Uneven site, tongue jack slipped off the jack block. Lesson learned.

[Jayc71]

We learned a lesson recently and adjusted our uneven camp setup procedures. Last trip we were in Utah at Monument Valley and the spot we were assigned was uneven in 2 directions. I got the TT in what seemed like the most even spot, used the leveling blocks to get it as even as I could, then chocked the wheels and disconnected. We typically use an Anderson jack block for the tongue jack. In addition to being uneven, this site was on very loose gravel.

I didn't set the X-chocks between the wheels before disconnecting because we normally don't have to do so. I disconnected, then parked the truck next to the TT. As I got out of the truck, I saw the TT slide to the side a bit as the Andersen block dug into the ground on one side and the tongue jack slipped off the block and fell to the ground, it slipped about 2ft to the side but thankfully didn't roll because of the wheel chocks.

Half a heart attack later, we hooked back up to the truck and moved to a more level spot. Embarrassing, but posting this in the hope it prevents someone else from making the same mistake.

[vroom_vroom]

Get yourself a extended foot for the tongue jack. Best $20 you will spend with a travel trailer. Nothing to slip off of, forget, or rig.

[Gammel]

A 12" x 12" piece of 3/4" plywood works too.

[garywilson]

https://www.amazon.com/Husky-31610-B.../dp/B00BX9C59Q

https://www.adventurerv.net/husky-br...0-p-30245.html

[Persistent]

Good advice above.

"I didn't set the X-chocks between the wheels before disconnecting because we normally don't have to do so."

X-chocks are a safety device. For best results deploy them even if you don't see a reason to do it. It is the "I didn't see it coming" that safety devices are intended to prevent.

Tongue jacks and corner stabilizers are not designed to prevent the RV from moving. They stabilize a little, but are not designed for that. Immobilizing the wheels is a requirement. Do it before unhooking. Remove chocks only after hooking up.

Most of us know this. Most of us have not followed this procedure sometimes. A few of us have had bad results as a consequence.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[Tomahawk]

Similar experience.
Uneven site, chocked all wheels, unhooked and leveled front to back with tongue jack, and trailer started rolling forward and hit the trailer hitch. Scared the crap out of me. The plastic chocks slid on the dirt pad. Now I check and double check the site, before I reserve it, for level.

[Jayc71]

Originally Posted by Persistent

Good advice above.

"I didn't set the X-chocks between the wheels before disconnecting because we normally don't have to do so."

X-chocks are a safety device. For best results deploy them even if you don't see a reason to do it. It is the "I didn't see it coming" that safety devices are intended to prevent.

Tongue jacks and corner stabilizers are not designed to prevent the RV from moving. They stabilize a little, but are not designed for that. Immobilizing the wheels is a requirement. Do it before unhooking. Remove chocks only after hooking up.

Most of us know this. Most of us have not followed this procedure sometimes. A few of us have had bad results as a consequence.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

We will now set the X-chocks before disconnecting every time, no matter how level the spot is. And we'll leave them in place until we're hooked up again. That's something I 'knew' to do, but I guess we just got complacent after camping in level spots so often.

[Yosemite77]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

Similar experience.

Uneven site, chocked all wheels, unhooked and leveled front to back with tongue jack, and trailer started rolling forward and hit the trailer hitch. Scared the crap out of me. The plastic chocks slid on the dirt pad. Now I check and double check the site, before I reserve it, for level.

You might want to think about picking up a pair of rubber chocks. They hold much, much better than plastic ones. Both Harbor Freight and Amazon carry them.

[CamperLifer]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

Similar experience.
Uneven site, chocked all wheels, unhooked and leveled front to back with tongue jack, and trailer started rolling forward and hit the trailer hitch. Scared the crap out of me. The plastic chocks slid on the dirt pad. Now I check and double check the site, before I reserve it, for level.

How did the trailer roll if the tires were all chocked ?

[Planeteer]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

Similar experience.
Uneven site, chocked all wheels, unhooked and leveled front to back with tongue jack, and trailer started rolling forward and hit the trailer hitch. Scared the crap out of me. The plastic chocks slid on the dirt pad. Now I check and double check the site, before I reserve it, for level.

Originally Posted by CamperLifer

How did the trailer roll if the tires were all chocked ?

Noted in post.

[Jay D.]

i use my x-chocks, the very first thing i do when the RV is in position. most wheel chocks are just about worthless on a site with loose gravel for any stabilization, same for tongue jack pads.
Jay D.

[profdan]

My little trailer is a single-axle unit, so I can't use x-chocks. After our first and only "plastic chocks sliding on gravel" experience, we bought heavy-duty solid rubber chocks, the kind with grippy ribs on the bottom.

After we install the chocks, I then kick each chock, as hard as I can, so that it wedges under the tires. (Pro tip -- don't do this in ordinary tennis shoes. Thank heaven for hiking boots.)

But wait, there's more. Since we usually boondock, there is usually a good selection of big rocks available. We wedge them in back of each chock. (Another pro tip -- wear gloves for this process. There can be some nasty bugs under those rocks.)

With all of those precautions, we have never again had a chock problem, in 17 years of boondocking. But I still worry.

[Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by Yosemite77

You might want to think about picking up a pair of rubber chocks. They hold much, much better than plastic ones. Both Harbor Freight and Amazon carry them.

Yeah I get that.

Camperlifer, fair question. I was in a hurry typing the response and omitted the full picture. I think I had about 1.5" of leveling pads on the passenger side and the slope from back to front was bad enough that the tongue jack was on a few blocks and still nearly fully extended. The forward slope on the tongue jack blocks also helped reduce the friction. My only real intention was to say I thought the chocks were adequately place and they moved on the dirt pad.

There were a few issues in my case.
1. The site was sloped front to back and left to right.
2. Adding pads to level left to right doesn't fix the front to back slope. The trailer still wants to roll down hill because the contact between the tire and pad/ground is still angled.
3. On the side with pads, the chocks don't slide into the tires correctly unless you have enough pads to make a level spot large enough for the pads to sit on. Then the friction between the pad (wood or plastic) and chock is low.

In my case, I had four chocks in place and both sides moved. Not sure which one moved first. I was able to "fix" it by chocking with multiple large rocks and the chocks. I think the Andersons have a huge advantage in that the chock between the leveler and the ground always fits correctly. X-Chock also has a significant advantage from that perspective since it is independent of the ground.

[Jayc71]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

Yeah I get that.

Camperlifer, fair question. I was in a hurry typing the response and omitted the full picture. I think I had about 1.5" of leveling pads on the passenger side and the slope from back to front was bad enough that the tongue jack was on a few blocks and still nearly fully extended. The forward slope on the tongue jack blocks also helped reduce the friction. My only real intention was to say I thought the chocks were adequately place and they moved on the dirt pad.

There were a few issues in my case.
1. The site was sloped front to back and left to right.
2. Adding pads to level left to right doesn't fix the front to back slope. The trailer still wants to roll down hill because the contact between the tire and pad/ground is still angled.
3. On the side with pads, the chocks don't slide into the tires correctly unless you have enough pads to make a level spot large enough for the pads to sit on. Then the friction between the pad (wood or plastic) and chock is low.

In my case, I had four chocks in place and both sides moved. Not sure which one moved first. I was able to "fix" it by chocking with multiple large rocks and the chocks. I think the Andersons have a huge advantage in that the chock between the leveler and the ground always fits correctly. X-Chock also has a significant advantage from that perspective since it is independent of the ground.

Good info, we all run into situations where things just don't work out the way we planned.

I have these as well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XTM5WY1/

Tried to use them in the spot I mentioned above, but they weren't high enough and I ended up getting one stuck in between the wheels and that just caused a whole other problem.