Concerns about the stability of my rig on inclines

[hikingcamera]

Hi,


So I have a 2022 Flying Cloud 23 Corner Bunk Bed (formerly the 23D). I also got the Dexter 3" lift kit (and a good think as it barely clears my driveway). And I used the BlueOx SwayPro weight distribution hitch. In order to unload the bars of the SwayPro, I need to lift the tongue jack pretty high, so I generally need some support under it.


When parked at home, it's an an incline, and my fear is that the tongue jack might slide off or flip out the stand under it. I was using leveling blocks at first, and the tongue jack would shift downward on them as I raised it, reaching the very edge. I got a different support which has a thin plastic lip, but the tongue jack is already deforming that lip, and I'm assuming it could blow through it easily.


Now we've got some solid rubber chocks under the wheels, so theoretically it can't go anywhere, but I'm still nervous, especially when we are in and out of it a lot. I've lowered my front stabilizers just for some extra stability and to keep it from shaking free. And also wonder about other situations where I might be parked at an incline. Now, tomorrow I'm probably going to give it a try without the support just to see if I can skip it at least on my driveway, although the I wonder if I should have something like a snap pad (they don't seem to make the right size for my jack pad though) to keep it from slipping on the pavement.


I've got some pictures below of my setup. I'm just curious about folks advice. Is there a better, safer way?

[pcskier]

If you’re well chocked it’s not going anywhere. If you want to be 100% confident get X-Chocks for between the wheels.

[FLCoast]

Is there a reason you can’t disconnect the bars prior to backing into your parking spot? (I’m not familiar with the blue ox.)

I would either buy or make a wedge (or take the slope out of your driveway in a spot big enough for your Jack stand base; yeah, I know…) that would allow the Jack stand to rest perpendicular (or the Jack stand base parallel) to the support. The taller the support the more important.

Either way, you’ll need to chock and/or lock your tires really well. Even with the support being plumb (straight), if you experience movement downhill (which you might for example disconnecting the trailer or ineffective chocks) that support can collapse, as your stabilizers probably will, and the trailer could be off to the races.

Best of luck with the solution.

[richard5933]

If you're getting any movement out of your chocks then either they area too small or too hard for the pavement. Ideally chocks should be about 1/4 the height of the tires, and if used on pavement they need to be soft enough to get a grip on it. I've seen quite a few made of hard rubber or plastic which seemed to slide on pavement, so make sure yours are getting a good bite.

The other thing I'd suggest is to pre-load your chocks before beginning the disconnect procedure. Get everything in place, and then use a rubber mallet to secure rubber chocks on the downhill side of wheels on both sides. Before disconnecting, put your foot on the service brake, put the TV in gear, and release the parking brake. Then gently release the service brakes to get the trailer wheels loaded onto the chocks. They should hold things in place. Then put the TV in park and reset the parking brakes. This process is what I do to help eliminate movement after parking and before unhitching from the TV, and it has virtually eliminated all movement of the trailer during the disconnect.

If your slope is great enough, an extra set of chocks can be placed afterwards to give you backup.

[GCinSC2]

hikingcamera,

How about making a custom wood jack post block that accommodates the height you need to level for storage and low enough to hook up but the customization includes tapering the base to match the driveway slope so the jack post and foot are perpendicular not angled.

I found a state park site that I planned on reserving but the length of the rig put the jack post right where the downhill drive slope kicked in. I used my cell phone and determined a 3 degree pitch would give me a flat base for my jack post and jack. At home I made a custom 2X10 wood block with the 3 degree pitch and then my aluminum jack post base. It worked for me.

Gary

[Gibson3798]

X-Chocks for the win......

[hikingcamera]

I have the Haul Master rubber chocks from Harbor Freight that many folks here recommended. I think they bite well, but I had not preloaded them this last time; I’d already been thinking I should do that. I did hit them with a mallet, but honestly I’m not sure if that made a difference. I’m also not sure it’s the wheels that move. When you raise a jack, you are essentially changing the angles and lengths of a right triangle. The jack would have to move outward as it raised.

We did order the bigger Haul Master chocks from Harbor Freight as well that we are planning to use in our driveway, though maybe we’ll bring them with us as well.

Building a custom block is a good idea. I’m not sure I have the tools to get a slight angle like that, but my father-in-law might. It would also be night to build something that I felt really secured and stayed with the jack stand.

[hikingcamera]

Disconnecting before we back in is also a possibility. Other than it being a bit of a nuisance, I think it’s doable. I’ve shifted the trailer around with our adjustable non-WDH hitch before (at the max height) and not bottomed out, so I think we’d be fine without the bars loaded when backing in.

[WellSaid11]

You'll be fine with the HF chocks, snugged up tight and on ground that is not super slick. If you need extra peace of mind, the X-Chocks will help too. If you are on such an incline that you are still worried with the above measures in place then the incline is likely too steep. Unless on over a foot of blocks, etc., you will generally run out of jack stand travel well before any time that the rig will start to move if properly chocked.


No matter what - be careful!

[Mollysdad]

Yes, you're raising the jack high to unload the bars, but it's still coupled to the tow vehicle, right?
Then after the weight is taken off the bars, everything is lowered and the coupler disconnected?
Are you using the Blue Ox sway pro wrench? Many people gave up on that and instead use a long breaker bar, a short extension and a 1" socket. That gives you much more control over the bars without bashing the tank cover by accident. (Or, god forbid, your wrist.)

Agreed, parking on an incline is scary, but good chocks help. I always wanted a set of the one's used for airplanes, big rubber chocks. Harbor freight has some black rubber one's with a screw eye for a rope.

I also have a set of the BAL chocks. Same company as X-chocks but with fewer moving parts.

[John Ware]

Wedge up the front of your block where it is on the sloping part of your driveway. You can use wooden shingles under the block.

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by WellSaid11

You'll be fine with the HF chocks, snugged up tight and on ground that is not super slick. If you need extra peace of mind, the X-Chocks will help too. If you are on such an incline that you are still worried with the above measures in place then the incline is likely too steep. Unless on over a foot of blocks, etc., you will generally run out of jack stand travel well before any time that the rig will start to move if properly chocked.

The incline where it’s at is around 1–3 degrees. It gets steeper after that, up to about 11 degrees at the steepest part, and it’s a short driveway into an arterial (though also a hill back up on their other side of the road).

The X-Chocks might be a good idea, also another lock we could add to deter would be thieves . (I’m a bit nervous about our trailer making a tempting target.)

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Yes, you're raising the jack high to unload the bars, but it's still coupled to the tow vehicle, right?
Then after the weight is taken off the bars, everything is lowered and the coupler disconnected?
Are you using the Blue Ox sway pro wrench? Many people gave up on that and instead use a long breaker bar, a short extension and a 1" socket. That gives you much more control over the bars without bashing the tank cover by accident. (Or, god forbid, your wrist.)
I also have a set of the BAL chocks. Same company as X-chocks but with fewer moving parts.

I do lower it again to disconnect, but if I want the trailer to sit level, I have to raise it up pretty high again after.


I am using a BlueOx wrench, but not the flat one that comes with it standard, the breaker-style one.

[Captn.Ken]

I feel more secure with my "X" chocks than anything else.

[NO NOIZE]

https://www.mcmaster.com/2259T1/

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by hikingcamera

Hi,


So I have a 2022 Flying Cloud 23 Corner Bunk Bed (formerly the 23D). I also got the Dexter 3" lift kit (and a good think as it barely clears my driveway). And I used the BlueOx SwayPro weight distribution hitch. In order to unload the bars of the SwayPro, I need to lift the tongue jack pretty high, so I generally need some support under it.


When parked at home, it's an an incline, and my fear is that the tongue jack might slide off or flip out the stand under it. I was using leveling blocks at first, and the tongue jack would shift downward on them as I raised it, reaching the very edge. I got a different support which has a thin plastic lip, but the tongue jack is already deforming that lip, and I'm assuming it could blow through it easily.


Now we've got some solid rubber chocks under the wheels, so theoretically it can't go anywhere, but I'm still nervous, especially when we are in and out of it a lot. I've lowered my front stabilizers just for some extra stability and to keep it from shaking free. And also wonder about other situations where I might be parked at an incline. Now, tomorrow I'm probably going to give it a try without the support just to see if I can skip it at least on my driveway, although the I wonder if I should have something like a snap pad (they don't seem to make the right size for my jack pad though) to keep it from slipping on the pavement.


I've got some pictures below of my setup. I'm just curious about folks advice. Is there a better, safer way?

I have the same situation with a steep driveway sloping towards the street.
What I do is disengage my BluOx Swaypro in the street that is leve before backing up my driveway.
Makes the backing in smoother as well.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

You very much do *not* want to depend on the tongue jack to keep you in place. They don't like pressure pushing them front to back or side to side. Eventually that force is more than the gears can take and things break. Yes, worst case would be the jack not taking the force involved and breaking, that's not as likely. Having things slip .... yup, that happens as well.

If you take a look at the X-Chocks the manual states they are "not for chocking". They are for stabilizing. Yes, that's weird, but it's what the manual says. I use them, lots of folks use them. None of us wrote that manual.....

Having wheels up on blocks *and* trying to use normal chocks is not at all easy. You can do this or that. Building a custom gizmo likely is a lot easier in the long run.

Bob

[lemley]

I have a place we like to go visit friends. It’s on the side of a mountain. After a few less than stable experiences, I settled on the following;

Wheels: chocks and x chocks. (Belt and suspenders). The xchocks keep things very stable, but when using the camco plastic version I did have them slip and the trailer moved about 6 inches. Not fun. The real x chocks are much better, but I’ll always use the rubber chocks with them.

Jack: this trip I bought a 6’ 2x10 and cut it into square pieces. These I glued and screwed together, rotating the grain 90 degrees for each level. On the top level I cut a hole to fit the jack foot. I then attached a handle to the block stack to make it easy to transport.

This setup works and works well.

[Ndcctrucks]

There is some concern that you have your camping stabilizers down; they are NOT meant to support the weight of the trailer, and NOT meant to be used to lift it.

If the tongue jack slips or fails, the weight at the front will violently come down on the stabilizers, and severely damage the front ones, even possibly pushing them up through the floor.

I know you’re in a tough spot but you might want to think again how you’re storing the trailer.

Also, being near level on a sloped driveway causes the front axle to relax and the rear to be unnaturally loaded due to the leverage you’re applying.

Possibly. I can’t tell the slope grade by the picture.

The wooden block(s) idea, wedged at the front underneath, is a solid method. The wood supplies some friction and so resistance to slippage. A pair of 4” x 6” x 12”- 16” blocks will help a lot.

[hikingcamera]

Ugh, this is so much more complicated than our old single axle trailer.

We definitely are not relying on the tongue jack to keep the trailer in place, all 4 wheels are chocked, but if the tongue jack did slip off what it is resting on, that would not be good for the trailer or for anyone inside.

The point about what would happen if the front stabilizers were down if that did happen is a good one. We put them down to keep movement to a minimum and hopefully avoid any travel, but now you have me worried about that as well, lol. I am going to try to avoid putting anything under it when we park it again. And I’ll add pre-loading the chocks to my list when parking it.

The difference in strain on the axles is another good point. How do people handle camping on uneven terrain with dual axle trailers? Do you put something under the downhill tires to even them out?