A DYI Landing Gear Stabilizer

[DavidJay]

I wanted a bit more stability for our FW. I looked at the JT Strongarm and the Steadyfast systems but I was too cheap to buy them.

I found the BAL Lock-Arm system but I didn't think the lower attach arrangement was up to par (upper "ball" attachment is excellent). My solution showed up on eBay - the Strongarm landing gear brackets. They are often available for a price in the $20-$30 range (shipped), search for "Lippert 314601". I think I paid $22.

So for under a hundred dollars I put together this arrangement with the BAL arms and the Strongarm bracket. What a difference it makes! I tighten everything up and then just "blip" the LG Retract switch to really firm up the geometry.

[norty1]

Nice work. Now that's one I could handle.

[jimp]

How does "retracting" the LG a bit tighten things up? Not a FW'r, so just trying to learn

[jasum]

Originally Posted by DavidJay

I wanted a bit more stability for our FW. I looked at the JT Strongarm and the Steadyfast systems but I was too cheap to buy them.

I found the BAL Lock-Arm system but I didn't think the lower attach arrangement was up to par (upper "ball" attachment is excellent). My solution showed up on eBay - the Strongarm landing gear brackets. They are often available for a price in the $20-$30 range (shipped), search for "Lippert 314601". I think I paid $22.

So for under a hundred dollars I put together this arrangement with the BAL arms and the Strongarm bracket. What a difference it makes! I tighten everything up and then just "blip" the LG Retract switch to really firm up the geometry.

Great job!!

[norty1]

When you bump the retract switch on the landing gear and the bolts on the arms he added are tight, it puts a slight strain on the others ends and makes the support point a 3 point instead of a 1 point on each side.

[bdreinv]

Nice job when you pack up do you remove two bolts a store away?Thanks

[DavidJay]

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Nice job when you pack up do you remove two bolts a store away?Thanks

No, I haven’t. I just loosen the 3/4” lock bolts. The LG slides up into storage position without much resistance.

Maybe if I was going on an extended trip...

[vcbice]

The 'nudge' to the jacks is to take the slop out of the stabilizers. If you just tighten them up there is a still enough play to be bothersome.

When investigating the movement of our trailer I discovered that it does not take very much movement to feel it inside the trailer. Without the stabilizers I had a bit over 1/4" of movement of the frame. That was enough to rattle the blinds when moving around inside. I am down to about 1/16" now. Unless I really jump around nothing moves. I can still feel it if I am very still and sitting on the floor.

[jimp]

Thanks, but seems like bumping them down/out a bit more would be better than the retraction, but I'm learning. LOL

[RedHorse1]

Retracting the LG puts the arms into compression, extending them puts the arms in tension. I expect either would work. The goal is to remove the slack from the “triangle” that’s created by adding the arm.
That’s really nice work!
Guy at the storage lot has some brand of arms and apparently forgot to loosen the locks before moving the LG and seems to have “tweaked” the LG slightly as the seem to slant inward slightly.

[jamer]

Did you more the spare tire back to add the stabilizers? I believe I read that you have a Jayco Eagle HT 28.5 and the spare does not allow for the stabilizers with the spare in the factory position.
Thanks,

[DavidJay]

No, it was not necessary to move the spare tire. I mounted the front lock-bar just under half way across the trailer so there was room for a second for the other side (I had planned to secure both front landing gear, but one met our stability goal).