Are you referring to the "tripod" that sits under the pin box of the trailer when parked?
If so, I've heard comments on both sides, but mostly I've heard folks say that good jacks or "leveling systems" (Bigfoot, Level-Up) make them unnecessary. In addition, we walk the roads in the RV park next door for exercise and see very few fifth wheels using them. One even said he gained by not having the extra weight and space taken up in his fiver.
Now, with all that said, if one is really disturbed by "motion" of the fifth wheel when someone walks through the coach, it might be beneficial for you.
Jo and I have a DRV with the Level-Up system on it. Those systems typically have hydraulic cylinders just in front of and behind the trailer's axles and are used to both level the coach and stabilize it. In our case, we sit for months and months without moving. While Jo talks of the coach's movement when I walk through (I weigh 230 lbs), in order to help alleviate the problem, we will occasionally pull in all the slides, raise the Level-Up cylinders and then re-deploy them all again. That allows us to "reset" how much the cylinders might have "settled" from sitting for a long period of time. Anyone traveling more often may not even see a need for the tripod.
Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Sunday 9th of June 2013 10:36:33 PM
LibertyLinda said
02:54 AM Jun 10, 2013
Rob_Fla said
04:57 AM Jun 10, 2013
We used a King Pin TriPod on our 2005 5th Wheel, worked ok, took up storage space.
On our current 5th Wheel I installed the "Plug it Right Stabilizer's" - http://www.plugitright.com - a little over a year ago on the front legs only and they work much better than the TriPod ever did and do not take up storage space.
Recently I installed the Rieco Titan Leveling system which made the 5er even more rock solid, now with both the front leg stabilizer's and the Reico Titan System we are very solid, even with the Washer / Dryer running.
-- Edited by Rob_Fla on Monday 10th of June 2013 04:59:20 AM
LibertyLinda said
11:13 AM Jun 10, 2013
wow, I don't know what happened to my content here....
Anyway, yes, that is what I am referring to Terry and that is great information. Our Trilogy will have the level-up system on it. It is nice to know we do not need "something else"
The Bear II said
02:58 PM Jun 10, 2013
If I don't use my tripod (I built it out of square tubing and scrap) the front part of the 5th wheel from the landing gear forward can be rocked side to side. If I push on the side of the RV. With the Tripod in use no rocking. It is more stable.
In addition since the tripod I made is very strong, I have used it to hold up the 5th wheel while I worked on a sticky landing gear.
Now it seems most folks are adding the JT Strong arm type stabilizers or the leveling systems and are very happy with the results.
Most of our movement comes from the tires and springs, if we are parking in one spot for a week or more, I will use a jack on the frame behind the rear axle to help stabilize the bounce.
WestWardHo said
03:23 PM Jun 10, 2013
Ann,
We have noticed much less movement (almost none, unless the dog is chasing the cat up and down the stairs and thats probably more sound than movement) in our Trilogy than we experienced in our Big Country. No need for a stabilizer.
Sherry
Bill and Linda said
10:08 PM Jun 10, 2013
Well it depends. We used to use a pin stabilizer but don’t any more. It didn’t make much difference. We now have Big Foot Levelers and even when they have been down a long time they have never moved.If we are going to be in a location a long time I find putting down the rear stabilizers as well as the factory landing gear makes the rig essentially rock solid.
Now, if you have an air-ride pin box, IMO the pin stabilizer really won’t do much good.That air-bag thing in the pin box gives just a bit and that isn’t what you want for stability.
The trick to stabilizing the rig, IMO, is to get a just a bit of weight off the trailer suspension and chock / lock the wheels so they can’t move front to back.
Now, if you have to allow the leveling system to pick one set of wheels totally off the ground to level the rig, not an uncommon situation, then obviously you can chock the wheels.
Bill
LibertyLinda said
11:15 PM Jun 10, 2013
Thanks again everyone! Great advise.
Sherry, you made me LOL - our German Shepard tries to herd our 3 cats all the time now- OMG I can not imagine that in our Trilogy!
WestWardHo said
04:32 AM Jun 11, 2013
Ann-Linda,
Yup, it will get noisy but its really fun to watch them run up and down the steps and around the kitchen island (unless you're in the kitchen of course). So far our pup has not learned to fear the claws. But even that has not made us even think of a stabilizer. We seem to be rock solid.
Are you referring to the "tripod" that sits under the pin box of the trailer when parked?
If so, I've heard comments on both sides, but mostly I've heard folks say that good jacks or "leveling systems" (Bigfoot, Level-Up) make them unnecessary. In addition, we walk the roads in the RV park next door for exercise and see very few fifth wheels using them. One even said he gained by not having the extra weight and space taken up in his fiver.
Now, with all that said, if one is really disturbed by "motion" of the fifth wheel when someone walks through the coach, it might be beneficial for you.
Jo and I have a DRV with the Level-Up system on it. Those systems typically have hydraulic cylinders just in front of and behind the trailer's axles and are used to both level the coach and stabilize it. In our case, we sit for months and months without moving. While Jo talks of the coach's movement when I walk through (I weigh 230 lbs), in order to help alleviate the problem, we will occasionally pull in all the slides, raise the Level-Up cylinders and then re-deploy them all again. That allows us to "reset" how much the cylinders might have "settled" from sitting for a long period of time. Anyone traveling more often may not even see a need for the tripod.
Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Sunday 9th of June 2013 10:36:33 PM
We used a King Pin TriPod on our 2005 5th Wheel, worked ok, took up storage space.
On our current 5th Wheel I installed the "Plug it Right Stabilizer's" - http://www.plugitright.com - a little over a year ago on the front legs only and they work much better than the TriPod ever did and do not take up storage space.
Recently I installed the Rieco Titan Leveling system which made the 5er even more rock solid, now with both the front leg stabilizer's and the Reico Titan System we are very solid, even with the Washer / Dryer running.
-- Edited by Rob_Fla on Monday 10th of June 2013 04:59:20 AM
wow, I don't know what happened to my content here....
Anyway, yes, that is what I am referring to Terry and that is great information. Our Trilogy will have the level-up system on it. It is nice to know we do not need "something else"
In addition since the tripod I made is very strong, I have used it to hold up the 5th wheel while I worked on a sticky landing gear.
Now it seems most folks are adding the JT Strong arm type stabilizers or the leveling systems and are very happy with the results.
Most of our movement comes from the tires and springs, if we are parking in one spot for a week or more, I will use a jack on the frame behind the rear axle to help stabilize the bounce.
We have noticed much less movement (almost none, unless the dog is chasing the cat up and down the stairs and thats probably more sound than movement) in our Trilogy than we experienced in our Big Country. No need for a stabilizer.
Sherry
Well it depends. We used to use a pin stabilizer but don’t any more. It didn’t make much difference. We now have Big Foot Levelers and even when they have been down a long time they have never moved. If we are going to be in a location a long time I find putting down the rear stabilizers as well as the factory landing gear makes the rig essentially rock solid.
Now, if you have an air-ride pin box, IMO the pin stabilizer really won’t do much good. That air-bag thing in the pin box gives just a bit and that isn’t what you want for stability.
The trick to stabilizing the rig, IMO, is to get a just a bit of weight off the trailer suspension and chock / lock the wheels so they can’t move front to back.
Now, if you have to allow the leveling system to pick one set of wheels totally off the ground to level the rig, not an uncommon situation, then obviously you can chock the wheels.
Bill
Sherry, you made me LOL - our German Shepard tries to herd our 3 cats all the time now- OMG I can not imagine that in our Trilogy!
Yup, it will get noisy but its really fun to watch them run up and down the steps and around the kitchen island (unless you're in the kitchen of course). So far our pup has not learned to fear the claws.
But even that has not made us even think of a stabilizer. We seem to be rock solid.
Sherry