Choosing the Right Trailer Tongue Jack

If the jack must be used at full extension to keep the bow of your boat high for drainage, select a taller jack, or one with more travel, or deploy the jack onto some blocking to gain height. Using a tongue jack at full extension severely shortens its lifespan.
Courtesy Curt Manufacturing (trailer jacks), Courtesy Harbor Freight (trailer-jack wheel dock)

The trailer tongue jack supports the boat trailer when it is not hooked up to your tow vehicle. These come in a variety of types, and some boaters might wonder which is best for them. I have used an assortment of tongue jacks and compiled the following points that I suggest buyers consider. Check out these tips.

Weight Capacity

The tongue jack must be rated to handle the tongue weight of your trailer. This is typically somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of the weight of the boat and trailer. Except for very light, little boats, I recommend going up one size when choosing which weight capacity to use. This will result in longer life.

Travel

The amount of travel that a tongue jack provides is the range of height it can be used in. You need the tongue jack to be tall enough to support the tongue so that the boat is at an aftward angle for good drainage during storage, and so that it can reach, and be removed from, your truck’s hitch ball. A jack of the right weight capacity will offer sufficient travel; it doesn’t hurt to take some measurements before you place your order or bring one home from the store.

Wheel or Foot

Tongue jacks with wheels work for boats, up to about 5,000 pounds. Select a double-wheel model for heavier boats. The wheel, or wheels, allow moving the trailer when not connected to a tow vehicle. You might need to put a trailer into a very tight place or you might find moving the trailer a few inches helpful when trying to connect to the tow vehicle. A wheel helps in these scenarios, though the rougher the ground, the less functional the wheel. A nonrolling jack with a fixed foot is used for the heaviest trailered boats (you can’t move big boats without a vehicle anyway). A fixed-foot jack is also better if the trailer lives on rough or uneven ground when disconnected from the tow vehicle. It will be more stable and isn’t likely to move. A cup, or doughnut can be purchased to prevent a wheeled jack from moving.

Fit

Different trailer tongues are made from different-size channels. Some are 3-by-3 inches, some are 3-by-4 inches, and some big trailers are 3-by-5 inches. In most cases, choosing an appropriate weight rating will be choosing a jack with the appropriate-size clamp. Still, measure your trailer’s tongue dimensions before buying to be sure.

Operation

Most boat-trailer jacks are operated manually. The boater cranks the handle to move the jack up and down and raise or lower the boat. Other jacks are available today that work using an electric drill as a motor to operate the jack. Others are even self-propelled.