Use of Stabilizer Jacks

Karm

Videos I have looked at mention that you should not use your stabilizing jacks to level your trailer.  I just ordered the TAB 320 and I am currently reading its manual.  It states "Place a level on the floor of the camper to determine whether it is level. Adjust the stabilizer jacks until the floor is level."  This reads to me that you do use the stabilizing jacks to level your trailer.  Which is it?

Karm

Sharon_is_SAM

You adjust your tongue jack to level front to back not the stabilizers.  You use a leveling device such as blocks, BAL or Anderson to raise the lower side to level.  

Tampakayaker

Stabilizers are used to make your camper feel secure and not bouncy or rocking.  They touch the ground then maybe another turn or two to make them tight.  Not enough to raise the camper at all.

DougH

@Karm There are plenty of no name Anderson type side to side levelers too.  We have a Beech Lane brand, but it looks just like this one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0834K25PN

Just slip it behind the left or right side tire (whichever is lowest), back up slowly and less than a foot, and it will lift that side of the camper 3-4".

ScottG

Interestingly enough, the manufacturer's literature for those jacks indicates they are for stabilizing and "fine" leveling. I admit that I have torqued down harder on one side on another to get that last half-inch or so that I just can't get with blocks under the wheels.

Some 320 owners have replaced their rear stabilizers with true scissors jacks and use those for both leveling and stabilizing. There is some debate over whether the frame is actually robust enough to support that load, but so far I've heard no reports of damage.

I'm just reporting, not advocating either approach. If you are risk averse and want to be 100% safe all the time, always keep the weight of the trailer on the wheels and axle.

falcon1970

@DougH
I also have the Beech Lane brand.  I have not yet needed to use them though.  I discovered that the Beech Lane levelers are much stronger than the Anderson levelers.  They are made of a "plastic-type" material but not as flimsy as the Anderson brand. 

Karm

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

karm

Katydid

I read the same thing in my 2021 TAB 400 BD manual and called NuCamp as it was opposite of what everyone said. I first asked if the stabilizers could be used for leveling and he  said no. I pointed out what the manual said and he said something about getting that reviewed , implying it will be changed in the manual .

Karm

Thanks Katydid

ScottG

Katydid said:

I read the same thing in my 2021 TAB 400 BD manual and called NuCamp as it was opposite of what everyone said. I first asked if the stabilizers could be used for leveling and he  said no. I pointed out what the manual said and he said something about getting that reviewed , implying it will be changed in the manual .

It just goes to show that owner's manuals are not always the gospel truth. They are written by mere mortals who may or may not have full command of every fact. For some time a misleading statement in the owner's manual suggested that the battery did not need to be connected for proper operation of the breakaway brakes. This led to quite a bit of confusion and discussion here on the forum until (I think) we finally got the erroneous wording corrected.

There's nothing wrong with questioning things that don't look or sound right. Trust but verify applies here!

Karm

ScottG, that is why I asked my question.

kbdigitiqe

Ya know, I'm gonna go the opposite way on this and say I think they can definitely be used for "fine leveling" which we do all the time.. 

The manual that says this specifically is not the Tab manual, it's the manual included in the owner's packet from the actual manufacturer of the jacks themselves.

This is what they say:

This telescopic stabilizing jack is designed for: fine leveling and stabilizing travel trailers and 5th wheel trailers

Operation: 

STEP 3: Check level gauge for low side of trailer, crank down stabilizers on low side first, bring the trailer to a fine level position. 

They do say specifically not to try to use it to lift the tires off the ground for what it's worth, which is probably NuCamp's concern 

ScottG

@kbdigitiqe, that was the manufacturer's literature I mentioned in my earlier comment, but I couldn't put my finger on it. The process you summarize is exactly what I do when I need that extra teeny bit of lift beyond what the blocks under the tires deliver.

JeffroNC

As far as the Anderson type levelers go, I recommend you place them in FRONT of the wheels and pull FORWARD onto them. Then chock both wheels with some of those hefty rubber chocks before unhitching. 
Putting tension on the hitch will make it easier to uncouple and the big chocks keep the trailer from rotating when you unhitch. (Don't ask! LOL)

Karm

Thanks for the further refinement.