Troubleshooting Bulldog Electric Trailer Jack Not Raising or Lowering Horse Trailer

Updated 07/05/2026 | Published 05/06/2025

Question:

I have a electrical bulldog jack on my horse trailer. I have used it for a couple of years with no problems. Now when I go to hook it up the switch does nothing. It will not raise or lower. I dont have a clue what is causing it not to work. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

asked by: Johnie B

Expert Reply:

Hey Johnie, thanks for reaching out!

Let's start with some of the basics and see where this takes us.

The first thing to check is the power source directly. If the trailer battery is powering the jack then make sure it has enough charge, and if the 12V pin from the vehicle 7-Way is what powers it, then you'll need to make sure that actively has power as well (see attached photo).

If that all checks out then you'll want to make sure the ground is connected to a clean, bare-metal surface.

The other thing to check is the actual function of the trailer jack. Grab the manual override handle, pop the plug off the top of the jack, and see if you can operate the jack by hand. This will tell us if the issue is power-related or if something internally is going on inside the jack.

Let me know what you end up finding out, and if you still have issues I can help you continue to troubleshoot!

expert reply by: Jon G

12V Power Pin on Vehicle-Side 7-Way
(click to enlarge)

Jon G.

9/29/2025

Hey Johnie, did you have a chance to check the power source and try the manual override on your Bulldog jack? I'm eager to hear what you discovered, as it could help others facing similar issues with their trailer jacks.

Johnie B.

9/29/2025

We did replace the jack. Everything else checked out, we also put in new batteries, and the jack still will not lift trailer.