Written by: Izzy B.

Updated on: 4/2/25

Est. time to read: 5 mins.

How to Install an Electric Trailer Jack

If you've been putting off installing an electric trailer jack because it seems like a hassle—good news! It’s actually one of the easiest upgrades you can make to your trailer. Whether you’re swapping out an old jack or adding one for the first time, the process is simple, quick, and totally doable with just a few basic tools.

This guide walks you through everything step by step, so by the time you’re done, your trailer will be hitching and unhitching at the push of a button. No stress, no second-guessing—just a smooth installation and an even smoother towing experience. Let’s get to it!

Note: While most of the advice discussed in this install guide applies to a wide variety of electric trailer jacks, we'll be using the etrailer Electric Trailer Jack as a specific example of a jack you can install right at home. It's a versatile option that works great for most towing setups, and it comes with all the hardware you'll need for your install. After getting the chance to try it out ourselves and see how it works in real life, we can't recommend it enough!

What You'll Need:

9/16" wrench and socket
A torque wrench
Wire strippers and crimpers
Heat-shrink butt connectors (they're great for weatherproofing)
Circuit tester (to ensure our connections are spot-on)
etrailer Electric Trailer Jack (includes bolts, washers, and nuts)
A 12V power source
Self-tapping screw (if we need a new ground connection)

Watch: Setting Up Your etrailer Electric A-Frame Trailer Jack

How to Install an Electric Trailer Jack, Step-by-Step

1. Safety First

Before we jump into the install process, there are a few important safety precautions you’ll have to take care of.

Park your trailer on level ground and chock the wheels to keep everything steady (the last thing you need is your trailer rolling and squishing you while you’re working)
If you're swapping out an old jack, you should secure your trailer using jack stands, or just keep it hitched to your tow vehicle
Make sure to disconnect the power from your trailer’s battery, or remove the fuse (you don’t want to skip this step, or else you might wind up getting a shocking surprise

The trailer is secured on jack stands before any work is done

2. Removing Your Old Jack

First, make sure to lower your jack until the weight of your trailer is fully supported by your jack stands and/or hitch
Next, locate and remove the old jack’s mounting bolts (there are usually three) with your 9/16" wrench
- If your bolts are rusty, try wire-brushing them to clean off some of that rust, then apply a penetrating oil and let that soak in overnight. Once you’ve done that, try working the bolt back and forth with an impact wrench until it loosens up enough to unscrew completely
Lastly, disconnect any power and ground wires connected to the old jack

Disconnecting the old ground wire

Unscrewing those rusty old bolts

Cutting the old power wire

3. Installing Your New Electric Jack

Position your new jack so that it’s aligned with the existing bolt holes
Insert your new bolts into the holes, and then add the washers and nuts
Tighten the nuts by hand at first, then go the rest of the way using a torque wrench. It’s important to make sure you’re tightening your bolts down to the correct torque

Hand-tightening the new bolts

Torquing-down the new bolts

4. Wiring Your New Jack

Next, connect the red power wire to the 12V positive terminal of your trailer’s battery
- While you can technically power an electric jack from a 7-way connection, this can be a risky move. Some newer vehicles don’t supply enough consistent power to operate an electric jack via a 7-way. To avoid this issue, wire your jack to your trailer battery instead
Secure your connections using heat-shrink butt connectors to keep out moisture
Then, ground the black wire to your trailer’s frame. If there's no existing ground point, you can use a self-tapping screw to create one on clean (unpainted/powder coated) metal

Securing the ground wire to the trailer frame

Wiring an electric jack to a trailer battery, and grounding it to the trailer's frame

The red power wire (positive) and black ground wire (negative)

5. Do A Test Run

Once you’ve wired your new jack to a power source, it’s important to give it a trial run to make sure everything is in working order.

Try operating your new jack using the control buttons to make sure it moves smoothly up and down
Check that the LED light is working properly by turning it on and off
To verify the “automatic stop” feature is working, try fully extending and retracting your jack
- Your jack should stop automatically once it reaches the maximum extension/ lowest retracted position, even if you're still holding the button
- If the jack doesn’t stop, release the button to avoid damaging the jack’s motor

Testing the jack for smooth up-and-down movement

Checking the LED light

Fully extending the jack

6. Final Tips & Pointers

Before we go, we wanted to make sure to leave you with a few expert tips and tricks that'll keep your new jack running smoothly for years to come!

Once the electric jack is installed, you’ll need to tidy up any excess wiring with zip ties. This helps to keep them out of the way, so they don’t get stuck in the jack’s moving parts
Protect your new investment by covering your jack up with the included canvas cover. This will help shield your jack from the elements, and keep out unwanted moisture
If you’ve got your jack all connected but the lift function won’t work, there are a few common problems that might be causing this issue for you
- The first place you should check is your ground connection. If the jack isn’t properly grounded, then it isn’t going to operate correctly
- If you’re still having trouble getting your jack to operate, check to make sure the circuit breaker hasn’t been tripped. Some electric jacks have an automatic reset fuse, and if it’s gone off, then you won’t be able to operate the jack correctly
- If your jack is moving, but only at a snail’s pace, then your battery might just need a charge. Low voltage can really affect an electric jack’s performance

Giving the newly installed jack a once-over

While some jacks, like the etrailer electric trailer jack, are weather-resistant, you should always make sure all the seals and covers are in place. Moisture is not kind to electric appliances
Using a protective cover for your jack whenever you're parked will extend the jack’s lifespan and keep it working and looking like new

About Izzy B.

My journey with etrailer has had a number of twists and turns. I first started here in 2019 as a Summer Intern with our Content Department. I ended up enjoying the experience so much, that I came back to work at etrailer during several academic breaks throughout my college years. After some time away, I returned last Spring to work at our main warehouse, first as a Picker, and eventually on our Audit Team. Then, at the start of 2024, I was offered the chance to come aboard etrailer's Marketing Department, as a Writer for the Shopping Guide Team. Now, I help our neighbors by creating informational content to aid their shopping experience, ensuring they find the info, products, and solutions they need to get their own journeys underway!