DuneElliot Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 When I bought my 5W it had already had the axles flipped and been lifted 4". I changed the 4" tube iron DIY "lift blocks" to a channel iron subframe to make it more solid and safe all done by a reputable welder. I have a LOT of clearance but with that comes other problems. The problem with so much lift is that my jacks don't actually reach the ground. I use a couple of 6x6 wood blocks and a 2x8 pad underneath and still the legs are extended quite a long way and don't feel as solid and stable as I think the should be. I worry about this in the wind especially. I am looking for a light-weight and safe solution to be able to put under my jacks that gives me less leg extension and thus more stability. Of course whatever the solution is has to be able to hold the weight of the trailer as well as being light...wood tree stumps are great on the rare occasion I've actually been able to use them but they aren't convenient...or light. Something built like a jack stand seems like it would work but no ideas on where to find something like that...my Google-fu isn't working 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat & Pete Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Harbor Freight , or the like , has 3 ton steel or aluminum jack stands . Maybe have you welder friend fabricate a cradle that fits snugly over the stand head and around the foot of your 5er jack legs or pads . The stands are adjustable , so between those and the 5er jacks you'd likely not run out of adjustment . https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?dir=asc&order=EAScore%2Cf%2CEAFeatured+Weight%2Cf%2CSale+Rank%2Cf&q=3+ton+jack+stands Or just have some extended bases welded up to match your requirements . Goes around , comes around . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpsinc Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 The jack stands mentioned above are, by my experience, susceptible to jiggling like you have now. I have had a car or trailer on them while working on the car or trailer, and had the stands jiggle some when doing something that caused the car or trailer to be pushed on. It comes from the shaft being a slip fit into the stand. That is where the jiggling occurs. I much rather prefer mobile home jacks. They are built in different heights, can be bought at local mobile home suppliers and have different designs to help what you are experiencing. If I was to set up for a long time, I would use them along with the levelers. I own 3 mobile homes and they all have those jacks. All of them are listed as "permanent" foundations. Can also have some of these fitted to your jacks and attached so that you dont have to store them everytime. Since you have the height, add what you need to make them function as designed. I have used some round or square tube steel attached to the leveler pad, so extend it. The tube makes it stable, but attach it solidly so you dont create that area of jiggling. It might do well to consider some cross bracing between the jacks, sold by a few different companies. These also take some of the sway out of the situation you have. Marcel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 It is hard to beat mobile home jacks. Here are some 2nd choices. Home Depot sells Formular C200 or C300 insulation. This is the insulation used under concrete foundation.....4-6 pcs of the 2" C200 that are cut 8" x 8" and laminated together with 3/4" plywood on the top and bottom will make a lite block Cross drilling the wood blocks with a 1" - 1 1/2" auger bit would remove some weight. In the picture below are the 12" aluminum stands I made that nest together...something similar could be made from plywood. 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuneElliot Posted October 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 Thank you. I will look for the mobile home jacks. J-T...would the blocks you are suggesting hold the weight of the RV? They look like they would break under the weight of a trailer. How do you laminate the pieces together? 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERO Maker Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 I was hoping to find what I saw a month ago for you, but can't. These were items that were available at the FROG Rally in Hutchinson, KS about a month or so ago. Somebody I was parked to up in Hillsdale State Park had just purchased a set of this to do the same thing you are asking about. They are about the size of 2 or 3 gallon pale, that sets upside down. They are stackable and lightweight, but appeared to be strong enough for the bigger trailers. I will keep looking, but hopefully someone was at that rally and could comment. Rocky & Sheri Rhoades '01 Volvo 770 2016 DRV Mobile Suites, HoustonHERO Makers Ministry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 The screw down jacks are not designed to support the weight of the rv. That is why you have so much movement. They are designed to stabilize only. If you want to support the weight get hydraulic levelers. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuneElliot Posted October 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 1 hour ago, Ronbo said: The screw down jacks are not designed to support the weight of the rv. That is why you have so much movement. They are designed to stabilize only. If you want to support the weight get hydraulic levelers. Well if they are not designed to support the weight of the RV then how to they lift it off the truck? I'm not talking about the back stabilizing jacks but the landing gear, front electric jacks. I use leveling blocks in their case for the back jacks which works great but there isn't enough stability in those for the front jacks...not wide enough. 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 Thanks for clearing that up. I was talking about the back. Maybe a set of stabilizers mounted between the front landing gear and the tires will help. JT stabilizers on the front great will do a lot for movement. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Dune, look into something like JT Strongarms. I built a set for my trailers and they really do work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 11 hours ago, DuneElliot said: Thank you. I will look for the mobile home jacks. J-T...would the blocks you are suggesting hold the weight of the RV? They look like they would break under the weight of a trailer. How do you laminate the pieces together? I made 8x8 blocks with C300 (1900lbs) to go under the stabilizing jacks on out bumper pull and then made the alum. stands to go under the Bigfoot hyd. jack on our 5th. The stands and the Bigfoot pads can be pinned together. The alum stands are made from 1/4" 5086. These will hold more than the Bigfoort jacks are capable of lifting. Using the alum. stands limits the extension of the cylinder thus increasing the stability. This is what I used to laminate the foam....also used it to coat the 2" XPS foam that I insulated the bottom of the trailer with. https://duplicolor.com/product/bed-armor-truck-bed-coating 3M Super 77 and Foam in a can will also work.....any glue should be tested before hand. 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuneElliot Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 The movement isn't fun when it's really blowing but my main concern is that the legs really shouldn't be extended so long...longer legs = more torque when things move = more stress on the tube and the pins I already have 8" under them and was hoping to at least increase that to 12-14" blocks. I will also look at the stabilizers. 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat & Pete Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 14 minutes ago, DuneElliot said: The movement isn't fun when it's really blowing but my main concern is that the legs really shouldn't be extended so long...longer legs = more torque when things move = more stress on the tube and the pins I already have 8" under them and was hoping to at least increase that to 12-14" blocks. I will also look at the stabilizers. All things considered , I believe stabilizes to be your best choice . Goes around , comes around . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 3 hours ago, DuneElliot said: The movement isn't fun when it's really blowing but my main concern is that the legs really shouldn't be extended so long...longer legs = more torque when things move = more stress on the tube and the pins I already have 8" under them and was hoping to at least increase that to 12-14" blocks. I will also look at the stabilizers. To provide more ground clearance we have 12" cylinders not the standard 16"cylinders at the back. The 12" cylinder usually don't reach the ground so I use the 12" stands under these. Several times a year our front jacks needed to be at full (24") extension along with wood blocks to reach the ground. For this I made 16" stands and lowered (cut of and welded on) the jacks 6". Stabilizer would have been my first choice if all the jacks reach the ground. 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuneElliot Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Everyone's input has been great. Now that I just received a job offer for the winter I will look into picking up a set of the stabilizers. Thanks guys 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Congrats on the job! Where ya gonna be working at and doing what ya gonna be doin' (inquiring minds want to know!!)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuneElliot Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 19 hours ago, Mntom said: Congrats on the job! Where ya gonna be working at and doing what ya gonna be doin' (inquiring minds want to know!!)? Grounds keeper for the school district. 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted October 26, 2017 Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 That sounds like a cushy type job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuneElliot Posted October 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 A lot of it sounds like it is similar to the ranch work I have done for years so pretty used to working hard and getting dirty. Seems like a pretty good job for me...just waiting on the second phone call to go in and start paperwork, or I might just drop in and see them since I will be in town anyway later. 2007 Keystone Springdale 245 FWRLL-S (modified) 2000 F-250 7.3L SRW Cody and Kye, border collie extraordinaires Latest departure date: 10/1/2017 Find us at www.nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmup68 Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 On 10/23/2017 at 10:06 PM, J-T said: I made 8x8 blocks with C300 (1900lbs) to go under the stabilizing jacks on out bumper pull and then made the alum. stands to go under the Bigfoot hyd. jack on our 5th. The stands and the Bigfoot pads can be pinned together. The alum stands are made from 1/4" 5086. These will hold more than the Bigfoort jacks are capable of lifting. Using the alum. stands limits the extension of the cylinder thus increasing the stability. This is what I used to laminate the foam....also used it to coat the 2" XPS foam that I insulated the bottom of the trailer with. https://duplicolor.com/product/bed-armor-truck-bed-coating 3M Super 77 and Foam in a can will also work.....any glue should be tested before hand. I have bigfoot jacks and have 8-14" of blocks needed to keep jack extension to a minimum. Do you have pics of the aluminum stands you made to go under the bigfoot jacks? Just and angle iron stand for each? do they nest for storage? 2003 International Eagle 9200i, Cummins ISX, Freedomline 2007 Teton Scottsdale XT4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 44 minutes ago, lockmup68 said: I have bigfoot jacks and have 8-14" of blocks needed to keep jack extension to a minimum. Do you have pics of the aluminum stands you made to go under the bigfoot jacks? Just and angle iron stand for each? do they nest for storage? There's a picture at the top/start of this thread. The top is welded but the bottom comes off for nesting. Edit: I'll look for or take some more pictures 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 On 12/9/2017 at 8:42 PM, lockmup68 said: I have bigfoot jacks and have 8-14" of blocks needed to keep jack extension to a minimum. Do you have pics of the aluminum stands you made to go under the bigfoot jacks? Just and angle iron stand for each? do they nest for storage? 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 Looking up at the top plate 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLOY Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 How the stand fits into the base 2011 Cameo 34SB3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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