Chock Question
 

I have a packed-gravel area where I would like to park my Mallard M185 (21' about 4,500 lbs). I have sturdy chocks, but I'm worried that they may slide on the gravel and the trailer will roll.

I was thinking of mounting each yellow chock on the end of a 2"x8"x4' board so that each wheel would be resting on a board and a chock. That way, a chock could never dislocate allowing the trailer to move.

What do y'all think of this solution? Asking also for better ideas.

Thanks,

Brenwol

Are they the plastic ones? Or heavy rubber?

Big yellow hard plastic. From CW.

https://www.campingworld.com/large-wheel-chock

I use a short 4X4 bolted to a rubber mudflap, and a 2X4 bolted and spaced so the tire fits between the blocks. I put wood down so I back onto the flap, over the 2X and against the 4X. This way the chocks don't move, and the flap keeps weeds from growing near the tire, reducing the chance of string damage.
I keep the store-bought chocks in the trailer to use when camping.

I like your idea Brenwol1. I would think it would be difficult for the hard plastic to bite into the hard pack gravel

I've also seen/read that tires should rest on a rounded artform to prevent "flat spots" from forming on the tires. Is this really important for trailer that will not be stored for more than 8 or so weeks at a time?

Take a look at X Chocks....no, mine sits for 6 months every winter with me in it...

When parking our RVs I have a 6 x 6" timber spiked into the ground (24" long rebar) to serve as the rear stopping alignments and then place a heavy duty rubber chock in front of two tires. No issue about it rolling as the gravel parking pads are leveled to +/- 1" in every direction. The tires rest on concrete pavers to keep them off the ground. I also painted a red line on the 6 x 6 blocks to serve as a left/right alignment mark. To make everything fit into the required space at home and still open the slides I have to be within 1" forward/backwards and left/right of the target spot when backing in.

Ours sits for up to 6 weeks at a time with no tire issues. When we are in it I use x chocks and heavy duty rubber chocks in front and back of the tires unless I need to level it then I use my andersen leveling chocks. No issues.

FYI...our trailer is single axle, so X chocks are not an option.

Parking on wood would work. Last winter I parked on wood slabs only my chocks were the small yellow chocks and it never rolled even though the chocks were not tacked down. Drop your stab jacks with wood under them as well so there's plenty of weight on them and combined with the tongue jack you have 5 additional points on the ground to keep your trailer from rolling.

Most books say don't lift the trailer with stabs. If a tire looses air in the weeks it is setting the weight will transfer to stabs, the frame will not know you are not lifting...

I said nothing about lifting the trailer. Use them as they are intended to be used - as stabilizer jacks. Whether the stab jacks are used or not check the tires once a month and keep them properly inflated. More often if need be.

I think his point was that setting the stabs properly could result in too much weight over time as the tires naturally bleed off air.

LOL. It's yours, do what you want..

If you are trying to keep it from rolling, I'm not sure the side loads where part of the design specs.
Lifting the trailer with the stabilizers transfers the weight from axle to corners of frame. Air going out of tire while the stabs are down is different deal, it transfers the weight from axle to corners of frame.
If I hit a nail Friday on the way home, back the camper in and unhook. Sunday, I can see camper is leaning. But the stabs down, the frame will be hanging by the corners for a month before you dig out the gauge...

Yeah...LOL. :facepalm: Apparently you glossed over the winter part in my original statement. The point I was making is what I did last winter was sufficient to keep the trailer from rolling which is what the question was about. Let's not exaggerate things just to make an argument.

Well, my camper goes out at least once most months. And I might be exaggerating the harm to the trailer from lifting the corners, but I have seen the warning in enough manuals, and looked at how flimsy some frames are built to not gamble. And from my experience, if a wood chock, or anything except X chock will hold, it will hold from now on, unless something pushes. If on a steep slope, then yes, it is better to have the chock secured to something under the tire, so the tire rolling can't slide the chock. (I imagine my blocks bolted to mudflap would hold my trailer on any slope my truck could push it up). I kind of like backing in until see trailer go up then down the 2 inches. Crank the coupler above the ball, and it will be right there when I back up again...
Now if I was to build a trailer it would have air bags for springs, and a couple of bars attached to the frame about 11 and 1 o'clock on the wheel. When ready to unhook, dump the air. Less of a step to get in, and it sure would not roll...

Chocks work on any ground that can carry the weight of the TT. They do not rely on being able to resist pushing. The radius of the tire must be less than the radius on the chock. As the tire rolls onto the chock, it exerts a downward force that anchors the chock. The farther the tire rolls onto the chock the greater the down force. Only a chock without weight on it will slide easily.

Yes, you are absolutely correct. My brain tells me that, but my paranoia screams otherwise! [emoji2]

Since the solutions are cheap, this time I think paranoia wins.

Thanks to all for info and opinions.

If you area do-it-yourself person then you can make your own chocks that are very effective. 2 x 4, 1/2" all thread with nuts with washers.
https://i.imgur.com/liebLyol.jpg

These have worked well for me...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1