thinking of adding a JT strongarm

[Shasta Bob]

Has anybody added the JT strongarm to a fifth wheel with the Ground control 3.0 electric jacks?. do you add stabilizer to the rear jacks behind the axels?.

[dutchmensport]

I've never installed the Strongarm's, but been in campers and fifth wheels that did. For best results, you need them on each corner of the camper. If you have a 6 point system, then put them on the 4 corner jacks, none in the middle jacks.

[Shasta Bob]

I only have 4 , 2 front 2 behind after rear axel.

[chuckster57]

This should help:

https://store.lci1.com/jts-strong-ar...s-jt-strng-arm

You may need the longer “standard” kit for the rears.

[jsb5717]

I installed them on our Monty. Very easy to do. I bought the standard kit for 5th wheels which includes 6 arms. I've got 4 in the front and 2 in the back. Stabilizing front to back movement is the easy part and uses just 2 of the arms on the front jacks. Side to side is more challenging so 2 in the front and 2 in the back to help manage that movement. It eliminate all movement but it really cuts it down.

I don't have a pic of the rear arms but for those I used one of the longer eye bolts that came in the kit to replace the pin that holds on the foot. Works perfectly.

[G Giroux]

We have them installed and love it. One issue is that if your Keystone has the rear slide bumper/bike rack we were not able to install the Strong-arm on the rear. As Stong-arm are typically sold as a front & rear kit, you may need to negotiate a return of the rear with your dealer.

[coastn]

Had them factory installed on the landing gear of a previous fifth wheel. Worked O.K. but not great. For me, not being the strongest or youngest guy, the additional weight was too much for me and my diminished guns. Took both me and my wife to lift up the landing gear into the traveling position after hitching. Ended up removing them and all was fine. Didn't notice a heck of a lot of additional movement. Just my experience.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by coastn

Had them factory installed on the landing gear of a previous fifth wheel. Worked O.K. but not great. For me, not being the strongest or youngest guy, the additional weight was too much for me and my diminished guns. Took both me and my wife to lift up the landing gear into the traveling position after hitching. Ended up removing them and all was fine. Didn't notice a heck of a lot of additional movement. Just my experience.

I bet the dealer installed them, I worked at a dealership that sold Grand Designs and the factory never installed JT strongarms AFAIK, YMMV.

[JRTJH]

I have the BAL Lock Arm Stabilizers which are very similar to the JT Strongarm system. Essentially, both are a "tube that slides inside another tube and a bolt that locks the pipes together so they stop movement"....

The problem with raising jacks is that if there's any dirt, grit, grime or rust on the inside of the larger tube, it will cause the inside tube to bind rather than slide easily..... Result: The jacks/levelers won't go up. The solution is to treat the JT Strongarm tubes or the BAL Lock Arm tubes the same way as the slide mechanisms on the trailer.... That means NEVER spray them with silicone or any other "lubricant" that can attract dirt or grime. I keep mine "lubed with a dry lubricant (WD40 Specialist) and so far haven't had any problems since I stopped using silicone spray to keep things "sliding"... Seems the silicone spray actually stopped things from sliding as soon as the dust from towing worked its way into the tubes.....

[Ramtop]

I installed Steadyfast stabilizer arms on our fifth wheel. Only uses 3 arms and does a good job taking the shake out.
http://www.steadyfast.com/

[rlh1957]

We have the JT Strongarm and love them.
Makes it more solid feel inside when someone moves around.

Just add another check item to your setup and shutdown list.
“Always loosen well the T Handles before deploying or retracting jacks.

[coastn]

Chuckster-

Compelled to clarify. The fifth wheel was a 2014 Canyon Trail made by Yellowstone RV under the Gulfstream umbrella. Strongarms were one of an extensive list to select from on the factory build list. Company was so small they called me to verify my options ordered through the dealer. Absolutely shocked and delighted. Had a direct link to the factory from then on. Must add, however, it was the worst rig of the nine I have owned in 20 years of rving. Punch list was 32 items after the shakedown trip. Just finished a month long first trip solo with the Cougar. Punch list is only 6. I also used a dry lube on the struts of the Canyon Trail periodically after cleaning with alcohol. I'm just a weak old fart (80) and I know it. Still getting out there.

[WDPatterson]

I don't know what the instructions say, as I have never been able to bring myself to buy that set. But, seems that the larger tubes should always be on the upper side, and the smaller tube go up into it. Less chance of debris getting into the larger tube.

[jamtracy]

My 2014 37’ Open Range came with JT Armstrong in the front jacks from the factory.
I don’t see putting them on with the hydraulic jacks nor game we needed them.

[Captainf2]

Got em and love em. Had them on the last fifth wheel and put em on the 2020 Montana 5th. They work by triangulation and take the play out of the landing gear. If you read the instructions it tells you once your set with T handles tight to bump out the gear to snug up the strong arms. ROCK SOLID. And yes the bigger tubes go up and the labels would read like normal display.

[slider909]

I put them on last year, simple install. Didn't get the parts for the rear pad, way too expensive for 2 brackets, made a set and welded everything up.

Now, do they actually do anything? I ran a test or two using normal grandkids activity and a scientific measuring device, a glass of water on the counter. I don't think the do much at all in full blown activity. Maybe at a lower level of activity. They surely don't do anything about movement caused by jumping around. I think the biggest difference is leveling the camper with as much weight on the suspension as possible, less on the leveling arms.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by slider909

I put them on last year, simple install. Didn't get the parts for the rear pad, way too expensive for 2 brackets, made a set and welded everything up.

Now, do they actually do anything? I ran a test or two using normal grandkids activity and a scientific measuring device, a glass of water on the counter. I don't think the do much at all in full blown activity. Maybe at a lower level of activity. They surely don't do anything about movement caused by jumping around. I think the biggest difference is leveling the camper with as much weight on the suspension as possible, less on the leveling arms.

Interesting…not my experience. They certainly don’t eliminate movement but, for us, they reduced it considerably in normal day to day use.