Do You Lower Your Jacks When Parked

rickjo wrote:

Paradox123 wrote:
Usually it's silly to lower the jacks. I can get level with the plastci wedges from Camping World. The exception is when the campsite is so unlevel that I need more than four inches to level up. I've seen some say they lower the jacks because the camper seems unstable unless supported on the corners. That's double silly.

Unstable? That's not part of this discussion. It is given that springs and tires alone allow the movement inside the camper to jostle the camper. We don't like that and there's nothing double silly or unstable going on. Jacks stop that from happening.

Rick

Paradox must like feeling like he's in a boat! Or he's rockin a pop up on a F650....
Quick, late stop, toss out the slide and everyone hits the fart sack, jacks stay up.
Pull over and make lunch, jacks stay up.
Making camp for a while and 4 people bouncing around the camper = drop the rear outriggers.

I use boards to level the camper on the truck, then I extend the jacks down to 4" x 8" header boards that are standing up about 14".

Then I push the slide out, if we didn't the 1150 will lean to the right hard and with it's weight even the dually rocks back and forth.

I am not lifting as much as I am stabilizing, not going up as much as an inch so no stress to the tie downs.

When we bought it the previous owner said he never planted the jacks but after the first season we saw others who did this and we were sold on the idea of not rocking around after we tried it.

wnjj wrote:

stevenal wrote:
Way too time consuming even with powered jacks. My beverage is waiting.

Not with HJ4600's with quick release. Flip the lever, step on the jack and its down in 3 seconds.

No such animal in '98 the year of my 'foot. Something a bit scary about a quick release on a jack. Would hate for it to vibrate into the release position when underway.

Retraction would still be time consuming, unless that quick release goes the other direction too.:)

Paradox123 wrote:
Usually it's silly to lower the jacks. I can get level with the plastci wedges from Camping World. The exception is when the campsite is so unlevel that I need more than four inches to level up. I've seen some say they lower the jacks because the camper seems unstable unless supported on the corners. That's double silly.

Unstable? That's not part of this discussion. It is given that springs and tires alone allow the movement inside the camper to jostle the camper. We don't like that and there's nothing double silly or unstable going on. Jacks stop that from happening.

Rick

Don't feed the Troll..
though I thought it was a simple choice-apparently a silly one- fine-don't give a R/A, some folks cant' get past what works for them isn't applicable to all.

Vinsil wrote:
So using stab jacks on travel trailers, 5'ers and motorhomes is silly to stabilize too? Are you serious?

Not to say those who don't are wrong but to say it is silly and your TC is as stable or more so than without the jacks down....well I don't have words for that.

Yah, what he said...
Good show Vinsil...

I was thinking the same thing... and leveling?? those lego ramps are only good for about 4"I consider Jacks very helpful and, oh, Useful too...
Geesh... what a comment..

So using stab jacks on travel trailers, 5'ers and motorhomes is silly to stabilize too? Are you serious?

Not to say those who don't are wrong but to say it is silly and your TC is as stable or more so than without the jacks down....well I don't have words for that.

Usually it's silly to lower the jacks. I can get level with the plastci wedges from Camping World. The exception is when the campsite is so unlevel that I need more than four inches to level up. I've seen some say they lower the jacks because the camper seems unstable unless supported on the corners. That's double silly.

I don't, but that's probably because I have such a light camper on such a heavy-duty truck that the suspension is adequate to prevent any "rocking and rolling."

Not only a function of personal preference but also of how heavily loaded the truck is with the camper on board. If you're at or over GVWR, the suspension is pretty soft. 3000lbs under like I am, and it still rides like a buckboard.

Jacks? Hmm? Never lowered them for stability while out in the boonies: don't normally carry them attached to the camper. Yes..i do lower the jacks when parked.....against the shed out of the weather once the camper is loaded on the truck. In many conditions we find ourselves, those 4 outriggers are ready and able to snag on a passing boulder. Bro John's jackless OUTFITTER! and '99 F250 in the jack killing field.

jefe on the rear jack killing granite waterfall in Death Valley: Jacks are still leaning against the shed back at the ranch.