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07-14-2014, 06:43 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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DIY jack stabilizers (a la Steadyfast)
Our 32 footer nearly made us sea sick when the kids ran from one end to the other. Despite chocking the wheels and corner jacks as tight as can be, it had noticeable deflection of the corner stabilizers no matter how far they were extended. I should note they are the factory VERY cheaply made scissor jacks. The metal seems like "pot metal" and they do not seem to be well made.
I saw a thread somewhere on the interweb about using cargo spreader bars as jack stabilizers, and a light went on in my head. Princess Auto (think Harbour Freight in the US) has them for $15/ea. A couple feet of flat iron for the jack foot pivot brackets and a couple of feet of c-channel steel (I couldn't source c-channel steel locally so I bought square tube and ground off one side) for the frame pivot mounts. Some 5/16" hard ware, and the pics should do the rest. I'm quite proud of the bracket design. I spray painted all the brackets then baked them in the oven to toughen it.
I used two bars F-R and one at the back going side-side. I wanted a fourth lateral bar under the front, but have nothing underneath to secure it to. As you can see, I replaced the bolts in the scissor jack feet and used those as the starting point/base.
Tested the system this past weekend. Put each foot down so it just touched the Lynx leveller, ratcheted them tight, then finished screwing down the corner jack to put tension on the bars. The rear jacks were fully extended even with some Lynx blocks underneath, and the trailer was STEADY. A good test for sure. Very pleased.
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2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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07-14-2014, 06:54 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Finished product
Voila! Some finished product shots while testing for binding.
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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07-14-2014, 08:54 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Groton Long Point, CT
Posts: 151
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Very nice.
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2012 F350 DRW King Ranch 6.7 Diesel
2012 Keystone Hideout 31BHSWE
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07-14-2014, 09:53 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 48
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Looks good. let us know how well they do.
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2012 Ford F-150 4x4
2015 Keystone Passport GT 3180 RE
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07-14-2014, 02:20 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Okanagan, BC
Posts: 916
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Which ones are $15 ea? Best I see is $25.
__________________
2010 Cougar 30RKS
2015 GMC Sierra Max Trailer
"Drinks for 6, Dinner for 4, Sleeps 2"
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07-14-2014, 02:48 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GMcKenzie
Which ones are $15 ea? Best I see is $25.
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Those are the ones; they go on sale for $14.99 all the time
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/C...-Bar/8466559.p
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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07-14-2014, 02:54 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Camarillo
Posts: 92
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This setup looks pretty nice and I am sure alot cheaper than buying...
But I have to say....
Quote:
Originally Posted by audio1der
Our 32 footer nearly made us sea sick when the kids ran from one end to the other.
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You let your kids run around in the camper? The first sign of noise or anything I deem might cause damage or cost me time and money my kids, and their friends, cousins, whomever are kicked out! Day or night. Well the night-time kick out happened only once (all they needed).
Still really curious to see how it works out for you. Good luck!
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2013 Cougar 28RBS
2013 Ram 1500 Hemi 3.92 axle
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07-14-2014, 04:35 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Sulphur, La
Posts: 346
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Very nice mod Audio1der
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Michol02
2012 Cougar 32SAB
2013 Chevy 2500 HD
Visit Mods album in my profile
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07-14-2014, 04:46 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Hickory Taver SC
Posts: 381
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Nice mod
Sent from my iPhone
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07-14-2014, 06:01 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Quote:
Originally Posted by So Cal CPA
This setup looks pretty nice and I am sure alot cheaper than buying...
But I have to say....
You let your kids run around in the camper? The first sign of noise or anything I deem might cause damage or cost me time and money my kids, and their friends, cousins, whomever are kicked out! Day or night. Well the night-time kick out happened only once (all they needed).
Still really curious to see how it works out for you. Good luck!
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They're 4 and 7; their plying is usually what wakes us up so we can make breakfast and get them outside.
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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07-15-2014, 04:22 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 69
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nice mod, we need to do the same because of the kids and dogs
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Michelle & Tim, DD & DS
2012 Cougar X-lite 28RBS
2 mutts along for the ride
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07-15-2014, 09:42 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Camarillo
Posts: 92
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audio1der
They're 4 and 7; their plying is usually what wakes us up so we can make breakfast and get them outside.
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LOL. Mine are about the same age! I am usually the first one up though.
Please report back and let us know how it works on your next outing.
__________________
2013 Cougar 28RBS
2013 Ram 1500 Hemi 3.92 axle
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07-15-2014, 11:51 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 68
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I have 4 of those in my garage and am getting ready to install on my camper. Going to do the front legs first, side to side and front to back to see how they do before tacking the back section of the camper. The ratchet seems a little sloppy but might work out good. If not I will weld a nut to the outside sleeve and use a "T" handle screw to secure them from moving.
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'11 F150 XLT Red Candy Met. Ecoboost 4X4 Screw 5.5' Chrome/Conv/Offroad/Max Tow/+ Packages, Reese R16k 5th wheel hitch, Extang Full-Tilt Cover
'13 Keystone Cougar XLite 29RES, triple slides, Mor/ryde suspension, Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder pin box coupler
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07-17-2014, 05:12 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 53
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I tried this also. Used the bars on the front of the fiver. Had to
drive spikes into the soil to keep them from spreading out and
loosening up. The rears, I used angle iron, 2 pieces with a bolt to connect them and clamped on at top near frame and at bottom at
jacks using c-clamps. Worked ok.
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07-28-2014, 08:22 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Followup; after 2nd trip with the stabilizers, we are thrilled.
The trip to the site was as windy as I'd dare drive in. That night, the skies opened up and it was WINDY!!!
Lying in bed, I wondered how much it would take to flip the trailer; THAT kind of windy. During sustained winds the suspension was groaning and there was some movement, but it was amazingly planted. Great test, great mod.
I especially like the extra minute or less it takes during setup.
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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