questions on rear stabilizer&landing gear.

[patrick1945]

I use the orange plastic interlocking "blocks" to decrease the distance that I extend my rear stabilizers AND wooden blocks under my front landing gear for the same reason.

I assumed rightly/wrongly that this increased the stability.

Some folks put nothing under either-extending both to the max and others put concrete blocks under both.

Am I correct that not extending these to the max increase stability?

We do not full time but do spend 3 months each year on one site. I certainly do not want to carry 4 concrete blocks around with me.

Any suggestions?

 

[trdeal]

We have been campers for a very long time and have always done as you do with the plastic interlocking blocks in rear and a short 2x10 treated board under each of the front landing gear. This has always worked well for us.

 

[Niles]

One word of caution, I know this will never happen however, when you put blocks under the front legs, there is always the chance when hooking up you might knock it off of them and then it falls on your side rails of the truck. I had a friend do this and he was lucky, no damage the bal wheel chocks did not hold. I always hook my cord up and apply the trailer brakes as a added precaution.

 

[rckc228]

Locking the trailer brakes is a great ideal. You can never be to caution. I never block the front end to high just enough to have a stable level footing.

 

[jonesj2]

Niles, you are so righ about the blocks giving away. This happend to me last year and believe me I no longer use wood under the front stablizers. The bed of my truck took the brunt of the fall and luckly enough I only have one dent on the left hand side of the bed and that can be covered up with teh plastic covers.

I WILL NOT USE WOOD IN THE FRONT AGAIN, lets all say this 3 times.

 

[wyleyrabbit]

Hmm. But especially on softer ground, isn't the increased surface area a definite plus? Think snowshoes.

And if a guy uses something thin like wood that's only 1 or 1.5 inches thick, the trailer can't really fall off, right?

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

We use wood block under both front and rear jacks. We make it a point to chock both sides in front and in back of the tires. When we place the chocks, Lin sets the rears and I back up against them and keep the pressure on till she sets the fronts. This helps with stabilizing in addition to preventing accidental roll. When hooking up, we keep the chocks in place till we're ready to roll.

 

[jmgratz]

I always use fresh (not rotten) wooden block under the front and rear. Even if on concrete pad, as you never know if you are sitting on a soft spot. So far so good.

 

[wyleyrabbit]

Ray,

That seems to make a lot of sense.

Chris

 

[jmgratz]

We also use a 4x4 piece of wood to chock the wheels. One in front and one behind. I also am sure the chocks go inbetween the wheels.

 

[wyleyrabbit]

I have 2 pairs of wheel chocks, and I place them between the wheels. Is this good enough, or should I be investing in another 2 pairs of wheel chocks so I can have both pair of tires chocked on both sides?

 

[Saukville Bob]

Blocks under the landing gear

I agree with the snowshoe comment. We always put one of the interlocking orange blocks under each foot of the front landing gear. when the feet get close to the blocks I stop to see if I need to put another block or a 1x8x10 board under one of the feet to keep the rig level side to side in the front portion. It may sound picky but it is amazing how you feel the rig being out of balance even by an inch or so. After the rig is off the truck we then level it front to back and then lower the back landing gear on the stacks of blocks to stop the rock and roll when moving in the rig.

 

[jtcfishing]

Patrick, first Hello we also use the blocks in the rear to shorten the space,only use a single on the front on soft gravel.I have been fulltiming starting in Oct. and just put on a set of the jt or bal type stabilers on our coach what a differance they make!! If you are concerned about movement they are worth every penny. I fabed my just like the jt's so can't say what brands are the best. I did put on front and rear,hope to see you down the road!

 

[2010augusta]

Leveling???

when the feet get close to the blocks I stop to see if I need to put another block or a 1x8x10 board under one of the feet to keep the rig level side to side in the front portion. It may sound picky but it is amazing how you feel the rig being out of balance even by an inch or so.

I maybe mistaken, but if you have hydraulic front landing gear the pressure equalization will not allow you to level the rig with the landing gear, right? and the same can be said for the lippert rear support jacks too, right? I carry a couple 2X8's that I have tapered one end on and drilled for dowels so I can stack them to level the trailer side to side at the wheels. Then put gear down to level front to back. Is this the correct/best/easiest way to level the trailers?

 

[Tom of Ypsi]

Alan,

I do not know if this is the correct/best/easiest way to level the trailer but it is the way I do it. I also have the yellow plastic blocks and sometimes use them. You are correct on the front hydraulic and the rear electric jacks being just for front to rear leveling but not side to side.

 

[MurrayN.]

I just thought of this now while reading through these posts, but I have not done this yet. What would be wrong with pulling your breakaway switch just before you hook up your fifth wheel so that your brakes are locked up solid? Then for sure your trailer will not roll anywhere when you bump it with your fw hitch. You would just have to remember to replace it as soon as your hitch is locked or you wouldn't be going very far. Is there any reason why this wouldn't work?

 

[klindgren]

This is an interesting thread. To be honest, I never thought about the rig rolling off the blocks when hooking up. On my current 5er I have to use 6x6 blocks under the front legs because I cannot lift the rig high enough off the bed of my F-450 to release the trailer. Of course that was when I used a gooseneck adapter. Now that I have the B&W companion hitch, I may not have that problem. Of course as soon as my new Heartland gets here, I'm going to have to try using no blocks. I was hoping with the hydraulic jacks, a) they would extend farther so the rig would come up off the bed of the truck and b) that I wouldn't have to sit there for 3 hours waiting for the electric jacks to reach the ground.