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Trailering and towing is a fact of life for many people, but it’s not always easy to hook up and be on your way — especially if you’re a one-person crew. Lifting the trailer tongue and positioning it for hitching is a real pain, especially if you’ve got a heavy trailer with a manual tongue jack. That’s where a good electric tongue jack can offer a truly life-changing experience. Even if you’re by yourself, an electric jack tongue can lift your trailer safely and quickly. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite jacks here to help you get started.
Summary List
- Best Overall: Lippert 285318 3500LB Power Tongue Jack
- Best Value: Libra 3,500-pound Electric Power A-Frame
- Best Heavy Duty: Husky Brute Power Jack
- Honorable Mention: Bulldog 500199 Powered Tongue Jack
How We Selected The Best Electric Tongue Jacks
The Drive’s editors have spent the time struggling with subpar products so that you don’t have to. Our goal is to recommend products that are safe, durable, and easy to use, and since we can’t test every product ourselves, we scour the internet for reviews and information on every product we list. In the case of electric tongue jacks, we specifically weighed price, lifting capacity, apparent build quality, and ease of operation.
Our product selections, rankings, and awards for this story are based on research. While we haven’t conducted real-world testing on all of these products yet, we’ve looked at consumer testimonials and data, tutorials, and general discussions on social media and in forums. We also consider price and specification in the context of the segment. And, of course, we rely on our institutional knowledge of the automotive landscape to weed out weak products.
Best Electric Tongue Jacks: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall
Lippert 285318 3500LB Power Tongue Jack
Best Value
Libra 3,500-pound Electric Power A-Frame
Best Heavy Duty
Husky Brute Power Jack
Honorable Mention
Bulldog 500199 Powered Tongue Jack
Our Verdict on the Best Electric Tongue Jacks
While it’s completely possible to get by with a manual trailer tongue jack, life is too short to be cranking away every time you need to move or lift your trailer. Consider our Best Overall pick, the Lippert 285318 3500LB Power Tongue Jack, when you want a heavy-duty jack with a lot of features. For a cheaper, compact option, choose the Libra 3,500-Pound Electric Power A-Frame Tongue Jack.
What to Consider When Buying Electric Tongue Jacks
Weight Rating
The jack’s weight rating is one of the most important factors to consider when shopping for a new electric tongue jack. It’s the amount of weight that the jack can lift, which isn’t the trailer’s total loaded weight. Tongue weight can generally be estimated to be between 10 and 15 percent of a trailer’s total weight.
Features
Lighting and advanced features may not seem all that important, but they can be a real lifesaver when you’re faced with using the jack after dark or in inclement weather. It’s also a good idea to look for tongue jacks that feature manual cranks in case the motor stops working when you’re way off the grid.
Price
You get what you pay for, so it’s important to balance cost with features and capabilities instead of focusing on finding the lowest price possible. The cheapest jacks may save you a few dollars up front, but you’ll pay for it down the road with replacements and repairs, and you may not end up getting the functionality you need.
Power Source
Most powered trailer tongue jacks require power hookup to the trailer battery, but some feature different connections and varying power cord lengths. If you’re concerned about power hookup, make sure the jack you’ve chosen has a power cord and hookup that works with your trailer.
Electric Tongue Jack Tips and Tricks
As with something you do for decades upon decades, you pick up a few tips and tricks along the way in terms of selecting the right product, and/or using it. That’s the case with us and electric tongue jacks. To help you bridge the information gap, here’s a selection of what we’ve learned along the way.
- Know the location of your trailer’s power source and buy a jack that works with it
- You may want to invest in a trickle charger or disconnect all of your trailer’s power equipment before storage
- Cover your jack when the trailer is parked to prevent weather and water damage
- Follow the manufacturer’s installation and use directions exactly to prevent property damage or injury
- If you’re unsure of power hookups or installation, it’s best to reach out to an expert for help
FAQs
Most jacks use the trailer’s onboard 12-volt battery power. You’ll want to invest in a trickle charger or make sure that your trailer’s electrical components are disconnected before you store it.
A good way to determine what trailer jack capacity you need is to calculate the total loaded weight of your trailer and take 10 to 15 percent of that weight as your jack capacity. For example, a 5,000-pound fully loaded trailer would require at least a 500-pound jack.
Most people will find them more convenient and easier to use than a traditional jack, but we won’t stand in your way if you prefer getting a good workout every time you need to lift your trailer.
Some units are lubricated internally and are sealed, but many others require at least annual lubrication to operate properly. Check your owner’s manual for directions on how to add lubrication and how often you should do so.