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04-14-2016, 09:41 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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Mounting stabilizers to torsion axles ?
I wanting to mount some central stabilizer scissor jacks, near the axles.
Unfortunately that stretch of the frame has a propane line running along one side, making it impossible to mount a jack there.
I had been thinking of mounting them to the front torsion axle main "axle" (clamp-on, no drilling into the axle obviously) ...
however I've read that folks say not to jack up the camper on the axles because it could buckle the axles.
Now obviously I'm not planning on actually lifting the 5er with the stabilizer jacks, just apply enough pressure to stabilize, so I wondered if those in the know about the axles could comment on whether applying enough pressure to just stabilize, rather than lifting (e.g.: for changing tires) would cause an issue ?
Thanks in advance for any insights
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2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-14-2016, 11:56 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
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The issue with jacking on the axle tube is the small contact point on the hollow tube. If you devise some way to spread out the area of contact it should be ok to stabilize with. However, mounting anything to the axle tube is probably going to void any warranty you may have on them.
I think I'd figure out how to move the propane line so you could mount directly to the frame.
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Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
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04-14-2016, 12:16 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 848
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I used some square aluminum tubing to make a riser for the stab jack to attach to.
Mounted to the jack for testing:
Mounted to the camper, 3/8" hardware:
Clearance around the gas line:
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2015 Chevy 3500HD
2013 Sandpiper 365SAQ
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04-14-2016, 01:00 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Helmsey
I used some square aluminum tubing to make a riser for the stab jack to attach to.
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That's an awesome idea
I even have some spare 1" tubing handy
The aluminum was tough enough to withstand the pressure ?
I think the 1" square tube that I have is 16 gauge
Did you do the spacer on both sides of the camper to match, or did you only bother on the one side where it was needed ?
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2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-14-2016, 03:27 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 705
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Mounting the Jacks to the axles won't do anything to stabilize the trailer. Need to be on the frame to dampen the bounce from the axles. .
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Dale & Karen
2015 Lacrosse 311RLS
2006 F-250 The 06-6.0
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04-14-2016, 03:41 PM
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#6
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Mount the jacks on the axle FRAMEWORK tubing.
Herk has a set on his 5er.
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04-14-2016, 03:47 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dwilcox
Mounting the Jacks to the axles won't do anything to stabilize the trailer. Need to be on the frame to dampen the bounce from the axles. .
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With torsion axles, the main "axle" beam is mounted directly to the chassis, and the suspension is independent per wheel. I was suggesting mounting to the fixed beam.
I agree that with "normal" leaf-spring axles putting stabilizers on the axles wouldn't do anything at all.
__________________
2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-14-2016, 03:49 PM
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#8
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Mount the jacks on the axle FRAMEWORK tubing.
Herk has a set on his 5er.
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04-14-2016, 03:58 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
Mount the jacks on the axle FRAMEWORK tubing.
Herk has a set on his 5er.
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Thanks for the pics, that looks like almost exactly what I was planning to do, mounting onto the axle cross beam (which I thought has the rubber torsion cords running through it, but perhaps not). I wasn't suggesting touching the torsion arm or spindle.
I just wasn't sure which portion of the torsion axles folks were concerned about crushing when jacking the camper.
Rather than welding onto the jack brackets I was going to get a custom bracket made to either replace, or mount to, the standard flange brackets
I must admit tho' that I do like Helmsey's solution too, since I can avoid having to get anything fabricated (I can cut/drill some aluminum tubing, but don't have any welding equipment unfortunately)
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2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-14-2016, 04:00 PM
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#10
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leefl
Thanks for the pics, that looks like almost exactly what I was planning to do, mounting onto the axle cross beam (which I thought has the rubber torsion cords running through it, but perhaps not). I wasn't suggesting touching the torsion arm or spindle.
I just wasn't sure which portion of the torsion axles folks were concerned about crushing when jacking the camper.
Rather than welding onto the jack brackets I was going to get a custom bracket made to either replace, or mount to, the standard flange brackets
I must admit tho' that I do like Helmsey's solution too, since I can avoid having to get anything fabricated (I can cut/drill some aluminum tubing, but don't have any welding equipment unfortunately)
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DO NOT MOUNT anything to the axle tube itself.
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04-14-2016, 04:05 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
DO NOT MOUNT anything to the axle tube itself.
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From the pics you posted I'm pretty sure that I was looking at the same bit of the axle support framework, rather than the axle tube.
I'll take another look at the weekend, when I can head back over to the storage lot.
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2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-15-2016, 12:27 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 237
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I was concerned with warranty so just put them under when parked. I am off warranty end of the year then I will mount them to cross frame.
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04-15-2016, 12:32 PM
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#13
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Just weld 2 flat straps to the top of the jack and drill a hole thru both straps and a thru bolt above the tube. No welding to the frame and they are easily removed.
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04-15-2016, 01:32 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 237
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
Just weld 2 flat straps to the top of the jack and drill a hole thru both straps and a thru bolt above the tube. No welding to the frame and they are easily removed.
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Yup I got the idea of not only using those car jacks but also the way to mount them from you last year. Really appreciate that, made a huge difference in our Windjammer. Going to weld straps on this year.
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04-15-2016, 01:44 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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Cross frame mount,easy and quick! Youroo!!
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04-15-2016, 04:39 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 64
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My Solution
I chose to purchase a set of four aluminum screw jacks from Amazon for something like $30. With maybe 3 of those Lego type blocks under each jack, I screw the jack up to the square tube.
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04-17-2016, 10:06 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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To clarify/confirm, the point I was planning to mount to is the framework not the axle tube: -
Since the BAL jacks I have don't have a flat surface covering the top, and instead just have two flanges, I was considering mounting a 16 gauge steel plate to the top of the jacks, and then securing that to the mounting point in the photo with two U-bolts (U bolts would hook over the framework shown, and secure through holes in the steel plate using nylock nuts and washers.
Do you think that sounds workable ?
I'm hesitant to drill holes into that framework beam, and if I can avoid having to get something fabricated/welded by a metal shop then it saves me time and money and hassle.
Even I can manage to cut, and drill some holes in, and paint some 16 gauge cold-rolled steel sheet myself
__________________
2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-17-2016, 10:11 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 454
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leefl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Helmsey
I used some square aluminum tubing to make a riser for the stab jack to attach to.
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That's an awesome idea
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Unfortunately when I looked yesterday I realized that mounting to the frame there would work on the side with the propane pipe, but the other side would conflict with my plan to hook my 2 front sewer hookups together, so I'm back to mounting on the axle framework (not the axle)
__________________
2015 Rockwood Signature UltraLite 8281WS
2016 Ford F-250 Lariat CrewCab, 4x4, 6.2L V8
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04-18-2016, 02:10 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 848
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leefl
That's an awesome idea
I even have some spare 1" tubing handy
The aluminum was tough enough to withstand the pressure ?
I think the 1" square tube that I have is 16 gauge
Did you do the spacer on both sides of the camper to match, or did you only bother on the one side where it was needed ?
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Sorry for that late response....
So far it has been tough enough. It doesn't see that much pressure as I just barely snug these jacks up.
I just used the spacer on the street side, wasn't needed on the other side and I'm not quite OCD enough to need them to match
__________________
2015 Chevy 3500HD
2013 Sandpiper 365SAQ
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04-18-2016, 02:19 PM
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#20
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leefl
To clarify/confirm, the point I was planning to mount to is the framework not the axle tube:
Since the BAL jacks I have don't have a flat surface covering the top, and instead just have two flanges, I was considering mounting a 16 gauge steel plate to the top of the jacks, and then securing that to the mounting point in the photo with two U-bolts (U bolts would hook over the framework shown, and secure through holes in the steel plate using nylock nuts and washers.
Do you think that sounds workable ?
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Don't see why not, just anyway to attach it to the 2x4 tube without drilling holes in the 2x4 tube.
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