How to Select a Trailer Hitch
A trailer jack supports the tongue while you couple and uncouple. It does not replace hitch class selection on the tow vehicle.
Watch on YouTubeTrailer Jack Swivel Mount Tips (Canada)
Trailer jack shopping in Canada gets messy fast when you mix side-wind versus top-wind handles, swivel clearances for storage, and the question of when a drop-leg actually helps. This page stays practical. We will walk the parts-counter choices with live CURT jack SKUs that are stocked on this store, and we will not invent legal cutoffs. Confirm ratings on each live product card before you weld, bolt, or pin anything to a tongue.
Practical Canada parts-counter advice. Free shipping on CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts when the SKU is live on this store.
Related reading:
trailer tongue jack tips,
trailer jack wheel versus foot, and
trailer coupler latch checklist.
Prefer the full index?
Open the towing guides hub.
Watch these CURT videos first
All four videos are from the official CURT YouTube channel (@curtmfg). Use them for hitch class, install habits, wiring basics, and ball-mount height so the tow vehicle side of the trip stays as honest as the tongue jack on the trailer.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card.
Trailer Hitch Installation Techniques
Hardware that sees road salt and ramp splash needs the same recheck habit as hitch bolts after the first Canadian trips of the season.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Connect a Trailer Wiring Harness
Trailer lights still need a plug-test habit before you blame the trailer. A jack job and a lighting fault are different problems.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Choose a Ball Mount and Trailer Ball
Once the trailer is coupled, ball-mount height and latch habits matter more than how far you cranked the jack on the pad.
Watch on YouTubeSide-wind versus top-wind
Side-wind jacks put the crank on the side of the tube. That layout is easy to reach when a boat bow, spare tire, or toolbox crowds the top of the tongue. Top-wind jacks put the claw handle on top of the tube. That layout keeps the side of the tongue clear and can feel natural when you stand over the coupler.
Neither style is automatically better. Match the handle to the clearance you actually have with the coupler closed, the winch stand up, and any propane or battery boxes in place. If you store the trailer nose-in against a wall, try the wind motion in that position before you commit to a weld-on mount. Canadian winter gloves make a tight top-wind claw harder than a roomy side handle for some shoppers.
Side-wind
Crank on the side of the tube. Handy when the top of the tongue is crowded. Common on A-frame jacks and many pipe-mount swivel jacks.
- Easy reach beside a winch or toolbox
- Watch fender and step clearance while you crank
- Live examples include 28204, 28321, and 28324
Top-wind
Crank on top of the tube. Keeps the side of the tongue clear. Common on swivel jacks and some direct-weld square jacks.
- Natural when you stand over the coupler
- Confirm headroom under a boat bow or spare
- Live examples include 28300, 28304, 28356, and 28570
Swivel clearances for storage
A swivel jack swings up and out of the way for travel once you pull the locking pin. That is the whole point of the swivel mount. Before you weld or bolt the bracket, swing the jack through its full arc with the trailer level and the coupler latched. Check the fender, the spare tire, the propane bottle, and the ground under a short Canadian driveway apron.
Storage is its own test. If you park the trailer with the tongue against a fence or garage wall, leave room for the jack to land in the travel position without scraping paint or trapping the pin. A pipe-mount swivel that looks fine on an empty shop floor can hit a spare carrier once the trailer is loaded. Dry-fit the swing before you commit the mount.
When a drop-leg helps
A drop-leg lets you pin the foot section down for quick height changes instead of winding the whole travel every time. That helps on ramps, soft gravel, and uneven pads where you want speed more than fine cranking. It also helps when the trailer sits high and you do not want to wind fifteen inches of travel twice a day.
Drop-legs are not magic. You still need enough wind travel after the pin is set, and you still need a foot or wheel that matches the ground. Soft mud and deep snow still ask for a wider foot or a board under the pad. We stock a replacement drop leg for certain CURT direct-weld square jacks, and some heavy square jacks arrive with a drop leg already built in. Confirm compatibility on the live card rather than assuming every square jack shares the same leg.
Live CURT jack SKUs on this shelf
These are stocked CURT jack related SKUs on this store today. Ratings below are from the live cards. Confirm support capacity, lift capacity, travel, and mount style on each product page before you buy. We are not inventing provincial cutoffs or trailer-maker rules here.
A-frame · side-wind
CURT 28204
A-frame jack with side handle. Live card notes about two thousand pounds lift and three thousand pounds support, with about fourteen and one half inches of travel. Bolt-on or weld-on A-frame mount.
Swivel · top-wind
CURT 28300
Top-wind swivel jack. Live card notes about two thousand pounds lift and three thousand pounds support, with about ten inches of travel. Weld-on swivel bracket with pull-pin lock.
Swivel · top-wind
CURT 28304
Top-wind swivel jack with longer travel. Live card notes about two thousand pounds lift and three thousand pounds support, with about fifteen inches of travel.
Swivel · side-wind
CURT 28321
Side-handle swivel jack. Live card notes about two thousand pounds lift and three thousand pounds support, with about ten inches of travel. Pipe-mount style with pull-pin lock.
Swivel · side-wind
CURT 28324
Pipe-mount swivel jack with side handle. Live card notes about two thousand pounds lift and three thousand pounds support, with about fifteen inches of travel.
Swivel · top-wind · heavier
CURT 28356
Top-handle swivel jack. Live card notes about three thousand pounds lift and five thousand pounds support, with about fifteen inches of travel.
Direct-weld · top-wind
CURT 28570
Direct-weld square jack with top handle. Live card notes about seven thousand pounds lift and eight thousand pounds support, with about fifteen inches of travel.
Direct-weld · side-wind
CURT 28575
Direct-weld square jack with side handle. Live card notes about seven thousand pounds lift and eight thousand pounds support, with about fifteen inches of travel.
Direct-weld · drop-leg
CURT 28512
Heavier direct-weld square jack with side handle and drop leg on the live card. About twelve thousand pounds support capacity and about twelve and one half inches of travel. Confirm the drop-leg notes on the product page.
Drop-leg replacement
CURT 28962
Replacement drop leg compatible with CURT direct-weld square jacks 28570 and 28575 on the live card. Confirm tubing size before you order.
Foot
CURT 28272
Pin-on jack foot for a two inch tube. Live card notes about two thousand pounds capacity. Handy when you want a foot instead of a wheel on firm pads.
Marine · wheel
CURT 28115
Marine jack with wheel. Live card notes about fifteen hundred pounds lift and support, with an eight inch wheel and about ten inches of travel. Useful when you need to roll the tongue a short distance on a firm ramp.
Parts-counter notes before you click buy
| Topic | What we tell shoppers |
|---|---|
| Handle style | Side-wind versus top-wind is a clearance choice, not a status contest. Dry-fit the crank path with your real tongue clutter. |
| Swivel swing | Swing the jack through its full travel arc before you weld. Storage against a wall needs the same check as highway travel. |
| Drop-leg honesty | A drop-leg speeds height changes. It does not replace a correct foot or a board on soft ground. Confirm which square jack the replacement leg fits. |
| Wheel versus foot | Open trailer jack wheel versus foot when you are deciding how the jack meets the ground. |
| Tongue habits | Open trailer tongue jack tips for broader tongue jack shopping notes. |
| Coupler latch | A jack only helps if the coupler latch is honest. Open trailer coupler latch checklist. |
| Ratings | Read support capacity and lift capacity on the live card. We will not invent legal cutoffs on this page. |
| First tow day | After the jack is sorted, walk the rest of the trip with the first tow day checklist. |
Related guides worth opening next
Tongue jack tipsBroader Canada tongue jack shopping notes.
Wheel versus footWhen a swivel wheel helps versus a foot pad.
Coupler latch checklistLatch, pin, and safety catch habits before you roll.
Match coupler to ballBall size and coupler size still have to agree.
Parts-counter summary: choose side-wind versus top-wind for the clearance you actually have, dry-fit swivel swing for travel and storage, use a drop-leg when fast height changes matter and the live card supports it, pair the jack with an honest foot or wheel, and confirm every rating on the live CURT card. Free shipping on live CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts across Canada when the SKU shows available on this store.
