Saltwater Trailer Jack-gctid827727

[CptCrunchie]

When I bought the boat and trailer, it had a jack - don't recall the type - and it seized up within a few months of using it. I went online and found this one, a Fulton 2500lb rated 'Marine' Jack. I chose this one for the 'MARINE' and the warrantee.

The first one lasted a year: When I tried to turn the handle, I broke a few teeth off the cranking gear. Frustrated, I turned even harder and landed up snapping the actual gear in half. Taking it apart, the threaded shaft was solid rust. I took it back under warrantee and they sent a replacement.

Before I put this one on, I completely covered the entire shaft and upper chamber with grease. It worked well for almost a year. However, I just took this second one off because it too seized for the same reason.

I realize one issue is that half of the shaft gets a thorough bath in seawater every time we launch or retrieve. But after I drop the inner leg down, I only use 6" of the thread near the top, so I don't see any reason for these seizing.

If you trailer your boat to and from an ocean port, what jack do you have? Moreover, is there a good saltwater jack that has a pad on the bottom, not a wheel?

[builderdude]

Mine has no wheel but is a fixed type jack, not sure of the brand but it never gets wet when I launch. Maybe look into one that can pivot parallel to the trailer tongue.

Fixed type




Pivot type

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Fulton/FXP10.html

Attached files

[Solandri]

The jack you linked to is anodized with a coating of zinc. That's what qualifies it as a "marine" trailer jack. The only way the inner leg could turn to rust should be if it ate through the zinc layer first. I'm not sure why the inner leg would be attacked first (maybe because the tip is the only metal part of the trailer touching the ground?). But I would suspect some sort of electrical problem. Maybe a frayed wire from your trailer lights sending a current through the trailer frame while the car is parked and connected to your trailer, and the jack down. The current gets dissipated to the ground, eating up the lower leg of the jack first. Anyway, that'd be my guess based on stray currents in water rapidly eating through zinc anodes.

I'm only on 6 months use with my (zinc coated) trailer in salt water, which the PO only used in fresh. But I haven't had any problems either with it becoming harder to turn or corrosion becoming visible. I do rinse off the trailer with fresh water both after launch as well as recovery. (Actually I began rinsing my car off after launch because I need to get the wheels wet to float the boat at my local ramp. And I figured as long as I'm rinsing the car off might as well rinse the trailer off.)

[CptCrunchie]

This is what It looks like.



Typically, the truck stays hooked to the trailer.



I do, however, use the jack to take the weight off the truck if it will be sitting for any length of time. That happens about twice a year, and I only crank it down about 3" (after I lower the inner leg). If I have to disconnect if from the truck, which also happens 2 or 3 times a year, I use between 6" and 7" of the threaded spline plus the inner leg. And since I use my boat between 6 and 10 times a month year round, I rarely use the jack.

Now, when I went to install the replacement, I removed the inner leg, took a grease gun full of marine grease, and literally filled the top 6 or so inches of the jack. Then I raised and lowered the outer leg a number of times to ensure grease had covered the serviceable part of the threaded section. It worked very well for about 8 months. It was up for about 2 months prior to using it again, and when I tried to crank it, it went down the distance of the rust, and then it wouldn't go down any more. And when I tried to work it back and forth, now it won't go either way. If I turn the handle any more than I have, I'll likely break the gear as I did previously.

Dave, the jack you have, it looks new. Have you ever had it in seawater?

I found this one, but considering it the same company, I'm hesitant to pick one up. Anyone have one of these?

[builderdude]

The pic is from Google, mine is the same, I was to lazy to go out and take a pic :lol:

Mine does show signs of use but has been working just fine all season and the 2-3 times I used it last season. My trailer and trailer tongue is long so it never gets close to the salt water.

BTW I think all parts to my jack are galvanized steel or zinc coated steel and there is a grease zerk at the top.