If you are heading out on the road with your dual axle travel trailer, you might wonder what you are supposed to do if a tire goes flat. While these travel trailers are handy to have and they make travel better than the single axle options, they can be more difficult to work on. But, there’s no reason to be discouraged.
In this article, we cover how to jack up a dual axle travel trailer for quick tire changes. With the right tools, it won’t be as difficult as you would think. Plus, swift action ensures you don’t allow any more damage to occur because of a flat tire.
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Equipment Needed To Lift a Dual Axle Travel Trailer
The best way to deal with an emergency situation is to have the necessary gear you need ahead of time. With the right preparations, you don’t have to be stranded on the side of the road waiting for roadside assistance to show up.
The most important tool to have on hand is a tire ramp. You don’t necessarily want to use a floor jack, jack stand or bottle jack unless you need both wheels off of the ground. If you are only changing one tire, the ramp is going to serve your needs much better.
The tire ramp elevates the tires on your dual-axle travel trailer, making it easy to change the tires, but you can also use it with the jack stands or bottle jacks if you need to elevate your trailer further. Additionally, it doesn’t take a lot of skill to use the tire ramp. If you know how to drive, you will be able to use a ramp, unlike the various jacks, which can be more complicated.
How to Change a Tire on a Double Axle Travel Trailer
With your spare and your ramp, you can easily figure out how to change a tire on a travel trailer. Just follow these simple steps.
Step #1: Park the Trailer
If you notice something is wrong with a tire on your travel trailer, it’s vital that you first pull over. Look for a safe location to get off of the road. You have a bigger vehicle in tow, so you want to make sure you aren’t obstructing traffic in any way. Plus, you need a space that is safe for you to change the tire.
Next, you will need to put on your hazard lights or get out road flares to alert other drivers to your presence on the side of the road. Once you find the tire that is flat, you can take the following actions.
Step #2: Position the Tire Ramp Correctly
Knowing which tire needs to be changed makes it simple to figure out where to put the ramp. You want to put the ramp where the tire next to the bad one can drive up with ease. When you get that tire on the ramp, your trailer’s flat tire should be elevated, making it easier to change it.
Step #3: Drive On the Ramp
Once you are sure the ramp is in the right position, you are ready to drive the trailer up on it. In this situation, it’s best to have support from someone that can guide you onto the ramp. You will need to know exactly when to stop.
Once you are in the right location, it’s important that you put the parking brake on. You don’t want the vehicle moving while you are working on the travel trailer. Additionally, you should turn your vehicle off while you are swapping the tire.
Step #4: Change the Flat Tire
With the flat tire elevated in the air, you should be able to change it easily. Follow the same procedures you would if you were working on a car tire. If you aren’t sure how to change the tire, you should get help from roadside assistance instead.
Step #5: Return the Trailer to the Ground
Once you have changed the tire, you are ready to get back on the road. Turn on your vehicle and carefully drive off of the ramp. Use your friend for guidance to ensure you take it gently. Don’t forget to pack up your ramp before you drive away.
You can learn more about using a tire ramp by watching this helpful video.
Lifting One Side of the Trailer
The steps that we covered are great if you only have one flat tire. However, those tips aren’t going to work if you have run over something and blown all of the tires on one side. In this case, you will need a trailer axle jack to change both tires. Here are some steps to follow.
Step #1: Park Your Trailer
Again, you will need to pull over. Look for a safe location to get off of the road. Be careful not to obstruct traffic in any way. Turn on your hazard lights or get out road flares to alert other drivers to your presence on the side of the road.
Step #2: Use Your Jack
The ramp isn’t going to do you a lot of good if you blew out both tires. Instead, you will need your jack and stands to get the travel trailer up in the air. Once you have the trailer elevated, you can change the tires as usual.
Step #3: Return the Trailer to the Ground
Once you have changed the tires, you are ready to get back on the road. Lower the travel trailer back to the ground and remove the jacks. Turn on your vehicle and carefully merge back into traffic. This process doesn’t need to be complicated or take a long time. Just use common sense to ensure you get the tires changed safely.
Conclusion
It can be scary when you need to change a tire or multiple tires on a travel trailer, especially if it contains a dual axle. However, there are tools on the market that make your job easier. Follow our step-by-step guide and you will be back to your adventure quickly.
