Silly question about stabilizer jacks

[M109Rrider]

I was always taught when using sissor jacks to block underneath. The less they were lowered the more stable the trailer will be. The Crusader has power rear jacks like in the picture (stolen from Gary ) Does it make sense to say that the more this style jack is lowered the stronger it would be?

[SaskCampers]

Look the same as ours and I would say the same goes for them as the further they extend the more wobbly front to back they will get, also the further they go down the less angle they have to act against side to side. I made 10x10 wood blocks we put under ours to keep extension to the minimum possible.

[grhodes50]

Originally Posted by M109Rrider

........Does it make sense to say that the more this style jack is lowered the stronger it would be?

I was talking with my son about that last weekend. We both felt the same, they would be stronger. When lowered on the concrete blocks in the pic you posted, the thin support arm seems to take on most of the weight.

I think a block of wood is okay since it will give a larger footprint for the jacks which will help to keep them from sinking into the ground. Of course if your on a concrete or asphalt pad you wouldn't need the wood blocks.

As far as fore and aft movement, my X-chocks take care of that.

[BC Camper]

I was curious about this myself. I have always had the manual scissor jacks and when they were down they held the rig solid. We recently took our Rockwood 8317ss out on its inagural trip last week...it has four electric stabilizers. I lowered them until they were snug to the ground, (no blocks under the stabilizers), and I was using 1 wheel chock at the time.

When the DGF and I were in bed and the 4 kids and 2 dogs were at the other end of the coach in the bunkhouse, it was like being in a bouncy castle that you get for your kids!!! I checked the stabilizers in the AM and they were all still very firm to the hard packed ground.

Would having the other set of wheels chocked and blocks under the stabilizers aleviate this bouncing??

[brianb]

Even with my x-chocks I still get a bit of bouncing in the rig with the scissor jacks down and snug. I'd like to experiment with putting larger blocks under to minimize how much I need to extend them. I noticed RV's on "full-time" sites at the campgrounds use concrete blocks. That be a pain to travel with, but maybe some 6-10" wood platforms might help.

[bobbysue]

We have a new Crusador and have the same bounce. We were told to get a king pin stablizer. It's like a large tripod. It is supposed to stop the bounce. Have one on order; will let you know how it works.

[Nigels]

There are all sorts of cross braces on the market to stop your rig bouncing, but getting back to the OP's post, my experience is that the more wooden, (or whatever) blocks you use to reduce the angle or height of your stabilizers the better.

I use + - 15 x 6 pieces of lumber in various thicknesses, the more you have the easier it is to level your trailer and one piece about 5' for leveling side to side on a sloping site.

We have a fifth wheel and I notice if I reduce the front stabilizer length by using wide solid wood blocks under the front legs, the shorter the legs then the less movement I have.

I don't have a tripod because I have not read a post yet that confirms that it improves the situation enough to warrant the cost, the space to store it or the cost.

I use X chocks on both sides and wind them up as tight as I can, not sure if I am damaging the axles though by doing this.

I am always on the look out for more solid wooden blocks IMO you can't have too many sitting in the back of the truck.

[jimh]

i installed the steady fast system on my trailer.

at the last outing, i had the front jacked way up. the trailer was more wobbly. i would say, putting them on blocks would make a difference.

the steady fast system is a tremendous improvement over a king pin stabilizer.