Best way to remove collapsed stabilizers?

[GoMopar440]

Like the title says, what's the best way to remove bent/collapsed stabilizers? ...and to add to the fun the AS is parked under a house so it cant be jacked up very far at all.

The PO that parked it there let half the air of the tires to get it to fit. They didn't air the tires back up but they did put the stabilizers down. That was four years ago. Now the tires are completely flat and the trailer settled onto the stabilizers and bent them.

Here's the gory pics...




The best Idea I can come up at the moment is to first put some heavy duty jack (12 ton) stands near the axles, a-frame and rear bumper areas. Then use a cutting torch to cut the stabilizers off and unbolt the stabilizer mounts. Then remove the jack stands and pull it out from under the house. Once it's out, I'll put new tires and wheels on it and bolt on new stabilizers.

Anyone have any better ideas how to go about this?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by GoMopar440

Like the title says, what's the best way to remove bent/collapsed stabilizers? ...and to add to the fun the AS is parked under a house so it cant be jacked up very far at all.

The PO that parked it there let half the air of the tires to get it to fit. They didn't air the tires back up but they did put the stabilizers down. That was four years ago. Now the tires are completely flat and the trailer settled onto the stabilizers and bent them.

Here's the gory pics...

The best Idea I can come up at the moment is to first put some heavy duty jack (12 ton) stands near the axles, a-frame and rear bumper areas. Then use a cutting torch to cut the stabilizers off and unbolt the stabilizer mounts. Then remove the jack stands and pull it out from under the house. Once it's out, I'll put new tires and wheels on it and bolt on new stabilizers.

Anyone have any better ideas how to go about this?

One jack at the axle mounting plate, raising one side at a time, should be ok.

Stabilizer jacks will fail, if excessive weight is applied to them.

In your case, that's exactly what happened.

I would also suggest that you check out the axles. Parked for a long period of time, destroys any torsion axle.

Andy

[purman]

The fun way would be a cutting torch, the practical way would be a saws-all with a metal blade or angle grinder with a metal cutting blade. Just Jack it up a bit cut them out and pull it out.


Good luck

[AirsDream]

Yup, a Sawzall or bayonet-type saw with a couple of metal cutting blades would be easiest and least likely to start a fire under the trailer. If you don't own one, I'm pretty sure you can rent one at any major hardware, rental shop or Home Depot. You're not talking about more than a minute or two per stabilizer.

You don't need new stabilizers until after you've got it home. Put new ones on there at your leisure.

[HowieE]

If you had enough height to put the trailer in there you should have enough height to jack up either side and just unbolt the stabilizers and slide them out. You only need a 1/2 in to take the load of them in this position. Use a floor or bottle jack between the wheels against the frame.

If the tires will hold air I would pump them up before removing the jack you use to remove the stabilizers and roll out on them.

I would reconsider a torch under the trailer under the house unless you have another place to stay.

[Gene]

I would ask whether the jacks have put so much pressure on the frame to distort it and if so, what would it take to fix that? Would jacking up one side make it worse on the other?

Gene

[ronstory]

Even if you sawall them, you will still need to remove the bracket eventually. So my recommendation is to just jack up the trailer at the axle mounting plates, install a jack stand... then unbolt them. You will only need an inch or two clearance to make that work.

Remember that that bolt near the center of the trailer can get stuck in the stabalizer jack brackets due to rust and other corossion. If it does... just spin the nut back on the bolt until it is flush with the end of the bolt (to protect the threads) and then tap it with a hammer. The bolt is 'J' shaped and just hooks over one of the crossbars that support the belly pan so you won't damage the bolt or crossbar while tapping it loose.

[GoMopar440]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I would ask whether the jacks have put so much pressure on the frame to distort it and if so, what would it take to fix that? Would jacking up one side make it worse on the other?

Gene

That's why I want to start by removing the front stabilizers first. Then I can remove the forward jack stands and lower the tounge jack a little bit. That should lower the front and raise the rear behind the axles enough to take the load off the rear stabilizers.

There is nothing but concrete under the trailer (no grass) and the belly pan is intact above the stabilizers. There should be no problem with using a torch around the mid point on the main arm on the stabilizers. I wouldn't dare try to cut the brackets where they bolt to the under carriage. That would be just plain stupid. There's no way to know what lies behind the aluminum skin so heating that area could very well create a serious fire hazard.

The trailer came with a set of Oxygen and Acetylne bottles, hoses and regulators and torches. I just got the bottles filled so it's all ready to cut. I have a 18V battery operated sawsall so I could use that, but the torch would make it a much simpler job of it.

There's not much space above the trailer. Maybe 12" at most and less than that near the lights under the house.

[Dieselgrin]

I would try to cut the bolts off or wring them off with an air gun. Try to leave the bracket attached to the trailer. You may be able to salvage the bent arms and fabricate new legs. Remember, they are called stabilizers, not jacks. If you don't have enough room under the trailer, air up the tires and pull it out from under the cover. You are going to need to change the tires anyway.

[bmklawt]

Will the old tires hold air?

If not, the old tires are now flat and bulged at the bottom, that my play hell with your wheel wells when you start to move it.
You say your getting new wheels and tires, you may just want to dismount the old tires and drive it out of there on the rims.
If you want to save the rims get a piece of fresh 2" X 12" wolmanized lumber (less likely to split from weight of trailer) and put them under the rims, no tires, block the wheels and ski it out of there.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by GoMopar440

That's why I want to start by removing the front stabilizers first. Then I can remove the forward jack stands and lower the tounge jack a little bit. That should lower the front and raise the rear behind the axles enough to take the load off the rear stabilizers.

Installation instructions call for 2 bolts thru the stabilizers to the main frame, plus one more bolt that holds the rear portion of the stabilizer to a frame cross member.

You may be able to easly remove those with a socket set, once you lift one side of the trailer.

Would save you some grief.

Andy

[GoMopar440]

Originally Posted by Dieselgrin

Remember, they are called stabilizers, not jacks.

I wish someone had told the PO that four years ago when they parked it. It would have made getting the AS out from under the house a whole lot easier.

This isn't my first RV so I'm very familiar with the difference between jacks and stabilizers. The jacks I was referring to in my last post are heavy duty automotive safety type jack stands.

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, IN

Installation instructions call for 2 bolts thru the stabilizers to the main frame, plus one more bolt that holds the rear portion of the stabilizer to a frame cross member.

You may be able to easly remove those with a socket set, once you lift one side of the trailer.

Would save you some grief.

Andy

That would simplify things greatly if I can do that. I'll have to see how much room I have to work with given the ceiling limitations next time I'm over there. Where would be the proper place to use a floor jack to get the side lifted? Between the axles under the main frame rail?

[Dieselgrin]

Heh Gomopar, how long have you had your 73 AS? I just bought my first AS a couple of months ago. If I knew then, what I know now, from this forum, I probably would have passed. Oh, well, there's plenty of projects to keep me busy.

[GoMopar440]

Originally Posted by Dieselgrin

Heh Gomopar, how long have you had your 73 AS? I just bought my first AS a couple of months ago. If I knew then, what I know now, from this forum, I probably would have passed. Oh, well, there's plenty of projects to keep me busy.

I bought it the day after Christmas for $1500. I won't be able to get it home till somewhere around the end of January. That'll give the PO time to remove their tools and stuff (LOTS OF IT!!!) and me time to collect necissary parts to be able to move it safely (ie: tires, wheels and maybe axles). The rest will come with time after I get it home and can look it over at my leisure.

I knew this was going to need a lot of work when I bought it. I got a low enough purchase price to allow me to make needed repairs and still keep it within my budget.

[AirsDream]

"Where would be the proper place to use a floor jack to get the side lifted? Between the axles under the main frame rail?"

There are several threads on this topic alone. Do a quick search and you'll find them. Good luck.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by AirsDream

"Where would be the proper place to use a floor jack to get the side lifted? Between the axles under the main frame rail?"

There are several threads on this topic alone. Do a quick search and you'll find them. Good luck.

The best place to lift one side of the trailer is using the axle mounting plate, with a floor jack.

A jack can slip off the frame.

Andy

[Dieselgrin]

Gomopar,

Well, this is the place to learn about AS. I've had pop ups, travel trailers, hybrids, and truck camper (my fav) and this forum has enough folks that have been there and done that who are more than willing to help us newbies figure out these great trailers. I joined a local AS club and I'm looking forward to meeting some new common interest friends. In fact, there is a guy I graduated from high school with (1970) that is in the same club. It was great to get back in touch with him.

Great price and best of luck with your new AS.

BTW, my son is being stationed at Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo in April. It's a far piece from VA, but closer than the 15 months he spent in Iraq!

[purman]

You don't need to jack up the trailer. What's all the fuss about.

Just use your front mount jack. Jack the front of the trailer so the front are off the ground. They have collapse so you should have plenty of room. Get them off however you want. Then lower the front main jack so the front is lower and the back ones come off the ground. Then take them off. then jack the front back up. hook it up and drag it out. The tires are probably no good so I would guess not putting air in them won't hurt since you will need new ones.

Don't make this harder than it is. It should be a piece of cake.

[Gene]

Good idea purman, if the jack still works and it doesn't distort the frame when the stabilizers at one end are further compressed.

I wouldn't trust the old tires not to blow out when you're under there so I wouldn't rely on them to hold up the trailer without something else raising it.

I'd think that jacking from both sides little by little would not compress any stabilizers further and hopefully provide enough room to get them off. Or, dig a hole under them would be another way if it weren't sitting on concrete.

Just lifting slightly may be enough to get the pavers out and release tension. Before anything, I'd squirt WD40 on the bolts and any part that may be frozen in place, then squirt a few more times, to allow the penetrating oil to penetrate. Then use jacks under the jacking points and raise the trailer slightly and see what happens. Two of the stabilizers are on their "knees". There has to be a pin at that point and maybe it can be drilled out to get the lower part out of the way. All of them appear to have pins to allow them to articulate and maybe all the pins can be drilled out once the weight of the trailer is taken off the stabilizers—otherwise, releasing the pin (if you can) could pop something at you with considerable force. Perhaps a bottle jack to the mounting plate of the stabilizer would help stabilize that area while working on it, but I'd be concerned about something slipping.

The most important part of this seems to me is to safely lift the trailer and make sure it is not going to move. As I think out loud, perhaps the best way is putting on new tires with just enough air in them to keep them on the wheels (if you can fit them in space) and then putting a little more air in (without hitting the roof above) to release the tension on the stabilizers. The trailer will then be supported the safest way.

And, another thought—can you take the AC cover off or the whole unit out to be able to lift the trailer higher? That may give you enough space to mount new tires, or at least lift it enough to work on it.

Gene

[GoMopar440]

Originally Posted by purman

You don't need to jack up the trailer. What's all the fuss about.

Just use your front mount jack. Jack the front of the trailer so the front are off the ground. They have collapse so you should have plenty of room. Get them off however you want. Then lower the front main jack so the front is lower and the back ones come off the ground. Then take them off. then jack the front back up. hook it up and drag it out. The tires are probably no good so I would guess not putting air in them won't hurt since you will need new ones.

Don't make this harder than it is. It should be a piece of cake.

I had thought about using the tounge jack to raise or lower the trailer, but all four stabilizers are on the ground. If I lift the front, it will crush the rear stabilizers further. If I lower the front, it will crush the front stabilizers. I'm concerned that any further compression of the stabilizers, especially the back ones, could possibly cause frame damage.

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Just lifting slightly may be enough to get the pavers out and release tension.

This seems to be my best bet in this case. I have plenty of heavy duty safety stands and will be using them a lot anytime I even think about getting underneath this thing.

As far as lifting it enough to get new tires on while it 's still under the house? I don't think there's enough room. Even if there was, I wouldn't be able to get it out from under the house without letting the air out of the new tires first. I think I'll be better off just leaving the old tires in place until I get it pulled out from under the house.

I think I may only have about 1' to work with up there. It would be tricky at best, if even possible, to remove the cover while the AS is still under the house. The top of the AC cover has disintegrated so there really isn't any point in trying to pull it off first. You can see what I mean in the pics below...