King Pin tripod/stabilizer question

[TEX-CTD]

so basicly save your money.

im new to rving also and was wondering the same thing.

ps i pick up my Keystone Copper canyon 298FWBHS tomorrow WOOHOO!!!!

[Half Dimes]

The tripod greatly decreases side to side movement on our rig. We have the Big Foot self leveling system which is great, but the levelers are inboard from the sides and the rears are right behind the tires, leaving considerable 'wiggle' room. The tripod and Rotochoks do a good job for us. I bought the aluminum version of the tripod which is much lighter and easier to handle. It rides in the bed of the truck when traveling.

[4ms]

Thank you all for the info! I mainly was wondering if it is something that I should have for support and that is necessary. Not worried about movement. Looks like I'll save my money on that one. Appreciate all of the replies and good info.

[WindRVer]

I think it depends on the fiver, because of how much 'overhang' your fiver has behind the pin can alter the leverage your weight has on the rest of the trailer. However, what has reduced my bounce the most has been very tightly chocking my wheels. I get ready to be where I want, then place my back chocks. I back VERY gently into them (No gas, just reverse gear until the rig stops by itself). Then I place the front chocks. I put the truck in neutral and let off the brake to let the fiver "settle" between them. Then I put my legs and stabilizers down as usual. I have found this GREATLY reduces my in-camper movement, even when I am forward of the landing legs. I did try a buddies stabilizer, and it too had some effect, but not worth the money to me.

[kschitoskey]

At the Rally in ABQ in April I had a chance to look over the Steady Fast system. The demo was incredible and I bought a set then and there. Installation was straightforward and the difference is amazing. We camp primarily in the mountains; our front jacks are often down pretty far; the coach is very stable with this system. I also liked the fact that the brace went from one jack to the opposite frame rail (longer than others on the market). This is one of the best mods I've done.

[forward5er]

We have one that we bought for our 1st 5er and between the kingpin stabilizer and a good set of wheel chocks, we had very little movement. It doesn't seem to work as well on our current trailer however, maybe due to the size difference. We'll be looking into the JT Strong Arms or similar.

[RVhauler]

My Newmar Kountryaire has built in stabilizer legs mounted into the bottom of the front cap which fold up into their own compartment. You can tell the difference when they are not being used.

[ChickT]

I have a 5th wheel pin tripod, and I don't think it helps, however, that being said, I do have a trail air hitch, so I'm sure that hinders the solidity of the king pin.

Chick T
2006 39' Daydreamer by Cedar Creek
2008 Ford F-450

[Kro1957]

We have the double leg stabilizer only. Not the tri. And yes it does aid in any movement even with our current 18k triple and Ridemore box.

Perhaps one of the best things we like is the fact it also acts as a deterrent from someone hitting the pin, either a kid on a bike or someone running after a ball or something. I put reflector stripe on two sides of the legs and that also I hope will keep any one else from hitting or backing into us at our base camp. Oh and we hang our name plate off of the front of it. After all if you have had a 5r any length of time at all, it is just a matter of time before you make contact with the pin, either with your head, shoulder or something.

[Dutch & Diana Irrgang]

You are right about any air hitch not helping a bi pod or tri pod as they are meant to move for a smoother ride.
Any aftermarket permanently installed stabilizer system takes care of that and really makes everything nice and solid.
We tossed the Bi-Pod about 7 years ago and our stabilizers have made life so much more enjoyable by eliminating interior movement and no rocking back and forth in the wind. We wouldn't be without one. Hugs, Di

Originally Posted by ChickT

I have a 5th wheel pin tripod, and I don't think it helps, however, that being said, I do have a trail air hitch, so I'm sure that hinders the solidity of the king pin.

Chick T
2006 39' Daydreamer by Cedar Creek
2008 Ford F-450

[SkiSmuggs]

Save your money on the tripod and get SteadyFast or JT StrongArms instead. MUCH better stabilizing than a tripod and, unlike the tripod, you can use them in any terrain.

[wandering1]

When someone is walking around inside the 5er it will bounce/wiggle. Rubber tires will bounce, suspension systems are made to bounce. To eliminate the bouncing/wiggling you need to keep the weight from pushing down on the tires and suspension by making sure your stabilizers are tight between the 5er and the ground. Don’t just let them out far enough to touch the ground, turn the crank more to make sure they are tight so they will not allow the 5er to push down on the tires. Use a bipod/tripod under the king pin. Make sure it is tight between the ground and the king pin, don’t just adjust it till it touches, tighten it so the front overhang will not move. Make sure to check the stabilizers and bipod/tripod every couple of days because they will loosen up over time. Doesn’t make sense spending a lot of money on landing jack stabilizers when the landing jacks are stable and don’t bounce up and down. If you have properly adjusted the stabilizers and bipod/tripod then you shouldn’t have any bouncing/wiggling. This has worked for me over the past 15 years.
Chocks are to keep the 5er from rolling forward or backwards. They do not eliminate the weight of the 5er from pushing down and causing the bouncing/wiggling. If you park on a site that has a incline/decline then you probably want to use chocks to keep your 5er from rolling when you unhitch.
There are a lot of other options out there to “eliminate” the bouncing/wiggling if you have the extra money and want to spend it.

[SkiSmuggs]

I disagree about the landing gear. Without the SteadyFasts engaged, I can shake the landing gear back and forth with my hands on the king pin. Once engaged, the shaking stops and much better than with the tripod I used before.

[Cumminsfan]

Made my own JT knock offs for the front and rear. IMO the fronts take out 80-90% of the movement and the rears take the rest out. You really need both for a really rock solid feel.