Need help with leveling with Tongue Jack

[babock]

Fortunately, have not been in camp sites that need the front Jack on blocks. And what's with the people that use all the blocks under stabilizers? A lot of wasted fire wood to me.

[DadJones]

So you just use the pad that's attached to the front jack?

[babock]

Originally Posted by DadJones

So you just use the pad that's attached to the front jack?

As long as the jack is tall enough for the slope of the site you are in.

[metalsideup]

Welcome to the world of road trips & adventure.
Your predicament is a standard learning curve of this new addition to your life's resume, and you have been given more advice than you probably bargained for, but most of it comes from folks who have experienced some private embarrassment themselves with the same thing.
The best post came from Skip12.
His post is good for emphasizing the importance of establishing a ROUTINE. The act of unhitching the trailer is often conducted at the end of the day, when you are tired and anxious to relax. This is when we are most apt to make a mistake...to skip or overlook a step.
Gathering the right tools for the job is great, and you have been provided with good advice in that regard. But don't overlook the importance of The Routine. Don't let fatigue dull this important event. Discipline yourself to ignore the distractions...the inquisitive campground neighbor...and follow your leveling, chocking, unhitching routine.
Write it down step by step, and keep it in your truck's door until you are robotic.

[burks]

After we camped one time with leveling blocks we went to Lakland Flordia and had a Big Foot Leveling System installed on our 30' Palomina Solaire travel trailer. Now we park and press the button, 4 jacks come down and level it. A little costly but worth every penny.

[BillyBass]

Originally Posted by Boomerweps

Wow! $90 for a two pack. At least they work with a jack with a round foot plate, on or off.
I bought one of those traffic cone versions. Those only work with the foot removed. Current electric jack with the adjustable post extension has the foot welded on ;( I just use my extension with a couple 4x4s screwed together under that if needed.

I only bought one and so far it works. I look at the cones and I didn't like it for that reason

[BillyBass]

Originally Posted by babock

Fortunately, have not been in camp sites that need the front Jack on blocks. And what's with the people that use all the blocks under stabilizers? A lot of wasted fire wood to me.

The more you extend the jacks the more the trailer moves.you can't tell me it is real steady.bc the jacks is not made of that heavy of steal

[awellis3]

Okey-dokey. After reading 3 pages of posts, I believe I have something new to add. When you back in to your site, you know if the site is mostly level or not. You can tell which direction the trailer is apt to roll if unhitched without chocking, right? So, before you unhitch, put your chocks on the downhill sides of the tires, release the parking brake with the tranny in neutral and allow the TT to slowly and gently roll against the chocks. Set the brake and put in the other chocks, if you want to. Now you've taken up all the "slack." You can do this after you have leveled side-to-side with levelling blocks, too.
Note - if the site is really unlevel, chock both sides otherwise the unchocked wheel will roll and the trailer will pivot on you. Happened to me in my pop up days.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by babock

Fortunately, have not been in camp sites that need the front Jack on blocks. And what's with the people that use all the blocks under stabilizers? A lot of wasted fire wood to me.

A stabilizer provides the best stabilization when the leg and the attached brackets form a 90º angle.

If you run your stabs down (without adequate blocking) to where they are basically tall pillars, they do not provide much stabilization.

[babock]

Originally Posted by 5picker

A stabilizer provides the best stabilization when the leg and the attached brackets form a 90º angle.

If you run your stabs down (without adequate blocking) to where they are basically tall pillars, they do not provide much stabilization.

Stabilization is just for up and down movement. Just like a normal scissors jack, jacking up a car, the max leverage is the more extended they are. These jacks are also rated for 6,000#. When you use them for stabilization, they only are supporting a fraction of that.

If you are worried about front to back rocking, You need to chock the tires better.

You also see the guys that have a huge pile of wood and don't even extend them hardly an inch.

My friend, who is a mechanical engineer that works on aircraft structural analysis, was talking to a fellow camper around the campfire. No matter now my friend explained force vectors and how that silly 90° picture was a fallacy still could not sway the guy from continuing to use his pile of wood. I guess its just an urban legend like putting a battery on wood on a concrete floor that just won't go away.

[DadJones]

I love all the great feedback... here's what I got out of it.

Something like:
- Level side to side
- Chock wheels, both sides.. if on a slope, let the trailer role back slightly onto the chocks
- Disconnect from ball
- Disconnect chains
- Move tow vehicle
- Level front to back
- X Chocks
- Plug in
- Grab a beverage (beer for me), you earned it

Couple things that I am not 100%.
Should I put the X Chocks on before or after taking the ball off?
What do most people use below their tongue pad? or just the tongue pad itself? Definitely not lego blocks

[babock]

Originally Posted by DadJones

I love all the great feedback... here's what I got out of it.

Something like:
- Level side to side
- X Chocks and then Chock wheels, both sides.. if on a slope, let the trailer role back slightly onto the chocks before putting on x chocks.
- Disconnect from ball
- Disconnect chains
- Move tow vehicle
- Level front to back
- Plug in
- Grab a beverage (beer for me), you earned it

Couple things that I am not 100%.
Should I put the X Chocks on before or after taking the ball off?
What do most people use below their tongue pad? or just the tongue pad itself? Definitely not lego blocks

You put the x-chocks on after everything is leveled especially front to back.

[DadJones]

Originally Posted by babock

You put the x-chocks on after everything is leveled especially front to back.

Thanks, edited the above. I think the real issue I was having is the lego's under the tongue pad and not setting the chocks correctly under the wheels. Maybe purchasing the Anderson levelers, the lego's again aren't the best. Then using the X Chocks at the end.

I have the beer drinking down correctly.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by DadJones

I love all the great feedback... here's what I got out of it.

Something like:
- Level side to side
- Chock wheels, both sides.. if on a slope, let the trailer role back slightly onto the chocks
- Disconnect from ball
- Disconnect chains
- Move tow vehicle
- Level front to back
- X Chocks
- Plug in
- Grab a beverage (beer for me), you earned it

Couple things that I am not 100%.
Should I put the X Chocks on before or after taking the ball off?
What do most people use below their tongue pad? or just the tongue pad itself? Definitely not lego blocks

Looks like everyone has an opinion on the x-chocks....
Here's mine... they are the first thing on when finished leveling with whatever goes under the tires and the last thing off when leaving. Mine are installed and tightened before I ever release my 5th wheel hitch.

I might not have this same opinion if I had wide spread axles where jacking and leveling had a big effect on tire position.

My tires are about 1-3/8" apart. (the x-chock just fits totally retracted) With the X-Chocks installed and tightened correctly, the wheels/tires would have to slide before the R/V ever moved. I've tried it.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by dbledan

Get yourself some good rubber wheel chocks. They are $5 each at harbor freight and much safer. The plastic ones have blown away on one side and are easily crushed by heavy TTs. For $20 worth the piece of mind.

I switched to the Harbor Freight rubber chocks after a bad experience in the wind in Wyoming. The plastic chocks I was using just blew away no matter how hard I pounded them in with a mallet. Wind speeds were 50-60 MPH from the rear quarter, ground was pretty slick gravel. I was afraid I was going to bend the tongue jack shaft because the trailer was moving. Ended up going home instead of camping that night.

And I had also once the mistake of pulling away from the campsite, forgetting to pull chocks. My lightweight A-Frame simply went up and over the plastic chocks, crushing them in the process.

Love the Harbor Freight rubber chocks - they always hold, and they are tall enough to work with the Lynx blocks under the wheels. I gave away most of my plastic chocks. I only use the plastic chocks on my level garage floor.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
next trip: Black Hills

[babock]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Looks like everyone has an opinion on the x-chocks....
Here's mine... they are the first thing on when finished leveling with whatever goes under the tires and the last thing off when leaving. Mine are installed and tightened before I ever release my 5th wheel hitch.

I guess it depends on if you want to follow the manufacturer's instructions or not.


Of course, you can do it any way you want!

[SailorSam20500]

Since no one offered my solution, I'll post.


I've gone thru a couple of options. The Anderson levelers and similar have an issue with tandems that have minimal gap between the tires. You can trim off the front edge otherwise they don't fit. I've busted several plastic options. The big rubber chocks are heavy and some have an odor. Also any single chock can slide on some surfaces. I've used X-chocks and found them to be a pain to install and remove, I'll be selling them.

I ended up with a set Fastway chocks. They fit between the two tires and securely lock things up. All metal construction, so nearly indestructible. In place, they hold the trailer as well as the x-chocks did.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/onestep-chock

[DadJones]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

My question is, 'why are you having to jack the tongue up so high' to get the tongue off the ball?
when you are hooked up is the truck and trailer level?
Does the ball (and truck) sag with the trailer tongue on it?
Is the ball already to 'high' and you must go higher to get the tongue off?
I think that you may have some adjustments to do...... truck?, ball?, Hitch? Something just does not seem 'right' about this.

So I had a chance to picture my truck and trailer where I store it...

[Brother Les]

Your truck seems to be squatting down. I see also that there are two open holes on your hitch at the bottom. I would drop the ball lower one hole on the hitch. And then 'tilt' the ball back just a little more. Then use your weight distributing system to 'pull' the ball and tongue 'up' level. (Trailers will run down the road better with the 'nose' slightly down, than level/higher)

[Skip12]

The "jumped away from us" got me thinking. Is the truck getting lifted while you disconnect and popping off the ball? You dont want the hitch to begin to lift the truck.

It should slip off. This thread explains how to do it - https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ll-206560.html

Be sure to get the hitch to the right level and take the pressure off the back of the ball. It'll be annoying for a handful of tires (at least it was in my experience), but the it'll become second nature.