Chocking a 5th wheel

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
M

Mickey G

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 8, 2017
Posts
45
This will be an ignorant question, but I know you should chock your 5th wheel prior to hooking it up.
Do you need to chock both sides, or would it be ok to chock only one side?
I figure with the landing gear legs and chocking one side in the front of and behind the tires would be ok.
 
I never use chocks unless I'm parked on a site that is really steep up or down. I usually just use a chunk of firewood.
 
I use four plastic chocks, that way the trailer stays put when I am hooking up or unhooking. I would rather do that than risk pushing it off the blocks.
 
To any and all Andersen hitch (or, I guess, gooseneck hitch) users out there,

Would chocking be needed on such a setup?

I'd think not (no "backstop" during the hitching procedure like in the 5thWheel hitch situation to be hit and end up pushing the trailer), but then, what do I know...

Cheers,
--
  Vall.
 
no "backstop" during the hitching procedure like in the 5thWheel hitch situation to be hit and end up pushing the trailer
Click to expand...

....unless you screw up!!!


Chocking is always a good idea and chocking both sides is the best way. But to each his own though!!!
 
I rarely chock the wheels as hooking up and unhooking the 5er  it moves a bit and it impedes the process. Having said that most sites are relatively level. I do carry them with me and if needed i use them as needed - but its rare at 15000 lbs its best to let it move abit to avoid damaging the truck or hitch it usually wont go very far only an inch or so
 
Hi Alfa38User,

Alfa38User said:
....unless you screw up!!!

Chocking is always a good idea and chocking both sides is the best way. But to each his own though!!!
Click to expand...

I'm not arguing, but trying to learn... What kind of screwup would make chocking necessary in that case? Going past the hitch point so much that the truck's rear ends up pushing the trailer?

Cheers,
--
  Vall.
 
VallAndMo said:
Hi Alfa38User,

I'm not arguing, but trying to learn... What kind of screwup would make chocking necessary in that case? Going past the hitch point so much that the truck's rear ends up pushing the trailer?

Cheers,
--
  Vall.
Click to expand...

Not sure if i understand the comment 100% so please forgive me if i read wrong

But

When unhooking a 5er you need to take the pressure off the jaws of the hitch. - so you actually back up a hair to take the pressure off, when the jaws release the trailer will often move an inch or so. If the wheels are chocked tightly and the trailer cant move the jaws dont open correctly and you have fight on your hands. This obviously is only the case if the site doesnt slope downward alot front to back or back to front hope that helps
 
I got used to using a locking X-chock on our TT so I just continued to use it on our 5th wheel. I also use plastic chocks in the other side unless I know I'm on a level surface such as our concrete pad at home.
 
Chocking thew wheels (both sides) is just plain good procedure when parking the RV. One of those things that mostly isn't truly needed, but damned important that 1-in-a-100 times it is. If the terrain is a bit more uneven than meets the eye and that trailer starts to move on you, you aren't going to stop it by hand!  So if you are going to chock the wheels anyway, why not have them in place to hitch & unhitch?

And if you use the x-type tandem wheel chocks, it also acts as a stabilizer to prevent trailer wiggle while parked.
 
Hi Gary, Joe and Steve,

Thanks for your answers! More below:

Gary RV_Wizard said:
Chocking thew wheels (both sides) is just plain good procedure when parking the RV. One of those things that mostly isn't truly needed, but damned important that 1-in-a-100 times it is. If the terrain is a bit more uneven than meets the eye and that trailer starts to move on you, you aren't going to stop it by hand!  So if you are going to chock the wheels anyway, why not have them in place to hitch & unhitch?
And if you use the x-type tandem wheel chocks, it also acts as a stabilizer to prevent trailer wiggle while parked.
Click to expand...

Very good points, Gary, and the mental image of the trailer moving on us certainly made your point clear!  :eek:
Regarding the x-chock type, is this what you meant? https://www.amazon.com/X-Chock-Wheel-Stabilizer-Handle-28012/dp/B002XLHUQG

Joezeppy said:
I got used to using a locking X-chock on our TT so I just continued to use it on our 5th wheel. I also use plastic chocks in the other side unless I know I'm on a level surface such as our concrete pad at home.
Click to expand...

If our reference Andersen user here uses the X-Chocks, so we will! :) But why use just one (and the plastic ones on the other side)? Less hassle setting up and tearing down camp?

steveblonde said:
Not sure if i understand the comment 100% so please forgive me if i read wrong

But

When unhooking a 5er you need to take the pressure off the jaws of the hitch. - so you actually back up a hair to take the pressure off, when the jaws release the trailer will often move an inch or so. If the wheels are chocked tightly and the trailer cant move the jaws dont open correctly and you have fight on your hands. This obviously is only the case if the site doesnt slope downward alot front to back or back to front hope that helps
Click to expand...

Steve, thanks for your insightful comment. We don't have any experience with hitchs and trailers (so far all our camping has been on rented Class-C motorhomes), so every bit of info helps.

Cheers,
--
  Vall.
 
BAL says you should use wheel chocks with their X-Chocks, maybe just a product liability CYA type recommendation.

As to backing up when unhooking a fifth wheel, I always chocked first. Just putting the truck into reverse at idle was enough to relieve tension on the hitch, it wasn't necessarily to actually move the trailer.

There's no parking brake on a trailer. I never once considered not using wheel chocks.
 
VallAndMo said:
If our reference Andersen user here uses the X-Chocks, so we will! :) But why use just one (and the plastic ones on the other side)? Less hassle setting up and tearing down camp?
Click to expand...


Well, actually it's just because it's what I have. I only used the plastic chocks for years and then a friend gave me the locking chock when he sold his TT. I've thought about getting a second one but never got around to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,151 (members: 27, guests: 1,124)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,963
Posts
1,388,280
Members
137,716
Latest member
chewys79
Back
Top Bottom