# Electric Tongue Jacks For 250Rs



## Reinh (Jan 16, 2012)

Does anybody have a good recommendation of a electric tongue jack for a 250RS? Looking for something I can install myself too. Thank you so much.


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## W.E.BGood (Jan 15, 2011)

I got a Barker VIP 3500 (the standard 18' model) for about $200 shipped about a year ago from:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VIP-3500-Barker-Electric-Power-Tongue-Jack-RV-Trailer-/270892204915?pt=Motors_RV_Trailer_Camper_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3f126f0373

Mantelli's have sold them for years on ebay.

Very,very easy to install, just leave the trailer attached to the tow vehicle, take the old one off, put on the new one with 3 bolts. And, yes, the little "star" lock-washer does go between the jack flange and the tongue mounting plate...make sure you scrape off the paint around it because that is the grounding point for the jack and frame.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

W.E.BGood said:


> I got a Barker VIP 3500 (the standard 18' model) for about $200 shipped about a year ago from:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/VIP-3500-Barker-Electric-Power-Tongue-Jack-RV-Trailer-/270892204915?pt=Motors_RV_Trailer_Camper_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3f126f0373
> 
> ...


After the first season of hand cranking our 250RS, I broke down and purchased a Barker VIP 3500. I have to agree that the installation was very easy and I left the Outback connected to the truck when I installed it. We purchased ours directly from Barker -  click here  - and paid around the same - $200.00 with shipping.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

Installation is VERY easy--as noted above, leave the TT on the TV, unbolt the three jack bolts, pull the hand crank unit up and off, drop the new electric one on the holes, and bolt it down.

Things I learned:

1. running the supply wire to the jack motor is easy. I had a couple of tie-ties (those plastic thingys that wrap around things and hold them tight) and used them.

2. The ground return from the motor to the battery is from the jack case to the TT frame. Things get cruddy up there from road dirt, water, grime, etc. After unbolting and pulling the jack up twice to clean the contact area, I gave up and made up a white wire (white is ground in 12v systems). Put a ring on one end, put the ring under a bolt and tighten it down. Run the ground wire to the battery. I put the end of the wire on the battery cutoff switch. This now provides a really solid ground return and I've not had any further problems.

Caution: a permanent ground return means that a battery cutoff switch will not work, since the ground return line is still connected from your jack (its frame) to the battery, even when the cutoff is "open." Thus the little battery drains (propane detector and so forth) will still be able to draw power. To "fix" that, you have to be able to break the connection between your special jack ground line and the battery. Hooking it to the correct side of the cutoff switch works. The cutoff switch takes care of isolating the battery from the frame by breaking the ground. Just be aware that you will bypass that function if you run the special jack ground wire to the battery rather than to the battery cutoff switch.


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## Brian_OK (Feb 9, 2012)

Got a VIP 3500 (and lots of other great things thanks to the helpful advice on this forum) and I have a question about the install.

On my 292BH I see a heavy positive wire coming that is providing power to 2 separate screw terminals that have a red rubber cap on them. I assume I can run my positive power line to either of these

On the negative connection, I think running a dedicated line is a great idea so grime, rust, whatever doesn't interfere. I did see a single terminal post on the frame that had a connection from the negative terminal on the battery. Could I not use that? What confused me was the talk about the battery disconnect switch. My assumption was I could wire to this negative terminal with no problems because the electronics of the trailer that could drain my battery were all on the other side of that battery disconnect switch. If me grounding to the frame will bypass the battery disconnect that over time that slow battery drain is going to kill my battery and I have no AC in the place my trailer is stored.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

To ground the jack without running a separate ground wire, use star washers between the trailer tongue and the jack. The serrations from the washer dig into both the jack and the tongue and provide a good ground between the two. To minimize corrosion place some battery terminal grease between the jack and the frame to reduce water migration into the area, this will not impact the star washers ability to create a connection between the tongue and the jack.

If you do run a separate ground wire the battery cut off switch can still be used and works just fine as long as the jack ground is tied to the same spot on the tongue as the battery ground. This all assumes that the battery cut off switch is on the battery negative wire to the frame.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

Yep--don't run the new jack ground wire up to the post on the battery. That provides a ground return for stuff in the TT from the frame to the battery. That will allow all those parasitic loads (propane detector, et al) to drain your batts anyway.

Don't ask how I learned that.


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

The battery switch on the new Outbacks is installed on the positive wire.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

I have the Bulldog 4000 and it is a piece of crap. I'm on the 3rd one and I think the one i'm using now is also going out. It says it will lift 4000 lbs but I think it is more like 500lbs. every time this jack breaks I put on my 1000lb hand jack and it never has a problem. When ever this one breaks I'm going to the Atwood 3500, the best jack made in my opinion.


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