Front jacks/stabelizers attached to frame

[Texashusker]

Hi there..I'm a newbie!  I have a question on my '96 Starcraft PU, but should be the same for any popup.  For reasons i won't go into, the 2 stablizing jacks on the front of the trailer won't come down from the frame.  I think they need to be replaced.  Can i just use other jacks that are made to support trailers instead of having new ones welded on?  If i remember right (and of course my father is no longer living), this was commonplace when i was growing up in our "regular" travel trailer we had.

Or, has anyone had this done?  How much did it cost to repair?

Thanks in advance...Roger

[wavery]

Hi there..I'm a newbie!  I have a question on my '96 Starcraft PU, but should be the same for any popup.  For reasons i won't go into, the 2 stablizing jacks on the front of the trailer won't come down from the frame.  I think they need to be replaced.  Can i just use other jacks that are made to support trailers instead of having new ones welded on?  If i remember right (and of course my father is no longer living), this was commonplace when i was growing up in our "regular" travel trailer we had.

Or, has anyone had this done?  How much did it cost to repair?

Thanks in advance...Roger

Hi Roger and welcome to PUT

It would be helpful to know what kind of PU you have.

To my knowledge, most stabilizer jacks are bolted on and easily replaced.

I know that if mine were welded on, I would grind off the welds and replace them with bolt-on jacks using double lock nuts.

As a side-note.........I have an arc-welder and I would not weld the jacks on.

[Texashusker]

Hi Roger and welcome to PUT

It would be helpful to know what kind of PU you have.

To my knowledge, most stabilizer jacks are bolted on and easily replaced.

I know that if mine were welded on, I would grind off the welds and replace them with bolt-on jacks using double lock nuts.

As a side-note.........I have an arc-welder and I would not weld the jacks on.

Thanks for the welcome! I can't recall the model, but the brand is Starcraft. I'll have to look and see. I just assumed they're welded on.  But they've been on for 10 yrs now!  I'll come clean...i had a little accident in Taos, NM. I "forgot" i had the trailer on behind my Avalanche. Pulled into a NM tourism building and went over a speed bump. Even with the little pin thru the hitch mechanism, the trailer popped off and slammed on to the pavement.  I'd imagine the impact of the trailer hitting hte ground bent the stabilizer jacks (sorry about the earlier spelling error!)

I think i'm going to like posting here!  I'm glad I found these forums. Thanks again for the advice!

[Recumbentman]

  Can i just use other jacks that are made to support trailers instead of having new ones welded on?  If i remember right (and of course my father is no longer living), this was commonplace when i was growing up in our "regular" travel trailer we had.

the short answer is yes. but you will always have to pack & unpack them, plus the storage area they will take away from. storage is so limited to begin with.
replacement jacks are not expensive and if you bought them ahead of time, you could have a muffler shop or similar place remove and install the new ones for little cost.

[tlhdoc]

Yes you can use the portable jacks.  On my Coleman/Fleetwood PU I replaced all 4 jacks this winter.  There were plates welded onto the corners of the PU and the jacks were bolted to the plates.  I purchased the same type of jacks and it was just a matter of unbolting and then bolting the new jacks on.

[mlslocks]

I would just like to add you should look into adjusting the latch on the hitch. If the bounce from the speed bump made it come off the hitch may be damaged. It would be a sad day if it came off at highway speeds.

Lee

[flyfisherman]

Think you will find they are bolted on. My present Starcraft has the Bal crank downs and in their annual springtine check over and lubing with slicone spray, I check the bolts to make sure they are tight. The previous camper was a '96 Coleman that had the stabilizer jacks where you dropped them down and then used a jack handle to adjust. Had to replace one of them and so I know they were, too, bolted on.


Fly

[ScoobyDoo]

If a speed bump un-hooked you, you ain't hooked. You didn't have the coupler down on the ball, wedge on top the ball) or had a 2in coupler on a 1+7/8 ball. solve this before you worry about the stabs, you could kill somebody before you get to the campground.