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X-chock vs. Jack Stabilizers

Nfrank
Explorer
Explorer
I want to stop the rocking around on my 30ft Cougar and the two products I can find to help eliminate that are X-chocks and jacks stabilizer cross bars. I know both help, but which one helps the most? Has anyone tried both and can give a good comparison? Take a look at these two products I was looking to purchase:

X-chock

Jack Stabilizer

Thanks,
Nathan
75 REPLIES 75

wrvond
Explorer II
Explorer II
To answer the original question:
I have used both, and like Huntindog says, they really do different things. The axels on my new TT are much further apart than my old one, so x-chocks and their ilk probably won't work for me now. I do have the strong arm bars on my stabilizer jacks, and they work very well.
That said, I don't try to remove all motion, only enough that I don't feel like I'm at sea again. If I wanted to eliminate all motion, I'd just stay at a hotel.
Here's a pic of the strong arms. I only used the 4x4 in my driveway because it was handy. I usually use the lego type blocks under them.



2022 Keystone Cougar 24RDS
2023 Ram 6.7L Laramie Mega Cab

GrandpaKip
Explorer II
Explorer II
I guess it all depends on how much movement is too much for you and how much you want to spend. I think I'd start with the X-chocks and go from there. I really like simple, so I use the yellow chocks and the crank down BAL stabilizers that came with the camper. I never expected it to be rock solid, so a little movement doesn't bother me.
Good luck.
Kip
2015 Skyline Dart 214RB
2018 Silverado Double Cab 4x4
Andersen Hitch

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
Nfrank wrote:
I want to stop the rocking around on my 30ft Cougar and the two products I can find to help eliminate that are X-chocks and jacks stabilizer cross bars. I know both help, but which one helps the most? Has anyone tried both and can give a good comparison? Take a look at these two products I was looking to purchase:

X-chock

Jack Stabilizer

Thanks,
Nathan
I won't get side tracked into the merits of different methods of stabilization like this thread become..
Staying on point, the two items you mention stabilize different motions. Which one will be the most useful to you depends on what is causing the most motion or annoying motion to you.
Using both will of course be the best , but most expensive option.

Not being able to see your TT in person, I would probably recommend the X chocks.
Huntindog
100% boondocking
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wmoses
Explorer
Explorer
Seattle Lion wrote:
Another inexpensive and useful fix is to put stabilizers under the extended slides. Dutchmen actually recommends supporting the extended slides for stays over a couple of days. You can get inexpensive supports and they take very little time or work to put in place.

I have also read some manufacturers say NOT to put any stabilizers under slides, so it seems that there is no clear guidance on this.
Regards,
Wayne
2014 Flagstaff Super Lite 27RLWS Emerald Ed. | Equal-i-zer 1200/12,000 4-point WDH
2010 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 5.3L 6-speed auto | K&N Filter | Hypertech Max Energy tune | Prodigy P3
_

wmoses
Explorer
Explorer
Sandia Man wrote:
Some really good info about why/what causes trailer movement, but when I get to a campground I'm unwilling to spend more than but a few minutes leveling and stabilizing our 32' TT. Can't comment on the jack stabilizer the OP inquired about, but after leveling side to side we then install BAL chocks between wheels on both sides of our rig. Raise front of TT to remove WD/SC bars and unhitch from truck. Set powered tongue jack to an inch or two above level front to back. Lastly, we deploy BAL scissor and stab jacks mounted under the four corners of our TT using a power driver and we are as movement free as we care to be. Obviously we haven't removed every spec of movement, but we've reduced the majority if it and it feels pretty solid overall to us and that's all that matters. This simple process rarely takes more than 10 minutes tops as we have the routine down pack.

Exactly my approach as well. Yeah the trailer moves a bit but at the end of the day that is part of the experience I guess. The only way to eliminate all movement is to put the trailer on cinder blocks all around, but that is to much weight to lug around. ๐Ÿ˜‰
Regards,
Wayne
2014 Flagstaff Super Lite 27RLWS Emerald Ed. | Equal-i-zer 1200/12,000 4-point WDH
2010 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 5.3L 6-speed auto | K&N Filter | Hypertech Max Energy tune | Prodigy P3
_

AirForceAngler
Explorer
Explorer
Seattle Lion wrote:
Another inexpensive and useful fix is to put stabilizers under the extended slides. Dutchmen actually recommends supporting the extended slides for stays over a couple of days. You can get inexpensive supports and they take very little time or work to put in place.


Make sure you check with the manufacturer. Many companies recommend against this. I think the theory is if the trailer settles but the slide doesn't, it could cause problems with the slide mechanism.
2013 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab 4x4 iForce 5.7
2014 Grey Wolf by Forest River 26BH TT

Seattle_Lion
Explorer
Explorer
Another inexpensive and useful fix is to put stabilizers under the extended slides. Dutchmen actually recommends supporting the extended slides for stays over a couple of days. You can get inexpensive supports and they take very little time or work to put in place.
2014 Heartland Bighorn 3160 Elite
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brulaz
Explorer
Explorer
myredracer wrote:
I think a lot of how people perceive movement and what they do to reduce it depends a lot on the length of the TT, it's weight, axle ratings (spring strength) and the frame design. There are some frames on ultra-lites now that flex a lot vertically and they need to be firmly planted to the ground front and rear. (I know because we've seen it firsthand.)
...


Totally agree.

In our case it was the old 4000# with the single 3500# Torflex axle that was unstable. Our new 7500# Outdoors RV Timber Ridge with the twin 5200# axles (with shock absorbers) is like a rock.

At first I thought it was the Lippert electric stab jacks, but then noticed it was almost as stable with no support at all.
2014 ORV Timber Ridge 240RKS,8500#,1250# tongue,44K miles
690W Rooftop + 340W Portable Solar,4 GC2s,215Ah@24V
2016 Ram 2500 4x4 RgCab CTD,2507# payload,10.8 mpgUS tow

myredracer
Explorer II
Explorer II
I think a lot of how people perceive movement and what they do to reduce it depends a lot on the length of the TT, it's weight, axle ratings (spring strength) and the frame design. There are some frames on ultra-lites now that flex a lot vertically and they need to be firmly planted to the ground front and rear. (I know because we've seen it firsthand.)

Our old 20' TT had hardly any movement with just scissor jacks. Our 29' 2013 KZ TT bobs around like a duck in water with the elec. stab. jacks down. It almost makes you seasick in comparison to our old TT, even with jacks at the axles. The only way I can see to resolve it is to install triangulated cross-bracing. Our new 2014 KZ TT is the same model but with a heavy duty frame. It will be very interesting to see what the difference in movement is. DW has had to deal with vertigo for a few years and has had enough trouble with the world spinning around so would prefer to have the TT rock solid.

I can definitely see why some don't have much of a problem with movement while others have a lot of trouble with it.

Nvr2loud
Explorer II
Explorer II
Sandia Man wrote:
Some really good info about why/what causes trailer movement, but when I get to a campground I'm unwilling to spend more than but a few minutes leveling and stabilizing our 32' TT. Can't comment on the jack stabilizer the OP inquired about, but after leveling side to side we then install BAL chocks between wheels on both sides of our rig. Raise front of TT to remove WD/SC bars and unhitch from truck. Set powered tongue jack to an inch or two above level front to back. Lastly, we deploy BAL scissor and stab jacks mounted under the four corners of our TT using a power driver and we are as movement free as we care to be. Obviously we haven't removed every spec of movement, but we've reduced the majority if it and it feels pretty solid overall to us and that's all that matters. This simple process rarely takes more than 10 minutes tops as we have the routine down pack.


Laughing with you... when I arrive at the campground I want to spend hours leveling, putting out carpets, the awning, dining shelter, bike rack, kayaks, ect.

My Wife and kids are inside the trailer.... therefore I'm outside LOL. The only peace and quiet I get on a camping trip is during set-up.

Sandia_Man
Explorer II
Explorer II
Some really good info about why/what causes trailer movement, but when I get to a campground I'm unwilling to spend more than but a few minutes leveling and stabilizing our 32' TT. Can't comment on the jack stabilizer the OP inquired about, but after leveling side to side we then install BAL chocks between wheels on both sides of our rig. Raise front of TT to remove WD/SC bars and unhitch from truck. Set powered tongue jack to an inch or two above level front to back. Lastly, we deploy BAL scissor and stab jacks mounted under the four corners of our TT using a power driver and we are as movement free as we care to be. Obviously we haven't removed every spec of movement, but we've reduced the majority if it and it feels pretty solid overall to us and that's all that matters. This simple process rarely takes more than 10 minutes tops as we have the routine down pack.

PawPaw_n_Gram
Explorer
Explorer
Bob Landry wrote:
First, I'm going to to challenge someone to explain how X-chocks which do nothing more than allowing lateral movement of the wheels, do anything more than the plastic wheel chocks since the problem is essentially up and down force being applied to the suspension and the trailer frame.


My observations.

With normal chocks at the ground level - the TT would rock forward and backward a tiny bit when my wife would walk around inside the TT. The tires actually rotate a very small amount. This was with plastic wheel chocks and the step-on chocks mentioned earlier in this thread.

As I learned when I worked around airplanes in the Navy - chocks always allow some wheel movement. The only way to totally stop wheel movement is to lock the wheel in place. You can do that with front and back chocks snugged up tight against an airplane tire. Then add several thousand pounds of fuel so the tire 'swells'. Of course, then the problem becomes trying to remove the chocks when the plane needs to move.

With X-Chocks - that movement is totally stopped.

As mentioned above - trailer shake is three dimensional movement. Up and down, side to side and forward to backward.

X-Chocks do the best job of eliminating the forward to backward movement in my experience.

Also someone mentioned the step - this is a side to side rotational force on the trailer - twisting the step side of the trailer down on the suspension and raising the non-step side up on the suspension. (Okay, maybe you aren't as fat as I am).

I also use solid under the step stabilizers to eliminate that movement.

I have/had front and rear electric stabilizers on my previous and current TT. Raising the pad point with blocks of wood does help.

I also use the one inch down, two inches up leveling - which helps reduce the shaking significantly by taking some of the weight off the springs and putting it on the stabilizers. This is necessary because the stabilizers can handle the weight - but the motors and jack screws cannot actually raise the TT that much.

My final preventative is a pair of unattached scissor jacks which I place under the frame on the 'downhill' side right in front and right behind the axles. Allows me to get that final bit of leveling.

My old TT has the rear stabilizers about 3 feet behind the rear tires. That was actually more stable than the current TT with the stabilizers on the rear corners.

The up and down movement in the rear isn't because the stabilizers aren't doing their job, but because weight transfer (movement) forward of the axles allows the suspension to flex more. The movement is actually side to side, not up and down.

Since the new TT has three slides - I'm still working on getting the leveling before extending the slides right.
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Nvr2loud
Explorer II
Explorer II
LarryJM wrote:
several have mentioned jack stands at the corners and that is exactly where YOU DON'T WANT THEM. You need to get them close enough to the axles to get weight off the suspension and tires and reduce the unsupported frame lengths where frame flex is minimized. This is a balancing act that is dependent on each trailer, it's floorplan, and how it's loaded so this is where the experimenting takes place, but I contend there is an optimum placement that will give you a stability that can't be matched or even come close to with all the chocks and extra stabilizer bars you can install on your current system.



Larry


I agree with you... I support my trailer just behind and just in front of my axles. I do need some support at the back corners because of the length of the lightweight frame behind the axles. I just prefer to have mine attached all the time to the trailer, and you prefer to have yours portable and stored inside.... to each their own LOL

LarryJM
Explorer II
Explorer II
I won't comment specifically, but several posts since mine have brought up points that I consider basically "red herrings". One is the weight and storage issue, but these jackstands stack together and take up less vol and weigh less than a set of Lynx levelers and weigh way less than a single 4x6x4 block of wood that some use under their existing stab jacks to reduce the extension something that the screw type don't suffer from for the most part so a simple flat piece of light wt. wood is all that's now needed for ground support. Second is several have mentioned jack stands at the corners and that is exactly where YOU DON'T WANT THEM. You need to get them close enough to the axles to get weight off the suspension and tires and reduce the unsupported frame lengths where frame flex is minimized. This is a balancing act that is dependent on each trailer, it's floorplan, and how it's loaded so this is where the experimenting takes place, but I contend there is an optimum placement that will give you a stability that can't be matched or even come close to with all the chocks and extra stabilizer bars you can install on your current system.

As far as the hassle goes one thing as I got older is I now carry and use a decent step stool to sit on when installing my jack stands, working on the sewer hookups and dump valves, and when hooking up my trailer. This save the back and knees and we use it to go in and out of the trailer when on the road during rest stops since it's more convenient to use that the fold down steps. I have a couple of the following step stools that are fantastic for the height, size and even has storage and a handle and you can get them at HD for under $30. I think it's called STACK-ON STEP N STOR. In fact you can actually store all those jack stands in this stool I think.



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.
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OH48Lt
Explorer
Explorer
Don't know about all the "scientific" assessments and proposed solutions, but I know what works for us. Level out the trailer, put down the corner jacks snug but don't lift up the unit. They have to be on something that isn't going to sink in, I use simple 2"x10"x12" pieces of wood. An X-chock between the curb side tires, and this thing doesn't go anywhere. Without that X-chock, the trailer moves a bit. YMMV.
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