Do you need 4 stabilizer jacks

[Joanne]

Hi all,

I'm at the point of purchasing the stabilizer jacks for the trailer. My original intention was to have one on each corner. After pricing them I wondered if I really need them up front since I have a jack on the tongue anyway? My friend's pop-up tent trailer has them on each corner and it still isn't very stable.

I don't want to be cheap and regret it later, but I also don't want to spend money on something that is unnecessary.

What's your experience with them?

Joanne

[Nick Taylor]

Joanne,

I've not used any stabilizer jacks on either of my teardrops. I just chock the wheels on both sides and the tongue jack holds up the front. Not had any issues with tipping.

A tent trailer would be a different issue since it's got a lot of extra overhang when set up.

Nick.

[mikeschn]

My first teardrop had just 2 stabilizers in the back. It worked out okay, provided the campsite was fairly level.

My Baja Benroy has 4 stabilizers, and I can both level it and stabilize it. It works out very well. I will go with 4 stabilizers again. I will also stick with the kind I have on the Baja Benroy... which is a BAL Light Trailer Stabilizing Jack (T type). You could always buy 2, and then come back later and add 2 more...

http://www.norcoind.com/bal/products/co ... abjack.htm

Mike...

[steve wolverton]

I think they're a waste of time and money. Just chock your tires and you should be fine. I don't even have a tongue jack. I'm building a tongue stand.

If your campsite is so unlevel that you require stabilizers, you should look for another campsite.

The point of my teardrop is to pull into a site, unhook (or not) and I'm setup. Not to be fooling with adjusting jacks, setting up cooking tents, screen shelters, etc.

Some annoying neighbors show up, 30 seconds I'm hooked up and moved to another site.

Steve

[exminnesotaboy]

Joanne,
Good timing of your question. Last weekend, I just finished the framed floor on my HF 1800# Cubby project. I mounted the levelers on the back like everybody does. But now that I have it together, it is clear that I will need those same leverlers on the front as well. I put one of the el cheapo 20$ 800# HF tongue jacks on the tongue, but I just don't think it will be enough.

I am a big guy(250#) and when I sit on the front corner of the flat bed opposite of the tongue, it dips a few inches(even though I know my bolt together trailer is assembeled VERY tight). Now, I realize that this is concentrated weight that the trailer corner will never probably see, but it is enough to make me want to use them.

Since they are cheap at less than 40$/pair and don't weigh that much, I see it as a good investment for my setup. I am lucky in that there is *just* enough room between my undermounted spare time and the tongue A members to install them.

I don't have any pics posted yet, but if you need to see what I have mounted already, PM me your email address.

-Anthony

[Ken A Hood]

You can also use just "stabalizing" jacks. There only for stabilizing the trailer, not for lifting.




I plan on welding a small piece of pipe(just a bit larger than the top of the screw cup) in the corners so the jacks don't slip.

[shil]

I'm with Ken and Steve. Don't have 'em, don't need 'em. KISS.

[Gage]

Well, when the full cup of coffee that is sitting on your counter top spills because the tear wobbles a little when someone decides to get out of bed, I think you will wish you had at least a pair of them in back. Especialy if it's the first one in the morning. But then again, if your the only one sleeping in the tear, you don't need them. Meanwhile

I have two stabalizer jacks on the rear of mine and have found that most of the time that is enought. For the most part, you use the jacks to stablize, not to level the tear. I carry a pair of the stabalizing jacks that Ken Hood shows in his post and have only used one of them once because I couldn't get one of my teardrop jacks down because of ground clearence. When I have my tear in camp, I like it to be solid as a rock. I hate a wobbly trailer.

Have a good day,
Gage

[Scooter]

I'll probably try to fabricate my own stabilizers, some kinda fold-down affair. All these $20-40 expenses keep adding up ya know.

[beverlyt]

Does it depend on the size of the trailer?

We use stabilizer jacks with our 15' trailer, but have never needed them with the 4'x8'.

We just use the tongue jack to get it level and call it good. Seems very stable.

I do have a set of chocks for the wheels in the footwell, but have yet needed to use them.

Bev

[john]

Hey,


Altough the trailer frame seems a little flimsy now, it will become much more rigid once the "box" is mounted on top. If you try the same test after your done (or at least the walls and roof (ribs and luan) are on) you will find little or no deflection.

Think unibody on frame.

I would go with two on the back and the tounge jack.



john

[Steve Winter]

Some annoying neighbors show up, 30 seconds I'm hooked up and moved to another site.

Steve

Ahmen Brother...hook up and move to a less annoying place (with no generators buzzing too - oh I hate that noise)

I have not found a need for stabilizers, yet.... but I have two sitting in the shop in case I change my mind and install them...

[Joanne]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the answers! A friend of mine offered me a set of stablilizers so I'm going to take a look at them to see if they will work. I'll probably stick with rear only but weld in the mounts for the front in case I need them later.

I knew that you guys would give me a lot of good input.

Thanks again!

Joanne

[David Grason]

I'm not even halfway finished with my build but I went ahead and welded in 2 Atwood jacks, 1 at each rear corner of my tear. Almost immediately I found that if I lower the toungue jack, extend the Atwood jacks all the way in the most extended postion, then raise the toungue jack all the way up, I can get enough lift to change a tire. Sometimes I may put a block under one or another jack but I got to depending on that feature a lot and it's amazing how often I've resorted to using it.

It's something to think about.

[David Niver]

I use wheel chocks and a hydraulic jack on each side to level it. plus it helps if you have a flat.