Installing Stabilizer Jacks on Holiday Rambler Class A?

[Brad_Felmey]

Greetings, group.

I would like to solicit input on mounting locations for scissor-style stabilizer jacks.

I have a 1998 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 32' built on a 1997 Ford F-53 chassis (460 gas). For visual reference:



It does not have the optional stabilizer or load leveler systems. I'm looking to install some good-quality scissor jacks like these:



The frame rails on this unit seem to my eye to be fairly narrow for the purpose, but by the same token I don't really see any structure outboard of the frame rails that seem sturdy enough to provide a good mounting location for these jacks.

I have Googled trying to find a picture of a motorhome like mine with the jacks so I could maybe see where the factory put them, but I haven't had success. Perhaps somewhere in the 3,000,000 results are what I'm looking for. 😕

Would anyone be willing to offer input?

Moderator edit to re-size picture to forum recommended limit of 640px maximum width.

[Dusty_R]

I have a beam with jacks built into the ends of it. I mounts on the bottom and across the mh's frame.
I put it on an '88 class C, and removed it in '02 to put on our new '02-'03 Itasca Class C. But the new Ford chasie was different and I never put it on.
I would part with it.

Dusty

[Retired_JSO]

Those jacks will work fine for stabilizing the coach. They are not meant to support the weight needed to level. You could bolt them to the frame or drill screw them on. I had scissors jacks on our old class c years ago and they did fine stopping the shake from walking.

[hasheel]

I did this on my 2007 31 ft class c. I used titanium drill bits from Harbour Freight. They do stabilize. I use a drill to lower and raise them. They need to be lubed regularly.

[BarneyS]

All the motorhome owners that I know either have hydraulic levelers or they uae boards under front wheels for fore/aft leveling and also under the side tires for left/right leveling.
Although the pictured jacks may advertise and even be able to support the weights you posted, you would not be abe to turn the crank hard enough to lift the weight of tha motorhome.

I have never seen a motorhome use the stabilizers you have pictured. They are very common on trailers however for stabilazition only - not leveling. Trailer owners use some type of support to drive up on to level - boards or other devives made for that purpose. Then they crank down the stabilizers to keep the trailer from bouncing around too much. There sre some electric and hydraulic leveling systems made that can be used on trailers . I guess it would not hurt to try them and see what happens , but only for stabilization. If you do it, please report back here how it went.

Keep in mind that it is a vehicle with tires and springs and , unless you support it completely off the ground, there will be some type of movement when someonr walks around in it,
Barney

[Brad_Felmey]

BarneyS wrote:
Hi Brad and welcome to the forums! 🙂

I suspect that the reason you have not had much success finding information about anybody doing that is that, as far as I know, it has not been done. Those jacks are not made for that kind of weight.
Even if they were, it would be almost impossible to crank them hard enough to stabilize a motorhome, and for sure you could not use them as leveling devices.
Barney

Thanks for the feedback. The jacks I'm looking at have a 7,500 lb. rating, and the motor home is 14,000 GVWR. My simple math led me to expect that each jack would need to support no more than 3,500 lb. even if the motor home were off the ground.

With all of that said, my experience in this area is non-existent, so it's possible I'm not thinking of something, or thinking about it incorrectly. (?)

What is the normal option that RV'ers use for this if not the scissor jacks?

[BarneyS]

Hi Brad and welcome to the forums! 🙂

I suspect that the reason you have not had much success finding information about anybody doing that is that, as far as I know, it has not been done. Those jacks are not made for that kind of weight.
Even if they were, it would be almost impossible to crank them hard enough to stabilize a motorhome, and for sure you could not use them as leveling devices.
Barney