Do I need chocks on either side of both tires?

[ciditad]

N00b here. About to pickup "Kitty" (as in Hello Kitty, don't ask) this weekend and furiously shopping Amazon.

My TT is a single axle, which means the X chock won't work and I'll need to get chocks on the ground. Looking at Maxxhaul rubber chock, comes in a 2-pack on Amazon. I have seen YouTubers using chocks for both front and rear of the tires, but only one side in the videos I've seen. Does the other side need chocks as well?

[IsleDog]

I have owned two single axle trailers and we always use chocks front and back on each tire. it does help with the stability a little bit.

[Wisconsin-1]

I have done in the past when I had single axle trailers is to put chocks behind both tires, the back up slightly so there is some pressure on them, hold the brake and put the other set in front of the tire, then let off the brake. This holds it tighter to prevent some movement.

This also helps with leveling and stability

https://www.amazon.com/EAZ-LIFT-Leve...omotive&sr=1-2

[oxcamper]

Chocks on both sides, and in front and rear of the tires. For your single axle, you'd need 2 sets (4 chocks)

[GXPWeasel1]

Originally Posted by oxcamper

Chocks on both sides, and in front and rear of the tires. For your single axle, you'd need 2 sets (4 chocks)

Agreed.
Without them in front and behind both tires, you do have a chance that one wheel could move because of gravity, and cause the trailer to spin (tongue left or tongue right) if you weren't on level ground. I've even once made the mistake of not chocking the front/back of both tires on my boat, and unhooked on what I thought was fairly level ground. Once there was no more pressure on the ball hitch / coupler, the trailer moved enough to put a nice dent and scratch in my trucks bumper. Not happy with myself and my cheapness / laziness to just put down all 4 wheel chocks.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin-1

I have done in the past when I had single axle trailers is to put chocks behind both tires, the back up slightly so there is some pressure on them, hold the brake and put the other set in front of the tire, then let off the brake. This holds it tighter to prevent some movement.



This also helps with leveling and stability



https://www.amazon.com/EAZ-LIFT-Leve...omotive&sr=1-2

Yep, this is very popular in the Popup community.

[asr524]

Been here before...I had leveling blocks on one side of our old single axle. I only chocked the other side. I just unhooked from the truck and didnt have stabilizers out and the wife stepped up into the RV. That caused the RV to pivot about the chocked wheel and roll off the leveling blocks.
Kind of scary having the tongue swing toward you out of no where.

[rowdy boys 3]

Chocks, chocks and more chocks, you cant have enough chocks, because if for some reason it moves, or you get distracted while unhooking the trailer you'll be glad you had extra chocks, LOL..

[NJKris]

Chocks are cheap at Harbor Freight.

[Atlee]

Originally Posted by ciditad

N00b here. About to pickup "Kitty" (as in Hello Kitty, don't ask) this weekend and furiously shopping Amazon.

My TT is a single axle, which means the X chock won't work and I'll need to get chocks on the ground. Looking at Maxxhaul rubber chock, comes in a 2-pack on Amazon. I have seen YouTubers using chocks for both front and rear of the tires, but only one side in the videos I've seen. Does the other side need chocks as well?

I think so. Chock one side only, and the trailer could pivot on you. I use the heavy rubber chocks, and do the same axle on both sides of the trailer.

[phillyg]

I only use them on the downhill side; guess I'm lazy.

[oxcamper]

Well I guess one could say:
"Chock one up for using chocks!"

[Jfkmk]

I second the harbor freight rubber chocks. They do emit quite an odor for a while, I think it is how HF gets their distinctive smell.

[NJKris]

But it's that nice new tire smell!

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by phillyg

I only use them on the downhill side; guess I'm lazy.

That would be pretty dangerous.

The downhill side tire is unlikely to roll uphill.

The uphill side tire is very likely to roll uphill--and it's a gamble whether it will roll forward or backward when it does.

As Clint Eastwood said in one of the Dirty Harry films, "Do you feel lucky, ...? Well, do you?"

[phillyg]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

That would be pretty dangerous......The downhill side tire is unlikely to roll uphill......The uphill side tire is very likely to roll uphill......"

Huh, how would the trailer roll uphill? Let me 'splain myself more clearly. Not talking about side to side. The downhill side would be the direction the trailer would roll, fore or aft, if no chocks were used.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by phillyg

Huh, how would the trailer roll uphill? Let me 'splain myself more clearly. Not talking about side to side. The downhill side would be the direction the trailer would roll, fore or aft, if no chocks were used.

You're confusing me. Let's try this again. We will consider four cases.

Case 1: Tongue is pointing uphill
Suppose you put a chock under only the left wheel. The right wheel will roll downhill, dragging the jack in a 90-degree arc, starting across the face of the hill and ending tangent to a line going down the hill.

Case 2: Tongue is pointing to the right, across the hill face
Suppose you put chocks under only the right (downhill) wheel. The left (uphill) wheel is in a metastable position. A little nudge, either forward or backward will cause the trailer to switch directions, spinning 180 degrees, so the uphill wheel becomes the downhill wheel, while the chocked wheel stays in place. The jack describes a semicircular arc.

Another possible scenario starts the same, but as the trailer goes through the 90-degree point, the chocked tire is now cross-wise to the chocks and the trailer goes merrily downhill plowing a straight line down the hill with the jack. This could cause some serious damage.

Case 3: Tongue is pointing downhill
Suppose you put a chock under only the left wheel. The right wheel will roll downhill, dragging the jack in a 90-degree arc, starting across the face of the hill and ending up tangent to a line going up the hill.

Case 4: Tongue is pointing to the left, across the hill face
Mirror image of case 2

I don't see any situation where there's stability on a hill without chocking both tires of a single-axle trailer front and back.

[Jfkmk]

Originally Posted by NJKris

But it's that nice new tire smell!

But being Harbor Freight, I bet the tire is a China Bomb!

[NJKris]

But when they're on a wheelbarrow, who cares when they blow!

[asr524]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

You're confusing me. Let's try this again. We will consider four cases.

Case 1: Tongue is pointing uphill
Suppose you put a chock under only the left wheel. The right wheel will roll downhill, dragging the jack in a 90-degree arc, starting across the face of the hill and ending tangent to a line going down the hill.

Case 2: Tongue is pointing to the right, across the hill face
Suppose you put chocks under only the right (downhill) wheel. The left (uphill) wheel is in a metastable position. A little nudge, either forward or backward will cause the trailer to switch directions, spinning 180 degrees, so the uphill wheel becomes the downhill wheel, while the chocked wheel stays in place. The jack describes a semicircular arc.

Another possible scenario starts the same, but as the trailer goes through the 90-degree point, the chocked tire is now cross-wise to the chocks and the trailer goes merrily downhill plowing a straight line down the hill with the jack. This could cause some serious damage.

Case 3: Tongue is pointing downhill
Suppose you put a chock under only the left wheel. The right wheel will roll downhill, dragging the jack in a 90-degree arc, starting across the face of the hill and ending up tangent to a line going up the hill.

Case 4: Tongue is pointing to the left, across the hill face
Mirror image of case 2

I don't see any situation where there's stability on a hill without chocking both tires of a single-axle trailer front and back.

I think he meant for your case 1 where the tongue is facing uphill then you use a chock behind the left and right wheel. I dont think he is just using a single chock as your scenario described.
Same would be true for case 3 but this time the chocks are in front of the wheels.