Comparing Operating Speed of Electric Tongue Jacks

Question:

Which electric tongue jack is the fastest up and down? It would be nice to see speed rating on the jacks...I really want ine but dont want to feel like I am waiting for jack...the videos I have seen seem very slow? I have a 2004 27ft Wildwood TT weighing 7000lbs dry

asked by: Jami C

Expert Reply:

Powered tongue jacks like the Stromberg Carlson # JET-2500 and the others shown on the linked page do not all carry jacking speed ratings. This is because there are a lot of variables that affect speed of operation.

Generally speaking, there is no simple answer to your good question. Any given jack will operate more slowly if used near its maximum weight capacity. Higher capacity jacks may often run slower than lower capacity jacks since their internal mechanisms are beefier/heavier to handle the extra weight.

Also, the precise voltage/current stability of the power source will affect speed. Many jacks may run a bit faster when connected to a household power supply than when fed by a trailer battery. Your jack may operate at one speed when your trailer is in your driveway and your battery is freshly charged, but then run slower after you've been out and about for a week.

Considering the substantial weights that can be moving around jack makers have a sort of incentive to keep things slow for safety reasons.

With all of that said, I totally understand that the "lifetime" you have to wait for your tongue jack to get where you want it can seem like a huge pain. Chalk this one up to the cost of convenience.

expert reply by: Adam R