are scissor-type stability jacks worth it?

[deprived]

We have a 2007 Fleetwood Jamboree 26J. The front and rear have been upgraded with Koni FSD shocks and Hellwig sway bars.

We also have a set of two fairly standard scissor-type stability jacks to help keep the rig steady when we are parked. Are they really worth it?

The E450 frame is so deep under the motorhome that positioning and leveling the jacks pretty much requires I crawl under the vehicle. If the ground is bone-dry, fine. But otherwise I really find myself questioning the value of carrying these with us. They take up a fair bit of room in the storage box and the are a massive pain to place and install, plus they're heavy - which is a big deal in a class C with limited CCC.

Do other class-C E450 users find these jacks useful or not?

I'm thinking about ditching the scissor jacks in favor of one or two 2-stage bottle jacks. At least I can use a bottle-jack to change a tire if I have to.

Opinions are freely solicited.

THANKS!!!!

EDITED ofr bad typing

[mlts22]

Just my two centavos:

If getting a jack system, might as well go with the above mentioned HWH jacks. Yes, $3000 may not be cheap, but all you have to do is push a button or twiddle a joystick, and not have to get out in the mud.

Of course, the above impact drill + extension makes the job go quick for stabilizers (I do that with my current trailer), but being able to get a rig level with a press of a button (not just stable) is quite nice to have.

[OFDPOS]

Kit Carson wrote:
I installed the scissor type jacks on the rear of my Class C. Yes, the frame rails are quite far apart. I purchased a piece of rectangular metal and had it welded across the rails. By doing this I was able to mount the jacks closer to the side of the motorhome. The piece of metal looks like a 1X4. Works for me.

Looked at our set up to mount the scissor jacks to the rear frame rails and the idiot engineers who designed the MH put the grey line to the grey tank perfectly centered right under the frame rail going back to the tank. :M
on the drivers side.
I thought about your idea but the line is right smack in the middle.
So I mounted one on the pass side and then take the other and put on the left edge of the trailer hitch.

Use my Dewalt impact drill with a long extension for the one tucked underneath, works great to stabilize .

[Jim_Shoe]

I had HWH kick down jacks installed on my 'C'. They extend in pairs so as not to twist the frame. I just push the button on the dash that's lit up until it goes out. Then the next button and so forth. When all the lights are out, I'm level and stable. Not cheap, but worth every penny when its raining outside.

[Holiday27]

Ours are electric and take 1-2 minutes to lower once we have landed. They make a huge difference with keeping the RV stable. We have 2 kids though and they are constantly moving around. For us its a must have. We also have a 2014 front end and heavy duty sway bars front and rear. Those really have no affect when our monsters are moving around the RV. I would recommend the electric or the type you can quickly lower with an electric drill.
Good Luck!

[Robocop]

I would never suggest you should not. However, I have never found the need for them or any other stabilizer for that matter. Once in a blue moon I use the lightweight universal aluminum folding stabilizer on the rear frame.

[pauldub]

I use a couple of repurposed OEM car jacks that crank up using a rather long crank handle. With the crank handle I can get them under without having to crawl under. I only use them when we're going to be in one place for some time (more than two weeks). I only use these for stabilizing, not leveling.

[Kit_Carson]

I installed the scissor type jacks on the rear of my Class C. Yes, the frame rails are quite far apart. I purchased a piece of rectangular metal and had it welded across the rails. By doing this I was able to mount the jacks closer to the side of the motorhome. The piece of metal looks like a 1X4. Works for me.

[deprived]

ron.dittmer wrote:
You have heavy duty Helwig front and rear stabilizer bars. I take it they don't offer adequate stability when parked.

Actually they are not bad at all! The jacks clearly make the rig more stable, but... Given the overall pain of setting up the jacks, I'm inclined to accept the limits of the Koni/Hellwig setup. Yeah, the jacks really do make the parked rig rock-stable. But given the fact I practically have to crawl all the way under the coach AND the weight, I'm thinking I might love without the jacks.

We had the coach weighed at Escapees while we were carrying a modest load and we have a 1000-pound margin at the rear and 600 pounds in the front. 1600 pounds sounds like a lot but we will be carrying art supplies and photographic equipment. If the scissor jacks can be avoided, I'll do it.

I'm really grateful for all the creative and thoughtful replies.

[Life_In_Serenit]

We had 2 scissor jacks mounted to the rear frame rails when we bought our motor. Rarely are they not used. They don't take all the movement out but more than enough to justify using them.

[navegator]

I have a "C" I use 5 jacks not only to steady the rig but also to level, two jacks were installed between the rear fuel tank and the gray and black tanks with nuts and bolts, had to space them down so that when the jacks are retracted they will not hit the black or gray thanks, used spacers.

then I use two jacks up front on the frame for leveling only in certain instances, the fifth jack is a smaller one that I use under the frame close to the door to prevent the rig from swaying when I enter, wife is happy with this.

Install two jacks aft and use the crank lever, even in the rain you can lower them to stabilize the RV.

navegator

[ron_dittmer]

deprived,

You have heavy duty Helwig front and rear stabilizer bars. I take it they don't offer adequate stability when parked. Make sure everything related to them is tight enough. It could be that your end links with rubber bushings could be made tighter to increase the sensitivity of the stabilizer bars. Then again I see you have quite a large rig which could be a bit much to ask from the bars when parked. Still it is worth the effort to make sure the two bars, especially their end links, are all tightened up properly.

Unrelated question: Is your cab-over bed a seamless bucket design? It appears to be so in your profile picture. Just wondering. Seamless buckets are hard to find, ideal construction for a cab-over bed.

[AJBert]

If you can, mount them. Makes a WORLD of difference in ease of use.

I've been telling my dad to mount his on his TT for years, yet he hasn't yet. He moved from the screw type jacks to the scissor type a few years back due to the screw bases got busted up when trying to remove them from the frozen ground.

I've got mounted scissor type on my TT and he commented, after all these years, that he's going to look into mounting his.

Got love family, right? I think its a law or something.

[Hemi_RT]

Why not look at a set of mounted stab Jacks, most fit fairly close to the frame and crank. Down from the side of the RV. Just be sure to get ones to support the weight of the rear of the unit

[DutchmenSport]

I'm not a CLASS C owner, but the answer to your question is really obvious. No ... you do not have to use those jacks. Actually, you don't have to use any if you don't want. The draw back is, you'll have RV movement when you walk around inside. But is that really so bad? There's no "rule" that says you MUST use stabilizer jacks.