Chocking a trailer - x chocks don't and run away trailers

[dedobias]

I have seen numerous posts about chocking a trailer and even some videos from experienced RVers that are totally wrong about how to chock a trailer properly. Here are some posts that highlight the issues.

Great job on your video with one exception. You downplay the risk of not chocking BOTH sides of the trailer. It could be your neighbor that accidentally nudges your trailer or just the grade that causes the lifted side on the blocks to move. Watching your trailer swinging in one direction then careening down a slope and crashing into another trailer or vehicle or person isn't just scary it could be deadly. If you read the warnings on an xchock or similar it tells you it does not replace a regular chock. Saying it has never happened to you or you have never seen it leads people to believe it's not a big concern. I have seen it and watched a trailer near miss a child playing across the road! Add a big footnote! ALWAYS CHOCK BOTH SIDES and front and back movement on both sides BEFORE UNHOOKING THE TOW VEHICLE. By the way, they make chocks for your leveling blocks.


From another site - What About X Chocks?
X ChocksX Chocks are used between the tires of an RV with two sets of tires. The X-chock fits between the tires and then it is tightened so it expands and creates pressure against the tires. However, the manufacturers of x chocks say not to use them as wheel chocks for your trailer which means they will not prevent your trailer from moving down a slope. They are really just meant to limit the movement of the trailer or 5th wheel while you are walking around inside.

https://rvblogger.com/blog/wheel-cho...ravel-trailer/

Note that a lot of people believe the xchocks are for this reason -

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...print/true.cfm

They are NOT for chocking the trailer - only to prevent jiggling movement.

[SeaDog]

You are posting only one side of the story. You have failed to address a very important issue with chocking a travel trailer, 5th wheel or 53' box trailer is the size of the chocks used. The heavier the rig the larger the chock has to be. A chock that would hold an ultra light trailer may not hold a much heaver rig. The same is true of the X-Chock. Chocking both sides front and back is very important and chocking before unhooking in my opinion is a must. JMHO

[dedobias]

Xchocks are not CHocks - they are stabilizers and the manufacturer clearly states they are not for chocking. I agree, chocks need match the size match the size of the vehicle.

[D W]

Originally Posted by dedobias

Xchocks are not CHocks - they are stabilizers and the manufacturer clearly states they are not for chocking. I agree, chocks need match the size match the size of the vehicle.

Makes you wonder why the manufacturer calls them XCHOCKS, huh?

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by D W

Makes you wonder why the manufacturer calls them XCHOCKS, huh?

Watching TV the other night (Jeopardy?). One segment, a guy says something like "I'm in marketing. My job is to get you to buy stuff you don't need." Rare case of honesty on TV.

[rsdata]

unless your boondocking on a mountainside, I have rarely seen an improved camping site that would have my trailer roll away on a slope... now if your in an unimproved site, more often than not you will look for somewhat level ground would you not?

Sure a trailer might lean and shift 6 inches or so without a chock, but really have it roll into another site?

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by rsdata

unless your boondocking on a mountainside, I have rarely seen an improved camping site that would have my trailer roll away on a slope... now if your in an unimproved site, more often than not you will look for somewhat level ground would you not?

Sure a trailer might lean and shift 6 inches or so without a chock, but really have it roll into another site?

Every site at every campground/RV park is different in regards to being level. Why take a chance. Just get in the habit of chocking tires before you unhook. No surprises for anyone that way.

[jay2703]

I use these on our trailer. They work really well to prevent any movement.

[Dirt Sifter]

Wow, guess I was lucky. 'Course I don't claim to be an expert like OP, but I used Xchocks on two different dual axle travel trailers across the West without a problem. I did learn to tighten them some more after the tires cooled a bit and I always secured both sides. Had to use blocks from time to time to level side to side; preferred them to the wedge I couldn't keep on the blocks. Never ran over kids, trailers, or rigs; what a charmed life.

[Mike134]

Not sure how far my trailer will roll with the tongue and leveling jacks dragging.

[rsdata]

Every site at every campground/RV park is different in regards to being level. Why take a chance. Just get in the habit of chocking tires before you unhook. No surprises for anyone that way.

I'm sorry I don't drag out the chocks when I camp in FL... there are no unlevel spots in FL... trailer ain't going anywhere over an inch or two...

you be safe and chock everything if you think you need to...

I still don't understand the reason this was topic posted in the first place... someone got nothing better to discuss I guess...

[jjuscg]

If I pull my trailer with my X-CHOCKS installed, I can move it... However the wheels are locked and CANNOT roll with properly installed X-CHOCKS, so I'm dragging it on wheels that aren't turning! With that same force, I believe I could also roll it over any conventional chock.

My trailer MIGHT slide down a steep slope with the wheels not turning, but the kind of impact that would start that motion would probably knock the trailer off a conventional chock and the wheels WOULD be rolling.

Locked wheels do a lot more than stabilize. That trailer is NOT going to move with properly installed X-CHOCKS.

That said, I ALWAYS X-CHOCK before disconnecting, because my co-pilot is standing over my shoulder to make sure it happens.

[mike.t]

Originally Posted by Mike134

Not sure how far my trailer will roll with the tongue and leveling jacks dragging.

;o)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90HXYdvwN4k

[rsdata]

ROLLS DOWN HILL is the key words here

so chock all the wheels well when parked on a hill...

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by dedobias

They are NOT for chocking the trailer - only to prevent jiggling movement.

The Xchocks kept the back and forth movement in our trailer under control. Before finding them, the movement would activate the hard drive protection in my laptop. Very annoying.

We always used regular chocks before unhooking..... Well, except for the one time we forgot and the trailer started moving backwards down a slight incline. Lucky for us, there was a large log at the back which stopped the trailer before disaster struck.

Regular chocks are a necessity. Xchocks are more of a luxury.

[mike.t]

76 years old, RVing for quite a while, the only time I ever saw an RV rolling down a hill(or anywhere else) is on you-tube.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by mike.t

76 years old, RVing for quite a while, the only time I ever saw an RV rolling down a hill(or anywhere else) is on you-tube.

That's probably because stupid first time trailer owners like us didn't have the presence of mind to film our rolling trailer. It was over in less than a minute when the log stopped the tt.
Most of what you see on YouTube is filmed by surveillance cameras.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by mike.t

76 years old, RVing for quite a while, the only time I ever saw an RV rolling down a hill(or anywhere else) is on you-tube.

X2!!!!

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by mike.t

76 years old, RVing for quite a while, the only time I ever saw an RV rolling down a hill(or anywhere else) is on you-tube.

Happened to one of my camping companions who was in the spot directly across from mine. She only placed one of the orange plastic type chocks on one side before unhooking. While she was moving her truck, the trailer rolled, crushed the plastic chock, bent the front stabilizers over, and rolled out into the road, and almost into the ditch across from it. It actually hit her truck which kept it from going all the way.

It was four different RV's in our group, and we had enough stuff to get her jacked back up, connected to my truck, and put back in place. When her husband arrived later, we were able to go get two new stabilizers and fix everything for the weekend. They threw away those hollow plastic chocks after that and got the solid rubber kind.


I've discussed it before:


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post1182724


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post1045563


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...tml#post881419

[Tundra 2014]

X2-NMWildcat Choke for safety, X-choke for stability. I do both before I unhook.