Does jack placement change on single-axle and twin-axle caravans?
Yes. There are 4 jacks in both cases, but the number of axles changes the position of the centre of gravity and the stiffest points of the chassis. On a single-axle caravan the axle forms a single support, so more work falls on the span between the front and rear jacks; on a twin axle the load is already spread over two points.
On the KTS200 the number of jacks is fixed: 4 units of D3501-1142. What changes is the position of these jacks on the chassis.
Single-axle caravan: The vehicle balances on a single axle line and behaves like a see-saw along the front-rear axis. For this reason the front and rear jacks must be placed far enough from the axle, yet at points the chassis can carry. If the jacks are positioned too close to the axle, the force needed for front-rear correction increases.
Twin-axle caravan: Since the load is spread over two axles, front-rear oscillation is smaller; placing the jacks close to the chassis ends improves both stabilisation and left-right correction.
In both cases the following rules apply:
- The mounting point must be a chassis rail or a reinforced area specified by the manufacturer.
- Clashes with the fresh water tank, grey water tank, exhaust and cable/pipe runs must be measured first.
- Do not lift all wheels off the ground; jacks are no substitute for a parking brake, use chocks.
For the exact placement, consult your caravan manufacturer or an authorised project engineer.
Full coverage of the topic: How to choose levelling jack capacity