Has your TT ever fallen off the red cone?

[eye95]

I have to admit ignorance as to the weight, top to bottom, that my stabilizer jacks can handle. The installation of the jacks, however, was not done in a way for them to hold up that much weight. This is evidenced by the manufacturer warning against their use to lift a trailer.

I can tell you from personal experience that, even if the jacks can lift 5,000 - 7,000 pounds straight up and down, they cannot handle that kind of weight if any torque is applied to the side of the jack. The jack or its connection to the trailer can bend pretty easily.

Again, it is not just the jacks stand-alone rating. Installation is a factor. The manufacturer warns buyers that the jack is not intended to be load-bearing.

YMMV. I will just move on.

[babock]

For the same reason you don't jack up the frame of a lightweight trailer from the ends, you don't use a lot of pressure on the stabilizer jacks. On my trailer, if you put a little more weight on one jack near the door, the door won't even close right. These trailer frames are not made to support much weight on their corners. My tongue weight is 800# the stabilizer jack, to take off 800# would need a LOT more than that just because it is closer to the axles.

They are made to keep the trailer from bouncing up and down. But, you will never take every single bit of the bounce out of it.

[emm-dee]

They don’t have to lift the trailer to be effective. I think there would probably be a lot more instability if the trailer was lifted. However a substantial amount of force is needed.

When I used the six-jack system I ran all of them down to where they were in firm contact. I then used a battery power impact wrench to set each one to 125 pounds of torque. The total lift was less than two inches (it would take 8+ inches to get the wheels airborne) and there was no bounce resulting from normal activities.

[babock]

Are the people that need every last bit of movement removed, the same people that think they need their black tank spotless when they dump? Being a tent camper all these years, I never have a need for such perfections

Originally Posted by emm-dee

They don’t have to lift the trailer to be effective. I think there would probably be a lot more instability if the trailer was lifted. However a substantial amount of force is needed.

When I used the six-jack system I ran all of them down to where they were in firm contact. I then used a battery power impact wrench to set each one to 125 pounds of torque. The total lift was less than two inches (it would take 8+ inches to get the wheels airborne) and there was no bounce resulting from normal activities.

[Iwannacamp]

To me.... this all proves the REQUIREMENT for chocks. I use chocks and X-chocks(sometimes). I stopped at a place in KY(i think) and I felt like the trailer would roll away if it ever came loose from the pin... I moved to a different site and would have left if the only option.

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by babock

Are the people that need every last bit of movement removed, the same people that think they need their black tank spotless when they dump? Being a tent camper all these years, I never have a need for such perfections

LOL as in the sticks and bricks stable. The only reason I get real excited about the supports is if we have several/few people as the movement from others can wake you up. Me and the DW? No big deal.

[TXmerlin]

I live in an older pier and beam house in Texas (clay soil) which moves and bounces so much I feel right at home in our TT.

[BillyBass]

I use a Anderson Jack block

[RitaB]

I think DieselDrax got it right on the head. Something like that happened to me one time whetn I set up. A too helpful neighbor was helping me back in, then stayed to talk to me. I was so use to following a plan, that I went ahead to do setup. Wellll, I missed the chocking the wheels, I didn't need the leveling blocks. I use a block under the tongue hitch and use that for leveling front to back, then I put down the stabilizers. I put one of the back stabilizers down. I went inside when my world rocked. I had backed up about 3 inches. The one stabilizer was a bit twisted, I was able to raise it with difficulty. The hitch jack slid off the wooden block. After that, I'll accept help to back up since I'm a solo, but let them know I'll come over to talk later.

[Palinduff]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

Most stabilizer jacks have a load capacity of 5,000-7,500 pounds, or more. However, there will still be noticeable bounce from the suspension. That’s easily solved by installing jacks immediately in front of or behind the axles.

True. When a longer unit is outfitted with a 6 point leveling system the mid jacks are not for levelling but for stabilization from the suspension system. I know that is Not really the same as that is an actual levelling system, but that is a great idea for a more stable trailer (and inexpensive). I may put a set in front of my axles.

[JimMorrell]

I don't know what the "Red Cone" is, but for over 40 years, I have used a 6" x 8" wood block under a round metal foot on the hitch jack and have never had a problem.

[ard58]

Originally Posted by Palinduff

True. When a longer unit is outfitted with a 6 point leveling system the mid jacks are not for levelling but for stabilization from the suspension system. I know that is Not really the same as that is an actual levelling system, but that is a great idea for a more stable trailer (and inexpensive). I may put a set in front of my axles.

On my 6 point leveling system, which is by the way automatic, works as such---
tongue jack levels front to back
leveling jacks behind the wheels level side to side and a little more(they will raise trailer noticeable when on unlevel ground)
tongue jack raises a tad more
4 corner stabilizing jacks go down until they touch the ground, or pads with a little pressure. You can kick the pads and move them so the stabilizing jacks do just that----stabilize, not level.

[babock]

Originally Posted by ard58

4 corner stabilizing jacks go down until they touch the ground, or pads with a little pressure. You can kick the pads and move them so the stabilizing jacks do just that----stabilize, not level.

Exactly!

[Road King Russ]

We quit using ours. We used it to help prevent wear and tear on the electric tongue jack. Our trailer was chocked and one side was on a leveling block. It slipped off while disconnecting it from the truck.

[jdshess]

We did have chocks on the wheels; but the camp store happened to have some huge yellow chocks that we've never seen, so we bought two and put on the back wheels.

[jdshess]

Iwannacamp, we did have chocks on all the wheels. Guess I didn't make that clear; even the awning side with the wheels on leveling pads had chocks. So thankful we always use them. And now we have a larger pair we bought at the camp store (it just felt safer, lol)

[jdshess]

Thanks, that looks a lot more stable than the "cone".

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by jdshess

Iwannacamp, we did have chocks on all the wheels. Guess I didn't make that clear; even the awning side with the wheels on leveling pads had chocks. So thankful we always use them. And now we have a larger pair we bought at the camp store (it just felt safer, lol)

10-4. I was just echoing the requirements for good chocks.
The cone/block/bricks/whatever you use is fine, but the the life saver is the chocks. I would not say every pad will allow you to move once you have all the other stuff on there, but it’s stupid not to use something every time.

[DieselDrax]

Originally Posted by jdshess

The whole trailer fell about 3 inches and the wheels on the side with the awning slid totaling off the orange leveling pads they were sitting on !!!!

Originally Posted by jdshess

Iwannacamp, we did have chocks on all the wheels. Guess I didn't make that clear; even the awning side with the wheels on leveling pads had chocks. So thankful we always use them. And now we have a larger pair we bought at the camp store (it just felt safer, lol)

I’m confused how the trailer came completely off of the leveling pads if you had the wheels properly chocked. If the cone tipped and the trailer rolled off of the leveling blocks before the chocks stopped the trailer then the chocks were not properly installed.

Proper chocking likely would’ve prevented the movement that caused the trailer tongue to tip the cone over.

[mwdilday]

Just out of curiosity. What is the benefit of using an orange cone? Doesn't the front jack come with a foot? A 2X8 under the foot should be sufficient.