Keystone Outback unhooking

[shawdog]

We have a friend that camps with us and they have a 2015 outback 298re and sometimes when he lifts the camper up off of the hitch ball the camper rolls back a couple of feet and comes off of the leveling blocks and the block under the tongue jack and it is scary .has anyone have any idea that would cause this problem he has an equalizer hitch and i do to but mt camper doesn't even move. I have my thoughts on what might be going on but i was wandering if anyone else has seen this happen

thank you

[Logan X]

I put wheel chocks on the trailer wheels before uncoupling. This should keep the trailer from rolling when unhooking.

[notanlines]

Logan is on the money! Chocks are of the most importance.

[NH_Bulldog]

I always use chocks! He can use scissor chocks or basic plastic wheel chocks. I just started using the easy level chocks that solves two problems; leveling and choking. Just got back from an extended vacation and the set up worked awesome

[sourdough]

Make sure your friend CHOCKS his tires before unhooking. Sounds like he has had some minor issues, but, given the right circumstance the trailer can just "head down the hill" if the tires aren't secured.

I raise whatever side needs to go up; used to use boards, then plastic blocks, now Andersen levelers; chock all 4 tires THEN unhitch. When that's done I still put on X chocks.

[mfifield01]

I use wheel chocks, but I always let the trailer lightly roll into them. I park the truck and put the parking brake on. Then set the wheel chocks. I go back to the truck, put my foot on the brake, put it in neutral, release the parking brake, and let it lightly roll into the wheel chocks. This should reduce/eliminate any trailer movement as it comes off of the ball.

[shawdog]

The other day when it did it he had the scissors between the tires Titus heck and it still rolled on us

[rjrelander]

We had to use a bottle jack to lift a fifth wheel pin off of somebody's hand at a campground two weekends ago when he forgot to set the wheel chocks and it rolled back while he was in the truck bed. Luckily no broken bones, just deep soft tissue damage. Not sure if the tailgate caught the trailer or what stopped it. I'm sure he could have lost a hand.

[JRTJH]

The other day when it did it he had the scissors between the tires Titus heck and it still rolled on us

I think you're referring to BAL X-Chocks ??? If so, until about 2015, the instruction sheet that came with the X-Chocks contained a warning that said something along the lines of: Warning, do not use this device as an alternative to chocking your trailer. The X_Chocks are not intended to replace the appropriate wheel chocks on your RV.

When I was using the X-Chocks, almost every time I applied them upon arrival at a campground, once the tires cooled, the chocks would either be extremely loose or even fall out of the tires.

In other words, X-Chocks are not a suitable alternative to using wheel chocks to prevent your RV from rolling !!!!!

ADDED: This photo I found on the internet. It's the "old instruction sheet" that came with X-Chocks years ago. As you can see, the very first line (in bold print) is the WARNING not to use X-Chocks to hold a parked trailer.

[NH_Bulldog]

Is he releasing horizontal pressure off the tow vehicle before unhooking? Like get the trailer set and blocked, put tow vehicle in neutral, e-brake off, foot off the brake and see if it moves? If there is still horizontal pressure, forward or back, the trailer will move when it pops off the ball. Someone can get hurt here......

I use a leveling chock similar to the Anderson brand along with a LevelMate Pro. Back onto the leveling chocks, stop when light turns green, insert other half of chocks, give them a good whack with a rubber mallet to seat them and both wheels on one side are cradled. Insert conventional chocks fore and aft of both wheels on the other side that is still on the ground, again whack with a rubber mallet. Truck in park (no e-brake on), raise the tongue jack, move truck forward, set tongue jack until LevelMate light goes green, give all chocks another whack with rubber mallet, install Xtended X Chocks (wide stance axles), drop stabilizer jacks on slide side then door side, and we are good to go.

[mfifield01]

I think you're referring to BAL X-Chocks ??? If so, until about 2015, the instruction sheet that came with the X-Chocks contained a warning that said something along the lines of: Warning, do not use this device as an alternative to chocking your trailer. The X_Chocks are not intended to replace the appropriate wheel chocks on your RV.

When I was using the X-Chocks, almost every time I applied them upon arrival at a campground, once the tires cooled, the chocks would either be extremely loose or even fall out of the tires.

In other words, X-Chocks are not a suitable alternative to using wheel chocks to prevent your RV from rolling !!!!!
Your tires must get really hot. I use the X-Chocks after regular chocks. I've never had them feel loose the day later.

I agree about them not being the primary chocks. You should have at least one side with regular chocks.

[spade117]

I've had the x-chocks feel loose in the past. Usually by the time you check in, fill water tank, get unhooked on site, the tires will have cooled back to whatever the air temperature is.

[Canonman]

My experience with X chocks is that the fore/aft space between the wheels will change as the front of the trailer is raised or lowered or during leveling. So, if the X chocks are applied prior to unhooking, they might loosen as the front of the trailer is raised to unhook. It's been my practice to chock the wheels with a standard heavy rubber chock and apply the X chock only after the Cougar is leveled. I think the X chock helps minimize trailer bounce too.

[WDPatterson]

We have a friend that camps with us and they have a 2015 outback 298re and sometimes when he lifts the camper up off of the hitch ball the camper rolls back a couple of feet and comes off of the leveling blocks and the block under the tongue jack and it is scary .has anyone have any idea that would cause this problem he has an equalizer hitch and i do to but mt camper doesn't even move. I have my thoughts on what might be going on but i was wandering if anyone else has seen this happen

thank you
The very first action you should take while still connected should be to use X-Chocks AND wheel chocks, BEFORE unhooking... ALWAYS immobilize your trailer before you unhook... Then, you can go to the task of final leveling

[chuckster57]

My experience with X chocks is that the fore/aft space between the wheels will change as the front of the trailer is raised or lowered or during leveling. So, if the X chocks are applied prior to unhooking, they might loosen as the front of the trailer is raised to unhook. It's been my practice to chock the wheels with a standard heavy rubber chock and apply the X chock only after the Cougar is leveled. I think the X chock helps minimize trailer bounce too.
I have used Xchocks for the last 15 years. When you put them in place you just need to crank them to apply a fair amount of pressure. My old fiver was 37 feet long and weight in at about 12,500 pounds. My xchocks held it firm on a sloped campground spot more than once.

As you lower raise the tongue/King pin, the shackles will rotate and the wheels stay where you chocked them.

[thefulminator]

I never rely on scissor chocks to prevent our trailer from rolling. The scissor chocks are more for stability and being able to be locked to prevent theft. I use home made "quickie chocks" to be sure the trailer doesn't roll when parking. I make them to fit within an inch of the actual space so that trailer movement is minimal. They can be thrown down in just a couple seconds and the way they fit they can't flip out of the way if the trailer rolls.

https://www.outbackers.com/forums/uploads/1299565856/gallery_6092_1506_10399.jpg

[Qwerty]

I use wheel chocks, but I always let the trailer lightly roll into them. I park the truck and put the parking brake on. Then set the wheel chocks. I go back to the truck, put my foot on the brake, put it in neutral, release the parking brake, and let it lightly roll into the wheel chocks. This should reduce/eliminate any trailer movement as it comes off of the ball.

This is the key. Always put your TV in neutral & let the whole rig settle before uncoupling.

[PRF]

Besides chocking, leave the chains on the hitch, truck in Park & parking brake on.

[Local150]

I chok all 4 wheels , nothing fancy but 4 10 inch pieces of 4 x 4,, never had a issue, I make sure they are tight with the tire. I guess they could fail but odds of 4 wheels getting over all 4 is unlikely

[Larrystegall]

Harbor Freight sells "old school" rubber truck chocks for around $4 each. I carry four for my tandem trailer and "roll" into one side, park and set the brake on the truck, kick the other side in, and then release the pressure from the truck. Ain't gonna move. I apply the scissor chocks AFTER it is leveled, and before I extend any slides.

[WDPatterson]

Harbor Freight sells "old school" rubber truck chocks for around $4 each. I carry four for my tandem trailer and "roll" into one side, park and set the brake on the truck, kick the other side in, and then release the pressure from the truck. Ain't gonna move. I apply the scissor chocks AFTER it is leveled, and before I extend any slides.

That's exactly how I do it, too...

[KSH]

Same, harbor freight rubber chocks .

[WDPatterson]

Same, harbor freight rubber chocks .

They work, and they're cheap !!
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