Stabilizing hints please....

wbwood wrote:

See how these jacks are sitting on gravel? Well if you have this, dirt or any other thing underneath that can move, sink or shift, then you will needll move on the rocks. The rocks will move, dirt will shift or soften when it gets damp. So you will need to retighten.

True. Also, frames flex (some more than others too) which can add to this happening. If I crank our rear jacks down too much, the superstructure shifts enough that the dead bolt in the rear entry stops working. I was surprised to discover this as we have a HD frame. Jacks should be tightened just enough to be snug and can be a challenging balancing act if also using stacker jacks in the corners and jacks ahead of the axles.

myredracer wrote:

See how these jacks are sitting on gravel? Well if you have this, dirt or any other thing underneath that can move, sink or shift, then you will need to tighten them up after walking around and putting weight down inside the trailer. They will move on the rocks. The rocks will move, dirt will shift or soften when it gets damp. After a few hours of moving around inside and using it as normally you would, then things will settle and stop. So you will need to retighten. You may need to do it again, depending of situation. Even on concrete or asphalt, you will have some play in the suspension or tires. This may cause for a need to tighten up also. Just check on it every day or a couple times a day. This is beyond the fact of additional jacks or stabilizers. But you shouldn't (you always can)have to go out and spend lots of money unless you have to have it perfectly still. If you feel that need, then you might want to invest in some aftermarket leveling jacks, like a motorhome. That way, you can get it up off the suspension and tires.

Screw or bottle jacks work well to reduce vertical movement - at rear and ahead of axles for a FW. X-chocks help a lot. Electric stab. jacks are hopeless for vertical or horizontal control.

In some FWs and TTs, the floor joists are too far apart and/or the subfloor plywood isn't thick enough and the floor will deflect significantly as you walk along it. We have friends with a Keystone TT and when one of them walks on the floor it almost makes me seasick if standing nearby. You can watch it flex.

Sounds like you may be experiencing left/right movement. A set of stabilizer struts (BAL lock arm, UF eliminator, JT Strongarm, etc.) will help a lot. Definitely install a set left/right. Try at the rear only first but will probably want another set up front. Another set in a fore/aft direction may or may not help much.

Screw jacks will not control horizontal movement. They are very tall compared to the width of the base and allow a lot of horiz. movement, esp. the more the screw is extended up. We bought a set of the aluminum stacker jacks but they only extend up to max. 17" high. The underside or frame is 24" above the ground so I have to build up the difference with some cribbing pieces made from 4x4. Bit of a PITA to set up so only do it if staying for more than a few days and also a PITA to have to carry around in the truck (24 pieces total).

Scissor jacks will work better than elec. stab. jacks in conjunction with stab. struts as the foot pads are somewhat farther apart. Where you connect the bottom of the struts can make a difference too. The photo shows how I did ours. I initially had the struts attach to the horizontal bolt at the foot but noticed there was too much play because the bolt needs to be loose. I was installing the 8 x 8 x 3/4" HDPE pads anyway so relocated the attachment point to the pad so now it "connects" directly onto the ground. Makes quite a difference. I mounted the upper end to the bumper which also provides some fore/aft control. Had to weld in a 10" section of the outer tube because the inner tube kept sliding right out when the jacks were down.

If not on compacted gravel but on soft material like say grass, use pieces of 2x6 or 2x8 under the jacks and stab. feet. Or can use a plastic leveling block or buy a some Lippert elephant feet pads (expensive tho.)

If you have elec. stab. jacks, you will need to buy the Lippert adapter kit p/n 314597 (as in photo) in order to use stab. struts otherwise you can't fully retract the jacks. This wasn't mentioned anywhere when we bought the BAL lock arms.

coolmom42 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
It is gonna move some, and believe it or not. The bigger it is the more it will move.
However. Once you have snugged the stabs down, and set the X chocks. The only thing you have let that you can do, is to use jacks beside the wheels. To take some weight off the suspension. With the weight on the suspension. It will bounce every move you make.

This. You can prevent back and forth motion with Xchocks and they help a lot. But as long as the suspension, with SPRINGS, is holding the weight, there will be vertical bounce.

That is true, and most of the problem is figuring out if most of your movement is up and down or back and forth. X Chocks can take care of the back and forth but do nothing for the up and down. When I went to the 35 ft trailer I noticed a big difference in movement like the OP states. I determined most of my movement was up and down from the suspension. I put and old scissor jack I had in the garage under one of the tandem axles, in the middle, and just snugged it up. Took away most of the movement.

You also don't want to extend the scissor jacks a lot. You want them to be squatty. Use some wood to lessen the length you need to crank them down. Also, after being set for a while and after time to walk around in it, go back outside and tighten them a little more. Movement in the trailer will cause them to loosen or ground to shift underneath.

"CMunrock"......Generally, when manufacturers install jacks, they either install them parallel to the frame, where you crank them down from the back, or at a right angle, where you crank them down from the side. When installed at the right angle, they easily rock back and worth when the wheels move. Mounting them parallel is better, but they can still rock side to side.

The best way to mount them is at a 45 degree angle to the frame and rear end. This prevents movement in both directions. Yours may be welded on, but many are just bolted on. Changing the angle so they fit across the corner can add stability.

Look at getting a Waynes Stabilizer. One of these will take that movement out of the rear of your trailer.
I have never used the tire chocks, and get no movement with the Waynes, and my own version of JT Strongarms.

Terryallan wrote:
It is gonna move some, and believe it or not. The bigger it is the more it will move.
However. Once you have snugged the stabs down, and set the X chocks. The only thing you have let that you can do, is to use jacks beside the wheels. To take some weight off the suspension. With the weight on the suspension. It will bounce every move you make.

This. You can prevent back and forth motion with Xchocks and they help a lot. But as long as the suspension, with SPRINGS, is holding the weight, there will be vertical bounce.

It is gonna move some, and believe it or not. The bigger it is the more it will move.
However. Once you have snugged the stabs down, and set the X chocks. The only thing you have let that you can do, is to use jacks beside the wheels. To take some weight off the suspension. With the weight on the suspension. It will bounce every move you make.

We use the Steadfast stabilizers and our 42' fifth wheel is amazingly steady. Easy install, great customer service, the owner of the company called me on a Sunday to make sure the install it as going ok and easy to use. Becore the Steadyfast every move the dogs or kids made we felt, now the only movement we feel is when the washing machine goes into its final spin.