Do You Store with Stabilizers Up or Down?

[10Smiles]

I have always stored my trailers with the stabilizers in the up (stowed) position. A friend of mine stores his trailer with the stabilizers down (stabilizing). He said that's what you are supposed to do because it takes some of the load off the tires. Now I can see that a little load is off the tires, but I doubt it is enough to make a difference in "flat spots."

How do you store your trailer?

Thanks!!

[Bk Yd Safari]

I store my A/S at home on a concrete drive. Don't ask me why but I always lower the stabilizers when in the driveway.

[No. 13]

Great question...should have some interesting responses. I store with stabilizers up, but it has yet to sit for more than a few weeks at a time.

[Sbb]

Up, never occured to me to put down, I do however forget to use tire covers sometimes

[DryFly]

I store ours with the stabilizers down because I'm in and out during the winter and I don't like the rocking. I doubt the stabilizers affect the tires at all - they are not meant to be used as jacks.

[A W Warn]

Stabilizers up if I am at home. Unless a hurricane tracks inland near me.
Stabilizer down when camping.
Stabilizers down when stored anywhere away from home, for security. It might deter a thief if it takes a few minutes more.

[m.hony]

Stabilizers up at home. Tire covers on from December till April. The tire covers may go back on from now till Labor Day. It done got too hot to camp. If the trailer jiggles when I go in there to get something it ain't no big deal. I just let them down while actually spending the night in the trailer so I am not awakened by my wife walking in the trailer.

[Jim Clark]

Down

[dkottum]

Down, just in case one of our "straight-line winds" come through. We've had trees uprooted.

doug k

[moosetags]

We do both for Lucy. She spends much of her down time over in Jacksonville in SuEllyn's Dad's yard. Since we use her there when visiting, we usually leave them in the down position when there. When Lucy is here at home, we tend to leave the stabilizers in the up position. I think that both ways are just fine.

Brian

[Nuvite-F]

We store ours with the stabilizers up, but putting the stabilizers down does increase the wind speed that the trailer will withstand without overturning.

Once upon a time Inland Andy posted results of some tests Airstream had done, and there was a significant improvement in resistance to lateral winds with them down. I don't know where to find the original thread, but maybe Andy will chime in.
.

[RLS]

If sitting 2 or more months, I put it up on jack stands to get the load off the tires. Takes just a few minutes. I also found that some styrofoam cut, glued together and painted black works great for the tires to block the sun. Cheap to make and has not deteriorated one bit in 3 yrs.

[mefly2]

Down on wood blocks to prevent any vandals from rolling it around - at least when not in winter storage with batts removed.1

[switz]

Down.Trailer is under a large roof out of the sun. Provides stability when loading and unloading stuff.

[Sylver Slypr]

Down. I'm in and out frequently and not on a level pad.

[Phoenix]

Up, all the time. We also camp in a cabin cruiser, so we're used to the rocking. (Also, I tried to drive off with them down, one time.)

[Protagonist]

Speaking as an engineer, the best reason for storing with stabilizers down would be to provide some support for the rear end of the trailer, which can help minimize rear-end frame sag and skin separation.

[Rebee]

When stored for winter, wheeles are off the ground, with covers and the stabilizers are up.

[ROBERT CROSS]

For 4 months Winter storage...

Stab's up, wheels off on jack stands...


Bob

[Joe Palmieri]

Stabilizers down. We store our A$ indoors so wind really isn't an issue. I do it so it doesn't move around as we are in and out all the time.