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Old 05-11-2016, 04:16 PM   #1
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Front to back leveling help

I need some advice on getting my new trailer level in my slopes drive

I have a 292BHDS pictured and my drive is sloping pretty good down hill. It's level side to side but for and aft I'm still not able to get level even with jack fully extended and Andersen Rapid Jack under pedestal. I know having the tongue Jack extended all the way out is not ideal but I can't get anymore pads or blocks under it when it's fully retracted either

I also know that extending the stabilizers and letting the trailer rest on those while I get more blocks under the Jack is a No No No as these prob won't support trailer weight.

So what options do I have and suggested actions I can do? I have a hydraulic Jack I can get and lift the trailer some and maybe get a 2x6 under the tongue Jack pad.

Do I dare even attempt to put any weight of the trailer in stabilizers then retract the jack place blocks then extend it?

Really in a jam here to get this level in my drive and was not foreseen

Thanks



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Old 05-11-2016, 04:26 PM   #2
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Buy 2 HD jack stands and place under the A Frame rails to support the weight while you place additional Blocks under the jack! Youroo!!
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Old 05-11-2016, 04:39 PM   #3
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You know that's a great idea and I don't know why I didn't think about that! Doh. That's why two brains are better than one
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Old 05-11-2016, 06:46 PM   #4
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Back up your tow vehicle and let it rest on the hitch and add more blocks.


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Old 05-11-2016, 07:13 PM   #5
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I use the front Jack extended a bit. Then put blocks under the tongue. Retract the Jack so the blocks take the weight. Keep retracting the jacks and put blocks under the Jack. Now you can raise the Jack higher than it was before. You can do this multiple times to keep the tongue Jack from being fully extended. Just make sure the back wheel are chocked good so the trailer does not want to push downhill on the Jack. It works great for my driveway. Shown here is the boat but I do the same with our 32 foot trailer.
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Old 05-11-2016, 07:20 PM   #6
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It is good to realize that the 'stabilizers' can not hold any weight and is only for 'stabilizing....... also, all of the weight of the unit is on the tongue jack when set up. I did not like the thought of that and installed re-moveable scissor jacks.

SaveAJack.com

As you can see with where you are parked. The slope puts even more downward pressure on your tongue jack. Get some scissor jacks and the 'Sav-a-jack' asap. The two scissor jacks can hold the weight of the unit if you need to put more blocks under the tongue jack.

Also get an X blocks to help keep the unit from rolling. The x chocks shown here have short arms, longer arms are available.

X-Chock Tire Locking Chock, 2-Pack - BAL 28012 - Chocks & Levelers - Camping World
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Old 05-11-2016, 07:41 PM   #7
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Back your tow vehicle's rear wheels on to stacked 2x8's before unhitching. Each one is an extra 1.5". Stagger them to make steps to drive up. I would nail them together to keep them from slipping out.
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Old 05-11-2016, 09:09 PM   #8
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Great replies and ideas. What I ended up doing is getting 2 HD Jack Stands and prop them up on 6x8 that I stacked. Then let frame sit on those while i added blocks under toungue jack and kept working up. Ideal? No because my tongue jack is extended almost all the way out. Took the stack of 2x6 and placed them under stabilizers and let them down till tight and got my Chocks and x chocks on.

While pretty stable there is a little to much wobble on very front for my liking but I hope it won't go anywhere and I don't think it will

I like the idea of backing TV up onto blocks or something to raise the front of the trailer up

Also like the idea of maybe getting some HD stabilizer jacks at least on the front to hold up trailer while I build a pyramid of blocks on tongue.

Other option is to just get some large long extended 3 -4 ton Jack stands and build from there and let trailer sit on A frame on those while at home

Good news is I'm level, all doors shut fine and slides out and we are level.

Just need more sturdy set up front to set me at ease
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Old 05-11-2016, 09:32 PM   #9
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I had to set up on an extreme slope once. When finished I had such a huge stack of stuff I was worried the camper might slip off and roll across the street some night. My solution was to anchor the breakaway cable to a nearby post. The camper never moved, but I still felt a bit better knowing it wouldn't get too far if it did try to make a getaway.
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Old 05-11-2016, 11:28 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrvond View Post
I had to set up on an extreme slope once. When finished I had such a huge stack of stuff I was worried the camper might slip off and roll across the street some night. My solution was to anchor the breakaway cable to a nearby post. The camper never moved, but I still felt a bit better knowing it wouldn't get too far if it did try to make a getaway.
Great idea fall back plan. I'm defin doing this for sure. Just gotta rig something up
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Old 05-11-2016, 11:33 PM   #11
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Any suggestions on scissor jacks and can add
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Old 05-12-2016, 08:39 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbhodj View Post
Any suggestions on scissor jacks and can add
There are several styles of height and holding capacity. Your choice of what will work better.

The main reason(s) that I went with the 'Sav-A-Jack' in the front area (right behind the 'stabilizer') was that my side skirts go way down and the scissor jacks, when in the up position would hit them and the propane line runs alone the door side frame beam and I did not want the jack to touch the gas line. The 'Sav-A-Jack' bracket that is attached to the scissor jack is 'offset' and works great.

After a year, I bolted a set of scissor jacks on the rear of the camper. A lot more stable. But not needed as much in the back as in the front. With the tilt that you have on the drive way and if you are thinking of putting scissor jacks on the back, make them removable or be very aware of the possibility of dragging them off or bending them. I did not like to think of all of that weight on the tongue jack in the front and the scissor jacks help relieve some of that weight.
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Old 05-12-2016, 01:06 PM   #13
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May be easier to move!
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Old 05-12-2016, 01:13 PM   #14
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With regard to front to back wobble; get a set of X chocks. Looks like you might need the extended version, like mine. Work great and zero's out front to back wobble. I think that the geometry is such that any forward creep on one wheel generates a completely opposite rotation on the other wheel and cancels out.

I have a high setup at my campground too. I set heady duty 4" X16"X8" cinder blocks on the long end to prop the frame while I retract the tongue. Then I pile 4-5 of those same cinder blocks where the tongue goes (making sure to level them as I assemble the stack). That gives the front end a solid base, no bending forces on the tongue jack, and a pretty safe feel as you walk around inside.

Good luck!
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Old 05-12-2016, 09:53 PM   #15
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We use a large log to block until we get enough legos under the jack.
The people beside us take their jack off to get their trailer level.
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