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Some light-weight campers have solely two stabilizing jacks, just like the Coleman Lantern LT 17R and its bunkhouse counterpart, the Lantern LT 17B. Others might not embrace them in any respect. Stabilizing a trailer with solely two jacks is troublesome, and also you’ll wish to stage and stabilize your RV correctly each time you attain camp. 

That is very true if you happen to’re tenting with children, as everybody’s motion contained in the camper will trigger your trailer to rock and sway. Stabilizing jacks also can break over time. A few of the frequent causes embrace: 

Improper use (i.e. utilizing them to LIFT and never simply to stabilize)
Corrosion
Harm from contact with street particles
Lack of upkeep (i.e., making certain the threaded rod stays clear and correctly lubed)
Failure to maintain the framework clear. This will likely require periodic repainting with rust-resistant enamel. 

Whether or not you’re searching for to switch broken stabilizing jacks or complement your current jacks, you’re in the correct place. Let’s discover ways to set up scissor jacks on a journey trailer.

Photograph by Tenting World

These are the frequent instruments you’ll want to put in scissor jacks on a journey trailer: 

Technician Tip: Discuss with the proprietor’s guide that comes along with your new scissor jacks for suggestions on the right instruments required for a profitable set up. The precise instruments required might fluctuate based mostly on the producer’s really helpful set up technique.

Energy drill
Ratchet wrench
Drill bit (sized for suitable mounting {hardware})
Socket and/or nut driver (sized for alternative mounting {hardware})
Paint marker
Middle punch
Chopping oil
New jack(s)
Handbook crank deal with
Leveling blocks (to assist assist the brand new jack if working alone)
Security glasses (you don’t need steel shards falling into your eyes!)

Technician Tip: Scissor jacks are both bolted or welded to an RV’s body. These which can be bolted are simple to switch. In case your jacks are welded to your body, we advocate visiting a Tenting World Collision Middle to have broken jacks eliminated and changed.

How To Set up Scissor Jacks on a Journey Trailer

Listed below are the 4 primary steps to put in journey trailer stabilizing jacks:

Step 1: Purchase the Proper Scissor Jacks

Photograph by Tenting World

You’ll want to amass scissor jacks that can work along with your journey trailer. You’ll want the next data that will help you make the correct choice: 

The burden ranking of your current jacks. 
The extension peak in your current jacks (normally 24” or 30”, however some trailers are geared up with 20” or 28” jacks).
The size of the mounting plates that safe it to your RV’s body.
The format of holes within the mounting plate.

Technician Tip: Until you improve all jacks, stick with the identical make and mannequin as your current jacks. This ensures the identical stroke, gear ratio, capability, and operation technique. Tenting World Retail Specialists can assist you discover suitable alternative or supplementary scissor jacks in your trailer. Have your trailer’s yr, make, and mannequin prepared whenever you name to inquire about scissor jack stock at your native retail retailer. 

Discover Tenting World’s full choice of RV stabilizing jacks.

Step 2: Take away Outdated Jack(s), if Wanted

Photograph by Tenting World

Together with your new jacks prepared to put in, begin by utilizing these steps to take away your outdated scissor jacks: 

Use your socket and drill to take away the broken jack’s mounting {hardware}.
In case your outdated jacks are secured with self-tapping screws, it’s possible you’ll want an affect drill with a nut driver or socket and ratchet wrench to take away them.
Chances are you’ll want a second set of palms (or one thing to carry up the jack) to maintain it from falling whenever you take away the {hardware}.

Step 3: Put together to Set up the New Jack(s)

We advocate utilizing new mounting {hardware} over repurposing the outdated {hardware} if changing a broken scissor jack. If putting in new jacks the place others weren’t beforehand mounted, you’ll have to pre-drill mounting holes into your RV’s body.

Earlier than drilling, measure the space from the skin of the body to the mounting areas on current jacks (if that’s the case geared up). Scissor jacks are sometimes put in close to the body’s periphery. 

You must also notice the strategy and departure angles utilizing a string higher than your trailer’s size. Place the string beneath the tire and pull one finish tight to the underside of the rear bumper. Pull the opposite tight to the underside of the entrance coupler. Then confirm the brand new scissor jack received’t lengthen previous the spring when within the retracted place. This ensures you received’t drag the jacks off in transit. See the picture under for a visible instance: 

Instance of String Take a look at

Prolong the brand new jack into the specified place and use a marker to mark the opening areas (normally 3-4 areas) based mostly on the mounting plate format. Then retract the jack sufficient to maneuver it apart. 

Drill mounting holes utilizing your energy drill and a correctly sized drill bit. It received’t damage to heart punch your gap areas earlier than drilling, as you’ll possible be mendacity on the bottom for this step, making it tougher to use stress to the drill bit to maintain it from slipping. Chopping oil additionally helps when drilling the mounting holes in your new scissor jacks. 

Step 4: Set up New Jacks

Now use these steps to put in scissor jacks on a journey trailer:

Set your new jacks again into place beneath the pre-drilled mounting areas. 
Prolong the brand new stabilizing jacks so that they maintain themselves in place in opposition to the body. 
Set up mounting {hardware} utilizing a ratchet, wrench, and the correctly sized socket. Use at the very least one nut, bolt, and washer set throughout set up versus all TEK (self-tapping) screws. 
Make the most of a crank deal with to check the operation of your new jacks and guarantee they’re totally retracted earlier than transferring your RV. 

Technician Tip: All the time guarantee you’ve gotten a guide crank deal with that matches your jack. Learn the proprietor’s guide that comes with the jack to find out whether it is okay to make use of an influence drill to function the jack. By no means use an affect driver.

When you’re unsure of the correct stabilizing jacks to decide on in your journey trailer, your native Tenting World specialists can assist you discover what you want. And our service division may even full the set up for you. 

Discover the Tenting World location nearest you. 

Have you ever put in scissor jacks on a journey trailer? Share your ideas and recommendation within the feedback under.