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Solving Another Problem
Rear Stabilizer Jack Braces |
| November 21, 2005: I've described a problem that needed a solution. The trailer rocks from side to side slightly even when the stabilizer jacks are extended. This is annoying when we are living in the trailer for a seven month period. I suppose it wouldn't bother us as much if we were just weekend campers ... it would be part of the camping experience. At the Great American RV Rally there were two vendors selling stabilizer braces to stop the rocking trailer experience. Of course they both wanted to sell a whole set for $450 - $600 and what's needed are braces for the rear jacks. I decided to design my own braces and try to save some money at the same time. At right, you see the raw material I purchased at a steel supply |
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dealer. Two sizes of tubes so one will slide inside the other. Extra heavy welders hinges for each end of the tubes. The idea is to have the tubes extend as the jack lifts then lock them in place using a T handle made from |
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a 7/16" bolt and a short bar of cold-round. A hole is drilled into the side of each large tube then a 7/16" bolt is welded over the hole to create the T handle locking bolt. One hinge is welded to the end of the small tube while the other hinge is welded to the large tube. The small tube hinge is welded to the center bolt on the foot of the jack. The large tube is slide over the small tube and the hinge |
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is welded to the jack support on the other side of the trailer. The T handle is released and the jack moves up or down as usual. When down in the support position, the handle is tightened so the brace |
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stops most side/side motion. If I happen to forget to release the T handle, damage would likely happen to the jack, braces or both so I created a sign to |
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cover the control switches for the jacks. (I used a funky hinge I had on hand) The sign must be lifted out of the way to operate the hinges. I hope this works to jog my memory. The cost of this project was $15 for materials plus 1 hour of welder time. In Grants Pass, that's $60, so my total investment is $75. |
| There are two other parts which make this stabilizer system work. The wheels must be locked to stop the fore/aft movement by the wheel chocks. The king pin motion must be stopped by the bipod king pin stabilizer. |
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