Scissor Jacks

[BrendaG]

Hi Guys

I contacted the dealership where we purchased our Parkliner for information installing scissor jacks. He told me there was not enough clearance. Agree? Disagree?

[WizWid]

Originally Posted by BrendaG

Hi Guys

I contacted the dealership where we purchased our Parkliner for information installing scissor jacks. He told me there was not enough clearance. Agree? Disagree?

Well, how much clearance is there under there?

[floyd]

Consider BAL telescoping stabilizers before making your final decision.
They are more stable when deployed and give more clearance when stowed.
They also provide reinforcement to your trailer frame.

[charlsara]

I agree with Floyd on the BAL's. They work and they're out of the way. Get the optional round ground pads.

[mglyons]

Floyd, Charlie, what size BAL levelers did you purchase...24"? I was reading reviews on Amazon and someone said they were too wide to telescope down to install on his Casita. Did you have trouble with width? How did you install...rear bumper, underbody cross member?
I'm very interested in this, tired of our little manual pyramid stabilizers.
Thanks!

[BrendaG]

i went and measured 13 inches or so ... im on gravel

[John in Santa Cruz]

those BAL's look a lot like what are on my 2014 Escape...

[charlsara]

I had to mount them at an angle under my Lil Snoozy. The crank end on the frame and the back on the cross member. They attach with self tapping screws. I havn't measured to the ground but there is plenty of room. Maybe 10 inches. I used the ones that were separate and designed for pop up tent trailers.

[charlsara]

This is what I ordered. You have to order the round pads separately.




https://www.amazon.com/BAL-23025-Ten...al+stabilizers

[Carl V]

Originally Posted by charlsara

I had to mount them at an angle under my Lil Snoozy.

Hi Charlie
Do you have a larger resolution picture of this picture of your jacks? I'm not able to blow it up by clicking on it for some reason.
Your installation (at an angle) looks pretty much the same as I did on my own trailer, and I'm about to install some on a Trillium 1300 today (if rain stops).

Thx

[Raz]

Mine were installed parallel to the bumper. They welded tabs to accomadate bolting them on. Either the 17" or the 20" will fit (same bolt pattern) but the 20" works better if you want to add the sand pads.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by mglyons

Floyd, Charlie, what size BAL levelers did you purchase...24"? I was reading reviews on Amazon and someone said they were too wide to telescope down to install on his Casita. Did you have trouble with width? How did you install...rear bumper, underbody cross member?
I'm very interested in this, tired of our little manual pyramid stabilizers.
Thanks!

The BAL Stabilizers I bought were 17" if I remember corrrectly. However to your second point, I had no trouble with the width.
I did cut an appropriate amount from the nesting channel in order to install the crossmember in between the Scamp's frame rails.
It is a simple matter to modify the width and/or the installation to fit.
On a Scamp16 which has more clearance than the Scamp13 the installer could narrow even the 24" version to fit between the rails as described above or even narrowed to fit below the frame rails.
The latter would be the easiest and would require no more modification than I did to mine which required only cutting the channel.
The taller version might require a bit of the screw to be removed to fit between the frame rails but not to fit below them.
Properly modified and installed, either stabilizer would fit completely under the trailer including the bolt end.
These mods and installations would be no more complex than the installation of the scissors jacks.

[Carl V]

Thanks Floyd
I've seen your installation before, when I put mine on last year.
Good job.
Now doing the same on sis-in-law's T1300.

[mglyons]

Thank you, Floyd, that's exactly the info I was looking for. Very helpful posts and photos from many persons, I think I can do this!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Raz

Mine were installed parallel to the bumper. They welded tabs to accomadate bolting them on. Either the 17" or the 20" will fit (same bolt pattern) but the 20" works better if you want to add the sand pads.

Raz,

Just to be clear...While the stabilizer you have shown is viable, it is not the same, nor does it have the strength and capacity of the crossmember version.


The crossmember version is strong enough when installed properly to use as a jack as well as a stabilizer when used on small to midsized fiberglass trailers.
I commonly use mine to raise the trailer to service the brakes or change tires.


I have used the type you have shown for FRONT stabilizers on a Scamp16 because they must be installed offset of each other in that application.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by floyd

Raz,

Just to be clear...While the stabilizer you have shown is viable, it is not the same, nor does it have the strength and capacity of the crossmember version.


The crossmember version is strong enough when installed properly to use as a jack as well as a stabilizer when used on small to midsized fiberglass trailers.
I commonly use mine to raise the trailer to service the brakes or change tires.


I have used the type you have shown for FRONT stabilizers on a Scamp16 because they must be installed offset of each other in that application.

What I showed is what Trillium put on my trailer. They stabilize the rear of my trailer and work fine for that purpose. At $55 a pair, they are cheaper than the cross member version. And when you catch one on an immovable object they tear away nicely without damaging the frame. Mine are bolted on making replacement a snap.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Raz

What I showed is what Trillium put on my trailer. They stabilize the rear of my trailer and work fine for that purpose. At $55 a pair, they are cheaper than the cross member version. And when you catch one on an immovable object they tear away nicely without damaging the frame. Mine are bolted on making replacement a snap.

All good points, further explaining the differences!
While the crossmember version can be bolted on I preferred welding.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by floyd

All good points, further explaining the differences!
While the crossmember version can be bolted on I preferred welding.

Differences ? They're stabilizers. On a 13' trailer ones as good as the other as far as I'm concerned. And for jacking the trailer for service I prefer my truck jack and a jack stand but each to his own.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Raz

Differences ? They're stabilizers. On a 13' trailer ones as good as the other as far as I'm concerned. And for jacking the trailer for service I prefer my truck jack and a jack stand but each to his own.

The difference is very remarkable, the scissors jacks tend to wobble along their axis, the stab jacks are fine but are prone to breakage and are more difficult to deploy.
Each leg of my BAL stabilizers has a greater capacity than the entire weight of my trailer and since they are permanently attached the trailer can't "fall off the jack". They also reinforce the frame and are ideally located for each function. I don't carry jack stands on the road and the BAL stabilizers obviate the need.

Other than all that... "one's as good as the other".

[Raz]

Carl mentions installing stabilizers at an angle. I mention mine are parallel to my bumper. Next thing I know you're arguing how much better yours are than mine. You seem to look for arguments and when you can't find one you create one. Life's too short.