Wondering why I put jackstands down

[pheasant16]

29' class C. Ford SuperDuty chasis. I have tried so many spots trying to take some bounce out of the camper, but I swear you'd think a newlywed couple is on their honeymoon every time you walk. Queen bed in the back. Wife is washing up, I'm in bed and dang near need Dramamine sometimes. Currently I have the front two about a foot ahead of entry step on the frame. The rear I have tried on the rear most point of the frame, on the corners of the rear bumper, and staggered on the frame. The directions say not to lift the vehicle, but just snug the stands until solid. Also looking at valterra RV stabilzer, wondering if that's any better. Think I'd rather take the 10 minutes and drink a beer.

 

[Onyrlef]

29' class C. Ford SuperDuty chasis. I have tried so many spots trying to take some bounce out of the camper, but I swear you'd think a newlywed couple is on their honeymoon every time you walk. Queen bed in the back. Wife is washing up, I'm in bed and dang near need Dramamine sometimes. Currently I have the front two about a foot ahead of entry step on the frame. The rear I have tried on the rear most point of the frame, on the corners of the rear bumper, and staggered on the frame. The directions say not to lift the vehicle, but just snug the stands until solid. Also looking at valterra RV stabilzer, wondering if that's any better. Think I'd rather take the 10 minutes and drink a beer.

If it’s that bad you’re likely going to have to stabilize under the perimeter wall at the corners and you may have to run something diagonally from the top of one stabilizer to the foot of the opposite jack, one side to the other.

 

[Martian]

Splitting the difference between the rear bumper and the rear axle has worked for us. Fronts about halfway between the axles.

 

[pheasant16]

If it’s that bad you’re likely going to have to stabilize under the perimeter wall at the corners and you may have to run something diagonally from the top of one stabilizer to the foot of the opposite jack, one side to the other.

I'd like to do the perimeter, but think I'd be putting it directly on the floor. Even just getting it snug and not lifting would be putting stress on a maybe 2" diameter circle. Want to avoid any "Homer" moments if possible.

 

[Professor David]

a newlywed couple is on their honeymoon every time you walk

Is your chassis suspension in good shape...bushings, shocks, anti-sway bars, etc...?

 

[Utclmjmpr]

If you use your jacks directly under a frame part,, you cannot lift it too much,, try more lift at the rear frame,, not the bumper..>>>Dan ( thats what jacks are for)

 

[pheasant16]

Is your chassis suspension in good shape...bushings, shocks, anti-sway bars, etc...?

Mechanic gives it it's medicare physical every fall tells me yes.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I swear you'd think a newlywed couple is on their honeymoon

Wait - is this a new auto-leveling mode I haven't heard about?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Kirk]

You will never completely stop an RV from moving some unless you take it completely off of the suspension. Just how bad it moves is a pretty subjective thing as some folks are much more sensitive than others. If you are using the typical RV screw jack type of stabilizers, then you do need to tighten them to a point where they do take some weight and most people can't overdo that very much without using an extension on the screw handles. They aren't designed to support the entire weight but several hundred pounds would be fine. The design limit on those in the link is 6000# for the 4 jacks, or 1500# each.

 

[pheasant16]

Thanks KIrk I will crank it up a little next time. Always kind of wondered what good they did when it says only to tighten to snug and not to weight bearing. Made no sense to me.

 

[TheBar]

you may have to run something diagonally from the top of one stabilizer to the foot of the opposite jack, one side to the other.

Onyrlef is right. I am camping this week so I got out and watched as my wife walked end to end and side to side. I have four 3 ton screw jacks which control up and down movement but not side to side. I'd like to get these which control the side to side but there is also front to back movement.

My engineering knowledge of steel bracing says an X frame is overkill for this application. Just one diagonal brace from the bottom of one jack to the opposite side of the frame and one brace on the bottom of the same jack aimed towards the back of the frame would control the movement.

I absolutely love fabricating my own designs. So I'm thinking using overlapping 1x1 angle iron would be an easy enough DIY project. Using Jesus clips on metal dowels would only take seconds to attach half the brace to corresponding holes in the other half of the brace. But that would require drilling multiple holes in the brace because the jack isn't always extended to the same height and it needs to swing up and store up out of the way while driving. Or my second thought is adapting the two sides of an adjustable Hollywood bed frame.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I installed JT Strongarm stabilizers on a number of towables. They solve about 80% of the movement.

If you have dual axles X-Chocks will help a bunch. If it's a fifth wheel a tripod stabilizer might help too.

 

[Kirk]

I installed JT Strongarm stabilizers on a number of towables.

He has a class C.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Sheesh, I did the same thing last week. I blamed it on Covid but I don't have that any more.

I told myself to pay more attention.

What kind of leveling system does the class C have?

 

[Martian]

This is where it pays to have had a boat before an RV.

 

[Kirk]

What kind of leveling system does the class C have?

There are several types of power jacks available for a class C but I think that he is using the ones like these.

 

[pheasant16]

There are several types of power jacks available for a class C but I think that he is using the ones like these.

yep. any other hardware someone likes better?

 

[pheasant16]

This is where it pays to have had a boat before an RV.

Got one. Used to rockin in it. Can see the wakes and waves coming and ride with 'em. Laying in bed is when it's annoying. Maybe if we were 25 again we'd find it less annoying. Ah the good old days

 

[Kirk]

There are some that are better and that are rated to hold up to 6000# on each jack, but they also cost a lot more. One of them is the EAZ LIFT Telescopic RV Jack and another is the BESTOOL RV Supports Stabilizer Jacks, both available from Amazon. With these you could safely lift a significant amount of the RV weight from the suspension and probably eliminate most of the movement.