MB Jack

Hi 
   Does any one have a MB supplied with their MH if so have you ever used,would you? and where is it stowed
Regards
Alan

I bought one for mine it is stored in passenger footwell where feet gp

Hello Jack, yes, one was supplied with our Winchcombe. It's stowed with a few other tools under the carpet in the nearside footwell.
As for use; no! At 3.8 tonnes I feel that a trolley jack wold be the only safe option, apart from which I cannot remove the wheel bolts with the tool supplied as they are torqued on!
One for the recovery people I fancy!
Cheers, Andy

We have one which was supplied with our Devon, stowed the same as  Andy and Chrisk. I used it when I fitted air suspension on the rear but the Devon is quite a bit smaller than a Gloucester.changing a rear wheel would be a struggle I think with the the bodywork in the way.

when I bought my Nuevo  the dealer advised throwing the jack away before I was tempted to use it!

There may also be a liquid tyre repair kit and pump in the door, I would be using that for a puncture but am told once used the tyre is toast! I would be looking for something else to support the van as well if using the jack was the only option and agree getting the rear wheel off must be for the experts only!

groundhog wrote:There may also be a liquid tyre repair kit and pump in the door, I would be using that for a puncture but am told once used the tyre is toast! I would be looking for something else to support the van as well if using the jack was the only option and agree getting the rear wheel off must be for the experts only!

Contrary to received wisdom the tyre can be repaired and used again, it's just that the tyre fitters ( and Kwik Fit type places) don't like the mess that has to be cleaned out first. Reclaim the tyre yourself and clean it out then find an independent tyre place to repair it.

groundhog wrote:There may also be a liquid tyre repair kit and pump in the door, I would be using that for a puncture but am told once used the tyre is toast! I would be looking for something else to support the van as well if using the jack was the only option and agree getting the rear wheel off must be for the experts only!

Tyre repair container and tyre inflator pump is under the driver's seat behind a drop down flap in the outer side.

Has anyone considered the exhaust inflatable type of jack?
I agree with the potential issues of using the vehicle jack on heavy motorhomes and a trolly jack is just too heavy.

https://www.westfalia.net/shops/car_accessoires/tyres/changing_tyres/jacks/51616-autolift.htm


Ray

Libraryman2 wrote:Has anyone considered the exhaust inflatable type of jack?
I agree with the potential issues of using the vehicle jack on heavy motorhomes and a trolly jack is just too heavy.

https://www.westfalia.net/shops/car_accessoires/tyres/changing_tyres/jacks/51616-autolift.htm


Ray

I've looked at those before Ray, they seem to be a good solution to me, especially at that price.

What do the experts think?

Hello Chris, not familiar with that sort of kit I'm afraid. If stuck on the road with a flat I still think I would 'call the cavalry' and put the kettle on whilst waiting! 
Hence the reason for being members of Britannia Rescue (other roadside assistance companies can be found!).
Best wishes, Andy

We had to change a rear wheel on our Exec last year while on a French motorway, as it became distorted and was causing some horrible vibration.
We did it at the first Aire of course, not on the carriageway.

It took myself and a caravanner pal two hours to get the spare removed from underneath, van jacked up (with the spare acting as a safety reserve under the chassis), wheel removed, swapped with spare, new wheel fitted, old wheel attached back underneath and van lowered off the jacks.

I reckon that an air bag jack would have made it a lot easier and quicker, along with a winch for the spare wheel carrier to get the heavy wheel back in there.

I don't know about safer though, so that's why I'm interested in other's opinions and experiences.

Our new van doesn't carry a spare wheel though, so it's moot really. Like you, I'll be calling roadside assistance if we have a damaged flat, if the squirty cream repair doesn't work.

I have not used a bag jack, but I suspect that for my coachbuilt unless it is jacked at the designated jack point the wheel will not come off due to the bodywork, rear at least.

The trick I was told, undo the  nuts, get hold of wheel and angle the bottom forwards and the rest will follow, fit back in reverse order.

Had to do this on our caravan.as wheels were taken off every winter and plates put on.

Its the other way round on AS coach built rear wheels, you have to push the bottom of the wheel under the hub till the wheel is on the floor then pull it out flat.

PS on newer vans, the spats around the wheel arch are removable, but its best if that can be avoided.

I read somewhere that the air bag jack can raise approx. 60cm.  Not sure that would be enough for a Merc chassis to give the clearance to swivel the wheel under and out.

Anyone know?  My trolley jacks (domestic 3ton)  had reached their upper limit before the wheels had enough clearance.

MikeJJ wrote:I read somewhere that the air bag jack can raise approx. 60cm.  Not sure that would be enough for a Merc chassis to give the clearance to swivel the wheel under and out.

Anyone know?  My trolley jacks (domestic 3ton)  had reached their upper limit before the wheels had enough clearance.

My local garage have a pair of high lift trolley jacks to get the rears off. With those jacks and knowing the 'trick', they have them off or on in a tick.

MikeJJ wrote:I read somewhere that the air bag jack can raise approx. 60cm.  Not sure that would be enough for a Merc chassis to give the clearance to swivel the wheel under and out.

Anyone know?  My trolley jacks (domestic 3ton)  had reached their upper limit before the wheels had enough clearance.

Presumably the good thing about an air jack is that it starts out flat, so there's potential to put a base of bricks or wooden blocks under it to increase the lift height.

I would also always have a backup jack, just in case, so you could probably alternate them and add a plinth along the way.

I would not use a bag jack on a coachbuilt. It will be lifting via the floor, which sound a good way to wreck the floor/side fixings into the chassis rails.