UCamp 18 rally ( replace your rear stabilizers with true scissor levelers)

kybob · June 2018

I haven't kept count, but I would like to purchase a set at uCamp18. If sold out, I'll make arrangements with you at uCamp. See you there!

Dalehelman · June 2018

I currently have requests 5
3. To me picked at üCamp.
2. To be mailed

I will make additional sets on request.
üCamp price $35
Mail delivered price $42
Let me know if interested so I can add you to my list.
Please feel to make your own using the above template. I am happy to answer any questions.

BrianZ · June 2018

Thanks, @Dalehelman, for all the parts info.
Is there a procedure written somewhere for the installation steps and any other additional parts (bolts?) that might be needed? Also, any suggestions for a source for the steel adapter plate? I may want to do it myself, but don't have a grasp yet on how one would proceed, exactly, from start to finish.

Michigan_Mike · June 2018

Hey Dale, what are you doing in your spare time at the rally? I'll buy you a beer as you might need it!

Dalehelman · June 2018

@BrianZ
The steel and 2 3/8” x 1 14/“ carriage bolts can be purchased at Home Depot. Cut and drill according to template. I hope to post photos later today.

Dalehelman · June 2018

Michigan_Mike said:

Hey Dale, what are you doing in your spare time at the rally? I'll buy you a beer as you might need it!

Your on.

BrianZ · June 2018

Thanks, Dale!

BrianZ · June 2018

PS: @Dalehelman, one more question..
In looking at your drawing of the steel plate, is it not important where the holes are drilled relative to the ends of the plate? They appear to be different at each end, but not sure of exact placement as shown. Thanks.

Oops, I should have said two more questions..
I'm wondering what your general approach is to leveling with the jacks, particularly left-to-right. Obviously both Jack's need to be down for stabilizing, so would you put down the one on the uphill side first, so you can then level left-right with the downhill one? Then do the tongue jack last? But if the tongue needed to go down, then you might be lifting the uphill jack if weight shifts to the uphill wheel. So, maybe the answer is "it depends", or maybe do a rough front-to-back first?

Dalehelman · June 2018

@BrianZ
Not critical about an inch.
I also added a notch in the plate see photo. This allows direct bolt on with no need to trim frame rail.

Dalehelman · June 2018

Additional photos

BrianZ · June 2018

Why is only one hole square? How does one drill a square hole in a steel plate? Is part of the jack's mounting plate cut off?

Dalehelman · June 2018

@BrianZ
Round hole, square file, elbow grease.
The carriage bolt fits in the square hole. I also like to file the carriage bolt head flat that way the plate lays flatter. You can also use an 3/8 elevator bolt if you can find them instead of the carriage bolt.

The Hillman Group

The Hillman Group 4759 3/8 x 3-Inch Elevator Bolt, 4-Pack
Hillman
$10.40

Sent using Amazon Mobile for iPhone

Dale Helman

BrianZ · June 2018

Thanks! And does the jack need to be cut?
Hmm, guess I would need to get a square file.

sharfie · June 2018

@Dalehelman, would this work on the 320 CS?

Dalehelman · June 2018

@BrianZ
No modification to the jacks I needed.

Dalehelman · June 2018

sharfie said:

@Dalehelman, would this work on the 320 CS?

I have not done a CS yet. My Neighbor has one I will check on it tomorrow. They use the same stabilizers so I would think so.

BrianZ · June 2018

@Dalehelman, what's still not totally clear to me from your photos, is which bolts are going through the trailer frame, as the frame bolts are not shown, nor is the alignment of jack holes & adapter plate holes in relation to the trailer frame bolts.

It would appear that the bolt in the square hole goes only through the plate & jack, such that only one side of the jack is bolted directly to the trailer frame. My guess is that only the center bolt goes through all three: frame, plate, & jack, while the bolt closest to middle of trailer goes only through frame & plate. In other words, the pair of holes in the plate that are closest together are mounted to the trailer, and the pair that are farther apart are mounted to the jack.

So, the jack is offset towards the outside from the original center of stabilizer mounting to support trailer weight, and that support is moved laterally where the weight is transferred from frame through the plate to the center of the new jack support. And the lateral shift of support should not be of any consequence with regard to support of the trailer, as the new jack center & its mounting plate is still located under the trailer frame. Maybe being a few inches closer to the outside makes it a bit easier to reach with a drill? (Pardon the pun)

Let me know if I understand the bolt connections correctly.

BrianZ · June 2018

One other question, just to confirm my understanding of the mounting...
In the original two photos, the first shows an installed jack on the passenger side, but the next photo showing how the plate is oriented on the jack is not for the same side but for the driver side? (Otherwise it would be a mirror image). It also appears you use the pair of jack holes that positions the jack slightly farther to the rear, correct?

Dalehelman · June 2018

BrianZ said:

@Dalehelman, what's still not totally clear to me from your photos, is which bolts are going through the trailer frame, as the frame bolts are not shown, nor is the alignment of jack holes & adapter plate holes in relation to the trailer frame bolts.

It would appear that the bolt in the square hole goes only through the plate & jack, such that only one side of the jack is bolted directly to the trailer frame. My guess is that only the center bolt goes through all three: frame, plate, & jack, while the bolt closest to middle of trailer goes only through frame & plate. In other words, the pair of holes in the plate that are closest together are mounted to the trailer, and the pair that are farther apart are mounted to the jack.

So, the jack is offset towards the outside from the original center of stabilizer mounting to support trailer weight, and that support is moved laterally where the weight is transferred from frame through the plate to the center of the new jack support. And the lateral shift of support should not be of any consequence with regard to support of the trailer, as the new jack center & its mounting plate is still located under the trailer frame. Maybe being a few inches closer to the outside makes it a bit easier to reach with a drill? (Pardon the pun)

Let me know if I understand the bolt connections correctly.

Correct on all points

Dalehelman · June 2018

BrianZ said:

One other question, just to confirm my understanding of the mounting...
In the original two photos, the first shows an installed jack on the passenger side, but the next photo showing how the plate is oriented on the jack is not for the same side but for the driver side? (Otherwise it would be a mirror image). It also appears you use the pair of jack holes that positions the jack slightly farther to the rear, correct?

All photos are of the passenger side. I suggest orienting the jacks so they angle slightly to the outside. It makes them easier to access and increases stability by slightly triangulating.

ericnliz · June 2018

@Dalehelman, Really like that you cut the slot in the mounting plate! Great idea!

Dalehelman · June 2018

delete

BrianZ · June 2018

Thanks, @Dalehelman.
Excellent point about an angle increasing stability - that answers a question I had a while back about being on an incline, where the angle would be even more important. I hadn't even noticed you did that.
So, do you use the rear hole on the outside part of the jack mount & the forward hole on the inside half, so the back end of the jack's screw angles toward the back corner of the trailer?

Now I'm wondering about changing a flat tire. To make use of the jacks for that, I guess you'd need to disconnect from the TV first & have the tongue jack down, or else put a spare jack in front of the flat while still connected. Maybe this is already covered elsewhere.

Dalehelman · June 2018

Just use which ever holes line up best. Some jacks are slightly different.
I don’t think it would be necessary to unhook, but I haven’t tried it.

Homebodyatheart · June 2018

@BrianZ you asked about three point leveling. I get the tongue level first, then the rear two jacks. After that it’s front stabilizers down and I’m done! I’ve found that the scissor jacks actually make the Tab more stable than with four stabilizers and I like that!

BrianZ · June 2018

Thanks, @Homebodyatheart, I don't doubt it would be more stabile with the jacks. I've got some on order and have the other materials & tools to start fabricating my adapter plates. Too bad I can't order the elbow grease on Amazon too. 😉

I was thinking if one levels the tongue front-to-back first, and then needs to raise one back side more to level left-right, then the front would go out of level & require further adjustment. But, if one gets the rear adjusted left-right first, then adjusting the tongue for front-back level shouldn't need any further adjustment, except that a wheel could throw things off if the tongue needed to be lowered further. So, maybe doing the tongue first may be best, and the rear left-right is a shorter distance so wouldn't have as large an impact on throwing the tongue off, versus the opposite order.
Thanks again, I'll give your method a shot next trip after I get them installed.

BrianZ · June 2018

In case others are looking for these parts I found these at Lowe's ...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/z5/vr2zg6lm9v1a.jpg

Also found these 1.5" elevator bolts in their drawers of specialty fasteners in the fasteners aisle ..

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/dm/6vwytu5amyxf.jpg

BrianZ · June 2018

Well, my new pair of "Ultra-Fab" Scissor Jacks were delivered yesterday, so I now have everything I need to get started on this project, but first I need to find what I did with the elbow grease I'm gonna need for all that sawing, drilling & filing through solid steel.

Now here's something I wasn't expecting to see on a safety warning sticker on the jacks..

Didn't we get these with the expectation of lifting? Doesn't the act of leveling involve lifting? The specs say each jack can support 6500 lbs, but it's not supposed to lift? Why is the box labeled "Scissor Jacks" (Jack's are for lifting, right)? Then it appears to imply you can lift weight as long as it's not "excessive". I would think these jacks should at minimum be able to to help change a tire in the same way stabilizers could be used.

Further, I was expecting to be able to use these jacks for changing a tire on level ground at least, but it says not to use as a tire changing jack. Maybe they mean it can't be used as is without mounting? I can see that, since there is no platform in the center to put under a vehicle to jack it up & no raised edges on top like a car jack to keep it from slipping out if not bolted on.

These jacks look otherwise similar in scissor design to those that come with cars for changing tires, except they look much bigger & stronger than what came with our Sienna van, or "beefy" as many Amazon reviewers have said. Also a bit surprising to me is that the jacks work "backwards" from usual jacks - clockwise turning does not raise, but lowers the jack.

Dalehelman · June 2018

Remember you are just leveling a camp trailer. Not preparing for a moon landing.😃😃😃

ScottG · June 2018

When this mod was first floated I was interested but skeptical for two reasons. First, the mounting point is on small frame extensions, not on the main frame itself (as indicated in the mounting directions). Second, my friends have an R-Pod with the same jacks mounted on the main frame, and they were still instructed not to use the jacks for leveling, only for stabilizing. Ergo, @BrianZ, I appreciate your attention to detail. :-)

That said, Dalehelman and several others have now used this mod for quite some time--apparently without incident or damage--so I tend to agree with his assessment regarding moon landings. I suspect the contradictory warning stickers are there to cover the manufacturer's behind against every possible mishap that might result from some happy camper going off script.

Of course, YMMV. That's just my $0.02. and the usual disclaimers apply! ;-)

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UCamp 18 rally ( replace your rear stabilizers with true scissor levelers)

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