OK, call me RV stupid. Well maybe! We got the shake, rattle , and roll go'n on tonight!

[G_Hage]

What do you do when you buy your first RV and it comes with no instructions? Fake it! LOL

Seriously, never set one up before, thought I had it figured out:
Grass site, fairly solid ground.
Chose 12x12 inch by 2" thick wooden pads for a good stable footprint (doubled up)
Shimmed up with 1x10x10s for side to side leveling No fancy auto leveling gizmo here
Lowered front hydraulic landing gear to near level front to back
Cranked down rear landing gear to where solid on footings
Continued to lower front gear until level
Sounded good on paper

Buuuuuuuuut, we have the most obnoxious bonce when anyone walks anywhere in our rig. Even the 20 lb Boston Terrier makes us shake rattle and roll when she walks from the couch to the water bowl. NOT GOOD, wife ain't happy with me or our new fiver. Where oh where did I go wrong on our Mount Rushmore?

 

[cookie]

It sounds like you did most things correct.
I would level the coach first, then deploy the rear stabilizers.
With a rig that long you are going to get some movement but proper deployment of the rear stabs will help some.
Good wheel chocks will also help. I am talking about the kind that spread between the tires. Like X-Chock or Roto-Chock.
If you really want to be stabile then get a pair of scissor jacks that are found on most travel trailers. Use them near the axles to the frame. That will eliminate most of the bounce. Some people have mounted them permanently to the frame. Then use a cordless drill driver to extend them.
Your wife will be happy.

Peace
Dave

 

[G_Hage]

It sounds like you did most things correct.
I would level the coach first, then deploy the rear stabilizers.
With a rig that long you are going to get some movement but proper deployment of the rear stabs will help some.
Good wheel chocks will also help. I am talking about the kind that spread between the tires. Like X-Chock or Roto-Chock.
If you really want to be stabile then get a pair of scissor jacks that are found on most travel trailers. Use them near the axles to the frame. That will eliminate most of the bounce. Some people have mounted them permanently to the frame. Then use a cordless drill driver to extend them.
Your wife will be happy.

Peace
Dave

That's exactly what I told the wife I thought was needed. My structural engineering background was saying you have two 10" I-beams under this thing that are being jacked up at each end with a belly and the weight of the axles in the middle. Plus you're still supported on the suspension. Without two more lifts (one each beam) in the middle near the axles, this big girl is gonna bounce! Buying more jacks today. Thanks

 

[caissiel]

I have installed 7k units behind the rear wheels. But they turn so easy that 5k might stay tighter. 7k's have a roller trust bearing on the screw.
It does work well because without it its a long stretch front to back. Used 24 inch model so they can be mounted straight across.

Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mobilcastle]

Gets some Xchocks-it will make a world of difference.

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

OK, call me RV stupid. Well maybe! We got the shake, rattle , and roll go'n o...

What do you do when you buy your first RV and it comes with no instructions? Fake it! LOL

Buuuuuuuuut, we have the most obnoxious bonce when anyone walks anywhere in our rig. Even the 20 lb Boston Terrier makes us shake rattle and roll when she walks from the couch to the water bowl. NOT GOOD, wife ain't happy with me or our new fiver. Where oh where did I go wrong on our Mount Rushmore?

Having owned a sailboat in our past vacationing life the SRAR does not even bother us, it feels like we are on the boat and at anchor. Works for us anyway.

 

[JohnDar]

A tip I recall is to level front to rear with the front jacks, then lower the nose about 3/4". Then drop the rear stabilizers until snug and go back up front and raise the nose back to level. Adding jacks midships is also recommended.

 

[Gary521]

Get yourself a system. This, then this, then this. As a couple of folks here have suggested, Rear stabilizers last. What you did was raise the rear stabilizers off the ground by continuing to lower the front "after" the rear was down, rendering them useless. Likewise when you leave, rear stabilizers up first. By the way, JohnDar had a good idea.

 

[TXTiger]

Be careful raising the front legs after the rear ones are already down touching the ground. Raising the front to much with the rear already extend and touching the ground will bend and damage the rear if you are not careful.

 

[Buckeye]

When I first set up my fifth wheel 11 years ago I thought I had done everthing right- then my wife told me the bathtub would not drain. I had to learn alot thru embarassing experiences.

 

[Westwind]

Sorry about the "I" but maybe this will help.

1st. I make sure the trailer is level side to side.
2nd. I install my tire locks and chocks.
3rd. I drop the front legs and unhitch the truck.
4th. I level the trailer from front to rear.
5th. I lower the rear stabilizer jacks. (Be carefull and don't overdo the rear jacks, folks have caused frame problems)
6th. I then open the slides.
7th. I do all the connections.

NOTE - Rear stabilzer jack should be last going down when arriving and first when leaving.


This is a personal observation - We have a washer dryer and I did not put the tripod out our first night this trip and in the morning the Washer Dryer was used and it shook my false teeth. I set it up very quickly, I now realize it does make a difference having used it and not used it. I'm one of the few that feel it helps.

 

[Birchwood]

Maybe the seller will help you with your setup or if you can make it to a campground fellow RVers will
be overwhelmed to give you a hand.All the best!

 

[Sumo]

A tip I recall is to level front to rear with the front jacks, then lower the nose about 3/4". Then drop the rear stabilizers until snug and go back up front and raise the nose back to level.

This also how I set up our 5th wheel. And reverse the process when we get ready to hitch up. A lot less bounce than when I put the rear stabilizers down last. Just my option.

 

[G_Hage]

Gets some Xchocks-it will make a world of difference.

Got a nice set of the metal Xchocks today and installed them. Big difference, less bounce. Still gonna do the extra set of jacks. Should be solid (as solid as you can in one of these) then.

 

[G_Hage]

Get yourself a system. This, then this, then this. As a couple of folks here have suggested, Rear stabilizers last. What you did was raise the rear stabilizers off the ground by continuing to lower the front "after" the rear was down, rendering them useless. Likewise when you leave, rear stabilizers up first. By the way, JohnDar had a good idea.

My bad with wording. When I stated that I continued to lower front, what I was doing was raising the front of the fiver the recommended 3/4" bringing it to level by lowering the gear.