5th wheel front tripod

[TravelinDog]

We're currently staying at an rv park and while walking around I notice out of 100+ 5ers 2 have what looks like a support tripod under the kingpin.
What is the purpose of it when you already have 4 or 6 jacks plus the tires on the ground?

[QCMan]

They help to keep you from whacking into the pin. They are also good at separating you and some cash.

[jjj]

They do take the wiggle out of the front of the trailer. I now use the JT stabilizers on the landing gear now. They are much easier to use. I did have a 30 ft. Fiver and had the landing gear switch get stuck and I had the 2 leg pin stabilizer and by the time I noticed the switch was stuck the landing gear was 8 inches off the ground. It held the front of that trailer up until I got the feet back on the ground and they were not even bent.

[ford_truck_guy]

blawless wrote:
I noticed no one has mentioned the safety factor. Besides being an additional motion support it also acts as a safety support if in the unlikely event the front jacks give way for any reason. (ie) soft ground, wash out, lock pin failure, vandalism etc...

nope......

MOST fifth wheels RV's would crush those tripods like tooth picks if all the weight was placed on them in the event of a jack failure.... Maybe NOT ALL, but most...

[blawless]

I noticed no one has mentioned the safety factor. Besides being an additional motion support it also acts as a safety support if in the unlikely event the front jacks give way for any reason. (ie) soft ground, wash out, lock pin failure, vandalism etc...

[JRscooby]

time2roll wrote:
There was a time when I thought this was important. Eventually my sea legs got adjusted to the movement and I don't care. I often skip the scissor jacks in the rear too. The tripod is long gone.

Dad would be set up for weeks. Family show up to visit, he would crank down the stabilizers. I asked him about it. "If I'm the only 1 moving, I don't notice movement."

[larry_barnhart]

You didn't want the tripod I tried to give you so after your comment was put it out front and have a FREE sign it was gone the 2nd night.

chevman retired from Rving again

[Cummins12V98]

Best is what someone has a pin box like this with a front pin stabilizer.

One came with our CarriLite, gave it away.

[time2roll]

There was a time when I thought this was important. Eventually my sea legs got adjusted to the movement and I don't care. I often skip the scissor jacks in the rear too. The tripod is long gone.

[JIMNLIN]

What is the purpose of it when you already have 4 or 6 jacks plus the tires on the ground?

Jacks and tires won't make a stable trailer for folks like my self that may have a medical problem (motion sickness).
Don't confuse jacks with stabilizers.

Jacks can only lift so they may not stop side to side/fore and aft movement on some trailers.
Same for tires in a rv trailer.

The tri pod....or bi pod as I have, can only stop side to side movement at the front of the trailer.

Why did those two use a tri pod ??? We can only guess.....but I assume they work for them.

[ford_truck_guy]

They are great to support a flag pole under.. Thats it

[Martyn]

TravelinDog wrote:
We're currently staying at an rv park and while walking around I notice out of 100+ 5ers 2 have what looks like a support tripod under the kingpin.
What is the purpose of it when you already have 4 or 6 jacks plus the tires on the ground?

None whatsoever. 🙂

[Allworth]

As long as my wife thinks it makes the rig more stable, it will be installed for any stay of more than one night.

Why not??

[ksbowman]

I had one given to me and I couldn't tell any difference with or without. It was just one more thing to do when setting up and breaking camp.

[fj12ryder]

I've tried one, and gave it away. Waste of money, did little, to no, good and a real pain to haul around. If you need a solid trailer, support the trailer with the wheels off the ground, or invest in JT Strongarms.

[way2roll]

Our FW is rock solid and no bounce, if yours is like that then it's a waste of money, but if you need it, they work.