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DYI Stabilizer jacks

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:27 pm
by Spadinator
Has any got any idea on how to make your own stabilizer jacks? I know it may be less trouble to buy some but I though it might be fun to build my own. All ideas are welcome!!!

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:21 pm
by mudgepondexpress
How about some automotive scissor jacks from a pull and save type lot?

Strange first post for me, but I have thought about it for a while.

Kenny

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:28 pm
by mikeschn
mudgepondexpress wrote:How about some automotive scissor jacks from a pull and save type lot?

Strange first post for me, but I have thought about it for a while.

Kenny


Hey Kenny,

Welcome to the forum...

And yes, I was thinking the same thing... automotive scissor jacks...

I think your gonna fit right in! :lol:

Mike...

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:39 pm
by Bandit
I've thought a lot about the stabilizer jacks and what I think I will do is purchase the rotating style tongue jack and weld, on each corner, a piece of tubing with a drop pin. When you arrive at your site, you insert one tongue jack in each corner and secure with the drop pin. Now you can jack up the TD, level it and stabilize it.
:o
If the TD's a rock'in, don't come a knock'in! And it will be more stable.
:thumbsup:
;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:54 pm
by 48Rob
A friend of mine came up with this solution,

Rob

Image

Image

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:58 pm
by Spadinator
[quote="48Rob"]A friend of mine came up with this solution,

Rob

I thought of this same thing but I thought about trying to make something like these except as a single jack not a double.

jc whitney linky

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:27 pm
by madjack
...I believe Powderburn has incorporated slides into his rear bumper...when you arrive, you pull the pin and let the legs slide out, pinning them in place...then use the tongue jack to level...takes a bit of playing with to get them level side to side, but it will work.....
madjack 8)

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:31 pm
by 48Rob
Honestly...unless you were a welder/fabricator with a shop/tools at your disposal, the hundred dollar mail order jack is probably the least expensive option.

Image

While it would certainly be a lot more fun to spend a few hours scrounging up parts at the junk yard, and then finding other parts at the scrapyard, and then dreaming up a way to make it all work together, it would likely cost much more in the long run.

At some point, a couple old screw up stabilizers would get the job done, and leave a bit for the next camping trip... but of course that takes all the excitement out of creating it yourself...

Are there any RV dealers close by? A minute or two spent under a rig with your camera would give you a pretty good start on what you'd need to make your own...

Good luck, if you come up with a really easy solution, I'd be interested, crawling around to set stabilizers isn't much fun.



Rob

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 7:00 pm
by Spadinator
I actually have 3 RV dealers near me that sell parts. I may have to visit them with my camera phone.

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:37 pm
by Boodro
Maybe welding or bolting a jack stand upside down on the back corners? Jack stands that a car would sit on while working on it. ?????? 8) 8)

Just a thought that didn't hurt toooo much! :lol: :lol:

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:23 pm
by Bandit
Rob48,

Where can you get a set of the jacks in the photo?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:25 pm
by Chris C

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:48 am
by cracker39
I'm taking the cheap, easy way out. I used this type with an old pop-up tent camper. They will just store in my rear storage compartment with outside access. they don't do the leveling, you have to level it pretty well yourself, then stabilize with these leveling jacks. I wouls lower the front with the tongue jack, place the rear stablilzers at the corners so the rear would be level, then raise the front with the tongue jack and place the front two stabilizers in place. Maybe not as easy as using the built-ins, but cheap and no involved work to weld or bolt on.

Wally World sells them for around $30 a set I beleive. And, I think HF sells them too. Any camping supply has them.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:52 am
by Ira
The Atwood stabilizers at $39 a pair are so cheap, I just can't see trying to reinvent the wheel using something else.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... =200307337

PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:16 am
by 48Rob
Bandit,

Chris pretty much answered the question, but JC. Whitney.

It was a picture I got from the link Spad posted.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2008284/showCustom-0/p-2008284/N-111+600005681+0/c-10107

By the way, whenever you see a photo posted like mine, you can right click properties to see the origin, and gain a link back to the source...

Image

Give it a try, just place the cursor over the picture, right click, then choose properties.
The url will then be available for you to copy and paste, though you will need to get rid of all the extra info, keeping just the basic http://www.jcwhitney.com

Here is the page that shows the jacks,
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Prod ... 01/c-10101


Rob