I live in a 1876 mobile home, and I need t do a visual check on the jacks under the house, due to it's age, and my concerns that they may have moved or not?. I would like to know beforehand ,(in case I do see a problem and do have to fix one), how they work? Are they just like the ones used for cars? You just pull up the handle until the desired height and then stop at that notch? If not, how? Also, do they have some kind of bracket to fit an under house cross section of wood? That would make it more secure. I hope you can help. I have a shorter jack right now, that goes under my deck , and am working my way to (while fighting off the spider population there), & that jack seems to have lowered itself, and is 4-5 inches
Too short. It doesn't come close to even touching the wood it's supposed to be supporting.

1876? Wow I never knew they had MH's then. Assume you mean 1976, there are 2 basic jacks used to level a MH, hydraulic and screw. You have steel beams that are supported on block, brick or steel piers. Most locations require a MH to be permanently anchored so they don't start flying around in a tornado. To level a home you put some type of heavy boards or beam on the ground, another one under the steel of the MH and either screw the jack or use a pump type hydraulic jack. You will need a pretty heavy jack, 5 ton capacity or so. Since you don't appear to know about doing this may I suggest a professional? Also check with the local licensing dept to see what is required.

I'm such a dope! Of course I meant 1976, sheesh.. . Boy, am I sorry I asked... I sure hope they check out to be doing their job. I am more secure though, about the knowledge I now have about the way it's held. You know, I have actually seen mh's that do fly around during a tornados... on TV. Thanks, suzi

A hydraulic jack is not recommended as a permanent jack for leveling a MH. Level with a hydraulic and secure with a screw jack. A hydraulic jack can loss pressure over time.

Be sure that screw jack is on a solid base.

Chuck

Chuck,. Thanks, I opened the skirting on the M/H this morning, to be able to get a better look... and I see that the jacks are placed about 1&s 1/2 yard apart, (which makes me feel a bit more secure) but, I also saw that there were (at the 2 corners I had access to) an "L" shaped support beam that look to be just lying there... I would think that if they were connected, it would be beneficial to support the M/H..?. Wow, that is some "Grueling" work... going under there... I was faced with a lot of ]Angry spiders!! Thanks again, suzi

1876?? Wow I never knew they had MH's then. Assume you mean 1976, there are 2 basic jacks used to level a MH, hydraulic and screw. You have steel beams that are supported on block, brick or steel piers. Most locations require a MH to be permanently anchored so they don't start flying around in a tornado. To level a home you put some type of heavy boards or beam on the ground, another one under the steel of the MH and either screw the jack or use a pump type hydraulic jack. You will need a pretty heavy jack, 5 ton capacity or so. Since you don't appear to know about doing this may I suggest a professional? Also check with the local licensing dept to see what is required.

Hi... me again. I was hoping you might help me with a damaged area I happened upon when I opened up the skirting to check on the jacks... The area I opened was on the side of my MH. The egdes of the sides of the MH has extra supports as well as flooring... which I found a portion of was broken, falling through w/ insullation coming out. I was wondering if you know what kind of materials I may need to repair that area? It looks like the outermost (from the ground to the bottom of my MH) is covered with a black (almost cardboard looking material) probably with a water resistant outer layer? Next is about 3 inches of insullation. The last layer is metal... flooring? Bottom of mobile? This section is only 34 in. x 31in. And I am afraid what I'll find in further areas I wasn't able to see at that time.

Hi ... me again. I was hoping you might help me with a damaged area I happened upon when I opened up the skirting to check on the jacks... The area I opened was on the side of my MH. The egdes of the sides of the MH has extra supports as well as flooring... which I found a portion of was broken, falling through w/ insullation coming out. I was wondering if you know what kind of materials I may need to repair that area? It looks like the outermost (from the ground to the bottom of my MH) is covered with a black (almost cardboard looking material) probably with a water resistant outer layer? next is about 3 inches of insullation. the last layer is metal... flooring? bottom of mobile? This section is only 34 in. x 31in. and I am afraid what I'll find in further areas I wasn't able to see at that time.
I wasn't finished, when my reply posted... anyway... I was hoping you might know what these materials are, and where I might find them or if there might be some unknowns I should be aware of before attempting this. Also, could I use a very thin (1/8in.) piece of subflooring wood instead of the cardboard stuff? How do they sell insullation? By the yard? By a large commercial amount? Is there some other material I could use instead? I'll tell you one thing... Going Down Under is some Dirty-Work!! Quite "spidery" also. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you. suziq11

For your application insulation is sold by the roll or batt. For the covering, I would get some black insulation board . It is about $10 per sheet. I wouldn't use thin plywood it will not hold up in a damp environment.

For your application insulation is sold by the roll or batt. For the covering, I would get some black insulation board . It is about $10 per sheet. I wouldn't use thin plywood it will not hold up in a damp environment.
Well, it sure is nice to have help with this stuff. I was just online, ordering a roll of water resistant insullation from Home depot, so, when I go to pick it up I'll look for the Black insullation board too. If not for you, I'd probably be crazy... obsessing about how I've lost all control over how I live, and all of the rest of the stinkin' thinking I do to myself. It makes me feel good to be able to tackle a pretty-big project like this, without begging for help. I appreciate your advice, and I'll let you know if I am successful.