BAL stabilizer Mod-Steadyfast

[Comptech]

While the BAL stabilizer system works well for the front it did not do much for the rear side to side motion.:banghead: The only thing I did not like about the product. I am going to add the Steadyfast stabilizer bar to my existing rear scissor jacks. I had to email them as they do not have this kit listed on their site. They say it is $110.00 including shipping... I feel adding this will really improve the motion in the rear of my bunk house 5er..."bouncey:

[Sherwood]

I installed Steadyfast's full kit and am amazed at how much movement it has taken away. It doesn't take away every little movement but it does take away at least 90%. Very pleased with mine so far. It will be one of those mods that will be installed on any camper I get in the future the minute it pulls into my driveway.

[JRTJH]

John,

Looking at the pictures of the installation on the rear of your RV, it looks like the BAL stabilizers are positioned from the jacks toward the forward part of the frame rails. Maybe I'm viewing the picture wrong?

If they are installed that way, they won't stop any side to side movement.

The way the BAL system was explained to me is that on the front, two sets are required, One set mounted like you've done on the back (from jacks to frame rail) and one set mounted from jacks to the trailer center. That will stop side to side motion "forward of the axles" and front to back motion along the entire frame rails (both forward and aft of the axles).

Next, since the suspension will allow side to side motion aft of the axles, you need another pair of stabilizers from the jacks to the trailer centerline (not to the frame rails). This "rear pair" will stop side to side motion. Since the front "rail mounted" pair stop "front/rear" motion and the frame rails don't bend or flex enough to allow any motion behind the axles, none are needed where it looks like you've installed them.

As I said, maybe I'm looking at the wrong axis in your picture, but it looks like you've got the rear ones installed wrong ?????

[dhn]

I have a friend that installed the Steadyfast stabilizers on his Cougar 327res with the slide out tray in the back, and he had to weld the rear brackets on. I have them on an xlite and they work great.

[JRTJH]

I have a friend that installed the Steadyfast stabilizers on his Cougar 327res with the slide out tray in the back, and he had to weld the rear brackets on. I have them on an xlite and they work great.

I agree, it does seem like the sliding tray would be in the way. I'm not real familiar with how far the center of the tray extends under the trailer, but I do know that the only way the BAL (or Steadyfast) system can stop the side to side motion is to be positioned from the bottom of the jacks to the trailer centerline. The only way to install them and be able to get to the locking nuts/levers is to install them behind the jacks. They would work if installed forward of the jacks to the centerline, but you'd have to crawl under the trailer to get to the nuts/levers. :(

I have the BAL stabilizers on my Cougar, 4 bars on the landing gear and 2 bars on the rear jacks, (total of 6 bars) and with the exception of some "spring motion" right over the axles (up and down), there's no movement at all with normal walking. Of course, if someone is dancing or jumping in the trailer, there's some, but I don't think it's possible to eliminate that kind of motion no matter what you do.

[Comptech]

JRTJH,
I thought as much when I went to install them. But if you look at the picture I attached... they have them running front to back. I looked for a way to mount one of them side to side, but there was no place I could see, or the were going to be too short. If you look at their web site video at about the 53 second mark, they show a picture and it sure looks like they have them mounted front to back...
I think once I get the Steadyfast bar across the back it will be rock solid...

http://norcoind.com/bal/products/consumer/stabilizing_products/lockarm.shtml

[JRTJH]

Sorry for the delay, my "drafting skills" departed right after I graduated from High School and we won't talk about how long ago that was....

Anyway, in the following diagram, if you look at the front of the trailer (the right side) you'll see that with two sets of BAL stabilizers, there is no fore/aft movement and no side/side movement.

However, in the top drawing (your current configuration), on the rear (left side of drawing) there is movement allowed in the top drawing. This is how your BAL bars are installed (I think).

In the bottom drawing (my current configuration), on the rear, you can see that if the BAL bars are installed to centerline, it stops side/side movement.

The "fulcrum" or where the movement originates is at the axles. At that point, like a teeter totter, the movement swings back and forth as the springs allow side/side movement. If there is a way to remove and reinstall your rear BAL bars so they attach to the centerline, I don't think you'll need the steadyfast at all. Might save yourself a bit of pocket change by reinstalling the bars.

Thinking (without being able to see your setup) I believe that if you can attach a piece of T bar so it is attached to the rear crossbrace under the rear trailer wall (it's about 3" wide there) with the T extending down through a slot in the rear shelf, you can attach both the BAL bars to the lowest end of the T....

Think about it and see if that might work for you. Currently, if I'm looking at your installation correctly, the rear BAL bars are not doing anything but adding weight to your trailer :( They can't stop side/side movement in the axis they are installed....

I'm not trying to be critical in any way, just trying to offer some help in what I think is the problem :)

[Comptech]

John,
Thanks for the drawings and yes they are installed like you think. Like I said, there was no place to mount them based on where the scissor jacks are installed. The whole underside of the RV is covered in coroplast and the lengths of the stabilizer arms would not reach any place else... I don't have the RV at home right now because they are finishing the paint... I will take another look and see if I was not seeing the best place to mount them. I know they are not installed the best way, but they do help in the rear with the scissor jacks moving front to back more than you think... I have that rear storage slide gizmo on my 330RBK Cougar so my installation options where limited from what I remember.

[JRTJH]

Yup, I do know what you're facing with that sliding shelf. When I was installing our BAL's, I thought to myself that at least I didn't have to fight that mechanical monster. I don't know if it would have been possible to install mine if that had been in the way. I went from the jack "sort of" in a 45 degree to the rear of the trailer. That way, I got some "fore/aft" as well as "side/side" benefit.

I know that with our installation, there's virtually no movement in any direction. As I said, if you jump on the inside, it will move up and down, but the trailer is steady otherwise. Take a look, see if you can angle them to the rear. On mine, they don't "meet in the middle" in back, rather they are about 12" apart. On the front, the landing gear are closer together than the rear jacks, so up front, the centerline bars are within 6" of each other. If you want, I can walk over to the pole barn and take a couple of pictures of my installation, but of course, there's no "extending shelf" to deal with, so I don't know how much help more pictures would be ??? I'd be happy to take them if you want.

Good Luck !!!

[Comptech]

I really appreciate it, but let me take a look again. We pick up the 5er tomorrow.... I am really excited to see the paint job they did...

FYI... I asked them to give me a price to install a hot water heater switch inside the RV, someplace I could see that it was on rather than dealing with that tiny outside rocker switch. They quoted me 1K to install it... Apparently they priced it so high so that I would not want to have it done...:p I have the kit, I may and just try doing something myself... although I am not a great electrician.. I can get a round...

Thanks again...

[therink]

My rear scissors are mounted diagonally, and my bal stabilizer bars both run to the rear center. With the scissors mounted diagonally, the offset allows the stabilizer bars to retard both side to side and fore to aft movement.
It is fairly easy to remove and rotate the scissor jack mounting positions.

[BirchyBoy]

I was set to buy a set of x-chocks but then came across this post. Do these serve the same purpose? If they do, is either more effective than the other?

[Dhuhn]

the steady fast will work better than xchocks

[Sherwood]

I was set to buy a set of x-chocks but then came across this post. Do these serve the same purpose? If they do, is either more effective than the other?The X-Chocks do take away some movement in my camper but not a ton. Buying a set of stabilizers will yield the best results for getting rid of the most movement in our campers. I have both the X-Chocks and the Steadyfast stabilizers and I can tell you that I wished I bought the Steadyfast system as soon as I pulled my camper in the driveway. Extremely impressive.

[BirchyBoy]

The X-Chocks do take away some movement in my camper but not a ton. Buying a set of stabilizers will yield the best results for getting rid of the most movement in our campers. I have both the X-Chocks and the Steadyfast stabilizers and I can tell you that I wished I bought the Steadyfast system as soon as I pulled my camper in the driveway. Extremely impressive.

Awesome. I'll be ordering two sets very soon.

[Comptech]

JRTJH,
I looked at the back end of the 5er this weekend and with the sliding tray on the back there is no place to secure the mounts side to side like they should be. I think that is why I did what I did at the time. With the Steadyfast bar that I ordered It should work fine in that it will go across from the curb side scissor jack to the frame on the drivers side of the 5er....

[mfifield01]

I've been looking at the BAL stabilizer bars.It looks like most people put these on the front of 5th wheels. I really don't see much movement in the front of my trailer, but I think it's due to having the tongue jack. The rear is where I see movement. How much do these systems help with rear movement?

I do have the X-Chocks and they help with back and forth movement.

[Comptech]

They will work great in the rear, as long as you can go from one side to the other. I ended up installing the steady fast system just in the rear and have the Ball ones in the front. If you look on the steady fast system they sell a kit just for the rear.


http://www.steadyfast.com/gallery.html

[Desert185]

The SteadyFast system works great.

[concours]

I installed the rear stabilizer bars when the 5th wheel was new never regretted the expense, the problem with the install is the rear bumper slide rails as they do get in the way so I added an extra cross member using 1.5 by .125 box section and notched it to fit between the slide rail and the frame works perfect

[Comptech]

Here is what I got from SteadyFast for the same problem... they sent me a special bracket..
I installed the rear stabilizer bars when the 5th wheel was new never regretted the expense, the problem with the install is the rear bumper slide rails as they do get in the way so I added an extra cross member using 1.5 by .125 box section and notched it to fit between the slide rail and the frame works perfect

[mfifield01]

Where did you purchase just the rear kit?

[Comptech]

Steadyfast, and I did have to V notch the I beam for it to fit flush.

[mfifield01]

I'm just looking for the rear kit. I don't need the bracket for the sliding rack. I can't seem to find one Amazon (or elsewhere).

[Comptech]

If you call Steadyfast they can put just a rear kit together for you.
Ask for Paul...

[mfifield01]

Thanks.

Any possible warranty issues with these stabilizers? It looks like you mount to the frame.

[Comptech]

Not that I would know of, There are a lot of things drilled or screwed into the frame. Just make sure before you drill you check the inside for pipes or wires. You will need to take off some of the coroplast in order to feel or see on the inside of the frame. When I bought mine Paul from steadyfast said that because I was only using his rear system, he would not guarantee a no-movement. When the whole kit is installed they basically guarantee a big reduction in sway.

[Comptech]

Also I would recommend buying a proper sized TAP for the bolts. The self-tapping kind will only get you so far. The kit will come with a special sized drill bit.

[Desert185]

SteadyFast has excellent customer support. They're a good company with a great product.

[cw3jason]

Thanks.

Any possible warranty issues with these stabilizers? It looks like you mount to the frame.

The short answer is yes. anytime you add to or modify the trailer frame you are in danger of voiding your warranty. Just adding a hitch for a bike rack to your bumper can be enough to void your warranty. This recently happened to a couple in the latest trailer life magazine. The only way to know for sure is to contact Keystone and ask. If something goes wrong and they have a way out to not pay for it, they will take it.

[Comptech]

Well if you look at it from that point, any modifications to the trailer would void the warranty. Drill a hook to the wall to hang a picture and you voided the structural warranty... But like you said, check with Keystone.

[cw3jason]

Well if you look at it from that point, any modifications to the trailer would void the warranty. Drill a hook to the wall to hang a picture and you voided the structural warranty... But like you said, check with Keystone.

More specifically, frame mounted modifications. not interior walls ;)