I am thinking of adding the option of power stabilizing jacks to our trailer we are ordering. I like the idea of simply pressing a button to lower and raise them.Any thoughts, pros or cons, on them???

I like to take an additional 1/2 turn on the stabilizers after lowering them. I wonder how the power feature would handle that?

TheGreatWaz00 wrote:I am thinking of adding the option of power stabilizing jacks to our trailer we are ordering. I like the idea of simply pressing a button to lower and raise them.Any thoughts, pros or cons, on them???If I was buying a new unit I would definitely get that option especially if it also levels the unit. It is a real time saver both insetting up and getting ready for the road.

IMO, just another thing to go wrong. I like my 18v Dewalt drill to power the stabilizers.

Don't expect them to actually "stabilize". You may end up experiencing what is often called "bounce", "shimmy" or simply "movement" when set up at a site. Bounce does not bother some and some don't like it at all. The degree of bounce will depend on a few factors like the TT GVW, it's length and strength of the frame. Lippert elec. stab. jack (the most common out there) has significant inherent flex in it's various components and it's just the way they are.You may very well find yourself wanting to add stabilizing braces like the Bal Lock Arm in the photo. (There are a few other manufacturers of a similar product) A screw or bottle jack at each of the 4 corners of the TT plus ahead of the wheels may be desirable also and will minimize the vertical component of movememnt. X-chocks work very well in minimizing fore/aft movement as opposed to ones under the tires.While not very exotic or sexy looking, the basic scissor jacks work very well in conjunction with Bal Lock Arm (or other) cross bracing.The electric stab. jacks are not intended for levelling a TT. You should level it first before extending the legs down.We still like our elec. stab. jacks though and wouldn't be without them. I have one set of the BAL braces to install at the rear of the TT once the weather improves enough.

Do yourself a favor and skip that option.I absolutely hate them. The traditional manual jacks do a far better job, are quicker if you use a drill, and like mentioned are one less thing to go wrong. when mine break there is no way I will replace them. Back to manual

Power stabilizing jacks | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

Huntindog
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
Marauderer wrote:
Wow, this thread shows that this is a real polarized issue. I will have to look at it a lot closer when I get ready for a newer unit.
Happens lot around here. When slides were fairly new in TTs, there was a lot of back and forth on them.
Then Power awnings took center stage.

Now it is power jacks.

As time goes on, people get used to the new conveinences and improvements happen to them, and most people end up liking them.. Of course there will always be a few that never will.
brulaz
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
GaryWT wrote:
Thought I wanted power jacks, sounded good. Got them and did not like them. They were low to the ground and the manual only works when there is no power. If there is an issue with the motor then it might not work. We had a motor rip off once which was not good. They are designed to stop as soon as the touch ground so there is still wiggle room so to say. New trailer has manual jacks that the wife does. We like them much better.

Those would not be the Lippert jacks.

There are different manufacturers.
GaryWT
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
Thought I wanted power jacks, sounded good. Got them and did not like them. They were low to the ground and the manual only works when there is no power. If there is an issue with the motor then it might not work. We had a motor rip off once which was not good. They are designed to stop as soon as the touch ground so there is still wiggle room so to say. New trailer has manual jacks that the wife does. We like them much better.
APT
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
5 seasons of love for my electric stab jacks. If/when they fail, I can still use a drill but only 2x instead of 4x for standard jacks. $175 well spent.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Feb 16, 2015
My 1993 20 foot TT that I purchased used 3 years ago did not even come with stabilizer jacks. I just use screw jacks I got out of the trunk of old cars at a junkyard. I have 4 but, I usually only put 2 under the frame in the back.
brulaz
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
I have the Lippert electric jacks, and they're working ok now.

But when I first got them, water got in the motors and froze up.
Others had problems with water and corrosion causing the motor to die.
Since then I've started using lots of dielectric grease around the edge and inside of the rubber covers. That has helped.

Another issue is that when the trailer is close to the ground and the arms cannot extend very far, they don't have much strength. It's easy to bend them, at least it was for me. Since then I've strengthened them and no more problems there. How to strengthen arms

I do think the regular scissors jacks are a bit more stable. But these are really easy, especially with a remote controller for the motors. Even if you do it manually, there's only two screw gears to turn. And like Hunting Dog says, they do adjust well to uneven terrain.

Guess I'm just lazy, as I do like them. :)
Marauderer
Explorer
Feb 16, 2015
Wow, this thread shows that this is a real polarized issue. I will have to look at it a lot closer when I get ready for a newer unit.
handye9
Explorer II
Feb 15, 2015
Another vote for non-electric.

I have the electric and if they break, I too, will replace them with manual jacks.
alenk
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
I have the electric stabilizer jacks and love them, even though the rear ones quit working. The crank moves them faster than the old manual jacks, anyway. To keep the small amount of movement from happening, I use a thick piece of rubber floor mat under each pad (between the pad and the plastic blocks) and it keeps the little bit of movement from happening. I also have a small bottle screw jack that goes between the wheels, under the spring, and that keeps the swinging/sway of the center frame under control.
Wish I knew how to fix my rear stabilizers. I've checked the wiring, and the fuse. and the switch. Everything seems to be alright, but no worky...
Al
Huntindog
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
I love mine. They have a feature that the manual jacks do not. You can NOT rack the frame by uneven pressure like the manuals. They maintain equal pressure automatically.

This can be really nice if you boondock off of pavement concrete etc.

With my old manuals I would get it all set up to where it was solid and none of my doors were sticking, and a few days later the TT would have settled unevenly. The doors would start sticking meaning the frame was racked. I would have to reset it up again.. If it should rain, it was worse.

Now with the elec. jacks, the TT still settles, but evenly. A quick touch on the buttons tightens it right up.