My Keystone Outback M-27 RSDS has BAL type landing legs rather than conventional scissor jacks, my first time with that type of stabilizer. When I park it and set it all up and deploy the legs on pieces of 2X6 as I usually would do, the trailer is still very wobbly. If our 11 year old rolls over in bed all the way on the other side of the trailer, the whole thing shakes and wakes me up. It is very bouncy. Never had this problem before, my other trailers have all had conventional scissor jacks.After a few trips like this I went out and shook the trailer with my hand and could see the flexing in the landing leg assembly.I am considering replacing them with inexpensive scissor jacks from Harbor Freight. Anyone else have the same problem? Here is a picture of a similar jack to the ones I currently have. It's not as bad as nothing at all, but it's close.

27 foot seems big for non scissor jack. My 20ft has four of the C-type stabs, like your pictures. When I deploy all four, I have no side to side stability issues.I normally use no bracing or supplemental timbers under my jacks. I have the add-on stab feet, and that's all I use. My trailer sits so low to the ground, it's only a few inches before they make contact.What material are you parking on? When I'm on anything but concrete, I give the jacks 1/2 turn or so after they make contact, to compress the ground under them a bit.Go for scissor jacks if you have the ground clearance, they're a lot taller than the c jack. Personally I would avoid Harbor Freight jacks, you want quality steel and quality paint on these, or they'll rust solid like the junk that KZ originally equipped my trailer with (in just three years.)

Harlock, I have used both styles. IMO, the scissors style seems to offer more stability. I also use the X chocks between my tires. Once I snug them up, my TT is solid. Bob This is just one brand of tire chocks. Chocks for tires

When I got my new trailer, I wanted power leveling jacks, but the dealer actually steered me away from it because he said it wasn't as stable. They were designed the same way as the manual one shown above. I haven't had the need for chocks as we typically only stay places for a couple days, but from what I've read and heard chocks can definitely help stabilize the trailer inside. May be try that before investing in upgrading or adding scissor jacks.

bobndot wrote:Harlock, I have used both styles. IMO, the scissors style seems to offer more stability. I also use the X chocks between my tires. Once I snug them up, my TT is solid. Bob This is just one brand of tire chocks. Chocks for tiresNever thought of those contributing significantly to stabilization. Bouncing and side to side movement is more of a problem than moving front to back. But I'll give the RV a good shove and see what it does again. One thing I am thinking of is adding an additional pair of scissors to near the middle, instead of just at the ends. There seems to be quite a bit of flex in this trailer.

OP, I've got a 32 foot camper with the scissor jacks and tons more movement than my old 22 foot camper had. I bought a pair of screw jacks to put down between the wheels and the front stabs. It helps some, but its still got a lot of movement, some of which feels to be side to side. One day I was sitting outside and the wife and kids were moving around inside and I noticed lots of fore and aft motion of the tires.I plan to make my own x-chock style braces with some pieces of 4x4 and reduce the amount of rotation in the tires. Hopefully that will greatly cut back on the perceived motion inside the camper.I realize its a camper, its going to have some motion, but when my 3 year old gets out of bed in the morning and the camper shakes enough to wake me up, 26 feet away, something is wrong.

BAL type landing legs much less stable than scissor jacks?

15 Replies

spoon059
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2016
OP, I've got a 32 foot camper with the scissor jacks and tons more movement than my old 22 foot camper had. I bought a pair of screw jacks to put down between the wheels and the front stabs. It helps some, but its still got a lot of movement, some of which feels to be side to side. One day I was sitting outside and the wife and kids were moving around inside and I noticed lots of fore and aft motion of the tires.

I plan to make my own x-chock style braces with some pieces of 4x4 and reduce the amount of rotation in the tires. Hopefully that will greatly cut back on the perceived motion inside the camper.

I realize its a camper, its going to have some motion, but when my 3 year old gets out of bed in the morning and the camper shakes enough to wake me up, 26 feet away, something is wrong.
Harlock
Explorer
Mar 22, 2016
bobndot wrote:
Harlock, I have used both styles. IMO, the scissors style seems to offer more stability. I also use the X chocks between my tires. Once I snug them up, my TT is solid.

Bob

This is just one brand of tire chocks.
Chocks for tires

Never thought of those contributing significantly to stabilization. Bouncing and side to side movement is more of a problem than moving front to back. But I'll give the RV a good shove and see what it does again. One thing I am thinking of is adding an additional pair of scissors to near the middle, instead of just at the ends. There seems to be quite a bit of flex in this trailer.
RavensFan24
Explorer
Mar 22, 2016
When I got my new trailer, I wanted power leveling jacks, but the dealer actually steered me away from it because he said it wasn't as stable. They were designed the same way as the manual one shown above.

I haven't had the need for chocks as we typically only stay places for a couple days, but from what I've read and heard chocks can definitely help stabilize the trailer inside. May be try that before investing in upgrading or adding scissor jacks.
bobndot
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2016
Harlock, I have used both styles. IMO, the scissors style seems to offer more stability. I also use the X chocks between my tires. Once I snug them up, my TT is solid.

Bob

This is just one brand of tire chocks.
Chocks for tires
GordonThree
Explorer
Mar 22, 2016
27 foot seems big for non scissor jack. My 20ft has four of the C-type stabs, like your pictures. When I deploy all four, I have no side to side stability issues.

I normally use no bracing or supplemental timbers under my jacks. I have the add-on stab feet, and that's all I use. My trailer sits so low to the ground, it's only a few inches before they make contact.

What material are you parking on? When I'm on anything but concrete, I give the jacks 1/2 turn or so after they make contact, to compress the ground under them a bit.

Go for scissor jacks if you have the ground clearance, they're a lot taller than the c jack. Personally I would avoid Harbor Freight jacks, you want quality steel and quality paint on these, or they'll rust solid like the junk that KZ originally equipped my trailer with (in just three years.)

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BAL type landing legs much less stable than scissor jacks?

15 Replies

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