an oh-no experience in the park - Montana Owners Club

pep1977 · 05-21-2006, 09:00 AM

Had an oh-no happen this morning. had some neighbors pull in a few days ago. talked to them and found out this was there maiden voyage with a very nice alpenlite. just bought it recently. the wfe and i were sitting around and heard them start up the truck and then heard a loud noise, i asked her if wehn we hooked up ours was that loud, she said yeah. so i went to the window looked out and saw that there trailer was sitting on the bed rails. i went out to see if i could help them, but there is not a lot that can be done at that point. they had the front legs on some blocks that were about 12 inches tall. so when he tried to back under it pushed the trailer off of the block. the truck was very badly damaged. most likely a new bed is in order. i learned a lot from seeing that, and felt really bad for them. i saw the importance of putting the trailer landing jacks on the ground and not on blocks. just hope i dont see that again, especially not myself.

CountryGuy · 05-21-2006, 09:21 AM

Question, do you happen to remember, did he have the unit (wheels) chocked??? To keep it from rolling??

pep1977 · 05-21-2006, 09:26 AM

i did not see that and was not really paying attention to that, nothing was plugged in, and dont remember any chocks at all. what it looked like to me was it was not in the right position to hook up and rolled the blocks and fell from there. just know that i never will put on blocks, and will continue to leave the front jacks flat on the ground.

jrgwdenner · 05-21-2006, 09:44 AM

The magic word is 'Bedsaver'. Sure can save a lot of damage to the truck bed. I don't know if it would have fit this situation, but we wouldn't be without one. Learned the hard way ourselves.

Countryfolks · 05-21-2006, 10:00 AM

There are a few places that will want [require] the jacks on "blocks", use wood blocks that are only 2" or so thick or solid plastic ones about 1/2" in that case. You may also need them when parked on grass/dirt. I use blocks that are approximately 8x8x4 and have had no problems at all. His blocks may have been too tall for the width/length, he may not have had the hitch and pin properly lined up or the release lever latch on the hitch release was engaged, preventing the jaws from opening.

Skip

8.1al · 05-21-2006, 10:54 AM

I ALWAYS chock my trailer wheels, even on level ground, just in case I find some new way to do something stupid. It just keeps things from rolling around when hitching or unhitching.

CountryGuy · 05-21-2006, 11:02 AM

We use boards under our landing jacks, probably about 7 to 8 inches worth. Like Countryfolks, have not had a problem, but we always use some kind of chocks, and also those between the wheels Rotochocks. Sometimes we use BOTH! Hear good things about the bedsaver like Judy is talking about.

We feel for the guy, it is a sickening sound and a hard lesson to swallow. SIGHHHH

Glenn and Lorraine · 05-21-2006, 12:30 PM

We use blocks all the time both on the front jacks and rear stabilizers as well and have had no problems.

The SECRET WORD here is CHOCKS!!!! CHOCK IT and it will not move and therefore it will not fall off the blocks.

I have found the less leg extended the less movement and that goes for the rear stabilizers as well.

Photo added on edit

lightningjack11 · 05-21-2006, 12:31 PM

I have seen a lot of 5ers with the front jacks on high wood stands. But if you tell them what a bad deal that is they will really get mad at you for doing so. So I had to stop telling them.

Glenn and Lorraine · 05-21-2006, 12:58 PM

Tom the reason they would get mad is because this system works. I have been using blocks from day one and as long as the wheels are properly chocked on both sides the trailer will not fall off.

padredw · 05-21-2006, 02:08 PM

Maybe it is a stupid question, but...

Why is there a need for "high" blocks under the landing gear? For what it's worth I use 2" boards only when the surface is grass, dirt, or gravel. Otherwise, on hard surface I put the feet right down on the ground. Everyone has his own way of doing business, I will admit. This is mine.

My question has nothing to do with chocks or not chocks --- except, that the need for chocks is tremendously increased when high blocks are used under the landing feet.

My question is a real one, not an argument, and I will listen respectfully for any answers.

CountryGuy · 05-21-2006, 02:14 PM

Dave, some of us feel it makes the rig more stable, as in not so bouncy. Those landing gear legs if extended further tend to "wiggle" more.

Also, if you get in a uneven spot (what, never had one?? HA HA, we have!!) you might have to extend those legs to the furthest point and still not be level front to back, got some nice big blocks, you can over come this difficulty. Been a few times we would never of been level front to back without them.

Glenn and Lorraine · 05-21-2006, 02:22 PM

There is a lot less motion in my Monty when I set the jacks on the blocks I have pictured. I am no scientist nor an engineer and I cannot explain it. I only know the less leg or stabilizer exposed the less movement in the trailer.

Quote:

quote:that the need for chocks is tremendously increased when high blocks are used under the landing feet.

The use of chocks is tremendously increased whenever you will be taking the trailer off of the tow vehicle. I don't care what surface you are setting the trailer on, doing so without the proper use of chocks is a HUGE mistake.

campbud · 05-21-2006, 05:53 PM

We use the boards under landing gear that are about 2" and chock the wheels.

dsprik · 05-21-2006, 06:14 PM

Glen, I understood the theory behind your application immediately. Those stacked wooden blocks are MUCH more stable, and they do not FLEX fore/aft, port/starboard anywhere NEAR (if at all) as much as the aluminum leg will. The less distance on the aluminum leg, the less flex and overall movement. If these Montanas all had 12"x12" wooden "legs" - in front, and for the stabilizers, that unit would be rock solid - and also 300-400 lbs (or so) heavier.

Hope I explained that right... Where's Dave (Dave e Victoria) when you need him???

Actually Carol explined it better. The longer the leg, the more "wiggle".

lightningjack11 · 05-21-2006, 07:42 PM

Ok, Ok

Now I will really keep quiet from now on about the wood stands. Good Chocks is obviously the proper response on this issue.

But for me, I will pass. I guess I can see why fulltimers might want to do this.

CountryGuy · 05-22-2006, 02:30 AM

Tom, it all depends on one's tolerance, comfort levels. Al does not like "wiggle". You may not notice what he thinks is a level beyond his tolerance. We usually block those front landing legs for every set up, even overnighters. OH, and we always chock!

We are far from full timers, it is just what "BUGS" us!

dsprik · 05-22-2006, 03:18 AM

Obviously, your wooden blocks are going to have to be stacked in a stable configuration that you are confident in, also. Like Glenn's - Of course, Glenn has strange plants in his Monty, so...

CountryGuy · 05-22-2006, 04:16 AM

I cannot remember the "size" of ours, they are about 8 to 10 inches in length, they are cut from landscape type stuff, they are about 4 inches by 6???? I'll see if I can remember to measure them.

We use 2 on the ground, then stack one more on top of that. When we are on gravel, Al scrapes the ground some, so that the most loose stuff is moved away and not under the 2 boards on the bottom.

The one on the top lies in the same direction as those little feet on the landing gear, and the other two, we lay down at a 90 to that.

Bet that is about as clear as mud, eh??

patodonn · 05-22-2006, 04:54 AM

Just my view here on the "high" blocks vs none or "short" blocks....has to do with the "lever arm" the extended struts present. If you have a long lever arm (struts extended a long way, using "short" or no blocks) the routine trailer movement, vibrations and force the winds put on the rig are magnified in the area of the strut support structure by the length of the "lever" of the extended struts. Conversely, if the struts are extended a shorter distance (using "high" blocks) the length of the "lever" is shorter, which causes less sideways force on the support structure. Sort of like a stubby pencil vs a long skinny one....which is easier to break??

The main source of that sort "sideways" adverse stress on the strut structure would be gusty high wind loads or maybe attempting to hook up "off center" (as in the case mentioned above), or to unkhook without the hitch being actually unlocked,. If he hadn't knocked it off the "high" blocks, as he did, he might well have damaged the strut(s) if they had they been on "short" blocks, under the same unchocked conditions.

Bottom line...Always chock the rig, and chocks go in first, and come out last.....keeps you safe...

JMHO...

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