With all of the wet weather we have been having in the Midwest and owner Great Lakes area, was wandering what ideas you Any have come up with to keep the jacks on you rig from sinking into the ground. I have seen some rigs use blocks of wood but would like to find something less bulky to use. Have read reviews on plastic pads that are not very good on heavy weight rigs like ours. Any ideas are greatly appreciated?
NorCal Dan said
04:17 PM May 15, 2011
I tried using wood when we started full-timing but found they just couldn't take the weight. I thought about replacing them but then found these made by Dica http://www.dicausa.com/category.php?cat=RV-Jack-Pads. A little pricey but in my opinion worth every penny. They come with a lifetime guarantee? If you can break it, they'll replace it. I've bent mine in both directions (soft dirt/gravel) and they are no worse for wear.
RVRon said
06:32 PM May 15, 2011
We use wooden jack pads that are made of 2 pieces of 5/8" marine grade plywood sandwiched together with screws and glue. I painted them several coats of exterior paint and drilled holes in all 4 sides so I could position them with my awning rod. In 2 years of use they haven't shown any damage at all. Oh, and the price was right - a friend worked in a shop and gave me the material that was scrap and would have been thrown away.
charles said
07:58 PM May 16, 2011
I use peices of 2x6 one foot long. I attached a length of nylon string to one end so that they are easy to pick up off of the ground 9both ends of the string are nailed to the edge of the wood). One end I cut at a 45 degree angle to make it easier for the tire to roll up onto it. Used them all last summer on a 4 month trip and this yr on our trip to Alaska, we are in Canada now and have two under the wheels to level the TT. They are stackable if the pad is that out of plumb. Good pad so none deployed under the stabilizers. I also have 4 4x6 by one foot long that may be used under the stabilizers if I need that much. Again with the nylon string attached with fence brads. All of them fill one large milk crate. Very neat and convenent and one cannot beat the price. They are treated wood but that is just what I had on hand. Unless one is living aboard in one place no way that even untreated wood would rot. The size is not arbtrary, I measured and that is all that is needed for the tires to sit on and the same for the stabilizers. My experience.
By the way cut 4 peices of 4x4 about 6 inches long on a 45degree angle on one end and have two attached to each other by a nylon string about a foot long, these are used to chock the tires the two are set between the two tires. CCC
With all of the wet weather we have been having in the Midwest and owner Great Lakes area, was wandering what ideas you Any have come up with to keep the jacks on you rig from sinking into the ground. I have seen some rigs use blocks of wood but would like to find something less bulky to use. Have read reviews on plastic pads that are not very good on heavy weight rigs like ours. Any ideas are greatly appreciated?
We use wooden jack pads that are made of 2 pieces of 5/8" marine grade plywood sandwiched together with screws and glue. I painted them several coats of exterior paint and drilled holes in all 4 sides so I could position them with my awning rod. In 2 years of use they haven't shown any damage at all. Oh, and the price was right - a friend worked in a shop and gave me the material that was scrap and would have been thrown away.
Good pad so none deployed under the stabilizers.
I also have 4 4x6 by one foot long that may be used under the stabilizers if I need that much.
Again with the nylon string attached with fence brads. All of them fill one large milk crate. Very neat and convenent and one cannot beat the price.
They are treated wood but that is just what I had on hand. Unless one is living aboard in one place no way that even untreated wood would rot.
The size is not arbtrary, I measured and that is all that is needed for the tires to sit on and the same for the stabilizers.
My experience.
By the way cut 4 peices of 4x4 about 6 inches long on a 45degree angle on one end and have two attached to each other by a nylon string about a foot long, these are used to chock the tires the two are set between the two tires.
CCC