from this dealer, particularly given the driving distance. That torque spec sounds high. Attached is the LCI torque spec chart which is based on wheel stud diameter. (If you have Dexter axles, their spec may be different). I usually set my torque wrench for the low middle of the range and then go 10 lb-ft over that for the re-torque after a few miles.

Rob

[TedS]

The caps of the lug nuts look like a shallow socket was used. Use a deep socket.

[RamboRey]

Guy at dealer was killing then with impact. I’m asking them to send 8 new ones. Here is what Solitude Manual has. Mine are bottom row.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

What is your dealer's real job? Apparently knows nothing about trailers.

[Jlawles2]

My guess is you dealer is a money mover. Moves your money to his pocket and cares less about service after the sale.

As mentioned, I'd find a good trailer shop local and a good mobile tech.

Thankfully they did not kill the studs in the drum as that would mean a complete tear down of the axle.

[chuckwilcox]

Re. RamboRey's post above (#9), the page from the manual shows a "top to bottom" torque pattern for the 5-lug wheels. This seems to be the same across all the GD manuals. Question-is this correct? The other patterns are the criss-cross method that everyone has been using forever. I have a 245RL with the 5-lug wheels, and I can't believe the manual is correct. Any help is appreciated!

[howson]

Re. RamboRey's post above (#9), the page from the manual shows a "top to bottom" torque pattern for the 5-lug wheels. This seems to be the same across all the GD manuals. Question-is this correct? The other patterns are the criss-cross method that everyone has been using forever. I have a 245RL with the 5-lug wheels, and I can't believe the manual is correct. Any help is appreciated!

That is an odd entry in the GD manual--etrailer shows it differently.

[TedS]

I'd say GD got the 5-lug pattern wrong. Another way to remember the torturing pattern is to move from recently torqued lug to lesser-torqued lug farthest away. Continue until all are torqued the same.