Rocking rv

[GlennWest]

We're new to this. Is there anything I can do to minimize this? I leveled with front jacks and then rear jacks until they lifted rv a little. Not enough to effect level. Tightened chocks.

[jdwilson3]

Stop the back stabilizers as soon as the rear moves, do not lift, it is best to keep the weight on the wheels. Re-tighten the chocks after the tires cool...about 4 hours. Chock both sides.

[GlennWest]

when the rear moves it can only move up. This is what I've done. It didn't move a half inch. Guess I'll get use to it. Since the weight is on tires I reckon it going to rock as tire flexes. Just hoping someone knew how to minimize this.

[GlennWest]

I believe the air is low in my trail air suspension. Will set it when I go to move. Only 25 lbs now. Could this effect rocking?

[RGordon]

Mine has always rocked especially when someone is walking in the living room. Have thought about installing a screw type stabilizer in the rear. There is just to much length from rear to the hydraulic stabilizers on the 38 footer. Might be OK on shorter unit.

[rdunk]

Quote: "We're new to this. Is there anything I can do to minimize this? I leveled with front jacks and then rear jacks until they lifted rv a little. Not enough to effect level. Tightened chocks".
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For four years I have put the rear jacks down pretty much as J D Wilson said - that is, lower them until they have just hit the ground tightly. I was concerned about putting too much weight on them. Yes, there was usually some shaking, with the DW griping about it.

I recently had some work done on the MS. While there, I asked about what was the right way to put the rear jacks down. While I won't mention the person's name, suffice it to say this person I asked has direct first hand knowledge of the Mobile Suites, and should be able to easily answer a question like this. His response was, "I lower the rear jacks until I see the rear of the MS raise about two inches". He also said that this two inches of lift at the rear would not bother the frame.

Well, the last several times I have set-up, that is what I have done. I look toward the rear, find a point on the ground to gauge the rear lift, and engage the rear jacks until I see about 2 inches lift. That does lessen the trailer shaking, and even the spin cycle of the washing machine is considerably better relative to the shaking.

Soooooooooo, I guess one could say, that after over four years of fulltiming in a Mobile Suites, I have finally learned how to at least set up the rear jacks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol lol

I hope this helps, if you decide to try it!!

P.S. - I do this before the slides go out. I wouldn't redo it with the slides out. For a redo, I would bring the slides in first, reset the rear jacks as stated, and then put the slides back out.

And yes, low TrailAir Center-Point air likely would cause the trailer to be more bouncy!

[anijet]

I wind up the same as rdunk but I get there a little differently. I leave the front a little low and then lower the rear stabilizers firmly to the ground. Then I raise the front to level. I think it is easier on the smaller rear hydraulic cylinders to maintain a position rather than extend under load. I also put 6" blocks under the rear stabilizers, the less extension the less they can move around. A fully extended cylinder has more side shake than one that is only slightly extended.

[GlennWest]

Thanks everyone. Going to try this. Will air up suspension also. God bless.

[GlennWest]

Talking to a fellow worker at my job and this subject came up. He puts two jacks, one on each side, and jacks the tires off the ground. He then levels rear to front. His unit is smaller and lighter than my MS though. He says he has no rocking. He is actually supported at 3 points on each side and tires off the ground. Ever heard of anyone else doing this? Is it a "good practice?

[rdunk]

"Is it a "good practice?"

Glen, I would say probably not a good practice. One, my gut jst does not like it, and it is just not necessary to do it that way. Putting all of what is normally "wheel weight" on the small area of two jack heads could be risking frame damage, IMHO. I also think that on the jacks, with wheels off of the ground, the "house" would probably be much less stable in a high wind. High winds are bad enough with all normal "feet" on the ground, without having to worry about whether an unattached jack stays "semi connected" in the WHOOOOOOOOSH lol lol

[jas24]

We're new to this. Is there anything I can do to minimize this? I leveled with front jacks and then rear jacks until they lifted rv a little. Not enough to effect level. Tightened chocks.

You might try setiing up RV as others have said and see how it feels inside with someone walking around....If it feels too bouncy. go back out & raise the rear jacks a liitle more. I have done this before and it seems to work. Just raise the rear a little each time until you get it where it feels OK. You are not raising it that much each time.

Hope this helps
Jack

[Huck]

I have noticed that if I put a stack of blocking under the legs the trailer seems much, much more stable. Because the jacks don't have to extend as far.

[RonS]

How about the people who have stage II level up system, does that take out more of the bounce?? I have scheduled an appointment w Dale @ trailair for the stage II up grade to my side to side leveling system. Hoping that will be better for a number of things.

[wingnut60]

Doesn't the side-side leveling system work much as Glenn described as "getting the wheels off the ground"? As far as raising the trailer itself with some sort of jack under it--doesn't seem too smart to me. Making sure the jacks are always in contact with the frame--making sure they wouldn't slide off the frame--sounds kind of scary. I'll stay with my old-style boards-under-one-side leveling. The leveling system would be the way to go if you can afford it.
I level with boards, set the chocks (both sides, REALLY crank them tight) then unhitch and level front to rear. I usually takes a little more "up" on the kitchen slide side to compensate for the weight of the slide when out.
I also use pads under all jacks to spread weight, to keep the jacks from settling into the ground--have seen many places on asphalt where jacks have pushed into the surface.
My trailer stays very stable when I remember to do all this in setting up.

[JOHN EVANS]

Im the same way as Wingnut ,we stay very stable uo here at the farm in Algoma Wi. we are setup on a gravel pad

[ponch]

Yes we find that the levelup II does help to stable the unit quite nicely.

I also have the old JRT stabilization system on mine , when I set it, then I have very little movement.In fact when my wife is walking or for that matter rolling over in bed I do not feel a thing sitting in the recliner.

Those that have been in our unit will attest too that.

[2 DA WDS]

I have the level up and it does not seem to help stabilization. They do reduce the 'bounce' but not the wobble. I think its the more the jacks are extended the more they tend to wobble theory. I might try the putting something under the jacks idea to see if that helps. I also have a king pin stabilizer tripod but its kind of a 'luck of the draw' type thing. Sometimes when I set up its very stable and sometimes its very shakey. I dont know what causes the difference. I think I'll soon be geting a JT type stabilizer system and see if that does it.

[jdwilson3]

A friend of mine reminded me about this trick he uses.

He bleeds off the air from the Trail Aire suspension, which sets things more solid. (Thanks Larry)

[RodeWorthy]

I have Mor/Ryde IS suspension in my trailer and I have never had any of the wobble or bouncy conditions many describe. I use no wheel chocks or stabilizers. I do have Level-Up system installed as an after market item but there is no difference with it than without.

I would be interested to hear from others with IS axles to see if they have a similar experience. I suspect the flexing in the leaf spring suspension is the cause of this instability.