J.T. Strongarms....good/bad?

My FW came with them factory installed. I really can't tell that they do anything.

JT's here and very satisfied.

With the steadyfast you just reach down and turn 3 T-handles. Two towards the front and one in the back. Simple test is with all the T-handles unlocked move near the front side of trailer and lightly push on it close to the nose cap. It will begin to sway and will continue to oscillate. Now lock the T-handles and repeat and you really have to lean into it to get any kind of movement which quickly dampens.

Its just simple geometry at play with the locking arms triangulating the landing gear to the frame of the trailer.

We got the BAL stabilizer arms...same as JTs but much less expensive and they have a big bolt to lock them down so you can use your stabilizer crank to tighten them down...don't need to crawl under and turn the T handle. I was amazed at the difference they make!

Love them!

Tim

Best mod I have ever done.

Been on the 5er for 8 years and really stop most movement. Worth every penny.

I've read about people using them even with a 4-point or 6-point leveling system.

If you don't have six point level they are. My last trailer I had them on it was 36ft crusader.I used a impact gun with I think they were 3/8 self taping bolts. took 1 hr and I was done. The trailer never moved when I tightened them up

We have them and DH didn't really think they worked, so the next time we set up, I didn't tighten them down. It took him about 3 hrs to comment on how much movement we had in the trailer. He then went out and tightened them down....in the dark. We use them each and every time, even if we are just overnighting.

After we are set up for a couple of days, we loosen them up, bump up the stabilizers a bit, then re-tighten. The RV seems to settle in a bit and needs adjusting.

netjam....If your close to Edmonton I would make you an offer to buy them?

Daryll

BB_TX wrote:

mileshuff wrote:

netjam wrote:
For the past 3 years I have not used them (they are still mounted on the trailer but I do not tighten them up) and to me; there is no difference from when I did set them.

That is odd! Huge difference with mine. They must be tightened and then a load applied by bumping the stabilizers up just a bit. Otherwise they won't have any effect.

Very true. They must be under compression or tension by raising or lowering jacks. If you get set up and can then shake them by hand and they rattle they are not helping at all.

Yup...did all that. Perhaps 5er manufacturer did something wrong on install but really don't do much for me. Based on the responses to this thread though, I'd say the they are well liked just not my thing.