It’s been about 2,300 years since Archimedes explained the concept of leverage. Using a tool to lift heavy objects is more efficient than only your arms and spine. A good trailer jack can lift the front end of a trailer to exactly the right height to attach the hitch to the vehicle. It can then unhitch and lower the trailer into a resting position—all without risking damage to the trailer or injury to the driver.
Trailer jacks can be manual or powered, are sold in a variety of shapes, sizes and weight capacities and cover a broad range of budgets. Be sure to check the height range and know where your trailer hitch sits on your vehicle. A jack too tall at its lowest setting might be useless for lower-profile vehicles, and one that doesn’t extend high enough could be just as poor a choice for lifted trucks or SUVs.
- Pro Series EJ Sidewind Swivel Jack : Best Overall Trailer Jack
- Fulton XP15L : Best Medium Duty Trailer Jack
- Fulton HD2500 : Best Heavy Duty Trailer Jack
- Husky HB4500 : Best Power Trailer Jack
- Reese TowPower 74410 : Best Budget Trailer Jack
The Pro Series EJ sidewind swivel jack has a 1,000-pound maximum capacity with a height range of 10.5 to 20 inches. It’s a standard fit for most boat trailers and among the most often recommended jacks for owners looking to replace an OEM jack. It sits on a six-inch poly wheel and the jack handle is side-mounted. Reasonably priced, the only reported issues are low gearing, which results in slower raising and lowering, vague installation instructions and overly long mounting bolts.
- Reasonable price
- Standard fit
- Widely adjustable height
- Low gearing slows raising and lowering
- Vague installation instructions
- Supplied mounting bolts are too long
An extra 500 pounds of maximum capacity can make a big difference. The Fulton XP15L has a 1,500-pound max, is also a sidewinder and looks similar to the Pro Series EJ until you grab it and find it’s nearly 11.5 pounds heavier. It’s built to handle a heavier load and rests on an eight-inch spoked hard plastic wheel. It offers a full foot of travel, from 13 to 25 inches. Reported downsides are the price, which edges close to jacks with even greater weight capability, and a long crank handle that leaves little room between itself and the hull of the boat. Some buyers also report missing installation hardware.
- 1,500-pound maximum capacity
- 12 inches of travel
- Eight-inch wheel rolls easily
- Price is close to that of more powerful jacks
- Long crank handle leaves little room between itself and boat hulls
- Reports of missing installation hardware
The Fulton HD kicks things up several notches. The 2,500-pound maximum capacity and 28 inches of height range (7.5 to 35.5) provides maximum flexibility in terms of vehicles and angles (important on short boat ramps). This jack features a foot rather than a wheel for better stability and higher weight capacity. The price is reasonable given its capability and build quality. Some users report difficulty turning the crank and say the crank handle should be longer. Others report missing hardware and that the cap covering the gears and grease broke during shipping.
- 2,500-pound maximum capacity
- 28 inches of travel
- Foot gives better stability and weight capability than a wheel
- Short crank makes for more work in raising and lowering
- Some owners report missing hardware
- Cap covering gears and grease can break
The aptly named Brute Power trailer jack is actually a brute that runs under its own power. A ball screw and steel gears suggest long-term durability. It features 4,500 pounds of maximum capacity and 18 inches of travel (raising 10 inches takes about 38 seconds). Running on 12-volt power with soldered connections, it also features a three-sided LED light system that illuminates the hitch and spring bar area. Switches and the connector storage bracket can stand up to rain. It’s by no means cheap, but you get what you pay for. Owner gripes are few. A handful reported missing hardware, bad instructions and electrical failures that were later solved under warranty.
- 4,500-pound maximum capacity
- 18 inches of travel
- Powered, but comes with a manual jack handle
- Some owners report missing hardware
- Electrical failures
- Imprecise instruction manual
The world needs basic, no-frills products at low prices. The Reese TowPower 74410 is one of those. With a 1,000-pound maximum capacity and a height range of 12.75 inches to 22.7 inches on a six-inch poly wheel, it’s a solid choice for a basic trailer jack. User complaints appear to be about bolts that are too long, balky dolly wheels and gearing that requires more turns of the jack handle to raise and lower than some customers would like.
- Low price
- 1,000-pound maximum capacity
- Almost 10 inches of travel
- Some users report wheel does not roll freely
- Jack handle requires too many turns for some owners
- Reports of mounting bolts being too long
Methodology
In order to determine the best trailer jacks, we considered the products most accessible to the widest swath of consumers in the U.S., which also includes performance, price and value. We also considered a broad range of end-user ratings and evaluations by multiple testers.
We evaluate all trailer jacks based on the followed weighted metrics:
- Height range (25%)
- Weight capacity (25%)
- Ease of operation (crank handle or electric) (20%)
- Stability (wheel or foot) (20%)
- Price (10%)