Homemade stabilizers

[Bridgeengrjim]

Our 195RB does not have I section for frame it has hollow rectangular tubes. I notched a v into the top of the 2x4 so that it fits against the bottom and side of the tube. Will try it when we go to Acadia in a couple of weeks.

[Signmoney]

I seen this on Pinterest. Looks like they use your jack to hold the top in place? Great idea I'm going to do when I get a chance.

[Bridgeengrjim]

See attached for notch around tube

[Dropnaduece]

Originally Posted by Campbellizer

Anybody else made and used these? I'm a very light sleeper and all of the trailer bounce during the night kept waking me up.

I use three sets of these. One set on each end of the trailer and one set beneath the steps. Trailer is rock solid now and I don't wake up every time somebody flips over in the bed or gets up in the middle of the night.

I know you can buy something similar but what fun is that?

Great idea I was just ready to spend over $200 for the arms you can buy off Amazon. On my way to Lowes right now. I have a similar trailer that I just bought. What is roughly the length on your 2x4's?

Thanks!

[tee-bone]

I think mine were 32" long, but I measured from under the camper to the ground with about a 40 degree angle. You don't want them sticking out too far. Very easy and I promise they work great!

[tee-bone]

I used the frame .....I would not use the jacks or the area where Jack is mounted.

[Kim Gass]

and the reason for our homemade ones are because there is nothing except the hitch support in front. Needed two more points of stability.

Three points may be fine for a milking stool but for a long object is insufficient. There were OEM stabilizers only in the back.

[Dropnaduece]

Originally Posted by tee-bone

I think mine were 32" long, but I measured from under the camper to the ground with about a 40 degree angle. You don't want them sticking out too far. Very easy and I promise they work great!

Well about an 1hr or so of work and $25 later TT is sitting like it was built on a rock! This idea should bring down the price of the JT Strong Arms. There $258 on Amazon.

I still need to finish sanding them and then I'm going to stain them with end cut solution so they will out live the trailer .

Great idea guys - I measured mine out to 32" too so they sit just about flush with the trailer. I have them going both directions and it even lifted the trailer up about a 1/8 - 1/4" off the blocks I had the stabilizing jacks sitting on lol.

[Dropnaduece]

Was thinking of putting 1" or so size holes through about every 6" to reduce the weight of six 2x4's. I know it's not a lot if weight but we pack pretty big for long trips and every pound counts.

If the holes are not to big and being an engineer it shouldn't weaken the strength of the board.

Anyone try this? It's what they do on planes for a lot of the rib parts in the walls of the plane. Every ounce counts when it comes to weight reduction on a plane to save on fuel costs.

[Signmoney]

What do you do if the entire bottom of your camper is covered with plastic? I can't see any frame once the hitch gos under the camper.

[Bridgeengrjim]

Since these are axially loaded members, drilling holes will weaken the 2 x 4. Web openings are fine for members in bending, where the resistance is mostly from the flanges. It just seems like a lot of work for very little gain.

[Dropnaduece]

Originally Posted by Bridgeengrjim

Since these are axially loaded members, drilling holes will weaken the 2 x 4. Web openings are fine for members in bending, where the resistance is mostly from the flanges. It just seems like a lot of work for very little gain.

True dat - I like to overthink things

[Dropnaduece]

I'm not sure without seeing under your trailer. Mine has the Glacier Package and is covered as well but the outer edges there is a channel frame going around the trailer and on the back end I use the brackets that are welded to the bumper.

[dewey405]

Tried these out this weekend, only had the side ones and wow what a difference! Wife had a photo-shoot and left me at the camper for about 4 hours today so I packed them up and the rocking was insane after a weekend of none at all! Great idea and thank you!

[Marcm157]

I left this post opened on my laptop while camping this weekend and walked away for a while. My DW read it and has been complaining for months about the movement in the trailer especially at night when someone hoes to the bathroom. I never minded it and wasn't wiling to spend a couple of hundred bucks on stabilizers.

Needless to say, I will be making a set of these before we leave again in 2 weeks. Thanks to the OP for a great idea...

[dewey405]

I do have a request, any chance you could take a pic of the ones by the stairs? I am trying to figure out where you placed them.

[Dropnaduece]

Originally Posted by dewey405

I do have a request, any chance you could take a pic of the ones by the stairs? I am trying to figure out where you placed them.

I can do that tomorrow. But I ended up putting one under the stairs on the left side because there is a u-channel rail and a bracket to push it up against. Then the other one is towards the front in the u-channel of the frame against another bracket that is just abou the same width of the trailer so there not to far apart.

Which trailer do you have? Because from what I have read so far the WH's seemed to have similar under belly frames and so that these particular locations work great.

[Dropnaduece]

Originally Posted by dewey405

I do have a request, any chance you could take a pic of the ones by the stairs? I am trying to figure out where you placed them.

I have this pic I took you can see the one on the right is just behind the steps.

[ArmadaX213]

I made mine for the X213 and had very good results. The bounce reduced greatly. Thanks so much for the post.

[Spur]

Pure genius. I can't wait to add them to my rig.