Stop the RV rockin’ with this homemade stabilizer system

Long time RVer Bob Campbel from Dayton, Ohio wanted a more stable RV lifestyle. He was tired of all the “rock-n-roll” he experienced as he walked around in his 5th wheel. So he decided to make his own stabilizer out of an old bumper jack, some chain and some scrap metal he had laying around his shop.

First he attaches the stabilizer leg (without the jack) to one side of his 5th wheel like this.Next he pulls the chain so it loosely fits into the side with the jack.Both legs have an “L” frame bracket that holds the stabilizer legs in place against the frame. A hinged “foot” also contains a hook that holds the chain in place. The hinged foot allows for automatic ground angle adjustment.

Since he is setting up on grass, he places boards under the “feet” of the stabilizer jack.

Bob welded a piece of “L” frame on the bottom of the jack and attached the top of the jack to the hinged “foot”. The jack appears “upside down” compared to how a bumper jack is normally used.Once the chain is loosely attached Bob begins to ratchet the jack until the chain is tight.This device actually stops the “rock-n-roll” movement of the typical 5th wheel in the rear of the coach.

This requires some welding skill or having a friend or relative who knows how to weld. Take him or her a copy of these photos (and a candy bar) and he or she will know exactly what to do. They probably even have all the stuff laying around the shop to do the job. You can pick up a bumper jack at any junk yard for a few bucks.

Bringing stability to your RV lifestyle - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

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Better Stability Means Better Dancing in your RV

If you have a travel trailer or 5th wheel you know about rock-n-roll, and I’m not referring to music. When you step onto your RV steps do they sink a little causing the the whole rig to move? You can brace the steps but that won’t solve the problem especially in long rigs. You’ll still get movement whenever you walk around inside. You could purchase those dandy braces that look like an erector set when you’re done and they do help. Or, you could install two additional scissor jacks in front of the tires. This gives you a total of six stability points (seven if you have a 5er kingpin stabilizer). I got this idea from Jim Cowen who installed these on his Luxury by Design 5er. They really do add considerable stability to your rig. Now you can dance the night away without squeaking and creaking. Keeping it on the level - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Achieve a Smoother Ride While Towing or Driving Your RV

I met Shelly Kanji at the Quartzsite RV show. She was demonstrating the RollGard product line that adds control and stability to any vehicle that has leaf springs. Whether the application is in a truck pulling a travel trailer or 5er or a motorhome, the RollGard stabilizer will add safety and stability to your rig. On trucks pulling a 5ers RollGard will help manage tongue weight, reducing bounce and improve control. You can use this product instead of air bags. Here's an example of what it looks like mounted on a typical leaf spring application. This product reduces lean and sway making towing a big 5er or travel trailer more pleasurable. Put these on your 5th wheel or travel trailer and reduce the bounce and maintain better control in wind and when trucks pass. The RollGard is held onto the existing leaf spring with a buckle. The RollGard spring is held over the axle by rubber inserts. The buckle is held under your leaf springs by a roll pin. The roll pin is held in place by the buckle and the bolt on your existing leaf springs. These patented roller pins prevent spring binding. On motorhomes RollGard helps the factory leaf springs recover more quickly from steering inputs resulting in better overall stability. Though it has many of the same characteristics, this product is not a “helper spring” like you can pick up in automotive catalogs. It can help manage the load, but it’s primary function is control of unwanted suspension movement reducing bounce and improving the ride (something “helper springs” do not do). RollGard installs easily on most leaf spring equipped vehicles. You can read more at their website here RollGard. Helping you drive straight and level - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Tool Box A Must For RV Towing Vehicles

I pulled my 5th wheel next to my assigned RV site in the pouring rain. I had a hard time backing into a tight spot at an RV park in Arizona. I wasn’t expecting rain, after all, it was Arizona, so I was glad to have all the tools I would need for a quick set-up close at hand. For a travel trailer or a 5er you need a stabilizer crank, some boards for the landing gear, tire chocks, water hose, channel lock pliers, electric chord adapter, water pressure gauge and a multi-meter (to check out the utilities). I kept all these things in my handy locking truck-bed toolbox. These toolboxes come in various sizes and are made from aluminum, steel or plastic. They can insert in your truck bed with wings that hold the box up off your truck deck so you can slide lumber and other long items under it. You can also get boxes that rest on the bottom of the truck bed without wings. Downdraft off the face of a 5th wheel trailer will blow stuff out of your truck bed if it isn’t secured and these toolboxes keep your stuff safe and dry. Clearance is an important consideration if you’re pulling a 5th wheel because the thickness of the toolbox could interfere with the operation of the king-pin pivot overhang. So, before you purchase one make sure you have adequate clearance tolerances. I enjoyed my truck-bed toolbox because it held a large amount of gear and it locked so I didn’t have to worry about people walking off with my stuff. Since I used the truck as a touring vehicle I liked having my tools with me. My biggest problem was keeping it clean and organized. Most of them come with sliding trays that will help you with this task. Even trucks with modified tow-bodies employ these boxes. They are a “must-have” if you pull a travel trailer or 5th wheel. Some folks even mount them on the back of trailers. Helping you keep it all together - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Wind Deflectors, Do it Right or Don’t Do it at All

Just how effective are those RV wind deflectors you see on trucks pulling 5th wheels and travel trailers? Though somewhat technical (what you’d expect from a Professor of RVing) this information could save you some serious cash. Trucks pulling trailers lose a majority of their energy at highway speeds through aerodynamic drag. Using computational fluid dynamics scientists study air flow as it interacts with test models in a wind tunnel. These studies have determined that in order for an RV wind deflector to work efficiently it must be within a few feet of the trailer due to the fact air flow created by the deflector closes in within a few feet unless it’s conducted by another surface. Cab extension gap seals and side fairings will help to make this possible. (see the article, “On the Aerodynamics of Tractor-Trailers” by M. Hammache and F. Browand here: Technical Link). According to these scholars, the best place for an air deflector is actually on the trailer itself because that's where the majority of the drag occurs. When you place a rounded “nose cone” on the trailer you eliminate the gap of a cab wind deflector and the aerodynamic drag is significantly reduced. So, if you’re looking to save a bunch of money by installing one of these over the cab deflectors make sure it’s as close to the trailer as possible and also install gap seals. If you don’t do this you’re throwing money to the wind. In fact, if the gap is too large, it will end up reducing your fuel economy because you're actually increasing the drag. The bottom line is that trailers, like the Titanium brand, made with an aerodynamic nose are more fuel efficient than any after market cab mounted wind deflector. The more aerodynamic the trailer, the better the fuel economy. Preventing the money from blowing out of your wallet - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Cowboy RVers Ride the Range in Their Combo Trailer Conversions

In the old days, cowboys road down the trail with a bedroll strapped behind their saddle and slept under the stars or rain. Now they travel in comfort with these combo/conversion trailers. These trailers combine a horse trailer in the rear with a bed and breakfast in the front. Notice the amenities begin with a large cab-over type bed. They typically have a comfortable dinette/bed or a couch/bed that also doubles as a dinette. The standard cooking facilities, refrigerator, sink and microwave oven are standard. There is an entertainment center with indoor and outdoor speakers. The bathroom is not large, but more than adequate with a nice shower and plenty of room to rest. One problem with these trailers is that they do not come standard with entry steps because many cowboys like to use a portable step or just hop off their horse into their living quarters. The rear of the trailer has enough room for three horses with padded dividers and a new easy open divider latch. Since these rigs carry heavy loads, the axles are very beefy.
A side entrance tack room is roomy enough for all your saddles and gear. Lighting for the outside and the horse trailer is controlled by these convenient external switches. Since I’m at the rodeo this week, I’ve seen many of these types of trailers set up near the arena campground area. Rodeo clown, Keith Isley, lives in one of these trailers and works the rodeo circuit living in the comfort of his combo trailer. These trailers come both in a bumper pull and a 5th wheel gooseneck style. Notice that these trailers have only one central landing gear You can attach a hay rack on top and you’re ready for a RVing horseback riding adventure. You can check out the floor plans of these combo trailer conversions here Cherokee Trailers

Watch this video I put together to see these trailers in action.
Taking you places you’ve never been before - Jim Twamley the RV Guy

Make Your Toy Hauler More Powerful!

Bob Kendall wanted to have a desk in the back of his toy hauler 5th wheel, but there was no 110 power, phone line, 12 volt outlet, or satellite cable hook-up. He uses a satellite internet system and needs a convenient place to hook into his modem. He designed this multi-function box that includes all the functions he needs in a very nice application. As you can see he ran conduit up from the floor into the box which is screwed into the bulkhead (Navy talk for “wall”). After he removes his mini-cooper out of the toy hauler, he has easy access to his electrical and cable hook-ups when he sets up his desk.

Homemade Blocks Make Leveling Easier

Ron Wieringa, from Cole City, IL built this nifty set of leveling blocks for his Denali 5er. After he cut and secured them with wood screws, he painted them black and attached a handle.

He designed them to be used with a commercial leveling device and attached a "lip" to his wood leveling board to hold the commercial leveling device in place when used together. This allows for greater height in the leveling process.You can buy leveling devices which work well and are light weight or, like Ron, you can build your own.

I asked Ron why he designed these landing gear chocks with a "stop block" in the rear and he told me it was because when he parked where ice formed the landing gear would slip on the blocks when retracting, this "stop block" design prevents them from slipping.

5er Cat Whiskers Make Backing And Turning Safer

A friend of mine tows a 5th wheel while using a wind deflector on his truck. Unfortunately, the mounting bar can collide with the 5th wheel in a tight turn. To prevent this from occurring Chuck mounted these nylon survey markers on the support post on each side of the truck. They act like cat whiskers and inform the driver when the 5er is coming too close to the wind deflector support structure.Chuck says you definitely hear it when the 5er touches these “feelers” like the old curb feelers they used to put on cars. If you can remember those, you’re older than I thought! Jim

Why We Moved From A 5th Wheel To A Motorhome

My wife and I have been shopping for a motorhome for a while and today we took the plunge and purchased a very nice pre-owned Country Coach. We are now in a 40 foot 2000 Allure with one slide. Why the switch? I’m glad you asked. We made the change from a 5th Wheel to a motorcoach primarily due to mobility issues. Our knees don’t appreciate going up and down the steps of our 5th wheel anymore.

We also wanted the comfort of driving on those nice cushy air bags and the ease of leveling and set-up. We also wanted a smaller more economical car (towed by the motorhome) with which to explore the side roads. The difference in fuel mileage between the motorhome and my 7.3 liter F-250 pulling our 5er is about the same. We enjoyed the 5th wheel, but since we are now traveling more often it makes sense to go with a motorhome. Here I am on the test drive.This week and next I will be chronicling my experience throughout the process of purchasing our motorhome from Best Buy RV’s in Richmond, Indiana Click Here For Best Buy RV’s. This is a series of stories you don’t want to miss. As always I’ll bring you interesting tidbits about the RV lifestyle along the way. Jim

Am I There Yet?

After full timing for 6 ½ years Frank Bailey has figured out how to efficiently line up his 5th wheel when hitching up.

First he painted about a 3 inch stripe on the top of his king pin arm. Then he painted a matching stripe on his 5th wheel hitch. He uses his back up camera to line up the two stripes and he is right on target every time. Here is the king pin view angle. Frank especially needs this because he can’t just look over his shoulder to see the location of his king pin. You can also do this if you are using a pick-up truck. Another trick some 5th wheel owners use is to paint the jaws of the 5th wheel hitch white so when they do a visual inspection they can clearly see that the hitch is engaged and locked properly around the king pin.

Off The Floor And On The Wall

Many toy haulers do not have rails or cargo fastening devices installed because everyone wants these devices in different places depending on what kind of cargo they are hauling. Bob Kendall wanted a place to strap stuff to the wall in his toy hauler, so he built and installed these “moving van” type cargo rails on the walls. He also wanted to protect the finish on the walls and these rails are just the ticket.These are easy to make, and I recommend using hardwood because softer wood will not support a load as well as hard woods.

Lube Your Hitch Dummy!

Today I lifted the hood of the truck to check the battery posts, clean and condition my air filter and change my fuel filter. Within two minutes there were two, then three, then four guys standing around offering suggestions. Good thing too, because I needed it. One of the guys asked me when was the last time I lubed my 5th wheel hitch? Lubed? Hitch? “Uh……..well……….uh, never. I didn’t know I was supposed to lube my hitch.” The reason I’m exposing my ignorance is because I know I’m not the only one who didn’t know this. I’ve been full timing for a couple years and have never seen anyone lubing their hitch. How often do you sit around the campfire and say, “Hey Frank, lubed my 5er hitch today, what did you do?” Frank, “Oh, I lubed my leaf spring equalizers. Yep, it was time to get-er-done.” Stirring the fire with a long stick, Frank looks up and says, “So what kind of grease did you use anyway?” "Lithium of course!" (Sure hope that was the right answer!)OK, so I’m a dummy, but hopefully someone will learn from my mistakes. Here is how you do it: First, remove the retaining pin and pull out the main pin. The main pin was rusted so I cleaned it up with sandpaper. This is the cylinder that the main pin holds in place. I've extracted it from the hitch cradle and turned it upside down for maintenance. Sounds like I know what I'm doing doesn't it. Sheesh, look at that rust in there! Some guys just abuse their equipment! I also reamed the cylinder with sandpaper. I applied grease to the main pin. I applied grease to the lube points on the mechanical mechanism including inside the cylinder.I used silicon spray on the areas I couldn’t reach with grease. After I put it all back together, WOW, what a difference! Now it’s a happy piece of equipment and I can show my face again at the campfire. Jim

Our Rig

Our 2004 HitchHiker II LS has had multiple problems, enough to fill 3 pages single space, but our dealer was proficient in fixing most of the problems. (The dealer RV Tech told me the factory used a bad batch of caluking that year - and it's true on my rig). We are still fixing stuff even after the warranty ran out, but such is life as a full time RV'er. If Honda made RV's (please Honda, please please please consider making RV's!!!) we wouldn't have nearly as much warranty work. But alas this was made in Kansas and, well.... - it's CRAP! But so are all the other US RV's on the market. With all the problems, it's also home. Anyone have a similar perspective?