Leveling a double axle?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Groma

Thanks, I have invested in a pair and a set of Anderson Levellers.

You'll like the setup.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I'm with Charlie and many others. Love the x-chocks. You usually only need one if the site is level but we use both.

I always use 2. It would be more than exciting if a leaky tire with the single x-chock became flat enough while sleeping (on a dark and stormy night, of course) for the trailer to roll down a hill on a path chosen by gravity.......

[Dave Walter]

The x chocks are not intended to be used as a replacement for your wheel chocks. They are for added stability and to limit movement of your trailer. The conventional wedge shaped wheel chocks should be used even when the x chocks are used. One of the issues with the x chocks is that they are often put on when you pull into a site and the tires are still hot (think expanded). When the tires cool down, the contract a small amount and your x chocks may fall right off. Has happened to me. If I did not have the wheels wedged in place, the trailer could have moved. It is good practice to cinch them up again several hours after arriving at your site..

[rbryan4]

We use the x-chocks to lock the wheels and we use Andersen levelers. Have had zero issues. But, we do check the x-chocks about an hour or two after we've set up to make sure they're tight.

[Jim Bennett]

In the 5 years I have used the X-chocks, I have never used any additional wedge chocks, and have never had a problem. At home, my trailer parks on a fairly steep drive too.

[Dave Walter]

This quote from a poster in the "rv forum" gives another reason for using a set of conventional chocks in addition to the Bal-x chocks, at least during unhitching and levelling process:

The BALX chocks work by making the tandem wheels immobile by locking them together. However, if you think about it, when you level you trailer by raising or lowering the tongue jack, the trailer is rotating slightly about the wheels so they need to be free to rotate (relative to the trailer) or you will be locking in some stress on your wheel/axle assembly.

So, what is being discussed is whether you should really use a standard (non-locking) chock for the wheels until you get unhitched and leveled and then go back and install the wheel immobilizing (i.e, BALX) chocks. The same thing applies (in reverse order) when you hitch up.

The style of tandem axle locking chocks that I use don't immobilize the wheel until you step on the center bars to lock them in place and prior to that, act like a standard wheel chock. So, I just place them between the wheels, then unhitch and level prior to putting them into locked mode.

[Jim Bennett]

I have heard that idea lots before, Robert. I am not too concerned with the bit of torsion added to the axles as I raise and lower the jack. The axles are designed to take torsion as part of how they perform. In my driveway, as I have to raise the jack to nearly full height, I do use wedge chocks first, as there is a fair degree of rotation as I raise the jack well over a foot to its full height after blocking tight under it first. Most campsites the tongue might more a few inches in most cases, and with that I have little concern.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I have heard that idea lots before, Robert. I am not too concerned with the bit of torsion added to the axles as I raise and lower the jack. The axles are designed to take torsion as part of how they perform. In my driveway, as I have to raise the jack to nearly full height, I do use wedge chocks first, as there is a fair degree of rotation as I raise the jack well over a foot to its full height after blocking tight under it first. Most campsites the tongue might more a few inches in most cases, and with that I have little concern.

I agree. It was Dave who raised the concern.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I agree. It was Dave who raised the concern.

Oops! That Dave is a trouble maker, eh?

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Oops! That Dave is a trouble maker, eh?

Jim, I was happy to let you accuse Rbryan4 of stirring things up. But since he has denied it, I now have to admit that it was gbaglo that did it.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

Jim, I was happy to let you accuse Rbryan4 of stirring things up. But since he has denied it, I now have to admit that it was gbaglo that did it. [emoji23]

LOL.... That darn baglo.

[gbaglo]