Stability and stabilizers, pads, etc.

[OneReallyOldGuy]

Like everyone else I’m usually parked on hard packed gravel. Concrete pads are rare. Sometimes I’m pretty stable. Other times it feels like I haven’t put down a stabilizer at all. I’ve tried various amounts of wood stacks, rubber pads and no pads. No matter what it’s still hit or miss.
I’m pretty high in the nose here so I put down a two stack and a three stack of 2x12’s before disconnecting then I used my rubber pads on the rear stabilizers. It feels like a bounce house inside. My feeble little mind assumes the shorter the legs extend the better but is that wrong? Do these 5° legs have to extend further for more stability? Would a king pin tripod help enough to justify the cost?
Here’s the setup;
2019 DRV 39DBRS3, right at 20k, six leg autolevel, no wheel chocks

[Walt]

Shorter the better in my opinion. I have 9 layers of 2" X 8", crisscrossed, under the front stabilizers and none on the rear ones. I'm on gravel right now. No movement at all.

[wingnut60]

Movement is perceived by some more than others. I always use a super solid 16x16x1 plastic square + 14x14x4 on top of that and a 12x2x6 on top of that, for the front jacks, unless pad is lower to rear. 14x14x4 under all stabilizers all the time. The Suites moves some, and with the washer its noticeable, but we are ok with it. Have used a tripod in the past, but it was more trouble to use with little/no improvement + very heavy/hard to tote around. I also vote for shorter is better.

[OneReallyOldGuy]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was hoping to get more input on this subject. Perhaps I posted it in the wrong section?

[Rcmadman]

I put JT stabilizers on my new unit, these with the 4 point leveling system, I use 4 blocks under each jack. Super solid and no movement on my 40 foot , front living unit

[Hanr3]

I made a couple of platforms for under my stabilizers. I find that after a day the legs need to be extended slightly to adjust for the settling. When I get wobble in the camper, I go outside and extend the stabilizers a little bit. That usually fixes the problem.

[wingnut60]

You may find a lot more info on IRV2.com many more members there. But, see nothing wrong with your blocking, except the pic of the front jacks seems to really be extended a lot--wobble, wobble.

[Notanlines]

Most later model larger RV's only have jacks so there is no stabilizer for us to adjust. I put 16x16x1.5 inch treated plywood first and then auto-level. On occasion I may hit auto-level one more time after a month or two. If you are on sandy soil you'll probably not be pacified ever. Very few people are happy with their tri-pods for the king pin. It is very common for RV'ers offering to give one away here and there.

[Suite Sweets]

Old guy - you mention no chocks. As was explained to me - the legs are made for vertical loads, and they don't like lateral pressures. We now use chocks to keep the trailer from moving forward when unhooking, and chocks to keep the trailer from pushing backward when connecting, the later being more important in my mind. Once I've put the chocks into place - they just stay there. I don't know if that's the reason, but we have very little movement of our DRV

[wingnut60]

I have a X chock that I place only when on very off-level sites. Otherwise, the fiver is heavy enough to stay where it is when I unhitch/hitch up. Easy does it either way...
Haven't ever noted less movement when using the chock.

[Suite Sweets]

wingnut, I agree with you - ours stayed in place, as well. But pistons are designed to move laterally inside their cylinders, so when someone pointed out the value of the chocks, I switched to the chocks. I'd never used them before to keep the 5th wheel in place, and didn't feel (and don't feel) they were needed for that reason. We now chock front and back of at least one tire, on each side of the rig

[MTK46]

Originally Posted by Suite Sweets

wingnut, I agree with you - ours stayed in place, as well. But pistons are designed to move laterally inside their cylinders

That's a new one to me. Being a retired city fleet manager & now a service manager at a tractor dealership I've dealt with many cylinders over 35+ years.
If the pistons move laterally they are worn out.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with wheel chocks. As wingnut and you have said my M.S. doesn't move around, unless I'm towing it.

[Hanr3]

My 5er is light by comparison and I use wheel chocks. They stop the camper from rocking forward/backward. I use the legs and stabilizers to keep the camper from bouncing up/down and side to side.

Typically after a day or two I have to extend the rear stabilizers due to settling. But once done she is rock solid, even with grandkids running in/out through out the day.

[OneReallyOldGuy]

Thanks again guys. I’m thinking about getting a pair of stabilizer jacks to put under the frame at the rear of the unit. There’s a lot of real estate behind those rear stabilizers and sitting on the sofa while wifey is padding around in the front of the fiver is when I really feel the wiggle. I found a pair on amazon so if I don’t feel an improvement after a week I can return em.

[wingnut60]

More support the better...just don't lift it.

[OneReallyOldGuy]

I bought a pair of stabilizer jacks from Walmart online. 40 bucks. Set em up at the rear most point on the frame. No more wiggle when sitting on the couch even when the washer is on the spin cycle. (I have no idea why my pics posted sideways, sorry)

[wingnut60]

Not a bad idea...

[MTK46]

Originally Posted by OneReallyOldGuy

I bought a pair of stabilizer jacks from Walmart online. 40 bucks. Set em up at the rear most point on the frame. No more wiggle when sitting on the couch even when the washer is on the spin cycle. (I have no idea why my pics posted sideways, sorry)

Just wondering what model M.S. do you have? Just asking as mine doesn't move around. It maybe yours is longer & has more overhang then my 36' which measures 38' 3" over all.
Is your washer in the bedroom slide?
As I bought mine used we haven't used the washer yet. Maybe mine will have some movement to if washer is on.

[OneReallyOldGuy]

It’s a 39DBRS3, bath and a half unit, 42’ cap to ladder.

[MTK46]

Quite a bit larger and newer then mine. Distance between rear axle & tail end will be longer then mine also. That to me would be the main reason why you feel movement & I don't.