The Trailer Jack Stand, Part Two

There are two different types of capacity with regard to the trailer jack stand:

• The static capacity, or how much weight the jack stand is rated to hold simply sitting there and;
• The lifting capacity, which is how much weight the jack stand is rated to actually hoist as it is extended.

Don't confuse the two! A serious issue with the trailer jack stand is that over time, the capacity rating of the trailer jack stand may become illegible due to wear, dirt, repainting, etc. An unmarked trailer jack stand can be overloaded and collapse. It's best to stencil the capacities of your trailer jack stand into the stand for maximum readability.