Trailer tongue jack - foot or swivel wheel?

[zuren]

I'm weighing the pros and cons of trailer tongue jacks with a solid foot versus a swivel wheel. Are there any "rules" that dictate what should be used or is it purely preference? I have a 5x8' dual use trailer and the current jack needs to be replaced. The wheel is seized so it is like it is a solid foot and it does not swing out of the way.

The trailer is light enough that I can lift the tongue to maneuver it slightly to place it on the ball but heavy enough that you will not be moving it by hand on any type of slope. The trailer spends 99% of its life in the yard (grass, soft ground). I find the wheel likes to sink into the ground due to the small surface area. I'm leaning toward one with a flat foot since it is simpler and this trailer is never stored on a level, hard surface where easily pushing it around on 3 wheels is possible.

What do guys prefer and for what reasons?

Thanks!

 

[bunger]

I prefer a large (approx. 8" dia.) pneumatic wheel so I can maneuver it around on the lawn or campsite on soft ground.
It is actually a solid foot jack that I added the large caster wheel to.

 

[RagnarD]

I use both. A wheel while on hard surfaces and a foot while on dirt.

 

[zuren]

I use both. A wheel while on hard surfaces and a foot while on dirt.

So you use the Bulldog brand jack that the foot is interchangeable?

PMbunger - I prefer a large (approx. 8" dia.) pneumatic wheel so I can maneuver it around on the lawn or campsite on soft ground.
It is actually a solid foot jack that I added the large caster wheel to.

What brand of jack uses a pneumatic tire? All I see is polymer.

 

[RagnarD]

I use a square drop leg bulldog with foot. I remove the drop leg/foot and replace with a caster.

 

[Kcdude]

I use a square Bulldog also, drop leg with a pad foot and another with a roller. Pics here:http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/143792-Tongue-Jack-w-Pneumatic-Tire/page2

 

[PCO6]

I'm trying out a 1,500 lbs. marine jack with a 8" dia. x 4" wide solid plastic swivel wheel on a trailer I am currently building. I think the wide wheel will make it easier to move on soft surfaces. So far so good around my yard. Rather than using a foot I just loosely wrap a chain around the wheel and it stays put.

 

[Box Rocket]

I'm using a solid wheel (swivel) on mine. Its just a random caster that I found that I bolted to the foot of the tongue jack. Plastic wheel with rubber "tread". It might be on the narrow side but it actually moves around well in the dirt if I need to move the trailer by hand. IMO I prefer a wheel over a foot because trying to move a loaded trailer by hand can be a challenge with a foot since you have to lift the tongue. When I'm solo, it's a simple thing to move the trailer anywhere I need to by hand, even in the dirt because I can just push or pull and not have to worry about lifting it too. The larger diameter wheel, the better IMO.