Tipping over our trailer?

[southpennrailroad]

Stabilizing jacks

We went camping in a valley and last year early of the year we went down the turnpike to the west portal of the Kittatinny Mountain tunnel and we were shown how the wind over turns a mobile home type office building used for that part of the turnpike. The trailer was to be picked up but the TV driver was surprised that the trailer he was to pick up was on its side due to the wind. It was skirted and when we got there they were just putting it back onto its wheels.


Well moving ahead to this past December and while we were on the slag flats in the same area as the office, we were also rocking without the fun part and I was just wondering if stabilizing jacks on each corner of my 6x10 would help.

[mikeschn]

we were also rocking without the fun part

Rocking without the fun part doesn't sound like any fun to me.

Yes, stabilizers will help. 2 in the back for sure, and 4 would definitely make it rock stable.

Mike...

[brian_bp]

Jacks in each corner would help, but just two jacks behind the axle may help almost as much. As soon as you have three solid support points (the tongue jack is the other one), the only way the trailer frame can move is by distorting - either bending or twisting.

Jacks under the front corners help take out the twist, but how much of an issue this is depends on frame construction. I think cargo trailer frames tend to be stronger than a similarly sized travel trailer, because they tend to be intended for higher loads, so they may be stiffer and thus twist less. This depends on the construction details: for instance, box-section steel would twist less than C-channel or I-beams.

I put the rear stabilzer jacks on my travel trailer immediately behind the rear mounts of the suspension's leaf springs, so that they are as close as practical to the suspension. I want them to take the "bounce" out by replacing the suspension's support role, not to add a stiff support point competing with a soft (sprung) point some distance away. If the rear jacks go right at the bumper, front corner jacks may be desirable.