Jack Load Capacity
Jack load capacity is the static load a jack can hold above it without being damaged. The value stated for the jacks in the KTS200 set is 2000 kg per jack and 8000 kg total load capacity across four jacks. This value does not mean that the jacks will lift the whole vehicle into the air.
Static load capacity defines the strength of the mechanism and of the chassis attachment point under a stationary load. In levelling, the jacks do not carry the entire weight of the vehicle but the share that falls on them during the angle correction; the wheels continue to keep contact with the ground.
- The load is not distributed equally over the four jacks. The jacks on the side towards which the centre of gravity shifts take a noticeably larger share.
- That is why the total capacity is not simply compared with the vehicle mass; the share on a single jack must also stay within the limit.
- The capacity is not limited to the jack: the chassis attachment point and the ground under the pad have to carry the same load as well.
When making a selection, base it on the maximum laden mass of the vehicle (MTPLM), not the empty mass. Once the camping load, the water tank and the battery bank are added, the weight approaches the upper limit in real use. Remember that the value given for the jacks is a load capacity, not a lifting capacity.
The context in which this term is used: How to choose levelling jack capacity