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08-14-2019, 08:17 AM
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#21
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
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Cool. Thank you. For stabilizing the trailer, so it doesn't bounce under foot (the existing bars eliminate most bounce but not all) and to level the floor I can't imagine you have to lift any one corner all that much.
The first time I tried leveling I jacked the axle up until a tire floated, and then pushed plastic, inter-locking blocks under the tire. And then let the dangling axle down onto the plastic blocks. I did that once and then never again. Since then I've backed the trailer onto blocks and hoped for the best. Or cussed a blue flame and slept on a tilting bed.
A few cranks on a scissor jack would be oh so much easier. I build boats for a hobby. So installing these jacks will be well within my comfort zone.
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08-14-2019, 08:20 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
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Leveling at the corners instead of under the wheels makes zero sense to me. Seems no better way to stress the frame.
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
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08-14-2019, 08:41 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
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installing scissor jacks
Deleted due to thread merge.
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
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08-14-2019, 08:44 AM
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#24
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
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Another thread may have been referenced, that was 8 years old. But I started this particular "scissor jack" thread two days ago.
Last weekend I camped in a USA forest service campground that was nice and clean and not level. Which is how it all got started.
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08-14-2019, 08:49 AM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
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installing scissor jacks
Deleted due to thread merge.
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
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08-14-2019, 08:53 AM
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#26
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
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Now that I've heard from those who did this and liked the result I will do it myself.
I will not put the jacks at the extreme corners. I will remove the existing stabilizers and replace them with scissor jacks. I will likely add some steel backing bars. Scissor jacks are strong enough to suspend the whole trailer in mid-air. But I will never do that. I'll just be leveling a few inches, with tires still touching down.
I won't have time to actually do this until Fall. I'll post a photo once done. And a report.
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08-14-2019, 08:54 AM
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#27
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Trailer: 21' foot 2019
Posts: 64
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Ah. OK. I see now I responded to a link that came in my email somehow. I assumed it was the thread I started two daze ago. But it warn't
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08-14-2019, 09:09 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: DFW, Texas
Trailer: 2018 21 Sept 7 2018
Posts: 1,073
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You are correct Myron. The trailer frames escape uses are not designed to be use for leveling. Using them for this purpose can and will Leeds to frame issues down the road. If they were, Escape would have had a training video for the process.
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08-14-2019, 09:24 AM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yardsale
We choose a level site, use the front hitch jack to level front to back, wheel pads to level side to side, then make final leveling adjustments to enhance shower drainage with the stabilizing jacks. Wonder if this is ok or we are engaging in unsafe practice. We've been doing it for several years.
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This is the correct way..........
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-14-2019, 09:33 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Bonney Lake, Washington
Trailer: 2010 Escape 17B
Posts: 188
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The manual for my 17B says not to use the jacks for anything other than stabilization. I was under the impression that the frame is not strong enough to jack to the point required to level the trailer?
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08-14-2019, 09:33 AM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Sandy,
I'm afraid you maybe going down the wrong road with the scissors jack vs the stabilizers. The frame on your Escape is not as heavy as the SOB's that have thicker frames but are heavy and do not last because of leaks. Escape was designed to be leak free and lightweight, thus the 4" frame. There is a proper way to leveling the trailer without jacking up the frame and causing frame twist that can impact your door as well as weaken your frame. If you want an easier way, try the B@l levelers which jack up the wheels as seen here....
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-14-2019, 10:06 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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I believe the BAL levelers are only for single axle trailers, does anyone use them on double axles?
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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08-14-2019, 10:08 AM
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#33
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,044
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It's possible the reason ETI stopped installing scissors and went to the BAL stabilizers, is the rear of the trailer frame became higher off the ground with the increase in tire size. Remember, the further the scissor has to be extended the 'skinner' the overall width becomes and you might end up with a stabilizer that's tall and skinny. Kinda like sitting on a pole. Where the BAL extend out to nearly the width of the trailer.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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08-14-2019, 10:10 AM
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#34
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,044
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
I believe the BAL levelers are only for single axle trailers, does anyone use them on double axles?
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I know of at least two of us with tandem axle trailers. We obviously own two BAL stabilizers. I do with a 5.0TA and Ian Giles with his 19'.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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08-14-2019, 10:12 AM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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I did it with my E19 and first E21 until I sold them.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-14-2019, 10:15 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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going to try and combine both threads, getting confusing...
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-14-2019, 10:38 AM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pittendrigh
I will not put the jacks at the extreme corners. I will remove the existing stabilizers and replace them with scissor jacks. I will likely add some steel backing bars. Scissor jacks are strong enough to suspend the whole trailer in mid-air. But I will never do that. I'll just be leveling a few inches, with tires still touching down.
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You should be fine with this approach. We did the recall frame repair on the 19 and they sent two of the new style "C" jacks for the front. We opted to keep the original scissor jacks as they still have enough clearance when closed and we like the way they work.
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08-14-2019, 01:06 PM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pittendrigh
Scissor jacks are strong enough to suspend the whole trailer in mid-air.
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Some scissor jacks are this strong; so are some models of the single-leg jacks.
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