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Stop the shaking!

Godspeedme
Explorer
Explorer
We have a coachman Catalina 303fqb, I think it's about 33'. I like to think we are very good with leveling, dropping the stabilizer jacks, etc. But I still feel every movement my kids make in the bunkhouse in the morning when they wake up. They are early risers, seriously like 5-6am. It seems no matter if they are even quietly playing a board game or anything more than reading a book I feel every movement and wake up. I do ask them to only read until 7:30.

Does anyone have any suggestions for making the TT more stable? Have you tried any of the after market products and do they work?

We go camping with 5 kids regularly and I'm going to lose it at some point.
47 REPLIES 47

myredracer
Explorer II
Explorer II
That video is ridiculous. Dig under wheel to level TT? Pack around a ton of cinder blocks and plywood squares? Place styrofoam on the ground first?

There is 3 dimensional movement involved in what occupants feel from inside. Fore/aft, vertical and lateral (side/side). There can be compound movement in more than one direction simultaneously similar to roll, pitch and yaw in a plane.

First line of attack is the fore/aft and X-chocks between the tires works very well. You should be using chocks anyway so no big deal to go to X-chocks.

THE most annoying component of bounce is vertical movement. Structural engineers spend a lot of time analyzing floor vibration and deflection in buildings to minimize the perception of movement and TT frames/floors are similar. Some TTs suffer more bounce than others and it depends on factors like the frame's strength, length and mass of the TT. Also, some subfloors have more deflection than others (depending on joist spacing and material used) which can add to the issue. Screw jacks or bottle jacks are the thing to use with one near each corner. An extra set of jacks near the axles can help in some cases. Some TTs have frames higher off the ground (ours is 24") and you'll need some sort of blocks to raise the jacks off the ground. Aluminum screw jacks only go to max. 17" high (min. 11").

Raising a jack to it's max. height makes it less stable in a lateral direction and you are better off building up the base of them. You could reduce lateral movement significantly by keeping the jack raised as little as possible and making the bottom of the blocks used to build up the jacks twice the height the top of jack is off the ground. For ex., if the top of the alum. stacker jack is 12" off the ground, the base would be 24x24". This is assuming the ground the base is on is flat and stable.

Lateral movement can pretty much be eliminated by using stabilizer braces like the BAL Lock Arm, UF Eliminator, JT's Strongarm or Steadyfast. With X-chocks, you won't really need ones in a fore/aft direction. A pair of BAL Lock Arms mounted side-side (in front and in rear) is cheaper and all that's really needed.

Some don't think that stabilizer braces are needed and don't do much and can be quite adamant about it. Each person's situation is different and some may find the braces help a lot while some may find that screw or bottle jacks are good enough and stop there. I find that with using the alum. stacker jacks, it's still not quite good enough. I have a set of the BAL braces I'll be installing soon.

For those that have elec. stab. jacks, they do a poor job of "stabilizing". To see how they fare, get down on the ground and watch what happens when someone walks up and down the entry steps. Manual scissor jacks work much better for controlling vertical movement.

hawkeye-08
Explorer III
Explorer III
I made the homemade wheel chocks (4x4 and some ready rod) for $10 for 2 sets, gave one set to my dad. I have the screw jacks from walmart ($40 for set of 4)and use when needed, but with the stabilizers down and the wheel chocks tight, movement is well controlled and no need for the screw jacks.

The wheel chocks made a big difference.

qchunter
Explorer
Explorer
I had movement in my trailer when I would put blocks under my stabilizer jacks. I stopped using the blocks to see if extending the jacks further would make it more stable and it did. FWIW I think the closer to full extension on the jacks the more stable the trailer will be.
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johnnyrv
Explorer
Explorer
we tried everything on our 26 ' tt and still got annoying frame flex. bought a small class c and no problem

4X4Dodger
Explorer II
Explorer II
It's a good thing you dont have a boat.

mrekim
Explorer
Explorer
If you go for screw jack approach be sure to measure your frame before ordering. For example CAMCO offers one that adjusts from 11-17" (the Walmart link?) and another that adjusts from 16-30".

My axles are spring over and I needed the 16-30" ones.

LarryJM
Explorer II
Explorer II
JIMNLIN wrote:
larryJM wrote:
the key is putting enough force on the frame from the screw jacks and to do that you CANNOT use the screw mechanism on the jack itself you have to use the tongue jack. With around 200 to 500lbs of force on the screw jack it acts much like a solid cinder block with not movement in any plane or direction.

Sorry but that I've found that doesn't work either.
Like others I've tried different amount of weight on the screw jacks and I've tried using more than 4 screw jacks. One thing I found is more weight on the jack doesn't remove all the wobble and the more weight up to the point of lifting the trailer only increases instability.
Our experiences differs.


Well two of us in this thread alone (Lawrosa and I) and IIRC at least one other report the same level of stability with you being the only one AFAIK that wasn't able to achieve the same results so I'm incline to believe you did something different that what we have done and are recommending here. What amounts of wt did you put on the screw jacks and how did you determine that wt?? I reported what levels I found to be required and can't remember you ever reporting what wts. you found not sufficient or not satisfactory so can you give me a link to the post here where you reported that level of detail since I think I would have definitely commented on it and you are the first AKAIK besides me that have ever even measured these forces so I'm very interested on how you determined these and the details of that experiment.

Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
RAINKAP INSTALL////ETERNABOND INSTALL

jaycocreek
Explorer II
Explorer II
First thing I noticed with the power stabilizers was there lack of ability to stabilize. So, the first thing I did was buy four screw Jacks which does a much better job. I haven't attached them to the frame yet, so I put them where they work best. They do a very good job.

I did get a pair of xchocks that I use once in a while when needed.
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JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
larryJM wrote:
the key is putting enough force on the frame from the screw jacks and to do that you CANNOT use the screw mechanism on the jack itself you have to use the tongue jack. With around 200 to 500lbs of force on the screw jack it acts much like a solid cinder block with not movement in any plane or direction.

Sorry but that I've found that doesn't work either.
Like others I've tried different amount of weight on the screw jacks and I've tried using more than 4 screw jacks. One thing I found is more weight on the jack doesn't remove all the wobble and the more weight up to the point of lifting the trailer only increases instability.
Our experiences differs.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

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Terryallan
Explorer II
Explorer II
djgarcia wrote:
Godspeedme wrote:
I don't know what xchocks are but I will be looking into all the suggestions and links:)

Right now we use the 4 standard jacks with home made wood blocks made out of 2x4s.


You can buy Xchocks(just a brand name) from any Camping world store for around $50


You can get the same thing at Northern Tool for $25 a pair
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MarkTwain
Explorer
Explorer
lawrosa wrote:
What are you showing?????????????????


Post 3... read the thread... watch the vid. look at the link to the walmart site...

Did you even read this thread?

Ill post vid again

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIUds0ZVVkMAOE77w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjBzZmhtBHNlYwN...


and here is link to jacks again...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Olympian-RV-Aluminum-Jack-Stands-2-Pack/29764481
1. crank nose all the way down
2. put jacks ubder rear frame. ( near rear axles)
3. jack nose up to above level
4. Place jacks under front frame or follow vid for longer RV.;..
5. Jump in TT when done. no movement...


Looks like you would have to have a pick up load of cinder blocks:):)

FrankShore
Explorer
Explorer
Make sure your jack stands are pointing in differing directions. The photo below shows them pointed in parallel with the sides, you need to make sure the two in the back point side to side from the trailer then. This is how Lance accomplishes having wiggle free trailers

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DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
I don't have TJ's myself, I don't care if I have some rocking, but I have been in a couple campers (a travel trailer and a 5er) that had them installed on all 4 corners of their camper, and those campers were rock solid! I was very impressed! Felt like the entire camper was sitting on a solid foundation, no movement at all.

Pricey? Perhaps? But how much are you willing to pay to accomplish your desire? How much is it "really" worth to you? Nothing worth having seldom comes "cheap"!

LarryJM
Explorer II
Explorer II
JIMNLIN wrote:
If your using screw jacks the won't stop side to side movement.


NOT TRUE AT ALL and the key is putting enough force on the frame from the screw jacks and to do that you CANNOT use the screw mechanism on the jack itself you have to use the tongue jack. With around 200 to 500lbs of force on the screw jack it acts much like a solid cinder block with not movement in any plane or direction. Lawrosa has described to a "T" what is IMO the very best solution you can get. You might need to adjust the actual placement in the distance in back and in front of the axles a little and as he indicated if you have a very long trailer with a living space in the rear it might require two additional screw jacks in the rear to achieve that rock solid stability.

Lawrosa has described what I have been preaching on this trailer stability issue for over 4 or 5 years.



Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974.
RAINKAP INSTALL////ETERNABOND INSTALL

Dakota98
Explorer
Explorer
Get a nice big tent & teach the kids how to set it up. :B
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