I'll be planting my 29 ft. 5th wheel on my property for quite awhile.I'm having a concrete pad poured for it to sit on.What is the best thing to support the unit on.Jack stands,cinder blocks with wood shims???I would prefer to not take off the tires so I can move it out if and when I decide to move it.I realize I can't rely on the tires for a long stay.
Long term set up?
- Thread starter jesheba
- Start date
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2006F350
Well-known member
Personally, I would use cinder blocks with wood shims and get as much weight off the tires as possible.
Larry
Larry
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
If it is not going to be occupied, I would just leave it sitting on its tires and on a front end support, no differently than if you were storing it for a few months. Forget blocking it up. Trailers are meant to be left in one place for long periods.
Smoky
Well-known member
I am curious about the references to getting tires off the ground. What is the idea behind this?
Up until now we have done nothing to protect our tires. We do not cover them to protect them from the sun because someone, can;t remember who, told us that was a ploy to sell tire covers and that if you replace them every 6 years you do what is necessary. This is the first time I have heard people talking about getting the tires off the ground. Does concrete somehow interact with tires?
Up until now we have done nothing to protect our tires. We do not cover them to protect them from the sun because someone, can;t remember who, told us that was a ploy to sell tire covers and that if you replace them every 6 years you do what is necessary. This is the first time I have heard people talking about getting the tires off the ground. Does concrete somehow interact with tires?
A trailer can be stored with the tires off the ground as it's generally a simple sprung axle, but a motor home has a more complicated suspension that can be damaged if stored long term with the wheels hanging off the ground. And yes, the volatiles in the tires will be dissipated naturally after 5-7 years and covering the tires won't make any difference, especially in the larger sizes used on motor homes. The heat buildup under a cover may actually shorten the life of the tire rather than prolong it. Tires are made to turn, not sit still, and will give longer life if used frequently.
2006F350
Well-known member
Smoky said:
If you are going to live in it, blocking it and getting the weight off the tires will virtually eliminate all sway caused by the trailers spring suspension. Even when blocking, if there is any weight on the springs (tires), it will contribute to motion in the coach.
Larry
Smoky
Well-known member
Is there any problem associated with motorhome tires coming in contact with the concrete pad, when camping?
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
2006F350 said:
So will simply placing and extending your stabilizing jacks. Trailers spend most of their time parked, in campgrounds or storage, and are well adapted to that task. No drive trains, no engines, no nada, just a box on a simple suspension. The only reason to block up a trailer is that you never intend to move it and the tires would otherwise rot off after seven or so years.
2006F350
Well-known member
Carl L said:
Not always. We have a 37' fiver, and even with the landing gear down and the rear stabilizers in place, we still can get a hula motion in the back. Most of the motion can be elimintated by using the BAL tire chocks or something of a similar nature that actually goes between the tandem tires and in effect locks them together, along with a king pin stabilizer but it still doesn't totally eliminate the motion. As long as some of the weight of the vehicle is on the spung suspension, it can and will have an effect on it's stability, to what extent is probably determined by the length and axle configuration of the unit.
Larry
