I want to stop the rocking around on my 30ft Cougar and the two products I can find to help eliminate that are X-chocks and jacks stabilizer cross bars. I know both help, but which one helps the most? Has anyone tried both and can give a good comparison? Take a look at these two products I was looking to purchase:X-chockJack StabilizerThanks,Nathan

We have a pair of Fastway's chocks. I recommend them from an easy-way-out point of view.http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/onestep/

Just an hour ago I finished installing a pair of scissor jacks on the front of my TT.It only came with them on the rear and the trailer rocked quite a bit. I tested them out by trying to rock the trailer from the inside and it is very stable. The jacks made a world of difference.

I haven't seen the Fastway chocks. I'll take a look.I also already have four scissor jacks on my trailer. Still looking for an improvement though. P

i can say that the X-chocks have made a big difference in the amount of movement my trailer has when parked. i have not tried the jack stabilizers yet but i think a combination of both would virtually eliminate all movement.i do plan to install the jack stabilizers in the future, but for now the X-chocks do work great.

Nfrank wrote:I want to stop the rocking around on my 30ft Cougar and the two products I can find to help eliminate that are X-chocks and jacks stabilizer cross bars. I know both help, but which one helps the most? Has anyone tried both and can give a good comparison? Take a look at these two products I was looking to purchase:X-chockJack StabilizerThanks,NathanNot just you, but I get a kick out of each of these stability threads and all what at best I call BANDAID fixes to fix a poorly designed and executed system in the first place which is there for the glitz and WOW factor than from a sound engineering execution. Most of these BANDAIDS require you to put more "STUFF" under the trailer exposed to road grim, harsh environmental elements such as water, dirt, etc. and require periodic maintenance (lubrication, painting, etc.) which in an of it's self is counter intutitive ... the less you put in that environment the better off you are and then they try and add exposed electrical stuff there like the power assisted stability jacks:R Of course we also have the not so seldom issue where someone has bottomed out the rear of their TT and bent up those expensive "stabilizer jacks" and now have a whole other issue to deal with.The trailer movement when parked comes from two main sources, the tire and suspension flex, and the inherent frame flex over the longer spans in bigger trailers. Two secondary sources are axle movement mainly from spring type suspensions and the inherent "SLOP" in the stabilizer jacks because of the multiple joints and moving parts. To solve or address these two MAIN sources one needs to remove or mitigate the former and reduce the latter. Things like chocks etc. at the wheels and these stabilizer bars only address the less important IMO SECONDARY sources and do little to FIX the main sources of movement. Lets stop and look at why this common problem in TTs/5ers is not an issue with MHs especially Class As. The two distinct differences are these MH type RVs are supported with their suspensions at the corners and have much robust frames designed for less flex over the span of their WBs. Also, they generally employ not the typically sloppy expanding stabilizer jacks like we have in most TTs that are placed far away from the suspension elements, but use bottle type jacks capable of actually supporting and hence also leveling the RV at the same locations as the suspension points. Thus these type RVs don't suffer the "ROCK-N-ROLL" syndrome we have in the TT world.Back to our TT ... A lot of success is noticed when folks put an extra pair of jacks closer to the axles since now they are attempting to address better the suspension/tire component of trailer movement and the more they can crank up these jacks near the suspension area the better stability they see. However, we have then added two more "THINGS" under the trailer to worry about from a maintenance point exposed to that less than optimum environment when not in use unless you don't attach them to the trailer permanently. What I believe are only marginal improvements can be gained with things trying to stabilize the wheels with chocks/supports or adding supports to the stabilizer jacks and the level of success IMO is more on how much one spends on these bandaids and the placebo effect based more on the amount of $$ spent that have to improve the situation over any actual improvement.I do have a solution, but it's not that popular and in general is met with a lot of resistance since as a first step it requires one to accept that what they have now is basically a piece of "JUNK" and is better served in the recycle bin than on their trailer for the most part. My solution reduces by 1/2 the "STUFF" hung under the trailer and requires two additions, one of which is a good idea in general anyway and serves extra purposes which is generally the main reason folks have it anyway. A HUGE benefit of what I'm suggesting is the worst you can spend and fail is around $50 and that $50 isn't totally wasted since it can be used for other things. The most expensive thing needed is to upgrade if you haven't already to an electric tongue jack. The second purchase is to buy a decent set of the aluminum "OLD SCHOOL" screw type jack stands like the ones shown below:One caveat to what I recommend below is that unless you have a really long (30' and over) trailer with a normally occupied area in the rear you may or may not be able to remove the existing rear stabilizer jacks, but testing and experimenting will tell you if that is the case. In our case the bedroom is at the rear and it's just the two of us and while you can definitely get the "ROCK-N-ROLL" from excessive movement back there it's just the two of us and we just don't do our "morning jumping jacks" in the bedroom so the movement that we get from how we use our trailer is acceptable w/o needing any stabilizer jacks at the rear of the trailer. HERE is my system and you can test this one out for just the price of the 4 screw stabilizer jacks and leave what you have on there until you test out my system and see if what I'm advocating works for you. I'm not going to get into the back and forth about how convenient the existing system is over having to actually bend down and put something under the frame like these new jacks ... never mind all the posts about having to put blocks of wood under the existing jacks to limit their extension, or dropping, attaching or adjusting these add on stabilizer bars that you might consider adding anyway. All things considered, I think my system is in the end simplier, easier and with out a doubt about the best you can do unless you are willing to use 4 like 10T "BOTTLE" hydraulic jacks instead of the screw type jack stands.The whole "SECRET" here is in the where and how you put and set these 4 jack stands. You might have to do a little experimenting based on the specifics of your trailer and it's living layout and who uses it. The first secret is to get the support much closer to the suspension points and I have found based on our 31'+ TT that about 4 to 6 ft in front and to the rear of each axle is a good target area. The second just as important step is in how you set these jack stands up. This is where that electric tongue jack is a life saver. You need to start with the trailer about 1" down by the tongue and put the rear jack stand in and "SNUG THEM UP" hand tight. Then you raise the tongue of the trailer about 2" "TONGUE HIGH" and put in the front jack stands and again "SNUG THEM UP" hand tight. Then you lower the tongue till all weight is off and then raise it again to just get a good pressure on it. Some will caution about "tweaking" the frame when putting pressure on these jack stands, but IMO that just is not an issue since we are only now talking about most support being across a span of between 8 and 12 ft and to the close to 30' if trying to support the entire span of the trailer on the existing stabilizer jacks. Also, you're not "LIFTING" the wheels off the ground you just need to get a real good upward force on the frame at those points. I actually measured the force when I dialed in my new system with my Sherline tongue scale and had around 400lbs of force on each jackstand. Now if once you find the best new locations for these jackstands you can remove and discard the old front jacks and depending on how well the overall stability is from movement in the rear of the trailer you might be able to also remove those rear stab jacks or if needed deploy them to just take out the "FRAME FLEX" component from that 10' or so span between your new rear jack stands and the actual rear of the trailer. As a consideration you might even store the removed jacks and put them back on when you get rid of the trailer so the next clueless owner won't feel he's not getting what is generally installed on trailers now days.Worst case is you hate my idea and now have spend $50 on 4 jack stands that you can probably find a use for or sell.Larry

X-chock vs. Jack Stabilizers | Good Sam Community

oxygen
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
Would someone explain the difference between the stab jack and a scissor jack? Cannot picture the difference. Also how does someone attach the sissor jack when the belly of tt is closed off?
RnTBnB
Explorer
Feb 17, 2014
Before you spend a lot of money on stabilizers, you might consider the "Universal RV Stabilizers" at Camping World for about $45. I just bought two of them (one for crossways and one for lengthwise) and I am very impressed! I would say that they took out about 99% of the wobble we used to have in the rear of our 5er.
wmoses
Explorer
Feb 17, 2014
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Now I'm picturing it bending and twisting going down the highway - LOL!

Actually all trailers / vehicles do that to varying degrees.
far733
Explorer
Feb 17, 2014
I have a 30 foot TT with quad bunks in the rear. I use the X-Chocks between both sets of wheels with all 4 scissor jacks extended and I still get movement inside my TT.
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Feb 03, 2014
Ahhhh, well, that clarifies things more. :)

I have never owned a 30 plus feet TT so I can only offer what worked well for me on my 27 foot TT.

So I guess if I move up to a 32 to 34' trailer, I had best remember what you are going through with yours!

I would have thought that the frame would be sturdier on a bigger trailer, thus making it more stable, but perhaps not. I actually didn't think it could move in the middle with the corners supported, but my opinion on that one is conjecture, not experience!

Now I'm picturing it bending and twisting going down the highway - LOL!
LarryJM
Explorer II
Feb 02, 2014
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Why complicate things?

I put a pair of scissor jacks on the front where none existed and my 27 foot TT is solid as can be.
No give, no sway, no bounce, no rocking, no movement at all.
I don't do anything with the wheels or the frame nearby. Don't need to.
Heck,I am set up right now on a fairly level concrete surface and my TT is not flexing in any way. No bounce from the frame flexing. It doesn't flex when supported on 4 corners. My TT is rock solid with a scissor jack on each corner.

I put my front jacks 2 feet back from the front of my T frame. grabbed the number out of the air. Ahhhhh - ?? 2 feet that oughta be fine, and it is.

End of movement problem. It moved a lot when I had only rear jacks. After I put the front jacks on a few days ago, all that changed.

Simple solution, a used pair of jacks off Craigslist.

After reading your post what jumped out at me was the length of your TT and when I re read my first post I realized I had left out one VERY IMPORTANT point and that was I failed to mention that while supporting a TT at the corners is still the least effective place the length of the actual trailer seems to also be a HUGE FACTOR here. Like you my last trailer was 26' and I could get the same results with supporting it at the ends with my screw type jack stands as I now have with the modified locations on my 32' TT. Initially, when I tried to use my old screw type jack stands at the approx locations as the existing scissor jacks on my new 32' TT I could not achieve the same stability as I previously got on my 26' TT at the same approx. locations. Based on past threads on this issue it seems this issue of excessive ROCK-N-ROLL is more of an issue on TT's in the 30' and longer lengths. You wouldn't think 3 to 5' would be the tipping off difference, but it seems that is the case and this is just based on ancedotal information from threads here on this issue and is really noticable in TTs in the 32 to 35' range. I apologize for not qualifying my posts with that IMPORTANT INFORMATION and hope I didn't mislead anyone.

Thus I have to caveat all my posts here to say for TT's in say 25 to 27' and under you might get acceptable results with these scissor type jacks even at the corners of a TT ... I just don't have any practical experience in that area since I have never used the scissor type jacks on that sized trailer. In any event moving the support locations closer to the axles will IMO give better stability results regardless of the type of support used ... of course too close could have the opposite effect too since it's all about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION :B

Larry
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Feb 02, 2014
Why complicate things?

I put a pair of scissor jacks on the front where none existed and my 27 foot TT is solid as can be.
No give, no sway, no bounce, no rocking, no movement at all.
I don't do anything with the wheels or the frame nearby. Don't need to.
Heck,I am set up right now on a fairly level concrete surface and my TT is not flexing in any way. No bounce from the frame flexing. It doesn't flex when supported on 4 corners. My TT is rock solid with a scissor jack on each corner.

I put my front jacks 2 feet back from the front of my T frame. grabbed the number out of the air. Ahhhhh - ?? 2 feet that oughta be fine, and it is.

End of movement problem. It moved a lot when I had only rear jacks. After I put the front jacks on a few days ago, all that changed.

Simple solution, a used pair of jacks off Craigslist.
Nvr2loud
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2014
I made a wheel lock myself that acts like the xChock only mine clamps a little tighter....

1) I have noticed no difference in trailer movement with it installed

2) I use it to prevent the trailer from rolling since the kids can not mess with it, they would need a wrench to remove it and stronger muscles then they currently possess. I have found the wheel chocks all over our campsite on more then one occasion, so I fabricated the wheel lock for some piece of mind
poultney
Explorer
Feb 01, 2014
I put an xtra set of scissor jacks near the centre of our 30 ft puma one to left of the door the other under slideout works great i just have to remember to put the one under the slide down before putting slide out or crawl underneath after not a problem though total of 6 scissor jacks
LarryJM
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2014
gregrc75 wrote:
Larry-
I usually use x-chocks, stabilizers, and a pair of jack stands in the middle of my travel trailer when set up. I still experience a decent amount of movement with these in place. I have been reading this thread since it started a few days ago. So, curiosity got to me this afternoon. Since the snow had melted and it was a warm 40 degrees, I pulled out my jack stands and tried the method you described. I have to say, just with those 4 jack stands in place, it is way more solid than any other time I have set it up. I See what you are saying that a rear living room floor plan may have a bit more wiggle so I am thinking of using that Valterra stabilizer across the back bumper to help eliminate the back end bounce/wobble. Using that, and installing my x chocks, I think I will be very pleased. Thanks for you suggestion.

You are very welcome and glad to help and again I doubt anything except the "mobile home cinder block system" is going to be 100% effective, 100% of the time. However, having used this portable screw jack stand system for over 20 years and been completely happy I was appalled at what was included on our current 2007 Trailer and fortunately I had kept the old stands from 1981 which I'm still using to this day. It's being able to help folks like you that are adventurous to step out of the box that makes me endure some of the skepticism sometimes when I suggest these NON STANDARD things. I can't comment on all these wheel chock devices since I'm a plastic ramp sort of person and just like to keep it as simple as possible for the most part. I completely removed all my OEM stab jacks (BTW I then shaved over 50lbs from my TT weight in the process) so I don't even have one at the very end of the trailer, but that works for us and as I said being able to do w/o that set at the very end is going I think be very dependent on the exact TT, floorplan and how you use it. A lot of TT's have a bunkhouse back there and if you have little ones I can see where you're going to need that extra support.

One other suggestion is you might need some experimenting in finding the best placement and especially using that set of jacks at the end and how you tension them using the tongue jack. IMO you're never going to get enough support with these screw type scissors jacks by just using the screw part, but to be honest I haven't needed to experiment much with that issue. A real bonus is that I found the front jack stand placement just happened to be close to the door so the movement from going in and out was virtually eliminated when I put my jackstand in that general area around the door opening.

Again it is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that you get sufficient weight transferred to those jackstands and the only way I know is to use the tongue jack with the tongue up tongue down routine ... trying it with just the screw isn't going to cut it.

I'm a die hard believer in trying to keep things simple under the trailer from a maintenance point since I had our last trailer for over 20 years and know what time and long term exposure to that harsh environment will do to things. I try my best to make sure anything under the trailer if possible uses things like SS, aluminum, brass, rubber, nylon bolts/nuts, etc. so things like rust and corrosion is minimized. One of the first things I did was to replace all the sheet metal screws that held up my coroplast underbelly to the frame rails with nylon bolts and washers so I had a hope of removing them at sometime in the future if that was every necessary.

Larry

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