Need more stability

[Indianrock]

We're in a Dutchmen 30 ft Fifth Wheel for several more months while our house is being built. I've done what I can with the stabilizers at the two rear corners and added jacks under the main slideout, but there is still a bit more movement when we move around than I'd like.
I've considered the king pin tripod stabilizers but might test with a 4x4 wood post first to see if it really helps. The four tires are probably not at specification on tire pressure by this time, but don't look especially low.
Hard to know if more or less tire pressure actually affects stability, but then there is the effect on the tire of being under load but at lower pressure ( this RV doesn't move much, will be in this park, then our our lot for a few months, then sold ).

[jevanb]

nirion wrote:


Do you have any details on how you made them/what you used?

Thanks

go to any home store (lowes.ect...) and buy some galv tubing 1 inch and 3/4 or what ever will slide in. find someplace that sells heim joints/rod ends. then get some nuts and weld them on the end and on the outer tube, get a bolt and weld another bolt for the t to snug it up, then find some u channel and bolt it to the trailer, I used a 2x2 steel tubing to secure to the legs with a arm welding on to attach the arms.. I can take closer pictures and email them if you would like just pm me your email address

[nirion]

jevanb wrote:
I built my own JT strong arms, cost about 13 dollars total and boy are they nice, No more movement and I also use a king pin stab now I need to fab up some stabilizers for the rears

Do you have any details on how you made them/what you used?

Thanks

[Indianrock]

Thanks for all of the ideas. Since this RV will be sold after our house is finished around November, I'm not going to invest a lot in it. I moved the "slide out" screw jacks over under the frame just in front of the wheels and it seems to help. The consensus seems to be that putting stabilizers under slide-outs is risky.

[Shepherd]

If you have the time and energy raise up the rig to eliminate the suspension.:C

[Jettech109]

Just went out with 32 Larado 5er for the first time since I installed JT strong arms. Like mentioned earlier. Rock solid. I also have the X chocks that help but use them more as regular chocks for all surfaces and grades. Camper used to move when 45# dog jumped off couch. Now barely notice 300# father moving around.

[NMace]

As said JT Strongarms and the X- Chokes worked for us. But for long term, I think you could get a better solution with cinder blocks shimmed to the right height, for and aft.

[JIMNLIN]

thanks. What did you do for skirting? We might get some days in the high teens or low 20s here in Bellingham, WA this winter and the house probably won't be ready for us to move in until December.
Since this rig is going to be sold after that I don't want to invest in those snap on skirts, etc.

I used the regular mobilehome vinyl skirting. We get temps sometimes well below zero and strong winds here so the skirting was well worth the money.

[Indianrock]

Very nice, except I'm a database administrator. Afraid I don't have those skills. 🙂

jevanb wrote:
I built my own JT strong arms, cost about 13 dollars total and boy are they nice, No more movement and I also use a king pin stab now I need to fab up some stabilizers for the rears

[Indianrock]

thanks. What did you do for skirting? We might get some days in the high teens or low 20s here in Bellingham, WA this winter and the house probably won't be ready for us to move in until December.
Since this rig is going to be sold after that I don't want to invest in those snap on skirts, etc.

JIMNLIN wrote:
We lived in our 32' 5th wheel with a 13' slide for one winter while our house was built.

I cut up several RR ties into 3' long pieces along with concrete blocks at the four corners for a rock solid unit. I also used mobile home skirting to help keep the cold out.

I would never use a jack under a slide out. In fact my current 5er mfg says not too.

Screw jacks/scissor jacks did nothing for eliminating side to side movement. The best they did was eliminating tire/suspension bounce.

If your not going to set up permanently (blocked unit) then IMO a system like the JTs works best.

[jevanb]

I built my own JT strong arms, cost about 13 dollars total and boy are they nice, No more movement and I also use a king pin stab now I need to fab up some stabilizers for the rears

[JIMNLIN]

We lived in our 32' 5th wheel with a 13' slide for one winter while our house was built.

I cut up several RR ties into 3' long pieces along with concrete blocks at the four corners for a rock solid unit. I also used mobile home skirting to help keep the cold out.

I would never use a jack under a slide out. In fact my current 5er mfg says not too.

Screw jacks/scissor jacks did nothing for eliminating side to side movement. The best they did was eliminating tire/suspension bounce.

If your not going to set up permanently (blocked unit) then IMO a system like the JTs works best.

[Dutch___Di]

Permanently installed stabilizers took care of 95% of our movement 8 years ago. Being a fulltimer and in my "home" all the time, for us it was the only way to go. Dutch just hated to put up and take down our Bi Pod and find a place to store it so this works for us.
I agree that slide out supports just aren't the way to go but only you can make that decision. Hugs, Di

[TXiceman]

Generally the smaller and lighter weight of the 5er, the more it will bounce. If you want zero wiggle, use the cement blocks and shims every 4 feet and remove the wheels.

Ken

[Allworth]

Set it up like a mobile home. Concrete blocks and wood shims every 4 feet under the frame and take the weight off of the wheels.