Levelling with Scissor Jacks
I know I'm going to get flamed, but I replaced the (4) OEM single arm stabilizers on my Trail Cruiser 30 ft travel trailer with (6) 24" scissor jacks. I experimented with lifting excessive weight with the scissor jacks and found that it is easy to lift the trailer wheels off the ground without frame bending.
During testing I have gone to the extreme and used (1) jack on the back corner to lift the wheels right off the ground. I first used blocking on the front corner and took the weight off the tonque jack to prevent damage to that jack. Then I used a cheater bar and cranked that one scissor up until the wheels had enough space below them to slide a 2x6 board under. The trailer wasn't even visibly twisted. Both doors opened and closed without an issue, the only visible sign inside the trailer was the bathroom door did not latch closed unless I pulled upwards on it slightly.
Keeping in mind that I'm just testing, I used all six scissor jacks together and picked the entire trailer up off the wheels and tongue jack without a problem. It is perfectly straight and level without bending.
My first two trips out camping with the new setup went perfectly. I used three jacks on the low side to level, then used the 3 jacks on the high side to stabilize. On one site I needed to life about 3 inches to level, and the weight was nearly off the wheels, so I jacked slightly higher and put a 1x6 board under the wheels and lowered back down. I am confident that with care, and proper placement, the scissor jacks can be used for lifting.
I would not lift again like the testing phase, I know the trailer is not designed to be lifted from one rear corner and supported only by a stand on the front corner and the opposing wheels, but it did just fine during the test.
During testing I have gone to the extreme and used (1) jack on the back corner to lift the wheels right off the ground. I first used blocking on the front corner and took the weight off the tonque jack to prevent damage to that jack. Then I used a cheater bar and cranked that one scissor up until the wheels had enough space below them to slide a 2x6 board under. The trailer wasn't even visibly twisted. Both doors opened and closed without an issue, the only visible sign inside the trailer was the bathroom door did not latch closed unless I pulled upwards on it slightly.
Keeping in mind that I'm just testing, I used all six scissor jacks together and picked the entire trailer up off the wheels and tongue jack without a problem. It is perfectly straight and level without bending.
My first two trips out camping with the new setup went perfectly. I used three jacks on the low side to level, then used the 3 jacks on the high side to stabilize. On one site I needed to life about 3 inches to level, and the weight was nearly off the wheels, so I jacked slightly higher and put a 1x6 board under the wheels and lowered back down. I am confident that with care, and proper placement, the scissor jacks can be used for lifting.
I would not lift again like the testing phase, I know the trailer is not designed to be lifted from one rear corner and supported only by a stand on the front corner and the opposing wheels, but it did just fine during the test.
