Mobile RV Manual Jack Replacement - Florida
Coast to Coast RV Repair provides mobile manual jack replacement service on-site at your campground or driveway across Florida - certified technicians, same-week scheduling.
Coast to Coast RV Repair provides mobile manual jack replacement service on-site at your campground or driveway across Florida - certified technicians, same-week scheduling.
Certified technicians. $299 service call. Same-week scheduling. Call (866) 887-1199.
Worm Gear Failure Modes in Manual Tongue Jacks and How to Distinguish Them
Manual tongue jacks on Class C motorhomes and travel trailers use a worm-and-sector gear set where the worm (driven by the crank) meshes with a sector gear attached to the main screw. Gradual wear shows as backlash increasing over multiple seasons - you feel the crank travel 0.25-0.5 inches before load engagement. Sudden overload failure shows as the crank turning freely with zero load transfer - 3 or more teeth shear flat across the face in a single event. Both failure modes require gear set replacement (not repair), but the distinction matters for diagnosis: if backlash has been growing for two seasons, the entire drive screw should be inspected for thread wear as well. The most common cause of sudden overload on Class C tongue jacks is unhitching on a slope steeper than 8 degrees, which concentrates the full tongue weight on the jack at an angle the worm gear is not designed for. Atwood rates their tongue jacks to 3,500 lbs on a level surface; the effective rating drops to approximately 2,100 lbs at 10 degrees of lateral load. Jesse Earl carries Atwood P/N AT91133 gear assemblies in 2- and 3-ton variants to match the replacement to the original jack's rated capacity.
Selecting the Correct Replacement Manual Jack: Load Rating and Travel Dimensions
Replacement jack selection requires three measurements: static load rating (must equal or exceed the original), travel distance (minimum to achieve hitch-to-ball height change), and mounting bolt pattern (the frame-rail hole spacing). Most travel trailer tongue jacks use a 4-bolt pattern on 3-inch or 4-inch centers with 5/16-inch grade-8 bolts torqued to 18 ft-lb. Load ratings span 2,000 lbs (light trailers) to 5,000 lbs (fifth-wheel front jacks and heavy trailers). Substituting a 2,000-lb jack on a trailer with a 3,500-lb tongue weight voids the load rating and creates a collapse risk. Jesse Earl records the original jack's cast rating plate number before removing it and matches the replacement to that rating. If the rating plate is missing, tongue weight is calculated from the trailer GVWR and typical 10-15% tongue-weight fraction: a 30,000-lb fifth wheel has a minimum 3,000-lb tongue jack requirement, calling for a 5,000-lb rated replacement with a 50% safety margin.
Also see: Leveling & Jacks Services
This page covers manual jack replacement specifically. For the full range of leveling & jacks services we offer, visit our Leveling & Jacks service overview.
Case Study: Manual Jack Replacement Repair
RV: 2022 Coachmen Freelander 22XG • Location: Cayo Costa State Park, Site 8 • City:
Symptom: Manual front tongue jack would not lower below the 8-inch mark; hand crank turned freely but jack did not descend; the 22XG was nose-high 5 inches with the hitch still on the ball
Diagnosis: Jesse Earl removed the tongue jack outer tube and found the internal worm gear (Atwood P/N AT91133) had stripped 3 consecutive teeth on the drive sector. The stripping pattern - flat shear across tooth face rather than gradual wear - indicated a single overload event, consistent with the owner's report of attempting to unhitch on a 12-degree slope without repositioning first. The outer tube was undamaged. Gear backlash measured 0.18 inches (spec: 0.04 inches maximum) confirming 3-tooth engagement loss.
Outcome: New gear assembly installed; backlash measured at 0.03 inches (within spec); jack lowered and raised through full 18-inch travel under 500-lb static load without binding; hitch ball coupling confirmed level within 0.5 degrees
Time on-site: • Total cost: • Dealer alternative:
Manual RV Jack Types - Load Rating and Gear Design
| Brand / Model | Rated Load | Gear Type | Travel Range | Mounting Pattern | Typical Price (parts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atwood AT91393 | 3,500 lbs | Worm and sector | 0-18 inches | 4-bolt, 3-in centers | $85-110 |
| Lippert 285320 | 3,500 lbs | Worm and sector | 0-20 inches | 4-bolt, 3-in centers | $90-120 |
| Husky Towing 81720 | 2,000 lbs | Worm and sector | 0-14 inches | 4-bolt, 2.5-in centers | $55-70 |
| Pro Series 1400700 | 5,000 lbs | Worm and sector | 0-22 inches | 4-bolt, 4-in centers | $130-160 |
| BAL 28005 | 4,000 lbs | Worm and sector | 0-18 inches | 4-bolt, 3-in centers | $95-125 |
Signs You Need Manual Jack Replacement
- ✓Record original jack load rating from cast plate before removal
- ✓Measure mounting bolt pattern (center-to-center distance and bolt diameter)
- ✓Measure required travel range (hitch height above ball at maximum compression to minimum extension)
- ✓Test gear backlash before and after replacement (spec: under 0.04 inches)
- ✓Torque mounting bolts to spec after installation (5/16-inch grade-8: 18 ft-lb)
- ✓Load-test replacement jack at 50% rated capacity before returning coach to service
- ✓Apply LPS 3 grease to main screw thread and gear mesh
- ✓Confirm hitch coupling achieves level position within 0.5 degrees after adjustment
Manual Jack Replacement - Pricing
Typical price range: $145 - $520
All calls start with a $299 service-call fee that covers the technician's trip to your location and the first hour of diagnosis. That $299 applies toward any repair you authorize - it is not an additional charge on top of the repair. Pricing shown is a national average range; your exact quote is provided in writing on-site before any work begins.
Manual Jack Replacement - Common Questions
Straight answers from our manual jack replacement service call log.
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More Leveling & Jacks Services
Other specialized repairs under leveling & jacks - all done at your location, no tow required.
Where We Provide Manual Jack Replacement in Florida
Coast to Coast RV Repair runs manual jack replacement jobs across these cities. Click your closest one for local-specific info, response times, and campground coverage.