Swivel jack location?

[am_dew]

I installed a Fulton swivel jack last summer on the tongue of my trailer for my 17' v-hull I/O (~2000 lbs). It replaced an old non-swivel jack. This past weekend while preparing for an oil change I discovered that this new jack does not lower far enough down to enable my outdrive to be fully lowered. Basically, the boat needs to have it's rear-end up in the air so the outdrive has the clearance needed to fully lowered...it's an older Volvo 270 outdrive and from what I understand the drive should always be fully lowered when running the engine, even in neutral.

So, I'm looking for suggestions on how to get the back of the boat up higher than it goes now when the swivel jack is in it's lowest position. I thought about re-mounting the swivel jack to one of the trailer's angled cross pieces that is welded to the tongue. This would move the jack farther back towards the trailer wheels and allow the tongue to lower enough. Are there any problems with mounting a swivel jack to this location on the trailer frame?

x = current location
y = proposed new location

Thanks!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Swivel jack location?

**deleted**

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

When the jack is all the way down the tongue is low, with the tip of tongue being about 5-6" off the ground. I just need to lower it another couple inches is all.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: Swivel jack location?

It would probably be alright out there.....I dont know if I would try to move it around like that...you want to make sure its not tippy....your kind of putting 3legs on a rectangular table....will probably sit there fine but if you try hard enough you might get it to start tipping..... does you swivel jack fold away? not sure how much tongue weight you have but if you lower it all the way down onto a block, then swing the jack out of the way you may be able to just pick it up and set it down the 5 or 6" you need. You could definitely do it that way with another jack set up if your tongue weight is to heavy to move.

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

It would probably be alright out there.....I dont know if I would try to move it around like that...you want to make sure its not tippy....your kind of putting 3legs on a rectangular table....will probably sit there fine but if you try hard enough you might get it to start tipping..... does you swivel jack fold away? not sure how much tongue weight you have but if you lower it all the way down onto a block, then swing the jack out of the way you may be able to just pick it up and set it down the 5 or 6" you need. You could definitely do it that way with another jack set up if your tongue weight is to heavy to move.

Yes, the swivel jack folds away. The tongue weight is more than I care to try to safely lift and then lower onto a block and then when I am done, have to lift it again high enough to get the swivel jack back under it. This is what I did this past weekend with my girlfriend's help (she swiveled the jack in and out of place while I did the lifting)...and my legs and back are still reminding me of it.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Put a floor jack under the hitch. Lower the trailer with the jack as far as it will go. Raise the floor jack to lift the tongue slightly, then swivel the jack out of the way. Lower the floor jack to raise the stern of the boat.

Your trailer will be unstable if you move the jack as you describe. You can pick up a 1.5 ton floor jack for really, really low bucks at a discount place.

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Put a floor jack under the hitch. Lower the trailer with the jack as far as it will go. Raise the floor jack to lift the tongue slightly, then swivel the jack out of the way. Lower the floor jack to raise the stern of the boat.

Thanks. The tongue needs to get pretty low...about 3-4" off the ground; I'm not sure a floor jack would allow it to get low enough, but I have an old floor jack somewhere and will try that next time.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Swivel jack location?

You didn't include a picture but it sounds like your trailer is very close to the ground. Have you considered larger wheels and tires?

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

You didn't include a picture but it sounds like your trailer is very close to the ground. Have you considered larger wheels and tires?

I will post a pic tonight but I don't believe it's too close to the ground compared to other boats of it's type and size. It's been this way for the past 38 years and has always done it's job perfectly until I installed this new swivel jack.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Thanks. The tongue needs to get pretty low...about 3-4" off the ground; I'm not sure a floor jack would allow it to get low enough, but I have an old floor jack somewhere and will try that next time.

My cheap little ton and a half jack is no more than three inches off the ground when it's down. I think it cost less than $20.

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Here are a couple pics of my rig.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Swivel jack location?

I will post a pic tonight but I don't believe it's too close to the ground compared to other boats of it's type and size. It's been this way for the past 38 years and has always done it's job perfectly until I installed this new swivel jack.

sounds like you need a jack plate to mount the new trailer jack to....raise the mounting point.....thats what I would do...

 

[Stachi]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Here are a couple pics of my rig.

I think this is the first time I have ever seen a winch mounted upside down...

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

I think this is the first time I have ever seen a winch mounted upside down...I see why you did it though....lol

Yea, that winch was mounted on top for the first 30+ years of this trailer's life, which meant that the bow stop was below the bow eye. This is how the trailer came from the dealer in 1972. This was our family boat until my dad gave it to me about 10 years ago and since then I have learned that there were a few trailer safety modifications needed.

 

[HAV2FISH]

Re: Swivel jack location?

From your photos it looks like you live on a street with a curb. How about pulling the boat into the drive and leave the back of the boat hanging just off the driveway. Would this give you enough clearance to do the oil change?

 

[Stachi]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Yea, that winch was mounted on top for the first 30+ years of this trailer's life, which meant that the bow stop was below the bow eye. This is how the trailer came from the dealer in 1972. This was our family boat until my dad gave it to me about 10 years ago and since then I have learned that there were a few trailer safety modifications needed.

nice boat brother...I had a 1973 Winner Marrauder ,85 Evinrude...same vintage...

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

From your photos it looks like you live on a street with a curb. How about pulling the boat into the drive and leave the back of the boat hanging just off the driveway. Would this give you enough clearance to do the oil change?

Good suggestion, however the neighbors (mostly elderly) would not like me blocking the sidewalk and blocking their walking path. Not to mention that the homeowner's association rules say that working on a boat is not allowed, so I try and be as stealth as I can when I do work on the boat.

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

nice boat brother...I had a 1973 Winner Marrauder ,85 Evinrude...same vintage...

Thanks. Yea, this boat has been great despite it's age. My dad always took great care of it and I try and do the same. The hull was still in good shape, so I repowered it with a rebuilt engine just like the OEM one about 8 years ago and it runs better now than it ever has. Every time I take her out I am grateful.

 

[skyking897]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Why not just do the simplest thing. Back the trailer up onto a couple of 2X8's and block the wheels. This raises the back of the trailer automatically and with the tongue lowered it actually raises the back higher than if the wheels were on the ground.

 

[am_dew]

Re: Swivel jack location?

Why not just do the simplest thing. Back the trailer up onto a couple of 2X8's and block the wheels. This raises the back of the trailer automatically and with the tongue lowered it actually raises the back higher than if the wheels were on the ground.

Thanks. Assuming each wheel has a single 2x8 under it, that would raise the back of the trailer by 1.5", correct? If so, I'm not sure that is enough. Or am I not understanding correctly?