tongue jack slipped

Npdchief07 wrote:
We were setting up our camper and like I always do I set the tongue jack down on several blocks (the ones you can use of leveling or placing under the stabilizing jacks). I noticed immediately it was slipping. I didn't know what to do. I yelled for my daughter to hand me some more blocks and I set them right next to the blocks i already had. It eventually stopped and was resting on both sets of blocks. I raised it again and rehooked to my truck. I was able to set it down again without incident.

Any reason why this would happen and how can i prevent it?

It's easier to chock the wheels before you mess with the jack.

Not a good idea to xchock wheels and then lift and lower tongue.

X chocks. First thing on, last thing off. Safety chains stay on till trailer is
completely stable.

Ouch! Glad nothing got hurt. That could have been devastating in many more ways than one.

That must have made for an exciting time. Was the jack slipping straight forward or back, or was it pivoting to the side? If straight forward or back it was probably the rear chocks slipping on the ground. If pivoting to one side did you have blocks both front and rear on the tires? That might help stop a pivot as one side has to move forward as the other side is moving back.

As far as preventing I do two things.

• Make sure the blocks are well seated before unhooking
• Never unhook the safety chains until the trailer is unhitched and verified stable

To seat the blocks I use a helper. Have them place a block behind the wheels on both sides of the trailer. Then have them stand back while I back the trailer slightly up onto the rear blocks I use wooden blocks and back up pretty aggressively, with plastic blocks you have to be more gentle so they don't crush. Once on the blocks I mash the brakes and have the helper place blocks in front of the tires on each side and kick them up tight against the tread. After the helper steps back out of the way I put the truck in neutral and let is roll off the rear blocks and into the front blocks so the tire is cradled firmly in a V. This both anchors the blocks fairly securely, and it also reduces movement in the trailer when people are moving around.

If I'm using plastic leveling blocks under the tires I always use my homemade tire clamp to lock the wheels on that side of the trailer. I still use the blocks on that side as well, but I don't really trust them as chocks tend to slip on the plastic blocks.

That’s one reason I carry a heavy duty bottle jack and lots of wood blocks.

I guess I'm confused as what was slipping. If the jack was staying down and the rig was moving it a wheel chock problem as the previous poster stated. We also chock both sides of the TT EVERY TIME even tho it may not be needed on level gravel or grass sites.
If the jack itself was slipping, which meant the front of the TT was getting lower, that is a jack issue.
The first problem is easy to solve. There are many types of wheel chocks . You could search this Forum or the Camping World catalog for ideas.

Make sure you have the tires well stabilized. Been there and done that. Hit my carport beam and put a fancy twist in the top of the ladder.

Mike

I did have the wheels chocked on both sides. I have since by X-chocks to use