Wobbly Jacks

[Geeze]

We are enjoying our first season of camping in our 2002 Palamino Mustang however we have one major complaint. The crank down jacks are so wobbly that even someone rolling over in the other bunk shakes the entire camper. It seems to me that the problem is excessive side to side movement in the jacks. I can stand outside and push on one corner and see the jacks move back and forth sideways. This is very annoying and I would like to find a way to reduce this movement in the trailer. Any suggestions? :eyecrazy:

[flyfisherman]

We are enjoying our first season of camping in our 2002 Palamino Mustang however we have one major complaint. The crank down jacks are so wobbly that even someone rolling over in the other bunk shakes the entire camper. It seems to me that the problem is excessive side to side movement in the jacks. I can stand outside and push on one corner and see the jacks move back and forth sideways. This is very annoying and I would like to find a way to reduce this movement in the trailer. Any suggestions? :eyecrazy:

I'm not familar with Palamino at all. I've seen them and been in a couple of them and that's about the extent. But I should think these crank down stabilizers are about standard fair (I'm guessing B.A.L. manufactured) and probably the same as on my Starcraft. Base on your decription, the very first thing that comes to mind is to ask if the stabilizer jacks are secure to the camper frame ... i.e., are the bolts holding the jacks to the frame tight? The next thing I would ask, do you have two or four of these stabilizers? Let's start out there and I've got a couple other ideas for later.



Fly

[AustinBoston]

I'll ad a couple other things.  

First, you aren't trying to use them to level the pop-up, are you?  Your use of the word "stabilizer" leads me to believe you are not, but just making sure.

Second, are you choking the wheels?  Tightly chocking both wheels front and back makes for a more stable trailer.

Austin

[dthurk]

I'll ad a couple other things.
 
First, you aren't trying to use them to level the pop-up, are you? Your use of the word "stabilizer" leads me to believe you are not, but just making sure.
 
Second, are you choking the wheels? Tightly chocking both wheels front and back makes for a more stable trailer.
 
Austin

Make sure you chock the wheels.  You may want to choke them, but that probably won't help the situation.
 
Chocking well is really the first step.  Trying to stabilize the camper on it's own suspension as much as possible begins to get the wiggle out.  If you're using the plastic wheel chocks, set one side (back or front) first, back or pull the camper into them as tightly as possible, then set the other side.  The BAL leveler works really well, as well as allowing you to level the camper from side to side.  Your wheels have to be large enough, though.  I think you need at least 13" wheels to use the BAL leveler.

[Geeze]

Thanks for the replies. We level the camper by backing or pulling the tires up on plywood blocks. Basically we are using three point leveling, the tires and tongue jack to level the camper. The jacks are used for nothing more than to to stabilize the camper. They are the El Cheapo BAL type crank downs and are bolted securly to the frame. The problem is that there is excessive side to side free play in the design of the jacks. I'll have to admit we haven't done a good job of blocking the wheels, that will be the next thing we try. We love the pop up but the wobbling around is driving us crazy.

[flyfisherman]

Geeze ~ I have (4) of the crank down stabilizers and when done properly does  a pretty decent job for what they were intended to do. Have noticed that when camping in one spot for a time it's necessary to go back and snug-up any slack, especially if it has rained. But know all about those camper wiggles, sometimes when making a long cross country run and having to lay over someplace just for a night, will leave the camper hitched and popup and do just the minimum set-up without dropping the stabilizers - you cannot make a move inside without feeling a ripple effect!

Awhile back a member of our fishing group bought a small Jayco PU that just had two rear stabilizers and so my friend picked up two of those aluminum screw type stands (I call them jack stands) for the front of the camper and he says it made a big difference. Think he got them from Harbor Freight and very inexpensive.

I suppose you can get about as elaborate as you want to get with this stabilizing.  This guy here has a system that he says will eliminate ANY wiggle -

http://www.waynesrvstabilizer.com/



Fly

[Apache_Adventurer]

Our 1979 Apache Ramada has 10" tires and the BAL Leveler works just fine.  We have the swing down, "friction" jacks and with one tire chocked with a standard yellow plastic chock and the other tire stabilized by the BAL, the trailer is solid with no "wobbling" of the jacks.  Go to the Pop-Up Explorer site, to the PUX Store, and purchase the BAL; you will not regret the purchase.

[dthurk]

Our 1979 Apache Ramada has 10" tires and the BAL Leveler works just fine.  We have the swing down, "friction" jacks and with one tire chocked with a standard yellow plastic chock and the other tire stabilized by the BAL, the trailer is solid with no "wobbling" of the jacks.  Go to the Pop-Up Explorer site, to the PUX Store, and purchase the BAL; you will not regret the purchase.

The BAL leveler is designed for 13", 14" and some 15" tires, according to web page.  I don't understand the "some".  I also didn't know it would work with 10" tires.

[Apache_Adventurer]

The BAL Leveler does work on 10" tires; we have used it on our Apache Ramada successfully for three (3) camping seasons without incident.  Fact based on experience.

[dthurk]

The BAL Leveler does work on 10" tires; we have used it on our Apache Ramada successfully for three (3) camping seasons without incident.  Fact based on experience.

If I had known that, I would have bought one to use with our 12" tires.

[tlhdoc]

With smaller tires some people add a 1 inch block of wood to the 2 pads that hold the tires when the BAL Leveler lifts the wheel off of the ground.  

[AustinBoston]

Make sure you chock the wheels.  You may want to choke them, but that probably won't help the situation.

I don't see how putting white powder on the wheels will help.  Squeezing off their air supply until they suffocate is much better.

Austin (running from the chalk being thrown at him)

[Apache_Adventurer]

We have never needed to use wooden blocks on the pads of the BAL Leveler to hold our 10" tires securely on the pads when raising the trailer.  Use the Leveler as purchased; the only modification that we incorporated to the unit was to add a third bead of weld to the pads to prevent a failure that has occasionally occurred on Levelers with two weld beads.

The BAL should be placed on two pieces of plywood, on either side of the tire being raised so as to give it a solid footing, especially on sites with a sandy base.

[dthurk]

I don't see how putting white powder on the wheels will help.  Squeezing off their air supply until they suffocate is much better.
 
 Austin (running from the chalk being thrown at him)

No running, now, until after you chuck the chaulk back.

[AustinBoston]

No running, now, until after you chuck the chaulk back.

If you run with chalk in out mouth, you might choke.  If you put chalk in your mouth, you might chuck.  If you put chock in your mouth, you have a mighty big mouth.

Austin