Trailer Jack Buyer’s Guide

When you’re looking for a trailer jack, there are a few things to consider about the different kinds of trailer jack that are out there. The weight load capacity is the main think you need to check, but there are a few other features that you should also consider.

A-Frame or Straight-Tongue

The shape of your trailer’s tongue will help you decide which trailer jack you need. Trailer jacks usually come in two styles: a-frame or straight-tongue. If you have an a-frame trailer tongue, your coupler is mounted on the tip of an a-shaped metal frame, and you’ll need a jack that’s designed to fit that frame. If your trailer’s coupler is mounted on the end of a long, steel tube, you have a straight-tongue trailer and you’ll need a jack made to fit it.

Top-Wind or Side-Wind

Trailer jacks are usually raised and lowered by crank. Some jacks have the crank positioned to wind up and down, and others work side to side. Think about which crank style would work best with your trailer. There may be things on your trailer that could get in the way of winding a top-wind crank, but not a side-wind crank.

Weld-on Trailer jack

Weld-on trailer jacks have a plate or ring that you must weld onto your trailer’s tongue. These jacks are permanently attached to your trailer tongue once you install them, and they have a stronger, more durable connection to the trailer than the bolt-on styles.

Bolt-on Trailer jack

Bolt-on jacks attach to your trailer’s tongue with u-bolts. One of the best things about bolt-on tongue jacks is that they can usually be adjusted to sit anywhere along the trailer tongue, and that you can easily remove them or replace them, unlike weld-on jacks. On a-frame trailers, bolt-on jacks usually slide through the jack hole in the trailer’s a-frame and can’t be adjusted like a bolt-on jack on a straight-tongue trailer.

Wheeled Trailer jack

Wheeled trailer jacks are extremely useful for smaller trailers. They are usually bolt-on jacks, and have a wheel at the bottom so you can easily move your trailer by hand or slide it into place to couple it.

Electric Trailer jack

Electric trailer jacks are extremely convenient because they raise and lower your trailer by the push of a button instead of making you work a crank. These jacks usually bolt on.