Snap Pads vs. Jack Blocks

[jjbbrewer]

As others have said you don't have to extend your jacks as far which increases stability.

People keep saying that, but has anyone measured the stability their RV with the jacks extended vs. raised up on some external objects?

I've never experienced instability with just the Level Up's & snap pads no matter how far I extended them. What instability have any of you had?

[geotex1]

People keep saying that, but has anyone measured the stability their RV with the jacks extended vs. raised up on some external objects?

I've never experienced instability with just the Level Up's & snap pads no matter how far I extended them. What instability have any of you had?

It's outdated information in my opinion. To your point, the modern electric and hydraulic jacks are significantly higher capacity that the days of manual crank stilts. The LOWEST single jack rating on Lippert's on GD 5ers is 5,000#. You may notice some difference with the 4pt, electric jacks due to the clearance between telescoping sections, but it is my opinion that movement people perceive is more related to not going out a bumping the autolevel again when on loose gravel or soil pads. Both of these materials will settle under the small footprint bearing load. The other is the long rear cantilever, and that's not solvable with shorter jack extension and it why I have two supplemental jacks ok the rear of our coach. Otherwise, if someone it up early and sitting on the couch, whomever is in bed feels it!

[Hoopy Frood]

FWIW, I don't consider the issue as "instability" as was mentioned, but just more "wiggle". If I am lazy and don't use the blocks, I do notice a bit more movement when walking around in the trailer. It's not unstable by any means, it's just more solid if the jacks are shorter. Some people may not even notice it, but we do. It has nothing to do with capacity. YMMV.

[ajg617]

People keep saying that, but has anyone measured the stability their RV with the jacks extended vs. raised up on some external objects?

I've never experienced instability with just the Level Up's & snap pads no matter how far I extended them. What instability have any of you had?

I haven't because I figure some instability is natural because of weight on wheels and springs. I use snap pads and if needed some plastic camco blocks - the latter usually if we are in a spot where I think one or more of the jacks will extend close to the max if I put some of the blocks under the wheels to level. If I need more than two blocks, I have the Anderson levelers and then put the blocks under the jacks on that side - needed that at two KOAs.

[Tom Traveler]

FWIW, I don't consider the issue as "instability" as was mentioned, but just more "wiggle". If I am lazy and don't use the blocks, I do notice a bit more movement when walking around in the trailer. It's not unstable by any means, it's just more solid if the jacks are shorter. Some people may not even notice it, but we do. It has nothing to do with capacity. YMMV.

I have to agree with Happy. This is just simple physics. These jacks have some inherent flex - jack piston, jack frame, RV frame where jack is attached, etc. If the jack is extended twice as far, the flex will be twice as much. You may notice it or you may not, but it is there. Reducing flex extends the life of mechanical structures. It may be small enough to not notice and most likely won’t affect the integrity of the jack while you own the RV, but it is there.

[Jomani]

I agree that both pads and blocks on the same jack would be redundant. Use one or the other on each jack. I like the blocks because they shorten the jack extension and improve stability. Our 5er has 6 jacks. I use blocks on the front two and back two and pads in the middle.

I looked at the Anderson blocks and rejected them because they looked a bit flimsy IMO. I've seen pictures of shattered Anderson blocks. I visualized the damage from one front corner collapsing to the ground. I bought these instead - https://a.co/d/6YeFoJU - for the front jacks. They are hell-for-stout because the interior vanes go all the way to the ground. They don't nest like the Anderson blocks and are a bit heavier. Using the Anderson blocks for the rear jacks would generally be OK because if one fails, it simply drops the trailer a little bit onto the suspension. If the jacks are used to completely unload the suspension, that's a different story. I would never trust these blocks for safety if I was removing a wheel or working underneath the RV.

I use the Rophor blocks as well and love them.

[ajg617]

I have to agree with Happy. This is just simple physics. These jacks have some inherent flex - jack piston, jack frame, RV frame where jack is attached, etc. If the jack is extended twice as far, the flex will be twice as much. You may notice it or you may not, but it is there. Reducing flex extends the life of mechanical structures. It may be small enough to not notice and most likely won’t affect the integrity of the jack while you own the RV, but it is there.

Be interested to know if folks that have upgraded to an RV with 17" tires have noticed any difference. The Coopers are very tall and there's a lot of sidewall. But, I'm guessing that they also extend the jack pistons during auto-level a bit more than smaller diameter tires on previous years unless GD has altered the suspension to accommodate the larger diameter tires. I'm not sure if they did or did not.

We get quite a bit of 'bounce' - I wouldn't call it flex. That's with the jacks extended via auto-level which in my mind extends the jacks further than necessary and takes maybe more weight off the suspension then necessary which always raises and never lowers to achieve level.

[Hoopy Frood]

Be interested to know if folks that have upgraded to an RV with 17" tires have noticed any difference. The Coopers are very tall and there's a lot of sidewall. But, I'm guessing that they also extend the jack pistons during auto-level a bit more than smaller diameter tires on previous years unless GD has altered the suspension to accommodate the larger diameter tires. I'm not sure if they did or did not.

We get quite a bit of 'bounce' - I wouldn't call it flex. That's with the jacks extended via auto-level which in my mind extends the jacks further than necessary and takes maybe more weight off the suspension then necessary which always raises and never lowers to achieve level.

I'm not going to swear by it, but it seems to me that the 17.5" trailer tires are about the same overall diameter as the more common 16" trailer tires. So the tire sidewall height would actually be less than the 16" tire/wheel it replaces.

[Ynot4me2]

It's outdated information in my opinion. To your point, the modern electric and hydraulic jacks are significantly higher capacity that the days of manual crank stilts. The LOWEST single jack rating on Lippert's on GD 5ers is 5,000#. You may notice some difference with the 4pt, electric jacks due to the clearance between telescoping sections, but it is my opinion that movement people perceive is more related to not going out a bumping the autolevel again when on loose gravel or soil pads. Both of these materials will settle under the small footprint bearing load. The other is the long rear cantilever, and that's not solvable with shorter jack extension and it why I have two supplemental jacks ok the rear of our coach. Otherwise, if someone it up early and sitting on the couch, whomever is in bed feels it!

I think people still think that is the case as in scissor jacks. With those, if the are extended you do get more movement/wiggle in the trailer.

[Keebler]

...and statistically significant number of people feel improvement from taking a placebo; which is why real scientific studies include placebos (not to mention being double blind as well).

Anyway, if you feel a difference; go for it! I do love the free market and governments that don't mandate, nor prohibit, the use of blocks!