Floor Jack Modifications and Adapters For Lifting Our Roadtrek and Generator Removal

[youngnretired]

I meant to get to this post before our route 66 trip, but that didn't happen. But here are some tools I've made to help out with things with our 08C210P Roadtrek. I'm posting these not because they are anything special, but because these may spark an idea and help someone with a project in the future. I've never struggled with trying to get access under a vehicle or raise it up as much as I have with this class B Roadtrek for things just to do basic maintenance.

I knew my small frame 25 year old floor jack wasn't going to cut it, so I purchased a new Pittsburgh aluminum frame floor jack from Harbor Freight. With the jack pad on the jack being about 4.5" diameter, it wouldn't fit on either side of the rear axle between the differential pumpkin and shock mount, or between the shock mount and spring. it was close, but due to the weight it was lifting, I wanted the jack square with the axle, so I made an adapter to be able to jack up one side of the rear end instead of at the bottom of the differential. Since I was going to make one adapter, I made two because I also knew I needed to drop the generator for service.

The jack pad is held to the jack by a threaded piece with a lip that allows the jack pad to spin. My neighbor has a lathe, so he made two adapter pieces to mimmick the jack pad and that I could use to make two tools.

With one adapter piece, I cut some 3.5" diameter 1/4" wall steel pipe and notched it to cup the axle. This notch probably wasn't needed, but a portion of the jack would hit the lower shock bolt unless I elevated the connection point a bit, so that's why the pipe section and I notched it to better secure it to the axle. I welded these two pieces together.

For the second adapter piece, I had a local shop cut a 3/16" 16"x20" piece of steel with a round opening in the middle to access the threaded piece. I drilled and tapped the adapter which would allow the jack adapter piece to maybe be used for something else in the future instead of welding them together. 3/16" steel is way overkill for holding a 125 pound generator, but this may also double as a transmission jack in the future.

Since the jack handle hits the bottom of the front or rear Roadtrek bumper cover when it's at it's lowest position, I have plans to cut the jack handle and make an "S" jog in it so that the handle drops further that will allow more lifting per pump, instead of it taking 100 pumps of the jack to get it high enough to get under it to change the oil. That's a spring project, so no pictures yet.

 

[booster]

There are a lot of jack and floor lift adapters available, at there used to be. Adapters like you made to clear things or just get more lift are common for for hoists these days and often vehicle specific, even.
Using a big lifting area on a floor jack can be a kind of dangerous as it requires perfect balance to keep from topping the jack over. That is why many use a motorcycle/4 wheeler lift to do it or a transmission jack, both of which have wider, more stable bases. I use and old scissors style tranny jack that is also a bit narrow, but much wider than a floor jack but it still a big scary on even transmissions. When I removed our generator I used it and a floor jack on one end to stabilize it in case it hung up on something when being lowered.
I have seen a similar to your setup done that worked very well, but takes two floor jacks. Very stable and easy to use. Very similar to how I lift the front of our Chevy Roadtrek with two jacks on the now no center lifting subframe. One on each end.

 

[youngnretired]

I had searched for adapters before deciding on making them, but I didn't see anything that I felt would fit the Pittsburgh jack and do the job I was wanting it to do. I'm used to 150lb transmissions from decades ago, not these heavy 6, 8, 10 speed transmissions from today. I'd use this jack on one of my old cars, but if the RT needs a transmission, I'm likely to get it to our mechanic 1/4 mile from us or have a shop pull it. It is what it is, plus I'm not physically able to do what I could years ago.