Use of Cinder Blocks

Would NEVER trust them. 30 years ago knew a guy who "supported" a car with them while he removed the transmission. Blocks crumbled. Closed casket service!

It has been MY personal experiance that the farther the legs are extended ,the more room for movement you have. The More tube you have inside the other , the more stable it is. Is it enough to make a difference ?? In my little mind it is!:B Joe

John I Haggerty wrote:
I was just reading another post where the use of cinder blocks under the front legs is discouraged. My 5ths front legs are currently resting on 3/4" plywood over cinder blocks (one course high) resting on crushed stone.

What are folks thoughts on the use of cinder blocks in the front leg load train?

This weekend will be our second seasonal weekend where I usally re-adjust the front by adding two more sets of cinder blocks and a 4" x 4" spanning across the frame. I try to spread the front load across the 4 columns of block. This has always provided a very stable set-up.

Thanks!

I still can't figure out why people still block the front legs on their FW at all. Isn't that what the drop-extension is for? Personally, I use 1-2 "lego" blocks if I have any left over from leveling the axles and/or rear stabilizers, just to increase the footprint; a couple 2x4's side x side if necessary. Been wanting to screw a couple 12x12 1" pieces of plywood together to make feet, but have never got 'roundtuit.

Lyle

I have set of JT StrongArms, so I just put a 8" length of 2X8 under landing gear pad. This allows my StrongArms to have more length so that they will better stabilize our 5vr, because of more equal triangulation.

Vulcaneer wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Cinder blocks have a habit of disintegrating without warning. I prefer wood or plastic.

THIS^^^^....But mostly, because when something goes wrong in hitching, being on big blocks can cause damage, when the legs fall off them. Also, when doing a pull test, if you do NOT extend the legs to the ground, you could drop the fiver on your truck bed. Because all you need to do is pull it forward about 8 inches and you're off the end of the block. if you have 6" of bed rail clearance, and you are propped up on a 10" block, what happens when it drops off the block? If the hitch lets go, the only thing from stopping the fiver from hitting the ground is your truck bed side rails.

So if you need to extend the legs for a pull test, it's just easier to set up with the legs down on a 2X8 anyway. If you need more stability, there are better ways to get stability.

Been there. Done that. Now I do things differently. I make sure the last thing I do when I hook up is pull the x-chocks. I do use a couple of 6x6 blocks under the front jacks almost always. I just throw them in the truck when I pick them up to leave.

mr. ed wrote:
I use a piece of board (about 1" thick) under each jack. I wouldn't want to use anything too high for this purpose. Here's a reason many may not have thought of: a few years ago I noticed a fiver that originally had high blocks of wood under each leg. Well, they weren't under the legs any more when an unusually strong wind pushed the fiver off the blocks, damaging the landing gear. If the wood had not been as high it's likely the jacks wouldn't have been damaged. (Or, if the blocks had been wider that may have worked as well).

I use 6x8x12 pt blocks on all 4 points. I understand your point about coming off the blocks and causing damage.

I was hit sideways last year with 80-90 mph winds in Palm Desert, CA. The rig did not budge. The slides did come in at the top about 1.5" tho, a bit scary.

I use a piece of board (about 1" thick) under each jack. I wouldn't want to use anything too high for this purpose. Here's a reason many may not have thought of: a few years ago I noticed a fiver that originally had high blocks of wood under each leg. Well, they weren't under the legs any more when an unusually strong wind pushed the fiver off the blocks, damaging the landing gear. If the wood had not been as high it's likely the jacks wouldn't have been damaged. (Or, if the blocks had been wider that may have worked as well).

I would use 6"by 6" treated wood. If you go to Home Depot you cab buy a length and have them cut it into whatever lengths you need. This stuff will last two lifetimes.

At home I use the triangular shaped solid blocks that have a flat top, but only used at home, too dang heavy to tote around.

ScottG wrote:
Cinder blocks have a habit of disintegrating without warning. I prefer wood or plastic.

THIS^^^^....But mostly, because when something goes wrong in hitching, being on big blocks can cause damage, when the legs fall off them. Also, when doing a pull test, if you do NOT extend the legs to the ground, you could drop the fiver on your truck bed. Because all you need to do is pull it forward about 8 inches and you're off the end of the block. if you have 6" of bed rail clearance, and you are propped up on a 10" block, what happens when it drops off the block? If the hitch lets go, the only thing from stopping the fiver from hitting the ground is your truck bed side rails.

So if you need to extend the legs for a pull test, it's just easier to set up with the legs down on a 2X8 anyway. If you need more stability, there are better ways to get stability.