Electric stabilizers
I have a 2012 Wildwood 26tbss. It came with Lippert Electic Stabilizers. I an wondering is it better to extend them down as far as possible or block them up and keep them as close to the frame as poss...
Forum Discussion
myredracer wrote:
They should be not be allowed to call these things stabilizers. Pfft... Watch them while someone walks in and out of your TT and see how much they flex.
Ever been in a trailer that did NOT have the stabilizers set down and the trailer see-sawed backwards when you walked towards the rear of the trailer? This would happen more with smaller trailers like popups.
Well I believe the term 'stabilizer' is appropriate because they are there to remove large displacement vertical movement (i.e. to 'stabilize' the trailer to a reasonable extent), NOT to elimininate all vertical perturbation. I don't know why this issue comes up every time stabilizers are discussed.
They are fit for the purpose for which they were designed. Granted on my 30' trailer there would be no see-saw motion if I were to walk to the back of the trailer and the stabilizers were not deployed (I only weigh 210 or so) BUT having the stabilizers down the motions are greatly reduced and the trailer is "stabilized". Does my trailer still shake when someone walks around in it - you bet it does, but I live with it. Am I "happy" with the shakes? No but I am not "unhappy" either, and I allow that the trailer is a vehicle, and unless I want to do something extra about it (modify the rig) I have to live with it.
Want to remove all vertical perturbations? Then the ONLY answer is cinder blocks (or equivalent) placed at multiple points directly under the frame. Don't want to lug around cinder blocks? Well some compromise is needed somewhere between the easy-to-carry 'stabilizers' and lugging the collection of cinder blocks - the degree of shake elimination varies accordingly. Many folks opt to install a more vertical support assembly (e.g. scissor jacks) at mid point, in way of the axles since the trailer's suspension HAS to be disabled for a start, if bounce is to be removed.
There are other additional steps that can be taken but suffice it to say that, IMO, stabilizers get a bad rap because people expect them to do something for which they were not intended.
Just my 2 cents ... :)
