TT a Rocking.

[Steelframer]

Maybe you old timers can give me a hand.

The TT came with those spreading car style stabilizers and they are good for ?? Maybe I'm not setting it up right ?
I chock the wheels then I level the TT side to side and front to back, then I lower the stabilizers until they are snug all the way around, then I go around one last time to make sure all is good. I put in my X-chocks tighten them up, then I put a jack (one under each side) under the suspension, between the wheels, (solid point straight to frame) to stop up and down motion.

Well when anyone walks around (even gently at night) we feel like we are in a ship at sea, lol... The only thing left I can think of is to build a diagonal brace system to keep side to side motion down.

If anyone has experienced this problem and has solved it let me know. I know there is going to be motion in a TT, and a little movement doesn't bother me, (we owned a pop up years ago). But this movement is.

We place the TT on gravel sites when we hook up and our TT is a cherokee 274 dbh.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[Radio]

Yeah... We hammer in the chocks, tighten up the jacks and added 2 extra jacks amidships near the axles. Being a 5th wheel there are the two big weight supporting jacks up front. That gets us fairly stable. Until someone goes in or out the door.

Stabil-Step Jack - 8" - 14" - Stromberg Carlson JSS-7 - Stabilizing Jacks - Camping World

These gadgets work. But you could do the same thing with a stack of wood blocks. The leverage exerted against the trailer by the steps makes the rig really rock when someone is bounding up the stairs. Dang near flipped me out of the bed while trying to nap.

Doesn't cure all the wobbly, but it really helps as far as the steps are concerned.

BTW, do you have torsion or spring axles?

[Steelframer]

I have the spring axels, I put the jack right between the springs under the bracket that holds the springs, it's a solid point to the frame. I hear you about the stair thing, DW was sitting on the couch and my DS being a teen ran up the steps and just about launched my DW to the ceiling....ha.. A small scissor jack took care of that problem.

[OldCoot]

JT Strongarm type braces either store bought or homemade work wonders. I always install the Bal X Chocks before I unhook. Put the landing jacks down, the reinforced rear stab jacks down and then the reinforced elec stab jacks down in front of the axles. Pretty solid with no movement. Also have a homemade step support.

The factory stab jacks are very weak in the horizontal or near horizontal position. I reinforced the legs and still try to get them as close to vertical as possible. I have oversize pads bolted to the factory pads and never stack anything under them unless they just won't reach the ground.

[lswartz]

Don't over tighten your 4 scissor jacks, just snug so that weight is still on the wheels. I have never had a problem with 3 different TT (22 ft., 25 ft. & 30 ft.). I would not put a jack between the wheels either. A scissor jack under the steps is a really good idea for those who don't learn to step lightly, might save your steps too.

I level my TT side to side with 1-3 boards slightly wider than the wheels. The shortest board is just longer that both wheels. I stair step the boards so the wheels only rise the thickness of 1 board at a time. Front to rear leveling is just the TT jack. Stabilizers are last.

I think you might be taking to much weight off of the wheels, anyhow, it is worth a try.

[Radio]

Also with any factory crank down stabilizer jacks: The shorter, the better. A bunch of wood blocks or lego levelers under the stab jacks reduces the "length of the lever" and makes any jack more stable.

[Jammer3025]

If mines rockin, don't come a knockin! :-)>

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Radio

Also with any factory crank down stabilizer jacks: The shorter, the better. A bunch of wood blocks or lego levelers under the stab jacks reduces the "length of the lever" and makes any jack more stable.

I'm not sure with the crank downs, but this is true about my electric stabs. With those, since they pivot from the middle of the rig, the more they go down, the more the TT can pivot on them. I now usually stack up 4 of the legos on top of a 2x8 so the stabs only drop a couple of inches. Even that still doesn't take all the sway out. But it is better than it was.

In the beginning it was so bad my DW wanted to have the dealer pull them off and replace with scissor jacks like her BIL's trailer. One day I may still do that.

My other option is some form of JT strongarms, but for electric stabs, to try to get the pads to support the edges of the TT instead of the middle of the TT. But I just haven't looked into what that will take yet.

[OldCoot]

Kaadk, I have found that the closer to horizontal they are, they are putting the legs in the most susceptible position for bending. They are at their weakest in the horizontal position due to the strut pivot point. I reinforced my stab legs and try to get them as close to 45d or as vertical as possible with only one Linx block bolted to the pad. JT Strongarm type stabilizers either store bought or homemade are the best for stabilizing the unit. Stab jacks in front of the axles does a tremendous help also as it takes the bounce out of the tires & suspension.

[Kaadk]

The trailer's at the dealer's right now taking care of my game of tag with the tree, but when I get it back I'll try again. I know when I ran them down to just a single board I was bouncing all over and they might as well have not even been down. Maybe I need to just find a happy medium so I'll have to test out each height and see which one is the most stable.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Kaadk, I have found that the closer to horizontal they are, they are putting the legs in the most susceptible position for bending. They are at their weakest in the horizontal position due to the strut pivot point. I reinforced my stab legs and try to get them as close to 45d or as vertical as possible with only one Linx block bolted to the pad. JT Strongarm type stabilizers either store bought or homemade are the best for stabilizing the unit. Stab jacks in front of the axles does a tremendous help also as it takes the bounce out of the tires & suspension.

Although I hate to...... I concur.

TURBS


"Sabre owners united"

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

The trailer's at the dealer's right now taking care of my game of tag with the tree, but when I get it back I'll try again. I know when I ran them down to just a single board I was bouncing all over and they might as well have not even been down. Maybe I need to just find a happy medium so I'll have to test out each height and see which one is the most stable.

If you find you like them closer to horizontal, I STRONGLY suggest you get some 1/8" thk C channel and reinforce the entire length of the leg. I used 2-1/2" square tubing 27" long and split it lengthwise and skip welded it to the legs.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

If you find you like them closer to horizontal, I STRONGLY suggest you get some 1/8" thk C channel and reinforce the entire length of the leg. I used 2-1/2" square tubing 27" long and split it lengthwise and skip welded it to the legs.

Horizontal or vertical doesn't really matter to me. I just want them stable. Like I said, when I ran them all the way down the TT was bouncy. Not running them down as much the TT was less bouncy, but still not completely stable.

Eh, maybe I should get somebody to look at them in Goshen. Tell me what I'm doing wrong.

[Steelframer]

I went out and got some square tube 1" and 1 1/4" x 25' then fabricated all the rest of the fittings out of flat stock, here's the end result. Takes about all the sway out of the TT. Mission accomplished.



Oc how do you keep your shop so clean, lol



Mines a wreak.

[BeedoGoesCamping]

We installed the BAL stabilizing arms and have noticed a huge improvement!

[Bilcin]

Does anyone use a slideout support? I have seen people use everything from concrete blocks to a simple 2x4. I would assume this makes the trailer more stable and not rock and roll as much. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Bilcin

Does anyone use a slideout support? I have seen people use everything from concrete blocks to a simple 2x4. I would assume this makes the trailer more stable and not rock and roll as much. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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No!
AND Forest River DOES NOT Recommend It Either.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Bilcin

Does anyone use a slideout support? I have seen people use everything from concrete blocks to a simple 2x4. I would assume this makes the trailer more stable and not rock and roll as much. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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My parents have their tipout supported on their park model. But that's pretty much because: a) It's a seasonal and never comes in and b) it's a tipout, not a slideout so it didn't have any supports in the first place and needed to be supported.

[Steelframer]

Using any type of "support" under a slide out is not recommended. The TT will move when walked around in and the possibility of breaking the track that the slide out rests on is not worth any extra stability. The worst case, a tire could go flat and rack the slide so bad that it will not go back in.

[Bilcin]

Ok, thanks, was just looking for a way to make my trailer more stable and stop rocking when anyone walks or even rolls over in bed. My 4scissor stabilizers and wheel chaks don't seem to be working.

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